A silicone hydrogel contact lens (SHCL) with a 97% (550 nm) of optical transmittance, a 40.78 barrer of oxygen permeability and a 38.4% of water content were synthesized, and a crosslinked sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (SCMC) layer with over 80% of water content was covalently grafted on the surface of the synthesized lens to improve wearability. The SHCL was first reacted with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in the presence of glutaraldehyde (GA) as a crosslinker to introduce hydroxyl groups on the lens surface. The PVA-incorporated SHCL was then reacted with SCMC and GA for 20-80 min to produce SHCL with a 0.35-2.50-μm-thick SCMC surface layer. By incorporating the crosslinked SCMC surface layer, contact angle of the lens was sharply decreased to 43.80° from that (90.25°) of pristine one.

광투과율이 97%(550 nm), 산소투과성이 40.78 barrer 및 함수율이 38.4%인 실리콘 하이드로젤 콘택트렌즈를 합성하였으며, 제조된 렌즈의 낮은 함수율을 보완하고 착용성을 높이기 위하여 80% 이상의 함수율을 갖는 sodium carboxymethyl cellulose(SCMC) 가교막을 렌즈표면에 공유결합으로 도입하였다. 가교제인 glutaraldehyde(GA), poly(vinyl alcohol) 및 실리콘 하이드로젤 렌즈를 반응시켜 렌즈 표면에 히드록시기를 다량 생성시킨 후, 이를 GA 가교제 존재 하에서 SCMC와 20-80분간 반응시켰을 때 0.35-2.50 μm 두께의 SCMC 표면층을 형성할 수 있었다. 가교된 SCMC 표면층 형성 전후의 물 접촉각을 측정한 결과 표면층이 없는 렌즈는 90.25°로 나타났으며, SCMC 가교막의 형성에 의해 접촉각이 43.80°로 크게 감소하였다.

Keywords: silicone hydrogel contact lens, surface layer, water content, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.