Polymers in contact lens applications VII. Oxygen permeability and surface hydrophilicity of poly(4-methylpent-1-ene) and related polymers

Some of the problems and advantages in the use of non-hydrogel polymers in contact lenses are discussed together with studies on a series of such polymers which have potential advantages over the established material, poly(methyl methacrylate), in that they are both more flexible and more oxygen-permeable. Of the polymers examined which are all too hydrophobic for direct use, poly(4-methylpent-l-ene) proved to be the most readily modified in such a way that its surface became sufficiently wettable to sustain a coherent tear film without reducing its optical qualities to an unacceptable level. The ‘dissolved’ and ‘gaseous’ oxygen permeability coefficients of this polymer were studied as a function of film thickness, surface hydrophilicity and temperature. A pronounced boundary layer effect was observed in ‘dissolved’ oxygen permeability studies, although this decreased as the surface was treated to make it more wettable (as indicated by the equilibrium advancing water contact angle). The ‘gaseous’ permeability coefficients of oxygen were found to be some 4-6 times greater than those for nitrogen. A discontinuity corresponding to the glass transition temperature was observed at 28°C with both permeants and apparent activation energies for permeation were determined both above and below this temperature.