ISSN 1017-2548(Print)
ISSN 2234-8530(Online)
Volume 53, Number 3
JKCSEZ 53(3)
June 20, 2009 

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with methacrylate endgroup is used as contact lens material with elasticity and high oxygen permeability. PDMS prepolymer with methacrylate endgroup was prepared by reacting PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) with HEMA (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate). The HEMA-substituted PDMS prepolymer was then copolymerized using AIBN (azobisisobutyronitrile) with BMA (butyl methacrylate; to increase elasticity and flexibility). The water content, oxygen permeability, and visible-ray transmissibility of the resulting polymer were measured to be 23%, 83% and Dk/t > 50, indicating that the copolymer can be used as a good contact lens material.