METHOD FOR PRODUCING CONTACT LENSES

The invention provides a process for casting-molding contact lenses with enhanced quality and enhanced yield achieved by omitting the previously required check to discover on or in which mold half the contact lens is located after the mold has been opened. The process of the invention includes: providing a mold including a first mold half having a first molding surface and a second mold half having a second molding surface, wherein the first and second mold halves are configured to receive each other such that a mold cavity is formed between the first and second molding surfaces, wherein one of the first and second mold halves has a collar that encircles the other mold half to provide a seal between the two mold halves when the mold is closed; dispensing a polymerizable lens-forming material into one of the mold halves; mating the mold halves to close the mold; polymerizing the polymerizable material located between the two mold halves, thereby forming a molded contact lens; applying a force to non-optical surface of the female mold with a pin at a location about the center area of non-optical molding surface of the mold to deform the female mold thereby breaking the bonds between the optical molding surface of the female mold and the lens and opening the mold.