Delayed availability for Comfilcon A silicone hydrogel lenses from CooperVision

As pointed out in the article in Contact Lens Spectrum, Comfilcon A comprises two high molecular weight silicone-based macromers. The reliable synthesis of these molecules is much more complex than the smaller silicone-based monomers used in competing products. A thorough review of both issued US patents and published US patent applications demonstrates that inventors working for Ciba Vision and Bauch & Lomb have contemplated silicone-based macromers many years prior to CooperVision.  The result of their research, however, led their respective companies to commercialize the smaller and less complex silicone monomers. Issues with raw materials are not solved by optimizing the manufacturing process, they are solved by a thorough understanding of how to make the macromers reliably batch after batch.