In this work, silicone-based contact lenses were prepared via the free radical polymerization of 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) and 3-(methacryloyloxy)propyltris(trimethylsiloxy)silane (TRIS), with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the cross-linker and AIBN as the initiator, aiming to enhance the water swelling, wettability and antifouling property. The hydrophilicity of the resultant silicone hydrogels can be adjusted by changing the compositions. The properties of silicone hydrogel lenses were analyzed such as equilibrium water content, optical transparency, and contact angle. The obtained results demonstrated that the TRIS content decreased the equilibrium water content, while HEMA contributed the hydrophilicity of the hydrogels. Water contact angle measurements suggested that the HEMA hydrophilic groups could rearrange on the upper surface of the TRIS containing polymer in the water environment, improving the wettability of the surface. The transmittance of hydrogels contact lenses shows that all hydrogel contact lenses exhibited light transparency in the range 96-97 %.
