Attempts have been made to graft hydrophilic vinyl monomers such as 2-hydroxyenthyl methacrylate, n-vinyl pyrollidone and methacrylic acid onto natural rubber (NR) using procedures similar to those for grafting methyl methacrylate monomer onto NR latex in order to use the copolymers as a contact lens material. However, these hydrophilic monomers could not be grafted with hydroperoxide-polyamine and ammonium persulphate-sodium meta bisulphite initiator systems due to their high solubilities in the water phase of NR latex. The monomer, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate could not be grafted onto dry NR in benzene solution because of its high self propagation tendency. A blend of homopolymers was produced. The reduction of the pendant methacrylate groups on NR-methyl methacrylate graft copolymer with LiAlH4 in tetrahydrofuran solution introduced hydroxyl groups and hydrophilicity, and reduced the transparency of the reaction product.