Contact lens curing systems and methods are described. A contact lens curing system includes an oven that has a plurality of curing zones a mold advancement system for moving the contact lens mold assemblies between the plurality of zones and a controlled atmosphere within the curing zones that provides a substantially chemically inert environment in which contact lens precursor materials can be polymerized in contact lens mold assemblies located in the curing zones. Methods of producing contact lenses include curing contact lens precursor materials in contact lens mold assemblies in the lens curing system. As an example, an oven for curing contact precursor materials in molds the curing process being done in an inert atmosphere, includes a plurality of heating zones, such as three heating zones 106, 107, 108 or two heating zones 307, 308 and a mold advancement system for moving the molds between the plurality of zones, wherein a first zone and second zone of the plurality of zones are maintained at different temperatures 106, 107 or 307, 308.