Dyed soft contact lenses

Abstract

A method and kit for producing dyed soft contact lenses. The contact lenses are submerged in saline solution, and a strip that has been impregnated with a dye is added to the saline solution. Preferred dyes include the common dyes sodium fluorescein, lissamine green, and rose bengal. After a period of time, the lens absorbs the dye and can be removed from the solution and placed on the eye. Once the lens is illuminated with ultraviolet light, it will glow or fluoresce. This creates a dramatic effect, particularly in dimly lit areas. A method for producing a dyed soft contact lens, or enhancing the glow of a soft contact lens that has previously been dyed, while the lens is being worn in an eye of a subject.

1 . A method for producing a dyed hydrogel or silicon hydrogel substrate, comprising: 
 immersing the hydrogel or silicon hydrogel substrate in a saline solution;    adding a dye-impregnated strip to the saline solution to produce a combination solution;    allowing the hydrogel or silicon hydrogel substrate to remain in the combination solution for an amount of time; and    removing the contact lens from the combination solution to produce a dyed hydrogel or silicon hydrogel substrate.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel or silicon hydrogel substrate is a soft contact lens.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the saline solution is in an amount of about 10 milliliters.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dye-impregnated strip is impregnated with sodium fluorescein, lissamine green, rose bengal, or a mixture thereof.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the dye-impregnated strip is impregnated with sodium fluorescein in an amount of from about 1 to about 30 milligrams.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the dye-impregnated strip is impregnated with rose Bengal in an amount of from about 1 to about 20 milligrams.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dye-impregnated strip contains from about 1 milligram to about 30 milligrams of dye.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of time is about 3 hours or more.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising placing the contact lens on an eye and illuminating the eye with ultraviolet radiation.  
   
   
       10 . The hydrogel or silicon hydrogel substrate prepared by the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       11 . A kit for applying a dye to the surface of a contact lens, comprising: 
 a container;    a saline solution; and    one or more strips of dye-impregnated strips.    
   
   
       12 . The kit of  claim 11 , further comprising a UV light emitting system.  
   
   
       13 . The kit of  claim 11 , wherein the container is capable of holding about 10 milliliters of solution.  
   
   
       14 . The kit of  claim 11 , wherein the saline solution is in an amount of about 10 milliliters.  
   
   
       15 . The kit of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more dye-impregnated strip is impregnated with sodium fluorescein, lissamine green, rose bengal, or a mixture thereof.  
   
   
       16 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more dye-impregnated strips is impregnated with sodium fluorescein in an amount of from about 1 to about 30 milligrams.  
   
   
       17 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more dye-impregnated strips is impregnated with rose bengal in an amount of from about 1 to about 20 milligrams.  
   
   
       18 . The kit of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more dye-impregnated strips contain from about 1 milligram to about 30 milligrams of a dye.  
   
   
       19 . A method for dyeing a soft contact lens worn by a subject in an eye comprising: 
 adding a dye in a saline solution directly on the eye of the subject.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the dye is a sodium fluorescein, lissamine green, rose bengal, or a mixture thereof.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the dye is sodium fluorescein in a concentration of from about 10 to about 20 volume percent.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the soft contact lens has already been dyed.