Tinted contact lens and method for making same

Abstract

A tinted contact lens for insertion into an eye comprises a contact lens substrate and an iris-simulating pattern on the lens substrate. The iris simulating pattern comprises at least four distinctly colored colorants. A method for making a tinted contact lens for insertion into an eye comprises providing a plate having a surface, and lasing the plate to form at least one depression in the surface of the plate. The depression is of a shape constituting an iris portion pattern. A fluent colorant is introduced into the depression. The colorant is then transferred from the depression to a lens substrate in a manner so that the colorant colors the lens substrate in a colorant pattern of substantially the same shape as the iris portion pattern of the depression.

1 - 24 . (Cancelled)  
     
     
         25 . A method of making a contact lens, comprising: 
 (a) obtaining a digitized image of an iris of an eye; and    (b) separating the digitized image of the iris into separate colors for reproduction on a contact lens having a non-opaque pupil section.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the digitized image of the iris is obtained from a photograph of an iris.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the digitized image of the iris is obtained by scanning a photograph.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the digitized image of the iris is obtained by scanning an image of the iris.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the iris is of a human eye.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the digitized image is separated into layers.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the digitized image is separated into at least four layers.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 (c) reproducing at least one of the layers on the contact lens.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein a plurality of the layers are serially printed on the contact lens.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a color of the digitized image of the iris is reproduced by applying a colorant to the contact lens.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the colorant is printed on the contact lens.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the colorant is applied to the contact lens by transferring ink from a cliche to the contact lens.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein a color of the digitized image of the iris is reproduced on the contact lens by pad printing.  
     
     
         38 . A contact lens, comprising: 
 a multi-colored iris simulating design that is obtained from a digitized image of an actual iris that has been separated into separate colors of the iris and reproduced on the contact lens to form the multi-colored iris simulating design.    
     
     
         39 . The contact lens of  claim 38 , wherein the iris simulating design is located on a surface of the contact lens.  
     
     
         40 . The contact lens of  claim 38 , wherein the iris simulating design comprises ink printed on a surface of the contact lens.  
     
     
         41 . The contact lens of  claim 38 , wherein the iris simulating design comprises at least four layers of colors of the digitized image of the iris.  
     
     
         42 . The contact lens of  claim 41 , wherein the at least four layers of colors are serially arranged on the contact lens.  
     
     
         43 . The contact lens of  claim 38 , wherein the iris simulating design comprises at least four different colors.  
     
     
         44 . The contact lens of  claim 38 , wherein the iris simulating design is annularly shaped and has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the contact lens.