Prescription eyewear with photophobic response control and/or circadian cycle modulation capabilities

A lens configured to provide vision correction and attenuation of electromagnetic energy, the lens comprising:

• a first layer having an anterior surface and a posterior surface and a generally uniform thickness therebetween, the first layer being formed of a polymeric base material and one or more electromagnetic energy absorptive dyes homogeneously dispersed throughout the bulk of the base material, the one or more dyes being configured to absorb electromagnetic energy, one or more energy absorbing dyes producing a generally uniform color across the first layer the thickness of and/or a dye dispersion of the first layer being sufficient to maintain a generally uniform optical density equal to or less than 2 and the generally uniform color after surfacing or polishing of a corrective prescription;
• and
• a second layer formed of a generally clear polymeric material co-molded with and integrally bonded to the posterior surface of the first layer to form a single, unitary body, the second layer having a posterior surface with a corrective prescription surfaced or polished therein, the second layer having a thickness sufficient to contain the corrective prescription such that surfacing or polishing removes material only from the second layer without reducing a thickness or altering optical properties of the first layer,
• wherein the first layer remains unaltered during the surfacing or polishing of the corrective prescription, such that the generally uniform thickness and color of the first layer are preserved across the lens, and the lens has an optical density equal to or less than 2.

A method for forming a prescription and laser protective lens, the method comprising:

• mixing one or more electromagnetic energy absorbing dyes into a polymeric base material to produce a generally homogeneous mixture of the base material and dye(s);
• molding the homogeneous mixture to form a first layer of a lens blank, the first layer having an anterior surface and a posterior surface, the dyes being homogeneously dispersed throughout the bulk of the first layer to provide the lens with an optical density equal to or less than 2, the first layer being formed with a generally uniform thickness and with the thickness and/or a dye distribution sufficient to maintain a generally uniform optical density equal to or less than 2 and a generally uniform color after subsequent surfacing or polishing;
• co-molding a generally clear polymeric material directly onto the posterior surface of the first layer to form a second layer integrally bonded to the first layer so as to create a single, unitary lens blank, the second layer having a posterior surface opposite to the first layer, the second layer being formed with a thickness sufficient to receive a corrective prescription;
• and
• surfacing or polishing the posterior surface of the second layer with a corrective prescription without removing or altering any portion of the first layer, wherein surfacing or polishing removes material only from the second layer and does not reduce the thickness, change the optical density, or alter a generally uniform color of the first layer.