Colored contact lens with a more natural appearance

A method for manufacturing a colored contact lens comprising providing a transparent contact lens, applying three portions of colorant to the surface of said contact lens, and rendering the colorant resistant to removal from ocular fluids, wherein the contact lens has a non-opaque pupil section and an iris section surrounding said pupil section, the improvement comprising applying the three portions of colorant, wherein a first portion of the colorant is of a first shade, and a second portion the colorant is of a second shade which is different than the second shade, and the third portion of the colorant is of a third shade which is different than the second shade and may or may not be the same as said first shade, wherein said first portion is located generally on the outside of said iris section, said second portion is located generally on the inside of said first portion, and said third portion is located generally on the inside of said second portion, and a first uneven border differentiates said first and second portions, and a second uneven border differentiates said second and said third portions, wherein the minimum distance of said first unevenborder from the outer perimeter of said iris section is from about 5% to about 60% of the radial width of said iris section, and the maximum distance of said uneven border from the outer perimeter of said iris section is from about 25% to about 95% of the radial width of said iris section, and the minimum distance of said second uneven border from the outer perimeter of said iris section is from about 15% to about 75% of the radial width of said iris section, and the maximum distance of said uneven border from the outer perimeter of said iris section is from about 50% to about 95% of the radial width of said iris section, thereby providing a lens capable of changing the apparent color of the iris of a person wearing the lens and imparting a very natural appearance, wherein the intermittent pattern is deposited on the lens surface by the steps of:

• a) providing a first plate having depressions corresponding to the first portion;
• b) filling the depressions with colorant of the first shade;
• c) pressing a first flexible pad against the first plate;
• d) pressing the first flexible pad against a surface of the lens thereby printing the first portion of the elements;
• e) providing a second plate having depressions corresponding to the second portion;
• f) filling in the depressions with colorant of the second shade;
• g) pressing a second flexible pad against a second plate;
• h) pressing the second flexible pad against said surface of the lens thereby printing the second portion of the elements;
• i) providing a third plate having depressions corresponding to the third portion;
• j) filling the depressions with colorant of the third shade;
• k) pressing a third flexible pad against a third plate;
• and
• l) pressing the third flexible pad against said surface of the lens thereby printing the third portion of the elements.

A method for manufacturing a colored contact lens comprising providing a transparent contact lens, applying three portions of colorant to the surface of said contact lens, and rendering the colorant resistant to removal from ocular fluids, wherein the contact lens has a non-opaque pupil section and an iris section surrounding said pupil section, the improvement comprising applying the three portions of colorant, wherein a first portion of the colorant is of a first shade, and a second portion the colorant is of a second shade which is different than the second shade, and the third portion of the colorant is of a third shade which is different than the second shade and may or may not be the same as said first shade, wherein said first portion is located generally on the outside of said iris section, said second portion is located generally on the inside of said first portion, and said third portion is located generally on the inside of said second portion, and a first uneven border differentiates said first and second portions, and a second uneven border differentiates said second and said third portions, wherein the minimum distance of said first uneven border from the outer perimeter of said iris section is from about 15% to about 50% of the radial width of said iris section, and the maximum distance of said uneven border from the outer perimeter of said iris section is from about 45% to about 95% of the radial width of said iris section, and the minimum distance of said second uneven border from the outer perimeter of said iris section is from about 15% to about 65% of the radial width of said iris section, and the maximum distance of said uneven border from the outer perimeter of said iris section is from about 60% to about 95% of the radial width of said iris section, thereby providing a lens capable of changing the apparent color of the iris of a person wearing the lens and imparting a very natural appearance, wherein the intermittent pattern is deposited on the lens surface by the steps of:

• a) providing a first plate having depressions corresponding to the first portion;
• b) filling the depressions with colorant of the first shade;
• c) pressing a first flexible pad against the first plate;
• d) pressing the first flexible pad against a surface of the lens thereby printing the first portion of the elements;
• e) providing a second plate having depressions corresponding to the second portion;
• f) filling in the depressions with colorant of the second shade;
• g) pressing a second flexible pad against a second plate;
• h) pressing the second flexible pad against said surface of the lens thereby printing the second portion of the elements;
• i) providing a third plate having depressions corresponding to the third portion;
• j) filling the depressions with colorant of the third shade;
• k) pressing a third flexible pad against a third plate;
• and
• l) pressing the third flexible pad against said surface of the lens thereby printing the third portion of the elements.

A colored contact lens comprising a non-opaque pupil section, an iris section surrounding said pupil section, and a colored, opaque intermittent pattern over said entire iris section, said pattern covering at least about 25% of the area of said iris section, the elements of said pattern being indiscernible to the ordinary viewer, wherein a first portion of the elements of said pattern is a first shade, a second portion of the elements of said pattern is a second shade different from said first shade, and a third portion of the elements of said pattern is a third shade different from said second shade and either the same or different from said first shade, wherein said first portion, an outermost starburst, is located generally on the outside of said iris section and generally on the outside of said second portion, and said second portion, an outer starburst, is located generally on the inside of said first portion, and said third portion, an inner starburst, is located generally on the inside of said second portion of said iris section, and a first uneven border differentiates said outermost starburst and said outer starburst, and a second uneven border differentiates said outer starburst and said inner starburst, such that said outermost starburst overlaps said outer starburst at a plurality of locations, and said outer starburst overlaps said inner starburst at a plurality of locations, thereby providing a lens capable of changing the apparent color of the iris of a person wearing the lens and imparting a very natural appearance.

A colored contact lens comprising a non-opaque pupil section, an iris section surrounding said pupil section, and a colored, opaque intermittent pattern over said entire iris section that leaves a substantial portion within the interstices of the pattern non-opaque, said pattern covering at least about 25% of the area of said iris section, the elements of said pattern being indiscernible to the ordinary viewer, wherein a first portion of the elements of said pattern is a first shade, a second portion of the elements of said pattern is a second shade different from said first shade, and a third portion of the elements of said pattern is a third shade different from said second shade and either the same or different from said first shade, wherein said first portion is located generally on the outside of said iris section, and said second portion is located generally on the inside of said first portion, and said third portion is located generally on the inside of said second portion of said iris section, and a first uneven border differentiates said first and second portions, wherein the minimum distance of said first uneven border from the outer perimeter of said iris section is from about 5% to about 50% of the radial width of said iris section, and the maximum distance of said first uneven border from the outer perimeter of said iris section is from about 50% to about 85% of the radial width of said iris section, and a second uneven border differentiates said second and third portions, wherein the minimum distance of said second uneven border from the outer perimeter of said iris section is from about 15% to about 50% of the radial width of said iris section, and the maximum distance of said second uneven border from the outer perimeter of said iris section is from about 50% to about 95% of the radial width of said iris section, such that said first portion overlaps said second portion at a plurality of locations, and said second portion overlaps said third portion at a plurality of locations, thereby providing a lens capable of changing the apparent color of the iris of a person wearing the lens and imparting a very natural appearance.

A colored contact lens having three substantially annular concentric color zones, a first color zone, a second color zone and a third color zone, comprising:

• a) said first color zone located interior to said second color zone and said third color zone, said first color zone having a starburst pattern such that a plurality of digits extend radially outward, such that the first color zone shares a radial area with the second color zone, wherein the digits of the first color zone and the second color zone are interdigitated, and do not overlap;
• b) said second color zone situated between the first color zone and the third color zone, having an annular pattern such that a plurality of digits extend radially inward in the direction of the first color zone, and radially outward in the direction of the third color zone, such that the second color zone shares a radial area with the first color zone and with the third color zone, wherein the colors of the first color zone and the second color zone are interdigitated, and do not overlap, and the digits of the second color zone and the third color zone are interdigitated, and do not overlap;
• c) said third color zone situated substantially exterior to both the second color zone and the first color zone, having an annular pattern such that a plurality of digits extend radially inward in the direction of the second color zone, such that the third color zone shares a radial area with the second color zone, wherein the digits of the first color zone and the second color zone are interdigitated, and do not overlap.