Contact lens insertion tool

An integral member tool for inserting a soft contact lens in a user's eye having a top surface, a bottom surface, first and second side surfaces, a distal end and a proximal end, said tool further comprising:

• a handle portion having essentially flat top and bottom surfaces and narrow side surfaces at said proximal end, said opposingly symmetric top and bottom surfaces tapering along a length of said handle portion extending away from said proximal end to correspond with the flattening of said side surfaces, whereby said handle portion enables said tool to be self-supporting in an upright position when said bottom surface is placed on any flat surface and wherein said user can easily grasp the section of side surfaces which are flattened;
• an intermediate portion extending at an obtuse angle from said handle portion including a first end shaped to extend integrally from said handle portion and a second end comprising a substantially circular cross section whereby said intermediate portion smoothly tapers from its configuration at said first end to the substantially circular cross section of said second end;
• a lens supporting portion curving upwardly and integrally from said intermediate portion including a circular land area on said distal end for adhesion between said lens and said tool;
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• said handle portion enabling said tool to be self-supporting in an upright position such that when said bottom surface of the lens handle is placed on a flat surface, said land area is adapted to receive and hold a contact lens thereon.

A method of inserting a moist contact lens in a user's eye, implementing a single member tool having an elongated handle section comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, and two side surfaces, an intermediate section angularly displaced from said handle section, and a lens supporting portion angularly displaced from said intermediate section and further comprising a substantially circular cross sectional land area for engaging said contact lens, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) grasping said handle section of said tool;
• (b) adhering said contact lens to said land area by means of the adhesion between the liquid on said lens and the material comprising said land area;
• (c) bringing said contact lens edge first to the bottom central area of the sclera of the user's eye into which insertion is desired, and securing contact between said lens edge and the eye at a point on said bottom central sclera area at an angle ranging from approximately 20.degree. to not greater than 90.degree., in a manner in which said tool does not impede the user's vision in any direction and the necessity to blink is greatly reduced;
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• (d) rotating said tool upward toward the eye to an angular position where the adhesion between the contact lens and the eye exceeds the adhesion between the contact lens and the land area of aid tool, whereby said contact lens is disposed in the user's eye.

A method of inserting a moist contact lens in a user's eye, implementing a tool having an elongated handle section and a lens engaging end, said method comprising:

• (a) grasping said handle section of said tool;
• (b) adhering said contact lens to said lens engaging end by means of the adhesion between the liquid on said lens and said lens engaging end;
• (c) bringing said contact lens edge first to the bottom central area of the sclera of the user's eye into which insertion is desired, and securing contact between said lens edge and the eye at a point on said bottom central sclera area at an angle ranging from approximately 20.degree. to not greater than 90.degree. in a manner in which said tool does not impede the user's vision in any direction and the necessity to blink is greatly reduced;
• and
• (d) rotating said tool upward toward the eye to an angular position where the adhesion between the contact lens and the eye exceeds the adhesion between the contact lens and the lens engaging end of said tool, whereby said lens is disposed in the user's eye.