For a long time, tinted soft lenses were not available in this country because of lack of FDA approval. Because the lenses are large and extend beyond the iris onto the white part of the eye, a complete dark tint would also look rather odd. But the transparency of a nontinted lens makes it difficult to see, especially when dropped. The advertising campaign based on the soft lens’s near-perfect resemblance to a drop of water is no exaggeration. No tint also means no glare reduction, but since photosensitivity in soft-lens wearers is relatively rare, this is a minor disadvantage.

However, this ban may no longer be an issue for soft-lens wearers, because in June of 1981 a tinting process for soft lenses was made available. The physician may send any FDA approved soft contact lens to a special laboratory in North Carolina in order to be tinted according to certain specifications.A 1.5 mm border and a 4 mm diameter central zone are left clear in order for the lens to appear normal on the eye and to correspond to the pupil. The remaining “iris” area is then tinted, using a special process that permanently bonds the color to the lens. Because the inner surface of the lens, that part that comes in contact with the cornea, remains free of the tint, the process is in compliance with the FDA regulations. In addition, the color is safe, will not leach out, and holds up under either chemical or heat sterilization. Any color (blue, green, brown, etc.) may be specified, in intensities varying from 10 to 30 percent. Later that year Ciba Vision Care obtained FDA approval for their light blue Softint lens. Tinted soft lenses may become the rule rather than the exception.

Dry Eyes and Air

Those people with inadequate tear production are poor candidates for contact lenses in general, but especially for soft lenses. The drier the eye, the harder the lens should be; therefore someone with moderately dry eyes may be able to wear hard lenses successfully, but not soft. When a soft lens dehydrates in the eye, the edges may harden and curl away from the cornea, causing discomfort and possible lens fallout. Anywhere the air is dry—the desert, an airplane, an air-conditioned or heated home or office—will adversely affect hydration and thus the comfort of the lens. One of my patients kept returning to my office complaining of red, itchy eyes and frequent popping out of his soft lenses. I finally determined that the office in which he worked had an extremely efficient air- conditioning system and consequently the air was very dry. I couldn’t change his job, but I did recommend he try two procedures: that he blink more frequently, and that he instill lubricating eye drops frequently during the day. Both these procedures combined to solve his problem. During air travel the low humidity within the airplane may cause you discomfort, in which case you can simply remove your lenses and switch to eyeglasses.