Low-Cost Customized Color-Blind Contact Lenses using 3D Printed Molds

Prominence of color perception in our day-to-day routine is unequivocally pronounced, yet visual ramifications due to color vision deficiency (CVD) or color blindness impede carriers of this disorder from functioning normally. To circumvent this deficiency, patients opt for tinted glasses/contact lenses to complement their color distinction capabilities. Red-green color blindness, the most prevalent form of CVD, can be alleviated using such glasses/lenses that filter out problematic wavelengths (540-580 nm). Nonetheless, nearly all contact lenses established by companies and developed by researchers are tinted throughout their entire surface, causing patients discomfort and needless attention as people can easily note their deficiency. Ideally, the tint within the lens should only cover the eye's pupil as it is responsible for perceiving light. Hence herein, CVD contact lenses are fabricated by solely tinting the midportion of commercial lenses utilizing two additively manufactured molds with 4 and 8 mm-diameter holes to emulate the humans' average pupil size. The tinted lenses filter light effectively at 530-590 nm with their transmission dip being at 558 nm. The contact lenses show excellent wettability and water retention capabilities along with demonstrating superior wavelength-filtering properties to most of the commercial and research-based CVD wearables.

Automated summary

Color vision deficiency (CVD) affects normal functioning, but tinted glasses/contact lenses can help alleviate this. However, current lenses are tinted throughout, causing discomfort and drawing attention. Researchers have developed CVD lenses by tinting only the midportion of a lens, providing a solution without unnecessary attention.