title: Transmittance of tinted and UV-blocking disposable contact lenses.
abstract: Tinted and ultraviolet (UV)-blocking disposable contact lenses have become increasingly popular over the last decade. Wearers of UV-blocking contact lenses could benefit greatly by protecting their eyes from potential UV radiation damage. A Uvikon 930 dual beam spectrophotometer was used to measure three enhancement-tinted lenses (royal blue, evergreen, and aqua), two types of UV-blocking lenses, and two types of non-UV-blocking lenses. Enhancement-tinted lenses did show a decrease in transmittance at certain wavelengths on the visible spectrum, but they did not reduce the transmittance of UV radiation to the extent of the UV-blocking lenses designed specifically for this purpose.
authors.affiliation: The Morton D. Sarver Laboratory for Contact Lens and Corneal Research, University of California, School of Optometry, Berkeley 94720-2020, USA.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haririfar
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Hirano
mesh_terms: D003263:Contact Lenses, Hydrophilic / Q000592:standards*; D004209:Disposable Equipment; D005123:Eye / Q000528:radiation effects; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000592:standards*; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays