Designs, apparatus and methods to form contact lenses with aesthetic elements on demand are described. In some examples, the method of defining the aesthetic aspect includes printing patterns. Other examples include photochromic or thermochromic elements which may provide patterning on exposure to electromagnetic irradiation. In some further examples, energized components in contact lenses may provide aesthetic characteristics.

Provided are ink compositions for making cosmetic contact lenses, as well as cosmetic contact lenses and methods for their preparation and use. The ink composition comprises: (a) a colorant; (b) a hydrophilic polymer; and (c) a binder polymer comprising a triblock polymer of formula: [A]-[B]-[C], wherein [A], [B] and [C] are as described herein.

Systems, articles, and methods that integrate photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses are described. One or more hologram(s) may be recorded into/onto the photopolymer file to enable the lens to be used as a transparent holographic combiner in a wearable he display employing an image source, such as a microdisplay or a scanning laser projector. The methods of integrating photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses include: positioning photopolymer film in a lens mold and casting the lends around the photopolymer film; sandwiching photopolymer film in between two portions of a lens' applying photopolymer film to a concave surface of a lens' and/or affixing a planar carrier (with photopolymer film thereon) to two points across a length of a concave surface of a lens. Respective lenses manufactured/adapted by each of these processes are also described.

One embodiment of a contact lens includes a lens body configured to fit directly on the surface of the eye and legible characters positioned on the lens body. Another embodiment of a contact lens comprises a lens body including polymeric material and a lens enhancing material (e.g., ink, silicone material, medicament material, and the like) encapsulated in the polymeric material. The lens enhancing material can be in the form of isolated sections distributed in the surrounding polymeric material. Methods of making contact lenses include forming a first lens layer including a first surface, forming a pattern on the first surface, and forming a second lens layer over the pattern.

A box coating apparatus for vacuum coating of substrates has a vacuum chamber containing an evaporation source and a substrate holder formed as a dome related to the evaporation source and rotatable about an axis. A masking arrangement is located in between for partially shadowing the substrates on the substrate holder relative to the evaporation source. The masking arrangement comprises a fixed masking portion stationary in the vacuum chamber, and a plurality of gradient sector portions carrying gradient shields assigned to the substrates on the substrate holder, for forming a gradient mask. The gradient sector portions can be rotated about the axis between a gradient mask open position where they are stored behind the fixed masking portion, and a gradient mask closed position where they are spread like a fan between the evaporation source and the substrate holder.

A multi-layer lens is disclosed which includes a plurality of dual-layer structures staked on top of one-another, wherein each dual-layer R.sub.i of the plurality of dual-layers includes i) a first curable material having a height of Z.sub.Li cured at a predetermined curing level C.sub.A, and ii) a second curable material having a height of Z.sub.gi cured at a predetermined curing level C.sub.B.

Systems, articles, and methods that integrate photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses are described. One or more hologram(s) may be recorded into/onto the photopolymer film to enable the lens to be used as a transparent holographic combiner in a wearable heads-up display employing an image source, such as a microdisplay or a scanning laser projector. The methods of integrating photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses include: positioning photopolymer film in a lens mold and casting the lens around the photopolymer film; sandwiching photopolymer film in between two portions of a lens; applying photopolymer film to a concave surface of a lens; and/or affixing a planar carrier (with photopolymer film thereon) to two points across a length of a concave surface of a lens. Respective lenses manufactured/adapted by each of these processes are also described.

Systems, articles, and methods that integrate photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses are described. One or more hologram(s) may be recorded into/onto the photopolymer film to enable the lens to be used as a transparent holographic combiner in a wearable heads-up display employing an image source, such as a microdisplay or a scanning laser projector. The methods of integrating photopolymer film with eyeglass lenses include: positioning photopolymer film in a lens mold and casting the lens around the photopolymer film; sandwiching photopolymer film in between two portions of a lens; applying photopolymer film to a concave surface of a lens; and/or affixing a planar carrier (with photopolymer film thereon) to two points across a length of a concave surface of a lens. Respective lenses manufactured/adapted by each of these processes are also described.

A coating system (10) for coating an optical substrate has an identification apparatus (40) configured for identifying an orientation of at least one mark on a surface of the optical substrate; a coating apparatus (30) configured to apply at least one coating material on at least a portion of the optical substrate in a predetermined pattern by a controlled deposition of the at least one coating material in an atomized droplet form; and a robotic placement arm (80) configured to move the optical substrate from the identification apparatus (40) to the coating apparatus (30) and position the optical substrate at a predetermined orientation relative to the coating apparatus (30) based on the orientation of the at least one mark. The coating system (10) may have a second coating apparatus, such as a spin coating apparatus.

The invention provides a thermal cast-molding method for producing colored silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The method of the invention comprises: (1) forming, on a molding surface of a mold, a transferable colored polymeric composite film which comprises or consists essentially of a first polymeric film, a second polymeric film and a cured colored image encapsulated therewithin; (2) dispensing a silicone hydrogel lens formulation into the lens-forming cavity of the mold; and (4) thermally curing the third polymerizable composition within the lens-forming cavity for at least about 40 minutes to form the colored silicone hydrogel contact lens, whereby the transferable, colored, and polymeric composite film detaches from the first or second molding surface and becomes integral with the body of the silicone hydrogel contact lens.