Described herein is a method for producing photochromic silicone hydrogel contact lenses in a relatively efficient and consistent manner from a polymerizable composition under a controlled thermal curing scheme. The main polymerizable components in the polymerizable composition are a high radical-reactive hydrophilic (meth)acrylamido monomer, a high radical-reactive siloxane-containing (meth)acrylamido monomer, and a polysiloxane vinylic crosslinker(s) free of low-reactive ethylenically unsaturated group as the main crosslinker. The thermal free radical initiator having a 10 hour half-life temperature (T.sub.10hλ) of from about 50° C. to about 90° C. The controlled thermal curing scheme includes maintaining a first curing temperature of from about (T.sub.10hλ−20)° C. to about T.sub.10hλ° C. for a first curing time and maintaining a second curing temperature of from about (T.sub.10hλ+10)° C. to about (T.sub.10hλ+35)° C. for a second curing time.

A method for making a hydrogel, photochromic contact lens including supplying a first lens composition comprising a contact lens monomer and a photochromic material to a front contact lens mold and supplying a second lens composition to said contact lens mold wherein the viscosity of said first composition is at least about 1000 cp greater than the viscosity of said second contact lens composition, and the makeup of said second composition matches the of said first composition to reduce strain between said compositions of the resulting lens.

An optical lens contains a laminated film, which includes a first adhesive layer, a first barrier layer, a photochromic layer, a second barrier layer, and a second adhesive layer. The layers are arranged in succession and the laminated film is substantially incorporated into the optical lens body. A method for producing this optical lens as well as a pair of spectacles containing this optical lens are also disclosed.

A method for making a hydrogel, photochromic contact lens including supplying a first lens composition comprising a contact lens monomer and a photochromic material to a front contact lens mold and supplying a second lens composition to said contact lens mold wherein the viscosity of said first composition is at least about 1000 cp greater than the viscosity of said second contact lens composition, and the makeup of said second composition matches the of said first composition to reduce strain between said compositions of the resulting lens.

A method for making a hydrogel, photochromic contact lens including supplying a first lens composition comprising a contact lens monomer and a photochromic material to a front contact lens mold and supplying a second lens composition to said contact lens mold wherein the viscosity of said first composition is at least about 1000 cp greater than the viscosity of said second contact lens composition, and the makeup of said second composition matches the of said first composition to reduce strain between said compositions of the resulting lens.

A process for automatically gluing a photochromic lens, includes: supplying an adhesive comprising photochromic molecules; supplying an external lens; supplying a polarizing film from a reel; forming the polarizing film on a spherical mold; applying a first portion of the adhesive to the polarizing film positioned on the spherical mold; compressing the polarizing film and the external lens, while measuring a thickness of the first portion of the adhesive therebetween; supplying an internal lens; applying a second portion of the adhesive to the internal lens; compressing the internal lens and the external lens having the polarizing film formed thereon, while measuring a thickness of the second portion of the adhesive therebetween using a measuring device; stopping the compression of the internal lens and the external lens; cutting excess polarizing film; and catalyzing the adhesive to form the glued photochromic lens.

Provided is a functional polyamide sheet in which air bubbles are not generated or are reduced in a polarizing and/or photochromic functional sheet when the polarizing and/or photochromic functional sheet are/is manufactured using a sheet or film formed by a polyamide resin as a protective layer, and a functional polyamide lens using the functional polyamide sheet. Provided are a polyamide functional sheet obtained by disposing a protective layer formed by a transparent plastic sheet or film on at least one surface of a functional layer, which is a polyvinyl alcohol-based polarizing film layer, a photochromic layer, or a combination of these layers, with an adhesive layer being interposed therebetween, in which the protective layer is a sheet or film formed by a polyamide resin, and an oxygen transmission rate at 23° C. and 85% RH is 50 cm.sup.3/m.sup.2.Math.24 hr.Math.bar or more, and a functional polyamide lens using the polyamide functional sheet.

Described herein is a method for producing a contact lens comprising a central zone that has a diameter of about 13 mm or less, is concentric with the central axis of the contact lens, and possesses at least one photo functionality. The method comprises: applying a first polymerizable fluid composition containing at least one photochemically functional compound on a central portion of the molding surface of a female mold half to form a circular layer; partially curing, in situ, the circular layer in the female mold half; dispensing a second polymerizable fluid composition over the partially-cured circular layer on the molding surface of the female mold half; and a step of curing the second polymerizable fluid composition and the partially-cured circular layer immersed therein in the mold cavity formed between the the molding surfaces of the female mold half and a male mold half.

Described herein is a method for producing a contact lens comprising a central photochromic zone that has a diameter of about 13 mm or less and is concentric with the central axis of the contact lens. The method comprises: applying a first polymerizable fluid composition containing at least one photochromic compound on a central portion of the molding surface of a female mold half to form a circular layer; partially photocuring, in situ, the circular layer in the female mold half by using a visible light; dispensing a second polymerizable fluid composition over the partially-cured circular layer on the molding surface of the female mold half; and a step of thermally curing the second polymerizable fluid composition and the partially-cured circular layer immersed therein in the mold cavity formed between the the molding surfaces of the female mold half and a male mold half.

A method of making an optical article having a gradient tint and a gradient polarization. The method includes providing an optical element including a coating having at least one alignment zone. A dye composition is contacted with the coating. The dye composition includes at least one of: a dichroic dye, a photochromic-dichroic dye, or a combination thereof to diffuse at least a portion of the dye composition into the coating at a predetermined concentration gradient along at least a portion of the coating to provide the gradient tint and the gradient polarization. A kit for making an optical article having a gradient tint and a gradient polarization. An optical article prepared from a method for making an optical article having a gradient tint and a gradient polarization.