US Patent 7368072 Photochromic contact lenses and methods of manufacturing

Described are contact lenses having photochromic materials within the central or pupillary area of the lens and methods for manufacturing such lenses. In one method, a photochromic amount of at least one photochromic material is added to the pupillary region of a casting mold containing a polymerizable monomer that can be at least partially cured before and/or after the addition. Another method involves providing an amount of polymerizable photochromic monomer for the pupillary region and an amount of polymerizable non-photochromic monomer for the remainder of the contact lens in a casting mold. The photochromic and non-photochromic monomers can differ by their degree of polymerization, viscosity and/or density.