Disposable Contact Lenses (DCL) wearers have been rapidly growing and expanding its dominant share in Taiwan contact lens market where beauty contact lens is a strong driver with wearers increased 3.6 times in few years time. Two-third of the current 1.5 million DCL wearers is using “Daily Disposable”, which contributed to a decreasing incidence of contact lens (CL) related complications. However, the re-blooming of beauty lens brings back more CL related complications as a result of lens quality & patient compliance.

Beauty CL enhance the look of the eye by providing additional definition between the iris and the sclera. This additional definition is achieved by adding pigmentation in a ring pattern to the contact lens. Where these pigmentation technology (pigment either on the surface of the lens or within the lens matrix) has been a key source of claims for the various manufacturers.

A DCL cross section study conducted in Taiwan reviewed the quality of the pigmentation technology of different Beauty DCL in Taiwan market. A recent overseas study using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) testing and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) technique provided further understanding about the current variation on the Beauty DCL pigmentation technology. Ophthalmologists are concerned the beauty CL pigment located on the lens surface may theoretically induce hypersensitivity response including conjunctivitis, keratitis, corneal abrasion leading to elevated infection risk. To ensure beauty CL can be as safe as usual clear CL, the pigment layer must be completely separated from touching ocular tissues and the color pigment itself shall not affect oxygen permeability of the lens material.