Abstract:
The multipurpose contact lens accessory comprises a casing having a contact end and a viewing end, the viewing end having a lens therein, wherein the contact end engages a contact thereon for viewing and/or insertion of same and the viewing end allows for viewing of the contact engaged to the contact end for determining if any visible defects exist in the contact and/or whether the contact is inside out.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a multipurpose contact lens accessory. 
   More specifically, the accessory is used for easing insertion of a contact lens, for checking a lens for visible defects therein, and for making sure a lens is not inserted inside out. 
   2. Prior Art 
   Heretofore, various lens insertion devices have been proposed. However, none have been adapted for multipurpose use as described above. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the invention there is provided a multipurpose contact lens accessory comprising a casing having a contact end and a viewing end, the viewing end having a lens therein wherein the contact end engages a contact thereon for viewing or insertion of same and the viewing end allows for viewing of the contact engaged to the contact end for determining if any visible defects exist in the contact and/or whether the contact is inside out. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the accessory of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective exploded view of the accessory of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the accessory showing useable configurations of lenses for the viewing end of the accessory. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the accessory in use for examining a lens. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the accessory in use for inserting a lens. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to the drawings in greater detail there is illustrated therein the multipurpose contact lens accessory made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention and generally identified by the reference numeral  10 . 
   As shown, the accessory  10 , in a preferred embodiment, is comprised of a two piece casing  12  having a concavoconvex lens  14  therein. The casing  12  comprises an eyepiece or viewing end  16  and a contact end  18 , and the lens  14 , if desired, can be formed as part of contact end  18 . Provision of the lens  14  allows for higher magnification viewing of a contact lens  19  engaged by capillary action to a concave contact well  14  formed by lens  14  at contact end  18  by looking into eyepiece end  16 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Alternatively, no lens is required on the contact end  18 . Thus, it will be understood that the accessory  10  is a “view through” device. 
   Such “view through” allows a user to inspect a hard or soft contact  19  engaged within the well  14  under high magnification to check the contact  19  for visible defects. Further, in the case of a soft contact  19 , a user can determine whether the lens  19  is inside out or not, prior to inserting same. In this respect, a lens manufacturer&#39;s logo, code, or number is typically printed along an area on an edge of an outer surface  23  of the lens. Thus, if the logo is viewed from viewing end  16  of the accessory  10  appears backward, the user knows the contact  19  is inside out and must be flipped. 
   If the logo appears appropriately and no visible defect is detected, the user merely turns the well  14  toward his eye and inserts the contact  19  by touching same to the eyeball  27  as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
   In a preferred embodiment, which should not be construed as limiting, contact end  18  is preferably made of a clear acrylic material and can have the concavoconvex lens  14  inserted into it with a focal length that allows the contact  19  placed on contact end  18  to be in focus. The concavoconvex lens  14  can also be “molded” into and along with contact end  18 . Contact end  18  can be made from any one of a number of clear acrylic polymers or “softer” water clear elastomers. 
   The viewing end  16  incorporates a lens  30  therein which, in the preferred embodiment, is bi-convex relative to the eye of the user and has a focal length or working distance to allow viewing of the contact with higher magnification. The lens  30  can be of another embodiment, such as planoconvex, concavoconvex, etc, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Thus, the configuration thereof should not be construed at limiting. The viewing end  16  can be made of any clear, translucent or opaque acrylic polymer. 
   The lens  14  at the contact end  18 , on the other hand, is created with a concavoconvex configuration, as illustrated, with the concave surface  32  facing outwardly of the accessory  10  upon which the contact  19  is perched, to allow for viewing of a logo (not shown) on the contact  19 , as well as allowing for examination of the contact  19  to look for any visible defects therein. 
   The two casing  12  pieces  16 ,  18  are snapped together for a water tight fit. The device may have a hollow air filled interior or may be filled with a liquid or may be solid which would require different optics due to a different index of refraction of either medium, as is known. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the viewing end  16  is translucent and the contact end  18  is clear, though this should not be construed as limiting. 
   In use, a contact  19  is engaged to the contact end  18  and is maintained there by capillary action. 
   One then examines the contact  19  by looking through the viewing end  16  for rips or other visible defects therein. 
   Also, one examines the contact  19  for visualization of a manufacturer&#39;s marking thereon. If the marking is reversed, the contact  19  is inside out and must be flipped. 
   If the marking appears correctly, the accessory  10  is reversed so contact end  18  faces the user, and used to easily apply the contact  19  to the eyeball  27 . 
   As described above, the accessory  10  of the present invention, in combination with the method of creating the device  10 , provides a number of advantages, some of which have been described above and others of which are inherent in the invention. Also, modifications to the device  10  and method of creating same can be proposed without departing from the teachings herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is only to be limited as necessitated by the accompanying claims.