ANTIMICROBIAL SPECTACLE

Abstract

Antimicrobial eyeglasses have an antimicrobial lens, wherein an antimicrobial agent can be incorporated into the lens material or into a coating material of a coating layer affixed to the lens. The antimicrobial agent is essentially non-releasably incorporated or affixed, such that the lens exhibits a persistent antimicrobial property.

Description

Claims

1. Antimicrobial eyeglasses, comprising: an eyeglass lens member constructed of a lens material;a first coating layer associated with the lens; anda first antimicrobial agent essentially non-releasably disposed within one of the lens material or the first coating layer.

2. The antimicrobial eyeglasses of claim 1 wherein the first antimicrobial agent is disposed within the lens material.

3. The antimicrobial eyeglasses of claim 1 wherein the first antimicrobial agent is disposed within the first coating layer.

4. The antimicrobial eyeglasses of claim 3 wherein the first coating layer is an acrylic material.

5. The antimicrobial eyeglasses of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial agent is selected from the group consisting of 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxydiphenyl ether; o-phenyl phenol; an isothiazolone-based compound; diiodomethyl p-tolylsulfone; a zinc pyrithione, a sodium pyrithione; an azole; polyhexamethylene biguanide hydrochloride; and 3,4,4′-trichlorocarbanilide.