How to Tint Lenses

Using tinted lenses is an aesthetic choice for some, but for others the glare-reducing capabilities of tinted lenses is what makes them so popular. Some individuals with autism have even found that tinted lenses help increase the amount of visual information that can be absorbed. They also are believed to allow the autistic individual to be more receptive to language because certain light frequencies are eliminated, allowing the brain to fully process what is being communicated.

Things You'll Need

• Tint machine
• Lens holders
• Lens dye solution
• Lens dye packets
• Optical cleaning cloth
• Two CR-39 uncoated lenses
• Lens-cleaning solution

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Instructions

• 1

  Turn on your tint machine and allow it to heat up. Consult the directions for your tint machine, but a light should appear once it has heated to the appropriate temperature. Mix together your lens dye packets and lens dye solution and pour the mixture into the tint machine's tray. The tint machine will heat the dye. The amount of time it takes to heat the dye does vary depending on the type of machine you are using, so consult the tint machine's manual or directions.

• 2

  Put your lenses into the lens holders once the dye has heated to the appropriate temperature and clamp them in place. Lower the lenses into the dye. The amount of time you leave the lenses in the dye will depend on how dark you want the tint to be. For a light tint, leave them in for less than a minute. For a medium tint, leave them in for no more than two minutes. For a dark tint, you can leave them in for a few hours.

• 3

  Raise the lenses out of the dye, remove the clamps and lay the lenses on your cleaning cloth. Inspect the lenses to determine if they are of the tint intensity you wish and if both lenses are of the same intensity. If you would like a darker tint on one or both of the lenses, place one or both of them in the dye solution until they are of the intensity you wish.

• 4

  Allow the dye to dry on the lenses for an hour once you have the appropriate intensity. Clean the lenses with lens-cleaning solution and an optical cloth.