~ MICRO TINT ~ SHORT DESCRIPTION Updated 05/04/2008

Tested by the US  Navy and chosen for use by the Navy, Coast Guard, Marines and Army    

United States Patent       6,464,733

  European Patent      1117886 

Australian Patent        762568

Click to go to Patent description►         United States Patent issued

To see copy  of original patent  click ► Copy of European Patent

 To see copy of patent text click ►    European Patent issued  

How To Get Ready:

 A micro emulsion can be defined as a thermodynamically stable, transparent dispersion of two immiscible liquids, stabilized by an interfacial film of surfactants. Micro emulsions have many applications in such diverse areas as pharmaceutical preparations, cosmetics, enhanced oil recovery, etc. An important aspect of micro emulsion design is the ability to solubilize the maximum amount of one liquid (dispersed phase) into another (continuous phase). This can also be considered as the ability to solubilize a fixed amount of the dispersed phase with a minimum amount of surfactant.  

A) Shake bottle vigorously in order to get pigments that have settled at bottom of bottle back into solution.

B) Make a line with a marking pen about 1/3rd up from botton on the plastic tinting container.

C) Pour the dye into the container and fill up to marked line

D) Place container with dye into a laboratory tray. This will collect the dye in case there is a spill over and the dye can then be re-used in the same container

1)  Place 1 pair of cut lenses into Micro Tint basket strainer, no lens holder required, into lens conditioner

2) Leave basket for a minimum of 20 second in conditioner. You can leave it any amount of time longer,

3) Heat dye in Microwave until it starts boiling and remove immediately. If the dye has been stored in the container stir with a spoon to bring pigments settled at bottom back into solution.

4) Remove basket from conditioner, rinse under water and place into hot dye. Place dye in container on tray into Microwave and reheat until boiling starts. Immediately open door and remove tray with dye. You can now lift the basket and check the lens color. It will now have about a 45% absorbtion level. re-immerse the basket into dye and recheck after another 60 seconds. The lens is now tinted to 70% absorbtion. The longer you leave the lens the darker it will get. If needed reheat the solution.

5) When the proper absorbtion level is attained move tray with dye to sink, remove strainer and rinse under water. You can now remove lenses without getting one finger stained.

6) If dye level is below marked line just replace with fresh tap water. Every time you boil the liquid a little water has evaporated.

7) Put cover back on dye and store container.

All the same rules apply with the following changes:

1a) The lenses have to be under constant boil for the tinting period. Find a setting on the microwave

controls that permits a soft boil without boiling over the container. (You can test this with plain water)

Never use a tinting basket or lens holder that has been used with dye. Use a separate one for UV only.

2a) Boil lenses for 2 minutes, remove and let cool off.

3a) wash lenses under fresh water.

1b) Pour Micro-Scratch Guard into plastic container with snap on lid. (This product has no shelf life)

2b) Place lenses into solution for 15 to 20 minutes.

3b) Remove from solution and place on Microwave  Heat for 1-2 minutes on high

4b) Remove from Microwave and let cool of. Wash under water only after the lens is cold.

All the same rules apply with the following changes:

1c) The lenses have to be under constant boil for the tinting period. Find a setting on the

microwave controls that permits a soft boil without boiling over the container. (You can test this with .

plain water)

2c) Most High Index lenses that take hours in the dye-pot system will tint to dark No 4 shade in

a maximum of 11 minutes.

3c) Most Polycarbonate lenses will go to the maximum shade in 6-8 minutes

As the tinting process is many fold faster than the conventional dye-pot way it is still possible to make gradient tints. This is called a Negative Gradient. This is done by tinting the whole lens and then using the gradient equipment to remove the color instead of applying it.

1) Fill container to the mark you put on with marking pen with Micro-Tint remover. Never use regular neutralizer of any brand, as these products emit deadly fumes when heated in a Microwave. Insert basket with lenses and heat in microwave as described above, but you will have to keep the solution boiling until dye is gone. Find a setting on the Microwave that provides a soft boil without going over the edge of the container. Replenish any evaporation with regular tap water.

Click To Go To Micro-Tint Starter Kit ► Starter Kit

Click To Go To Micro-Tint Product Menu ► Micro-Tint Products List

Click To Go To Micro-Tint Lens Holder ► Micro-Tint Lens Holder

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