Contact lens tensile and tear testing are both very common tests and are usually performed in a hydrated saline bath to better simulate real-world conditions. As many contact lens wearers know, when contacts are not stored in saline solution, the mechanical properties vastly change as the lenses dry and become brittle.

Over the years, Instron systems have been used to evaluate the mechanical properties of contact lenses to better quantify basic tensile properties, effects of temperature on contact lens properties, and even understand how different lens care products can affect properties like lens modulus. Materials testing allows consumers to have answers to basic concerns: “Will my contact lenses withstand this weather? Are my contact lenses safe enough to wear while playing sports?”

Instron, along with contact lens manufacturers, hope that by focusing on lens mechanical properties, the millions of contact lens consumers can focus on obtaining better vision.