Abstract

Apparatus and methods for holding and cleaning non-permeable contact lenses which includes the application of an electromagnetic field about the contact lenses which are held in a cavity containing a conductive solution and an adsorbent membrane to capture the contaminants being removed from the lenses. Proteins, lipoproteins and other contaminants adhere to the surface of non-permeable lenses. An adsorbent is positioned between the lens and an electric current source so that current flows from the current source through the adsorbent and over the surface of the contact lens so that contaminants on the lens are loosened and migrate to the adsorbent to which they adhere, thus permitting effective removal from the solution. A lens holding device formed by a novel method is used with the cleaning apparatus and includes joined body portion sections foldable upon each other along a fold line, the sections having openings therein which align with each other when the sections are folded to form, along with closing seals, holding compartments. Depending upon current levels and the time period involved, contaminant removal can exceed 90% with the use of less than 0.25 watt of energy.