Instrument for manipulating contact lenses

Claim 1

IN AN INSTRUMENT FOR MANIPULATING CONTACT LENSES COMPRISING A TUBULAR BODY PORTION HAVING AN UPPER END AND A LOWER END, A LIGHT SOURCE DISPOSED WITHIN SAID TUBULAR MEMBER ADAPTED TO DIRECT LIGHT UPWARDLY THEREFROM, AND HOLLOW MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A CONTACT LENS ABOVE SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, WHEREBY SAID LIGHT DIRECTED UPWARDLY FROM SAID TUBULAR MEMBER PASSES THROUGH SAID HOLLOW LENS SUPPORTING MEANS AND THROUGH THE LENS SUPPORTED THEREON, THE IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINATION THEREWITH COMPRISING (A) A CAP MEMBER AFFIXED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND HAVING AN AXIAL LENS SUPPORT WELL THEREIN, AND A LIGHT TRANSMITTING APERTURE COMMUNICATING BETWEEN THE LIGHT SOURCE IN SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND THE LENS SUPPORT WELL, AND (B) A LENS SUPPORT ADAPTED TO REMOVE A CONTACT LENS FROM THE EYE INCLUDING (1) A TUBULAR SUPPORT ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED WITHIN SAID LENS SUPPORT WELL AND EXTEND UPWARDLY THEREFROM, HAVING AN OPEN UPPER END AND A CLOSED LIGHT TRANSMITTING LOWER END, (2) A RESILIENT CUP MEMBER AFFIXED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID TUBULAR SUPPORT AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A CONTACT LENS ALONG ITS PERIPHERY, SAID CUP MEMBER HAVING A CENTRAL APERTURE COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID TUBULAR SUPPORT, AND (3) MEANS FOR CREATING A PARTIAL VACUUM WITHIN SAID TUBULAR SUPPORT AFTER A CONTACT LENS IS SEALINGLY ENGAGED BY THE PERIPHERY OF SAID CUP MEMBER.