Examination of data available on the frequency of eye injuries resulting from the shattering of ordinary crown glass lenses indicates that the use of such lenses constitutes an avoidable hazard to the eye of the wearer.

The consensus of the ophthalmic community is that the number of eye injuries would be substantially reduced by the use in eyeglasses and sunglasses of impact-resistant lenses.

To protect the public more adequately from potential eye injury, eyeglasses and sunglasses must be fitted with impact-resistant lenses, except in those cases where the physician or optometrist finds that such lenses will not fulfill the visual requirements of the particular patient, directs in writing the use of other lenses, and gives written notification thereof to the patient.

The physician or optometrist shall have the option of ordering glass lenses, plastic lenses, or laminated glass lenses made impact resistant by any method; however, all such lenses shall be capable of withstanding the impact test described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section.

Each finished impact-resistant glass lens for prescription use shall be individually tested for impact resistance and shall be capable of withstanding the impact test described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section. Raised multifocal lenses shall be impact resistant but need not be tested beyond initial design testing. Prism segment multifocal, slab-off prism, lenticular cataract, iseikonic, depressed segment one-piece multifocal, bioconcave, myodisc and minus lenticular, custom laminate and cemented assembly lenses shall be impact resistant but need not be subjected to impact testing. To demonstrate that all other types of impact-resistant lenses, including impact-resistant laminated glass lenses (i.e., lenses other than those described in the three preceding sentences of this paragraph (c)(3)), are capable of withstanding the impact test described in this regulation, the manufacturer of these lenses shall subject to an impact test a statistically significant sampling of lenses from each production batch, and the lenses so tested shall be representative of the finished forms as worn by the wearer, including finished forms that are of minimal lens thickness and have been subjected to any treatment used to impart impact resistance. All nonprescription lenses and plastic prescription lenses tested on the basis of statistical significance shall be tested in uncut-finished or finished form.

For the purpose of this regulation, the impact test described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section shall be the “referee test,” defined as “one which will be utilized to determine compliance with a regulation.” The referee test provides the Food and Drug Administration with the means of examining a medical device for performance and does not inhibit the manufacturer from using equal or superior test methods. A lens manufacturer shall conduct tests of lenses using the impact test described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section or any equal or superior test. Whatever test is used, the lenses shall be capable of withstanding the impact test described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section if the Food and Drug Administration examines them for performance.

In the impact test, a 5/8-inch steel ball weighing approximately 0.56 ounce is dropped from a height of 50 inches upon the horizontal upper surface of the lens. The ball shall strike within a 5/8-inch diameter circle located at the geometric center of the lens. The ball may be guided but not restricted in its fall by being dropped through a tube extending to within approximately 4 inches of the lens. To pass the test, the lens must not fracture; for the purpose of this section, a lens will be considered to have fractured if it cracks through its entire thickness, including a laminar layer, if any, and across a complete diameter into two or more separate pieces, or if any lens material visible to the naked eyes becomes detached from the ocular surface. The test shall be conducted with the lens supported by a tube (1-inch inside diameter, 11/4-inch outside diameter, and approximately 1-inch high) affixed to a rigid iron or steel base plate. The total weight of the base plate and its rigidly attached fixtures shall be not less than 27 pounds. For lenses of small minimum diameter, a support tube having an outside diameter of less than 11/4 inches may be used. The support tube shall be made of rigid acrylic plastic, steel, or other suitable substance and shall have securely bonded on the top edge a 1/8- by 1/8-inch neoprene gasket having a hardness of 40 ±5, as determined by ASTM Method D 1415-88, “Standard Test Method for Rubber Property—International Hardness” a minimum tensile strength of 1,200 pounds, as determined by ASTM Method D 412-98A, “Standard Test Methods for Vulcanized Rubber and Thermoplastic Elastomers—Tension,” and a minimum ultimate elongation of 400 percent, as determined by ASTM Method D 412-68 (Both methods are incorporated by reference and are available from the American Society for Testing Materials, 100 Barr Harbor Dr., West Conshohocken, Philadelphia, PA 19428, or available for inspection at the Center for Devices and Radiological Health's Library, 9200 Corporate Blvd., Rockville, MD 20850, or at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html. The diameter or contour of the lens support may be modified as necessary so that the 1/8- by 1/8-inch neoprene gasket supports the lens at its periphery.

Copies of invoice(s), shipping document(s), and records of sale or distribution of all impact resistant lenses, including finished eyeglasses and sunglasses, shall be kept and maintained for a period of 3 years; however, the names and addresses of individuals purchasing nonprescription eyeglasses and sunglasses at the retail level need not be kept and maintained by the retailer. The records kept in compliance with this paragraph shall be made available upon request at all reasonable hours by any officer or employee of the Food and Drug Administration or by any other officer or employee acting on behalf of the Secretary of Health and Human Services and such officer or employee shall be permitted to inspect and copy such records, to make such inventories of stock as he deems necessary, and otherwise to check the correctness of such inventories.

In addition, those persons conducting tests in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section shall maintain the results thereof and a description of the test method and of the test apparatus for a period of 3 years. These records shall be made available upon request at any reasonable hour by any officer or employee acting on behalf of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The persons conducting tests shall permit the officer or employee to inspect and copy the records, to make such inventories of stock as the officer or employee deems necessary, and otherwise to check the correctness of the inventories.

For the purpose of this section, the term “manufacturer” includes an importer for resale. Such importer may have the tests required by paragraph (d) of this section conducted in the country of origin but must make the results thereof available, upon request, to the Food and Drug Administration, as soon as practicable.

All lenses must be impact-resistant except when the physician or optometrist finds that impact-resistant lenses will not fulfill the visual requirements for a particular patient.

This statement of policy does not apply to contact lenses.