[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 21, Volume 8]
[Revised as of April 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 21CFR801.410]
[Page 30-31]
TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS
CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES (CONTINUED)
PART 801_LABELING--Table of Contents
Subpart H_Special Requirements for Specific Devices
Sec. 801.410 Use of impact-resistant lenses in eyeglasses and sunglasses.
(a) 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.
(b) 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.
(c)(1) 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.
(2) 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.
(3) 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.
(d)(1) 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.
(2) 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
[[Page 31]]
supported by a tube (1-inch inside diameter, 1\1/4\-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
1\1/4\ 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.
(e) 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.
(f) 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.
(g) 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.
(h) 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.
(i) This statement of policy does not apply to contact lenses.
[41 FR 6896, Feb. 13, 1976, as amended at 44 FR 20678, Apr. 6, 1979; 47
FR 9397, Mar. 5, 1982; 65 FR 3586, Jan. 24, 2000; 65 FR 44436, July 18,
2000; 69 FR 18803, Apr. 9, 2004]