Abstract: A method for manufacturing a colored contact lens which comprises the steps of: (a) forming a contact lens by polymerizing a polymerizable lens forming material in a mold, wherein the lens forming material includes at least one reactive group; (b) contacting at least a part of the contact lens with a dye solution for a period of time sufficient to form a colored layer within the contact lens, wherein the dye solution includes at least one dye of ?-sulphatoethyl sulphone substituted with a sulfonate group; (c) immersing the contact lens with colored layer in a fixing solution; and (d) washing the contact lens; wherein the colored layer is covalently attached to the contact lens.