Abstract: A solution for coating plastic material for tinting and the method of making said solution is described. The process for coating plastic material and for tinting the material is also described. This solution and process provides scratch resistance to the surface of the coated polycarbonate and CR-39 lenses, absorbs dye and permits the plastics to absorb the dye and adheres strongly to the plastic surface.

Abstract: An improved pigment-free abrasion resistant coating composition for plastic substrates which is particularly suited for the protective coating of optical lenses formed from synthetic polymers such as acrylics, polyesters, polycarbonates, and the like. The coating composition is characterized by significantly improved adhesive qualities over prior art materials. The composition includes a major amount of a pigment-free aqueous composition comprising a dispersion of colloidal silica in a lower aliphatic alcohol-water solution of the partial condensate of a silanol of the formula RSi(OH).sub.3 in which R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals of 1 to 3 inclusive carbons, the vinyl radical, cyanoethyl radical, the 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl radical, the gamma-glycidoxypropyl radical, at least 70 weight percent of the silanol being CH.sub.3 Si(OH).sub.