a method for detecting the presence or absence of an ophthalmic lens , in particular of a contact lens , within a receptacle , including the steps of : detecting infrared radiation coming from at least a portion of the receptacle where the ophthalmic lens is supposedly accommodated , analyzing the detected infrared radiation in a spectral portion in which absorbance of a material the ophthalmic lens is made of is significantly different from absorbance of a material the receptacle is made of , and from the analysis of the spectral portion detecting the presence or absence of the ophthalmic lens within the receptacle .