Flexible electro-active lens

• US 10,126,569 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e-vision Smart Optics, Inc. (New Smart Optics, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: e-vision Smart Optics, Inc. (New Smart Optics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blum, Ronald D., Haddock, Joshua N., Kokonaski, William, Hunkeler, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shipmon, Tiffany
• Application Number:
  US14/850,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20150378177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/145 Corneal inlays, onlays, or lenses for refractive correction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1616 Pseudo-accommodative, e.g. multifocal or enabling monovision
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1627 for changing index of refraction, e.g. by external means or by tilting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 29/10 Homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated ethers C08L35/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/24 Homopolymers or copolymers of amides or imides
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 81/06 Polysulfones; Polyethersulfones
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/043 Contact lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/18 Cellular lens surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/20 Diffractive and Fresnel lenses or lens portions
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/049 Contact lenses having special fitting or structural features achieved by special materials or material structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/083 Electrooptic lenses

Abstract

A lens including a flexible refractive optic having a fixed refractive index, an electro-active element embedded within the flexible refractive optic, wherein the electro-active element has an alterable refractive index, and a controller electrically connected to the electro-active element wherein when power is applied thereto the refractive index of the electro-active element is altered.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic system comprising:

a base optic to provide a fixed base optical power, the base optic defining an optical axis;

a flexible electro-active element, disposed within the base optic, to provide at least one of a variable optical power or a variable transmittance;

a power supply, disposed within the base optic radially outward from the optical axis, to supply electrical power to the flexible electro-active element; and

a conductive coil, disposed within the base optic radially outward from the optical axis, to charge the power supply via wireless charging,

wherein the base optic comprises a foldable intraocular optic and the conductive coil comprises a memory metal material to unfold the base optic when the foldable intraocular optic is implanted in an eye.

2. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein the base optic comprises at least one of a flexible intraocular lens, an intraocular optic, a contact lens, a corneal inlay, and a corneal onlay.

3. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein the flexible electro-active element comprises an electro-active material enclosed within a cavity formed by a flexible film.

4. The ophthalmic system of claim 3, wherein the flexible electro-active element further comprises:

a first electrode disposed within the cavity on a first side of the electro-active material; and

a second electrode disposed within the cavity on a second side of the electro-active material.

5. The ophthalmic system of claim 3, wherein the flexible electro-active element further comprises a controller, disposed within the cavity, to control the at least one of the variable optical power or the variable transmittance of the flexible electro-active element.

6. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises a ring-shaped power supply disposed along an arc concentric with the optical axis.

7. The ophthalmic system of claim 6, wherein the conductive coil is concentric with the ring-shaped power supply.

8. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein the conductive coil is further configured as an antenna.

9. A flexible ophthalmic lens comprising:

a flexible film at least partially defining a cavity;

an electro-active material disposed within the cavity, the electro-active material having a variable refractive index and/or a variable transmissivity;

a first electrode disposed within the cavity on a first side of the electro-active material;

a second electrode disposed within the cavity on a second side of the electro-active material; and

a controller, disposed within the cavity electrically coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode, to apply power to the electro-active material so as to alter the variable refractive index and/or the variable transmissivity of the electro-active material.

10. The flexible ophthalmic lens of claim 9, wherein the flexible ophthalmic lens is one of an intraocular lens, intraocular optic, contact lens, corneal inlay, and corneal onlay.

11. The flexible ophthalmic lens of claim 9, wherein the flexible film comprises a dielectric polymer.

12. The flexible ophthalmic lens of claim 9, wherein the flexible film comprises at least one of polysulphone or polyetherimide.

13. The flexible ophthalmic lens of claim 9, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are transparent.

14. The flexible ophthalmic lens of claim 9, further comprising:

a transparent electrical connection to electrically couple the controller to the first electrode.

15. The flexible ophthalmic lens of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises a ring-shaped electrode.

16. The flexible ophthalmic lens of claim 9, further comprising:

a base optic having a fixed optical power,

wherein the flexible film is embedded within the base optic.

17. The flexible ophthalmic lens of claim 16, wherein the base optic is as flexible as the flexible film.

18. The flexible ophthalmic lens of claim 16 further comprising:

a power supply, disposed within the base optic, to store the power applied to the electro-active material.

19. The flexible ophthalmic lens of claim 18, further comprising:

a conductive coil, operably coupled to the power supply, to wirelessly charge the power supply.

20. The flexible ophthalmic lens of claim 9, further comprising:

an antenna, electrically coupled to the controller, to receive a control signal via wireless communication.

21. The flexible ophthalmic lens of claim 9, further comprising:

a memory metal material to bias the flexible ophthalmic lens toward an unfolded state.

22. A flexible electro-active lens comprising:

a flexible housing having a fixed optical power;

a flexible electro-active element embedded in the flexible housing and having an optical power adapted for changing within an optical power range of from a minimum optical power to a maximum optical power smaller than the fixed optical power; and

at least two photo-detectors embedded in the flexible housing to sense incident light.

23. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 22, wherein the flexible housing comprises a refractive optic.

24. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 22, wherein the flexible electro-active element comprises a flexible film.

25. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 24, wherein the flexible film comprises a dielectric polymer.

26. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 24, wherein the flexible film comprises at least one of polysulphone or polyetherimide.

27. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 22, wherein the flexible electro-active element is less flexible than the flexible housing.

28. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 22, wherein the flexible electro-active element is as flexible as the flexible housing.

29. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 22, wherein the at least two photo-detectors are configured for use in determining a distance of an object from the flexible electro-active lens.

30. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 22, further comprising:

a memory metal material, embedded within the flexible housing, to bias the flexible electro-active lens toward an unfolded state.

31. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 30, wherein the memory metal material is configured as at least one of:

an antenna to receive a controlled signal;

or

an inductive coil for inductive charging.

32. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 22, further comprising:

a coil, embedded within the flexible housing, for wirelessly powering the flexible electro-active element and/or the at least two photo-detectors.

33. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 22, further comprising:

a photovoltaic cell, electrically connected to the flexible electro-active element, to provide power to the flexible electro-active element.

34. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 22, further comprising:

a kinetic energy driver, electrically connected to the flexible electro-active element, to convert motion of an eye into electrical power for the flexible electro-active element.

35. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 22, further comprising:

a piezo-electric film, electrically connected to the flexible electro-active element, to convert motion of an eye into electrical power for the flexible electro-active element.

36. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 22, further comprising:

a concentric ring shaped electrode electrically connected to the flexible electro-active element.

39. The ophthalmic system of claim 30, wherein the base optic comprises at least one of a flexible intraocular lens, an intraocular optic, a contact lens, a corneal inlay, and a corneal onlay.

37. A flexible electro-active lens comprising:

a flexible housing having a fixed optical power;

a flexible electro-active element embedded in said housing,

wherein said flexible electro-active element has an optical power adapted for changing within an optical power range of from a minimum optical power to a maximum optical power,

wherein said fixed optical power is greater than said maximum optical power.

38. An ophthalmic system comprising:

a base optic to provide a fixed base optical power, the base optic defining an optical axis;

a flexible electro-active element, disposed within the base optic, to provide at least one of a variable optical power or a variable transmittance;

a power supply, disposed within the base optic radially outward from the optical axis, to supply electrical power to the flexible electro-active element; and

a conductive coil, disposed within the base optic radially outward from the optical axis, to charge the power supply via wireless charging,

wherein the flexible electro-active element comprises;

an electro-active material enclosed within a cavity formed by a flexible film;

a first electrode disposed within the cavity on a first side of the electro-active material; and

a second electrode disposed within the cavity on a second side of the electro-active material.

40. The ophthalmic system of claim 38, wherein the base optic comprises a foldable intraocular optic and the conductive coil comprises a memory metal material to unfold the base optic when the foldable intraocular optic is implanted in an eye.

41. The ophthalmic system of claim 38, wherein the flexible electro-active element further comprises a controller, disposed within the cavity, to control the at least one of the variable optical power or the variable transmittance of the flexible electro-active element.

42. The ophthalmic system of claim 38, wherein the power supply comprises a ring-shaped power supply disposed along an arc concentric with the optical axis.

43. The ophthalmic system of claim 42, wherein the conductive coil is concentric with the ring-shaped power supply.

44. The ophthalmic system of claim 38, wherein the conductive coil is further configured as an antenna.