DIFFRACTIVE LENS EXHIBITING ENHANCED OPTICAL PERFORMANCE
First Claim
1. A multifocal ophthalmic lens, comprising:
- an anterior face with an anterior refractive profile and a posterior face with a posterior refractive profile, the faces disposed about an optical axis; and
a diffractive profile imposed on one of the refractive profiles, the diffractive profile characterized by a plurality of echelettes;
the plurality of echelettes comprising a central echelette and a plurality of surrounding echelettes disposed about the central echelette, at least one of the surrounding echelettes having an echelette form that is unequal to the echelette form of any of a remaining plurality of surrounding echelettes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides improved ophthalmic lenses and methods for their design and use. Monofocal and multifocal diffractive ophthalmic lenses having reduced light scatter, improved light energy distribution properties, and/or other improvements in optical performance are provided. These properties are provided, at least in part, by the diffractive profiles of the invention, often having subtlety shaped echelettes with appropriately curving profiles. Smooth diffractive profiles may be used reduce light scatter. Diffractive profiles may be configured to limit the light energy in certain selected orders, thereby improving viewing quality and mitigating unwanted effects such as dysphotopsia. Diffractive profiles of may additionally or alternatively vary the light energy distributed between individual echelettes, providing additional advantages in various viewing situations.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A multifocal ophthalmic lens, comprising:
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an anterior face with an anterior refractive profile and a posterior face with a posterior refractive profile, the faces disposed about an optical axis; and a diffractive profile imposed on one of the refractive profiles, the diffractive profile characterized by a plurality of echelettes; the plurality of echelettes comprising a central echelette and a plurality of surrounding echelettes disposed about the central echelette, at least one of the surrounding echelettes having an echelette form that is unequal to the echelette form of any of a remaining plurality of surrounding echelettes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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6. A multifocal ophthalmic lens, comprising:
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an anterior face with an anterior refractive profile and a posterior face with a posterior refractive profile, the faces disposed about an optical axis; a diffractive profile imposed on one of the refractive profiles, the diffractive profile comprising a plurality of echelettes with associated echelette heights that are substantially equal to one another, the diffractive profile having at least two diffractive orders for providing vision in the visible waveband; the at least two diffractive orders having diffraction efficiencies that change with radius from the optical axis. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A multifocal ophthalmic lens, comprising:
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an anterior face with an anterior refractive profile and a posterior face with a posterior refractive profile, the faces disposed about an optical axis; a diffractive profile imposed on one of the refractive profiles, the diffractive profile comprising a plurality of echelette with associated step heights that are substantially equal to one another, the diffractive profile having, in the visible waveband, a first diffractive order and a second diffractive order having a diffraction add power; the first and second diffractive orders having diffraction efficiencies which change with radius from the optical axis. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18-23. -23. (canceled)
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24. A multifocal ophthalmic lens, comprising:
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an anterior face with an anterior refractive profile and a posterior face with a posterior refractive profile, the faces disposed about an optical axis; a diffractive profile imposed on one of the refractive profiles, the diffractive profile characterized by a continuous function over a plurality of echelettes and having, in the visible waveband, a zeroth diffractive order, a first diffractive order associated with an add power of the lens, and minus one diffractive order; and the minus one diffractive order having a lower diffraction efficiency than a reference lens having the same refractive profiles and add power, the reference lens having a diffractive profile that is parabolic. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28-39. -39. (canceled)
Specification