Advanced electro-active optic device

• US 7,926,940 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E-Vision Optics LLC
• Original Assignee: Pixeloptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Blum, Ronald D., Kokonaski, William, Haddock, Joshua N., Gupta, Amitava
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins; Darryl J
• Application Number:
  US12/406,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20090204207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 351159-176
• US Class Current: 351/163
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/15 Implant having one or more holes, e.g. for nutrient transport, for facilitating handling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1613 having special lens configurations, e.g. multipart lenses; having particular optical properties, e.g. pseudo-accommodative lenses, lenses having aberration corrections, diffractive lenses, lenses for variably absorbing electromagnetic radiation, lenses having variable focus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1627 for changing index of refraction, e.g. by external means or by tilting
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/08 Auxiliary lenses; Arrangements for varying focal length
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/083 Electrooptic lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/101 having an electro-optical light valve electro-optical elements per se G02F
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/294 Variable focal length devices

Abstract

Optical devices having a dynamic aperture and/or an apodization mask are provided. The aperture and/or mask may be provided by one or more electro-active elements, and may be used in an ophthalmic device that that is spaced apart from but in optical communication with an intraocular lens, a corneal inlay, a corneal onlay, or a spectacle lens that provide an optical power.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic device comprising:

an apodization mask comprising an electro-active, transparent substrate;

wherein the substrate has at least one optical transmission property that is alterable by electrical activation.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is capable of being surgically implanted in a user'"'"'s eye.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein, when worn by a wearer, the substrate is fixed in position relative to the wearer'"'"'s pupil.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a dynamic aperture.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein at least one the shape of the aperture and the size of the aperture is optimized according to a modulation transfer function of the wearer'"'"'s eye.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the geometry of the aperture is remotely adjustable.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one optical transmission property is at least one of the transmitted amplitude and the transmitted phase of light transmitted by the substrate.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the apodization mask provides a phase and amplitude profile associated with a retinal image quality for distance vision at an ambient light level range.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one optical transmission property is the index of refraction of the substrate.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the index of refraction of the substrate in the visual spectrum changes by at least 0.1 units upon electrical activation.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the substrate comprises a liquid crystal layer, and the index of refraction of the substrate is alterable by electrical activation of the liquid crystal layer.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises a guest-host mixture.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the liquid crystal layer is homogeneous.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the liquid crystal layer is electrically addressable over an area of at least about 0.25 μ

m2 without affecting the response of adjacent material.

15. The device of claim 11, further comprising a computerized controller capable of activating multiple segments of the liquid crystal layer.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the controller is embedded into the ophthalmic device.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to activate segments in a pattern corresponding to a mask that modulates the amplitude, the phase or both the amplitude and the phase of light is transmitted through the device into the eye of a user fitted with the device.

18. An ophthalmic device, comprising:

an apodization mask comprising a transparent substrate;

wherein the substrate has at a refractive index gradient of at least 0.01 units/mm in at least one meridian.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the refractive index gradient does not affect the level of defocus for light transmitted through the mask.

20. The device of claim 18 wherein, when the device is worn by a wearer, the substrate is fixed in position relative to the wearer'"'"'s pupil.

21. The device of claim 18, further comprising a dynamic aperture.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein at least one the shape of the aperture and the size of the aperture is optimized according to a modulation transfer function of the wearer'"'"'s eye.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the geometry of the aperture is remotely adjustable.

24. An ophthalmic device comprising:

a substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer having a variable optical transmission of about 30%-99% upon electrical activation of the liquid crystal layer.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises a guest-host mixture.

26. The device of claim 24, wherein the liquid crystal layer is homogeneous.

27. The device of claim 24, wherein the device is capable of being implanted into the eye of a wearer.

28. The device of claim 24 wherein, when the device worn by a wearer, the substrate is fixed in position relative to the wearer'"'"'s pupil.

29. The device of claim 24, wherein the liquid crystal layer is electrically addressable over an area of at least about 0.25 μ

m² without affecting the response of adjacent material.

30. The device of claim 29, further comprising a computerized controller capable of activating multiple segments of the liquid crystal layer.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the controller is embedded into the ophthalmic device.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the controller is configured to activate segments in a pattern corresponding to a mask that modulates the amplitude, the phase or both the amplitude and the phase of light is transmitted through the device into the eye of a user fitted with the device.