High performance selective light wavelength filtering providing improved contrast sensitivity

• US 8,360,574 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: High Performance Optics Inc.
• Original Assignee: High Performance Optics Inc.
• Inventors: Ishak, Andrew W., Haddock, Joshua N., Kokonaski, William, Duston, Dwight P., Iyer, Venkatramani S., Blum, Ronald D., McGinnis, Sean P., Packard, Michael B.
• Primary Examiner(s): GREECE, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US11/933,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,917 Days
• Field of Search: 351/163, 351/165, 351/177, 351/159, 351/160.R, 351/160.H, 351/164, 351/159.6, 351/159.63, 351/159.56, 351/159.28, 351/159.59
• US Class Current: 351/159.6
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/16 Laminated or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/104 having spectral characteristics for purposes other than sun-protection
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/108 Colouring materials

Abstract

The present invention relates to ophthalmic systems comprising a selective light wavelength filter, wherein said selective filter provides improved contrast sensitivity.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic system comprising:

an ophthalmic lens selected from the group consisting of a spectacle lens, contact lens, intra-ocular lens, corneal inlay, corneal onlay, corneal graft, and corneal tissue, and

a selective light wavelength filter that blocks 5-50% of light having a wavelength in the range of 400-460 nm and transmits at least 80% of light having a wavelength in the range of 460-700 nm;

wherein the system exhibits a yellowness index of no more than 15.

2. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein the selective filter comprises at least one of:

a dye and a pigment.

3. The ophthalmic system of claim 2, wherein the selective filter comprises one or more of:

perylene, porphyrin, coumarin, acridine, and derivatives thereof.

4. The ophthalmic system of claim 3, wherein the selective filter comprises perylene or a derivative thereof.

5. The ophthalmic system of claim 3, wherein the selective filter comprises porphyrin or a derivative thereof.

6. The ophthalmic system of claim 2, wherein the selective filter comprises a synthetic or non-synthetic pigment.

7. The ophthalmic system of claim 6, wherein the selective filter comprises at least one of:

melanin, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

8. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein the selective filter is a component of a film.

9. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein the selective filter is a component of a scratch resistant coating.

10. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein the selective filter is a visibility tint in a contact lens.

11. The ophthalmic system of claim 10, wherein the visibility tint has more than one color.

12. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein the selective filter is a component of one or more anti-reflective coating(s).

13. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein the selective filter is a component of a hydrophobic coating.

14. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein the selective filter is a component of a photochromic material.

15. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein the lens comprises a selective light wavelength filter located exclusively within a central 10 mm diameter or less, wherein said lens can improve contrast sensitivity.

16. The lens of claim 15, wherein the lens is selected from the group consisting of a contact lens, an intra-ocular lens, a corneal inlay, a corneal onlay, and a corneal graft.

17. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein white light has CIE (x,y) coordinates of (0.33±

0.05, 0.33±

0.05) when reflected by the system.

18. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, having a phototoxicity ratio of less than 80%.

19. The ophthalmic system of claim 18, having a phototoxicity ratio of less than 70%.

20. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein the selective filter increases the logarithm of contrast sensitivity by at least 0.15.

21. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein the system is not electrochromic.

22. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, further comprising one or more anti-reflective components.

23. The ophthalmic system of claim 22, comprising at least one anti-reflective film.

24. The ophthalmic system of claim 23, wherein the selective light wavelength filter is a film.

25. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, further comprising a color-balancing component.

26. The ophthalmic system of claim 1, wherein the ophthalmic lens is selected from the group consisting of an intra-ocular lens, corneal inlay, corneal onlay, corneal graft, and corneal tissue.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the ophthalmic lens is a contact lens.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the ophthalmic lens is an intraocular lens.

35. The ophthalmic system of claim 5, wherein the selective filter comprises magnesium tetraphenyl porphyrin.

36. The system of claim 1, further comprising an ultraviolet filter and/or an infrared filter.

37. The system of claim 1, wherein white light has CIE (x,y) coordinates of (0.33±

0.05, 0.33±

0.05) when transmitted through the system.

38. The ophthalmic system of claim 2, wherein the selective filter comprises one or more dyes having a molecular structure and in concentrations that mimic the transmission spectra of perylene, porphyrin, coumarin, acridine, or derivatives thereof.

39. The lens of claim 15, wherein the selective light wavelength filter is located over the central 5.0 mm to 7.0 mm diameter of the lens.

40. The lens of claim 15, wherein the selective light wavelength filter is located within a 6.0 mm to 8.0 mm diameter of the center of the lens.

41. The system of claim 1, wherein the yellowness index is no more than 10.

42. The system of claim 1, wherein the yellowness index is no more than 9.

43. The system of claim 1, wherein the yellowness index is no more than 7.

44. The system of claim 1, wherein the yellowness index is no more than 5.

45. The ophthalmic system of claim 2, wherein the selective filter comprises one or more dyes.

29. An ophthalmic system comprising:

an ophthalmic lens selected from the group consisting of a spectacle lens, contact lens, intra-ocular lens, corneal inlay, corneal onlay, corneal graft, and corneal tissue; and

a selective light wavelength filter that selectively filters 5-50% of light in a range of blue light wavelengths that includes 430 nm;

wherein the system exhibits a yellowness index of no more than 15;

and wherein the system has an average transmission of at least 80% across the visible spectrum.

30. The system of claim 29,

wherein the ophthalmic system has a transmittance spectrum;

wherein the transmittance spectrum has a first minimum value at a wavelength between 410 nm and 450 nm;

wherein the transmittance spectrum has a first maximum value at a wavelength that is less than the wavelength of the first minimum value; and

wherein the transmittance spectrum has a second maximum value at a wavelength that is greater than the wavelength of the first minimum value.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the yellowness index is no more than 10.

32. The system of claim 29, further comprising an ultraviolet filter and/or an infrared filter.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the ophthalmic lens is a contact lens.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein the ophthalmic lens is an intra-ocular lens.