Flexible dynamic electro-active lens

• US 9,155,614 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2007
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIPMON, TIFFANY P
• Application Number:
  US12/017,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20080208335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,821 Days
• Field of Search: 623/6.22, 623/6.28, 252/299.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 electro-active device, comprising:

a refractive optic having a fixed refractive index and configured to be placed within or on a human eye, the refractive optic comprising at least one bendable film at least partially defining a flexible electro-active element embedded within said refractive optic, wherein said flexible electro-active element comprises;

a first conductive material disposed on the at least one bendable film;

a second conductive material disposed on the at least one bendable film; and

a liquid crystal material having an alterable refractive index and disposed between the first conductive material and the second conductive material within a cavity defined by the at least one bendable film.

2. The electro-active device of claim 1, wherein said flexible electro-active element is less flexible than said flexible refractive optic.

3. The electro-active device of claim 1, wherein said flexible electro-active element is as flexible as said refractive optic.

4. The electro-active device of claim 1, wherein said refractive optic comprises at least one of a polysulphone material and a polyetherimide material.

5. The electro-active device of claim 1, wherein the refractive optic provides a first optical power and the flexible electro-active element provides a second optical power that is lower than the first optical power.

6. The electro-active device of claim 1, further comprising a photovoltaic cell electrically connected to said flexible electro-active element for providing power thereto.

7. The electro-active device of claim 1, further comprising a kinetic energy driver electrically connected to said flexible electro-active element for converting the motion of the human eye into electrical power for powering said flexible electro-active element.

8. The electro-active device of claim 1, further comprising a piezoelectric film adapted for connecting the electro-active device to an eye structure, wherein the tension of said piezo-electric film is changed by the motion of the human eye for transducing said change in tension into electrical power.

9. The electro-active device of claim 1, wherein said flexible electro-active element is adapted for remote tuning.

10. The electro-active device of claim 1, wherein said flexible electro-active element comprises at least one of a dynamic aperture and a diffractive element.

11. The electro-active device of claim 1, further comprising a photo-detector array configured to determine a distance from an object to the electro-active device.

12. The electro-active device of claim 11, further comprising a focusing lens disposed over the photo-detector array.

13. The electro-active device of claim 1, wherein said flexible electro-active element comprises an electro-active material having an alterable refractive index which, in an unaltered state, is approximately equal to the fixed refractive index so as to provide failsafe operation of the electro-active device.

14. The electro-active device of claim 13, wherein, when no power is applied to the flexible electro-active element, the electro-active material is in the unaltered state.

15. The electro-active device of claim 1, further comprising two or more photodetectors configured for use in determining a distance of an object from the electro-active device.

16. The electro-active device of claim 1, wherein the electro-active device comprises at least part of at least one of a contact lens, an intraocular lens, and an intraocular optic.

17. A flexible electro-active lens comprising:

a flexible housing having a fixed optical power;

a flexible electro-active element embedded in said housing, said flexible electro-active element comprising two or more photo-detectors,

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, and

wherein the flexible electro-active lens is one of an intraocular lens and an intraocular optic,

wherein said flexible electro-active element comprises an electro-active material having an alterable refractive index which, in an unaltered state, is approximately equal to a refractive index of the flexible housing so as to provide failsafe operation of the flexible electro-active lens.

18. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17, further comprising a photovoltaic cell electrically connected to said flexible electro-active element for providing power thereto.

19. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17, further comprising a kinetic energy driver electrically connected to said flexible electro-active element for providing power thereto, wherein said kinetic energy driver is adapted for converting the motion of a human eye into electrical power.

20. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17, further comprising a piezo-electric film electrically connected to said flexible electro-active element for providing power thereto, wherein the tension of said piezo-electric film is changed by the motion of a human eye for transducing said change in tension into electrical power.

21. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17, further comprising concentric ring shaped electrodes electrically connected to said flexible electro-active element.

22. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17, wherein the flexible electro-active element further comprises a flexible film.

23. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 22, wherein said flexible film comprises at least one of a polysulphone material and a polyetherimide material.

24. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17, wherein said flexible housing comprises a refractive optic.

25. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17, wherein said flexible electro-active element is less flexible than said flexible housing.

26. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17, wherein said flexible electro-active element is as flexible as said flexible housing.

27. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17, further comprising memory metal configured to bias the flexible electro-active lens toward an unfolded state.

28. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17, wherein the two or more photo-detectors are configured for use in determining a distance of an object from the flexible electro-active lens.

29. A flexible electro-active lens, comprising:

a flexible housing;

a refractive optic having a fixed refractive index; and

a rigid electro-active element embedded within said flexible housing,

wherein said rigid electro-active element comprises an electro-active material having an alterable refractive index approximately equal to the fixed refractive index in an unaltered state so as to provide failsafe operation of the flexible electro-active lens.

30. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 29, further comprising a kinetic energy driver electrically connected to said rigid electro-active element for converting the motion of the eye into electrical power for providing said rigid electro-active element with said electrical power.

31. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 29, further comprising a photovoltaic cell electrically connected to said rigid electro-active element for providing power thereto.

32. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 29, further comprising a piezo-electric film adapted for connecting the flexible electro-active lens to an eye structure, wherein the tension of said piezo-electric film is changed by the motion of the eye for transducing said change in tension into electrical power.

33. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 29, wherein said flexible housing comprises at least one of a polysulphone material and a polyetherimide material.

34. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 29, wherein said rigid electroactive element is adapted for remote tuning.

35. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 29, wherein said rigid electro-active element further comprises two or more photo-detectors.

36. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 35, wherein the two or more photo-detectors are configured for use in determining a distance of an object from the flexible electro-active lens.

37. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 29, wherein the flexible electro-active lens comprises at least part of at least one of a contact lens, an intraocular lens, and an intraocular optic.