Methods and apparatus for human vision correction using diffractive waveplate lenses

• US 9,753,193 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2015
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beam Engineering For Advanced Measurements Co.
• Original Assignee: Beam Engineering For Advanced Measurements Co.
• Inventors: Tabirian, Nelson V., Tabirian, Anna, Roberts, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Prebilic, Paul
• Application Number:
  US14/688,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20150301356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1618 Multifocal lenses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/1654 Diffractive lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4205 having a diffractive optical element [DOE] contributing to image formation, e.g. whereby modulation transfer function MTF or optical aberrations are relevant
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4211 correcting chromatic aberrations G02B27/0056, G02B27/4222, G02B27/4227 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4216 correcting geometrical aberrations
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4261 having a diffractive element with major polarization dependent properties
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0081 having one or more elements with analytic function to create variable power variable magnification in general G02B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/10 Bifocal lenses; Multifocal lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/001 Axicons, waxicons, reflaxicons
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1828 having means for producing variable diffraction controlling the direction of light by means of one or more diffracting elements G02B26/0808; acousto-optical elements G02F1/11, G02F1/33; electro- or magneto-optical diffraction G02F1/292, G02F1/2955
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1833 comprising birefringent materials birefringent elements per se G02B5/3083
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3083 Birefringent or phase retarding elements G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/024 with polarisation maintaining properties
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3534 the optical element being diffractive, i.e. a grating
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3592 Means for removing polarization dependence of the switching means, i.e. polarization insensitive switching light guides coupling with polarization selective and adjusting means G02B6/27
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/16 Laminated or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/20 Diffractive and Fresnel lenses or lens portions
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/022 Ophthalmic lenses having special refractive features achieved by special materials or material structures G02C7/049 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/061 Spectacle lenses with progressively varying focal power
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/086 Auxiliary lenses located directly on a main spectacle lens or in the immediate vicinity of main spectacles
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/10 : Filters, e.g. for facilitating adaptation of the eyes to the dark; Sunglasses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/12 : Polarisers

Abstract

Lenses, devices, apparatus, systems, methods of manufacturing and fabricating an ophthalmic lens device for correction of human vision. The ophthalmic lens device includes at least one diffractive waveplate coating with an optical axis orientation pattern designed to correct the vision of individual patients. The ophthalmic lens device including diffractive waveplate coating may also provide a portion of the required vision correction by means of refraction of light by curved surfaces of a dielectric material.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic lens device comprising:

a diffractive waveplate polymerized liquid crystal coating that simultaneously focuses right-hand circularly polarized light and defocuses left hand circularly polarized light, or that simultaneously focuses left-hand circularly polarized light and defocuses right-hand circularly polarized light;

a substrate on which the diffractive waveplate coating is deposited or contained within as a diffractive waveplate lens with a spatially changing optical axis orientation pattern; and

a mechanical feature to securely position the ophthalmic lens device to be adapted to correct vision of a user'"'"'s eye with the device, the ophthalmic lens device adapted to be not located on a surface of the user'"'"'s eye.

2. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 1 further comprising:

a layer for selecting light of one polarization.

3. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 2 further comprising:

one or more layers for attenuating a brightness of a scene.

4. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 1 wherein a focal power of the diffractive waveplate lens varies progressively based on a viewing angle of a user.

5. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 1 wherein the differential focusing properties of the diffractive waveplate coating for light of different polarizations results in focused images for both near and far objects.

6. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 1 wherein the ophthalmic lens device is incorporated into an eyewear for use while swimming or underwater.

7. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 1 wherein the ophthalmic lens device is incorporated into an eyewear for use while skiing.

8. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 1 wherein the ophthalmic lens device is incorporated into an eyewear for protection of the eye from a ballistic projectile.

15. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 1, wherein the diffractive waveplate coating includes a differential focusing effect, wherein the left hand circularly polarized light from a distant object is adapted to be brought into focus on a retina of the user'"'"'s eye, while the right hand circularly polarized light is adapted to be brought into focus in front the retina of the user'"'"'s eye.

9. An ophthalmic lens device comprising:

one or more refractive surfaces that partially correct a user'"'"'s vision defect;

a diffractive waveplate polymerized liquid crystal coating that simultaneously focuses right-hand circularly polarized light and defocuses left-hand circularly polarized light, or that simultaneously focuses left-hand circularly polarized light and defocuses right-hand circularly polarized light, which are not corrected by the one or more refractive surfaces;

a substrate on which the diffractive waveplate coating is deposited, or within which the diffractive coating is contained with a spatially changing optical axis orientation pattern; and

a mechanical feature to securely position the ophthalmic lens device to be adapted to correct a user'"'"'s vision, and is adapted to be not located on a surface of an eye.

10. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 9 further comprising:

a layer for selecting light of a polarization.

11. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 10 further comprising:

one or more layers for attenuating a brightness of a scene.

12. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 9 wherein the diffractive waveplate lens is incorporated into an eyewear for use while swimming or underwater.

13. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 9 wherein the diffractive waveplate lens is incorporated into an eyewear for use while skiing.

14. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 9 wherein the ophthalmic lens device is incorporated into an eyewear for protection of the eye from a ballistic projectile.

16. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 9, wherein the diffractive waveplate coating includes a differential focusing effect, wherein the left hand circularly polarized light from a distant object is adapted to be brought into focus on a retina of the user'"'"'s eye, while the right hand circularly polarized light is adapted to be brought into focus in front the retina of the user'"'"'s eye.

17. An ophthalmic lens device comprising:

a diffractive waveplate polymerized liquid crystal coating that focuses right-hand circularly polarized light and defocuses left hand circularly polarized light, or that simultaneously focuses left-hand circularly polarized light and defocuses right-hand circularly polarized light;

a substrate on which the diffractive waveplate coating is deposited or contained within as a diffractive waveplate lens with a spatially changing optical axis orientation pattern; and

a mechanical implant adapted to securely position the ophthalmic lens device within a user'"'"'s eye to be adapted to correct vision of a user'"'"'s eye with the device, the ophthalmic lens device adapted to be not located on a surface of the user'"'"'s eye.

18. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 17, wherein the diffractive waveplate coating includes a differential focusing effect, wherein both left hand circularly polarized light from a distant object and right hand circularly polarized light from a near object are adapted to be brought into focus on a retina of the user'"'"'s eye, thereby providing a dual-focus image on the user'"'"'s retina with one image for near objects and one image for far objects.