Thin spectacles for myopia, presbyopia and astigmatism insensitive vision.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Optical Engineering
• Digital Imaging

Background:

• Common ophthalmic conditions like myopia, presbyopia, and astigmatism significantly impact visual acuity.
• Current corrective lenses, such as bifocal or progressive lenses, offer limited solutions, particularly for astigmatism.
• There is a need for advanced optical solutions that provide continuous focus and address a wider range of visual impairments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop innovative spectacles utilizing an all-optical extended depth of focus concept.
• To create a thin optical element capable of correcting myopia, presbyopia, and both regular and irregular astigmatism.
• To validate the efficacy and advantages of the developed optical element through experimental testing and volunteer trials.

Main Methods:

• Adapted an extended depth of focus concept from digital imaging to ophthalmology.
• Designed and fabricated a specialized thin mask with an annular replicated structure (sub-micron thickness).
• Conducted extensive testing, including visual acuity under varying illumination, stereoscopy, color integrity, field of view, and contrast assessments.

Main Results:

• Achieved visual acuity improvements of up to 3 Diopters for presbyopia correction in pupil sizes of 2-4mm.
• Demonstrated over 2 Diopters of improvement for both regular and irregular astigmatism.
• The optical element proved to be thin, low-cost, possess high energetic throughput, low chromatic aberrations, and operate across the full field of view.

Conclusions:

• The developed spectacles effectively address myopia, presbyopia, and astigmatism with a single, thin optical element.
• This novel approach provides a continuously focused image, surpassing the limitations of traditional bifocal lenses.
• The technology offers a promising, cost-effective solution for a range of ophthalmic issues, including currently untreatable astigmatism.