Electro-optic adaptive eyeglass for correction of presbyopia

描述（由申请人提供）：老花眼是一种与年龄有关的人眼适应性丧失，表现为无法将焦点从远处转移到近处。超过90%的45岁以上的人需要矫正老花眼。传统的矫正镜片（双焦点、三焦点）已经存在了200多年，存在一些缺陷。每个视觉任务的视野都是有限的，用户需要向下凝视才能完成近视，在某些情况下会导致头晕和不适。一些用户需要三种不同的眼镜来阅读、上网和开车。渐进镜头会造成一些变形。最近，我们展示了具有二进制开和关状态的可切换衍射液晶（LC）透镜。在这个项目中，我们的目标是开发一种可调的、低成本的电光透镜，具有连续聚焦能力和高光学性能，可用于近、中、远距离视觉。每个视觉任务都使用相同功率的全光圈。这种装置可能会对视力保健领域产生革命性的影响。现有的LC镜头孔径为10- 15mm，功率只能在平光和1屈光度(D)（或2D）之间切换。驱动箱4W4W2 cm3，体积较大。它们不适合眼科的实际应用。在这项研究中，我们将开发一种新颖的，高性能的，具有成本效益的变焦LC镜头与一个紧凑的电子驱动器和控制器。通过施加电压，镜头的聚焦功率可以从平面连续调节到+4D。这个范围涵盖了老花眼所需的典型放大率，并且几乎允许所有患者使用相同的镜片。我们将制造孔径在40mm左右的镜头，满足实际应用的要求。光效将接近100%。这三个规格以前没有达到过。我们将设计一种新颖的闭环驱动电路，具有良好的可靠性和高的功率效率。此外，我们将开发一种小型控制器，只需按一下按钮就可以改变对焦功率，这是实用和可靠的；在这个项目的第二阶段，我们将开发一个允许自动对焦功能的眼镜原型。驱动器的尺寸将仅为5W5W2 mm3。临床研究将评估佩戴者的功能和对新眼镜的感知。这种晶状体有望成为老花眼使用的传统分区多焦镜片的替代品。它们可能会给老花眼矫正领域带来革命性的变化。这种新型眼镜将大大提高广大人民群众的生活质量。应用范围可以扩展到需要低工作电压、相对大直径和快速响应时间的变焦透镜元件的领域。例如，在三维生物医学成像中，单透镜可作为测量屈光不正和视敏度的新型光镜，并可用于快速深度扫描。用外围高质量的光学元件矫正低视力也会有很大的影响。这将是我们的下一个研究重点。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Presbyopia is an age-related loss of accommodation of the human eye that manifests itself as inability to shift focus from distant to near objects. More than 90% of the people over 45 need correction of presbyopia. The conventional corrective lenses (bifocal, trifocal) have been around for more than 200 years and have some drawbacks. They have a limited field of view for each vision task, requiring user to gaze down to accomplish near vision and in some cases causing dizziness and discomfort. Some users need three different eyeglasses for reading, computer, and driving. Progressive lenses cause some distortion. Recently we have demonstrated switchable diffractive liquid crystal (LC) lens with binary ON and OFF states. In the proposed project, our goal is to develop a tunable, low-cost electro-optic lens with continuous focusing powers and high optical performance for near-, intermediate-, and distance vision. The whole aperture with the same power is used for each vision task. Such a device may have revolutionary impact on the field of vision care. Existing LC lenses have an aperture of 10-15 mm, and the power can only be switched between plano and 1 diopter (D) (or 2D). The driver box is 4W4W2 cm3, which is bulky. They are not suitable for practical ophthalmic applications. In this study, we will develop a novel, high performance, cost-effective varifocal LC lens with a compact electronic driver and controller. The focusing power of the lens can be continuously tuned from plano to +4D by applied voltages. This range covers the typical add powers needed for presbyopes, and it allows almost all patients to use the same lens. We will fabricate lenses with an aperture around 40mm, which satisfies the requirement for practical applications. The light efficiency will be close to 100%. These three specifications have not been met before. We will design a novel closed-loop driver circuit with good reliability and high power efficiency. In addition, we will develop a minicontroller that allows change of the focus power by simply pressing a button, which is practical and reliable; in the second phase of this project, we will develop a prototype of the eyeglass that allows autofocus function. The size of the driver will be only 5W5W2 mm3. Clinical studies will be performed to assess how the wearers function and perceive the new spectacles. This kind of lens is promising to become an alternative of conventional area division multi-focal spectacle lenses used by presbyopes. They may have the potential of revolutionizing the field of presbyopia correction. The new eyeglass will significantly improve the quality of life for a large population. Applications can be extended to fields where varifocal lens elements with low operation voltages, relatively large diameters and fast response time are desirable. For example, a single lens of this kind can be used as a new phoropter to measure the refractive errors and visual acuity and for rapid depth scanning in three-dimensional biomedical imaging. Correction of low vision with high quality optics in the periphery will also have high impact. This would be our next focus of research. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The proposed electro-optic adaptive eyeglass allows correction of near-, intermediate-, and distance vision. The lens has high diffraction efficiency, larger aperture, large tunable range, high optical quality, good response time, and low driving voltages. The focusing power can be continuously tuned by the applied voltages. The cost can be comparable or lower than progressive lenses. This kind of lens is promising to replace conventional area-division multi-focal spectacle lenses used by presbyopes. They have the potential of revolutionizing the field of presbyopia correction. Needlessly to say, the new eyeglass will significantly improve the quality of life for a large portion of the population. Applications can be extended to fields where varifocal lens elements with low operation voltages, relatively large diameters and fast response time are desirable. For example, a single lens of this kind can be used as a new phoropter to measure the refractive errors and visual acuity. The current phoropters are bulky and require the ophthalmologist/technician to manually adjust the add lenses, which is also time consuming. The new phoropter is compact, light weight, and easy to use. Correction of low vision with high quality optics in the periphery will also have high impact. This would be our next focus of research.