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相关的人眼调节丧失，表现为无法将焦点从远距离物体转移到近距离物体。45岁以上的人中，90%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，并且具有一些缺点。它们对于每个视觉任务具有有限的视野，需要用户向下凝视以实现近视力，并且在某些情况下导致头晕和不适。有些用户需要三种不同的眼镜用于阅读、计算机和驾驶。渐进镜片会引起一些变形。最近，我们已经证明了可切换的衍射液晶（LC）透镜与二元ON和OFF状态。在拟议的项目中，我们的目标是开发一种可调的，低成本的电光透镜，具有连续的聚焦能力和高光学性能的近，中，远视力。具有相同功率的整个光圈用于每个视觉任务。这种设备可能对视力保健领域产生革命性的影响。现有的LC透镜具有10-15 mm的孔径，并且焦度只能在平面和1屈光度（D）（或2D）之间切换。驱动器盒为4 W 4 W2 cm 3，体积庞大。它们不适合实际的眼科应用。在本研究中，我们将开发一种新型的，高性能的，具有成本效益的变焦LC透镜与紧凑的电子驱动器和控制器。该透镜的聚焦能力可通过外加电压从平焦到+4D连续调节。该范围涵盖了老花眼所需的典型附加屈光度，并且允许几乎所有患者使用相同的透镜。我们将制作出孔径在40 mm左右的透镜，满足实际应用的要求。光效率将接近100%。这三个规格以前都没有达到。我们将设计一个新颖的闭环驱动电路，具有良好的可靠性和高功率效率。此外，我们还将开发一种微型控制器，只需按下按钮即可改变聚焦功率，这是实用和可靠的;在该项目的第二阶段，我们将开发一种具有自动聚焦功能的相机原型。驱动器的尺寸将仅为5 W5 W2 mm 3。将进行临床研究，以评估佩戴者如何使用和感知新眼镜。这种透镜有望成为老花眼使用的传统区域分割多焦点眼镜片的替代品。他们可能有革命性的老视矫正领域的潜力。新的住房将大大改善大量人口的生活质量。应用可以扩展到期望具有低操作电压、相对大的直径和快速响应时间的变焦透镜元件的领域。例如，这种类型的单个透镜可以用作新的综合屈光检查仪以测量屈光不正和视敏度，并且用于三维生物医学成像中的快速深度扫描。在周边使用高质量的光学器件矫正低视力也将产生很大的影响。这将是我们下一步的研究重点。 公共卫生相关性：所提出的电光自适应矫正器可以矫正近视力、中视力和远视力。该透镜具有高衍射效率、大孔径、大调谐范围、高光学质量、好响应时间和低驱动电压。聚焦功率可以通过所施加的电压连续地调节。成本可以与渐进镜片相当或更低。这种透镜有望取代老花眼使用的传统分区域多焦点眼镜片。它们有可能彻底改变老花眼矫正领域。不用说，新的住房将大大改善大部分人口的生活质量。应用可以扩展到期望具有低操作电压、相对大的直径和快速响应时间的变焦透镜元件的领域。例如，这种类型的单个透镜可以用作新的综合屈光检查仪来测量屈光不正和视敏度。目前的综合屈光检查仪体积庞大，并且需要眼科医生/技术人员手动调节附加透镜，这也是耗时的。新的综合屈光检查仪结构紧凑，重量轻，易于使用。在周边使用高质量的光学器件矫正低视力也将产生很大的影响。这将是我们下一步的研究重点。

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.