Advanced device for improving a human being's vision.

Abstract

The present invention relates to improved devices for enhancing the vision of a human eye 1, this eye pivoting in its orbit 2. The device essentially comprises optical means 10 for illuminating an object 11 to be viewed, by means of a light beam 12; a holographic plate 15; support means 17 for positioning the holographic plate 15 within the potential field of vision of the eye 1 and for enabling this plate to capture the light waves reflected 19 by the object 11 when it is illuminated by the light rays emitted by the optical means 10; and means for illuminating the holographic plate 15 according to the position of the eye 1 in its orbit 2. Application, in particular, to the manufacture of glasses against age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Single Figure.

Description

Title of the invention: Improved device for improving the vision of a human being.

[0001] The present invention relates to devices for improving the vision of a human being, which find a particularly advantageous application for improving the vision of a human being at least one eye of whom is affected by AMD (Age-Related Macular Degeneration) or the like, but also numerous other applications, for example industrial, military and civil.

[0002] AMD is a disease of the retina resulting in a set of degenerative, non-inflammatory, acquired lesions of the macular region, occurring in a previously normal eye, appearing after the age of fifty and leading to an alteration of macular function and central vision.

[0003] The precise causes of this disease are not known and there is currently no cure. Existing treatments can only slow down its progression.

[0004] Also, to compensate for this loss of vision, devices have been developed to improve the vision of an eye affected by AMD, for example the devices described in FR2964755, EP2929390 and USA 9696550.

[0005] These prior art devices give good results.

[0006] However, the present invention aims to produce a device which has a simpler structure than that of the devices described in these prior documents, which contributes to reducing the cost price.

[0007] More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved device for improving the vision of a human eye, this eye pivoting in its orbit, the device comprising: optical means for illuminating an object to be viewed, by a light beam; a holographic plate; support means for positioning the holographic plate in the potential field of vision of the eye so that this plate is capable of capturing the light waves reflected by the object when it is illuminated by the light rays emitted by the optical means; and means for illuminating the holographic plate as a function of the position of the eye in its orbit.

[0008] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear during the following description given with reference to the attached drawing for illustrative purposes, but in no way limiting, in which:

[0009] The [Fig. 1] is the schematic representation of a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention for improving the vision of a being human. Warnings

[0010] It is first of all specified that the figure represents an embodiment of the object according to the invention, but that there may be other embodiments which meet the definition of this invention.

[0011] It is further specified that, when, according to the definition of the invention, the object of the invention comprises “at least one” element having a given function, the embodiment described may comprise several of these elements. Conversely, if the embodiment of the object according to the invention as illustrated comprises several elements of identical function and if, in the description, it is not specified that the object according to this invention must necessarily comprise a particular number of these elements, the object of the invention may be defined as comprising “at least one” of these elements.

[0012] It is also specified that when, in the present description, an expression defines on its own, without any specific particular mention concerning it, a set of structural characteristics, these characteristics may be taken, for the definition of the object of the protection requested, when this is technically possible, either separately, or in total and / or partial combination.

[0013] It is further specified that, in the present description, if the adverb "substantially" is associated with a qualifier of a given means, this qualifier must be understood in the strict or approximate sense.

[0014] The single figure represents the schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an improved device according to the invention for improving the vision of an eye 1 of a human being pivoting in its orbit 2.

[0015] The device comprises: optical means 10 for illuminating an object 11 to be viewed, by a light beam 12; a holographic plate 15; support means 17 for positioning this holographic plate 15 in the potential field of vision of the eye 1 so that this plate is capable of capturing the light waves reflected 19 by the object 11 when it is illuminated by the light rays emitted by the optical means 10; and means for illuminating the holographic plate 15 as a function of the position of the eye 1 in its orbit 2.

[0016] Very advantageously, the support means 17, for an application in the case of AMD, are constituted by spectacle frames or the like, as explained in the prior art cited in the preamble to the present description.

[0017] According to a preferred characteristic of the invention, the optical means 10 are constituted by a laser generator which is therefore capable of delivering a coherent light beam at the output, for example one of the following laser generators: a helium-neon laser (the beam emitted by this generator has a wavelength of 6326 Angstrom), a laser diode called a "light-emitting diode".

[0018] According to another preferred characteristic of the invention, the holographic plate 15 comprises a layer 25 photosensitive to the light waves 19 reflected by the object 11, in which these reflected light waves interfere with each other to produce a hologram of the object to be viewed 11. Such a photosensitive layer 25, known in itself in particular from EP216692 and EP316207, is for example designated under the name: “dichromated gelatin”.

[0019] According to another preferred characteristic of the invention, the holographic plate 15 further comprises two plates 26, 27 transparent at least to the light waves 19 reflected by the object 11, these two plates sandwiching the photosensitive layer 25. They are for example made of optical glass or the like used to make the lenses of the glasses.

[0020] According to another preferred characteristic of the invention, the means for illuminating the holographic plate 15 as a function of the position of the eye 1 in its orbit 2 comprise: a light source 30 capable of emitting a lighting beam along a determined optical axis 31; and controllable means 32 for orienting this light source so that its optical axis 31 is capable of intercepting the holographic plate 15 at an angle of incidence depending on the position of the eye 1 in its orbit 2. Such a light source 30 is for example one of the following sources: laser generator, laser diode, or the like.

[0021] According to another preferred characteristic of the invention, the controllable means 32 for orienting the light source 30 comprise: a sensor 50 for determining the angular position of the eye 1 relative to its orbit 2, this sensor being capable of delivering, at output 51, a signal representative of the angular position of the eye; and means 60 for applying this signal to the input 33 of orientation means 35 of the light source so that its optical axis intercepts the holographic plate 15 according to the angle of incidence depending on the position of the eye in its orbit, as explained in the prior documents cited in the preamble to the present description.

[0022] As mentioned in the preamble to the present description, the device may find a very interesting application for improving the vision of a human being whose retina of at least one eye has an area affected by AMD (Age-Related Macular Degeneration) or the like.

[0023] But it can find applications in many other fields, for example industrial, military and civil, when it is necessary to have an improved vision, for example of the “augmented reality” type, for maintenance operations in the automobile industry, aeronautics, research on storage shelves, etc., to help surgeons by giving them information on the organs not visible live and useful for intervention, to better inform people in the field of pedestrian, road, air navigation, etc., to search for places by superimposing images with real images seen by the user, etc.

Claims

Claims

1. Improved device for improving the vision of an eye (1) of a human being, said eye pivoting in its orbit (2), said device comprising: • optical means (10) for illuminating an object (11) to be viewed, by a light beam (12), • a holographic plate (15), • support means (17) for positioning said holographic plate (15) in the potential field of vision of said eye (1) so that this plate is capable of capturing the light waves reflected (19) by said object (11) when it is illuminated by the light beam (12) emitted by said optical means (10), and • means for illuminating said holographic plate (15) as a function of the position of the eye (1) in its orbit (2).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said optical means (10) consist of a laser generator.

3. Device according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said holographic plate (15) comprises a layer (25) photosensitive to said light waves reflected (19) by said object (11), in which these reflected light waves (19) interfere with each other to produce a hologram of the object to be viewed (11).

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said holographic plate (15) further comprises two transparent blades (26, 27) sandwiching the photosensitive layer (25).

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for illuminating said holographic plate (15) as a function of the position of the eye (1) in its orbit (2) comprise: a light source (30) capable of emitting a lighting beam along a determined optical axis (31), and controllable means (32) for orienting said light source (30) so that the determined optical axis (31) is capable of intercepting said holographic plate (15) at an angle of incidence depending on the position of said eye (1) in its orbit (2).

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the controllable means (32) for orienting said light source (30) comprise a sensor (50) for determining the angular position of said eye (1) relative to its orbit (2), this sensor being capable of delivering, in

7.

8. output (51), a signal representative of the angular position of the eye, and means (60) for applying said signal to the input (33) of controllable orientation means (35) of the light source so that its optical axis intercepts said holographic plate (15) according to said angle of incidence. Device according to claims 2 and 5, characterized in that said laser generator is one of the following laser generators: helium-neon, laser diode, and that said light source (30) is one of the following sources: laser generator, laser diode. Device according to one of the preceding claims when it depends on claim 3, characterized in that said photosensitive layer consists of a dichromated gelatin.

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