Ophthalmic lens and ophthmalic transmission-type optical orthosis

Abstract

[Problem] To be able to improve visibility for a wearer. [Solution] An ophthalmic transmission-type optical orthosis has an ophthalmic lens having a polarizing film, and a frame for supporting the ophthalmic lens. A transmission direction, which is the direction of a transmission axis of the polarizing film in a state where the ophthalmic lens is supported by the frame, is set in a direction offset by a prescribed angle from the vertical direction.

Description

Ophthalmic lenses and transparent optical devices for eyes

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to ophthalmic lenses and ophthalmic transmissive optical devices.

[0002] It is known that polarizing films are formed on ophthalmic lenses for the purpose of anti-glare. The transmission axis of the polarizing film used in ophthalmic lenses is set vertically. When the transmission axis is set vertically, reflected light from the glossy surface is blocked, leaving room for improvement in terms of visibility.

[0003] JP 2013-238634 A

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a transmission-type ophthalmic optical device comprising an ophthalmic lens having a polarizing film and a frame supporting the ophthalmic lens, wherein the transmission axis of the polarizing film is set in a direction shifted by a predetermined angle from the vertical direction when the ophthalmic lens is supported by the frame.

[0005] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an ophthalmic lens having a polarizing film, wherein a mark is formed for determining a transmission direction, which is the direction of the transmission axis of the polarizing film, and the transmission direction determined by the mark is set in a direction shifted by a predetermined angle from the vertical direction.

[0006] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an ophthalmic transmissive optical device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an ophthalmic lens 12 according to the present embodiment; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an example of a polarization direction (θ=0°) according to the present embodiment; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an example of a polarization direction (θ=5°) according to the present embodiment; FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an example of a polarization direction (θ=10°) according to the present embodiment; FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an example of a polarization direction (θ=15°) according to the present embodiment; FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an example of an ophthalmic lens before edging according to the present embodiment;

[0007] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention according to the claims. Furthermore, not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

[0008] In the following description, the terms front, back, top, bottom, right, and left refer to the front, back, top, bottom, right, and left directions as seen by the wearer when the wearer is wearing the ophthalmic transmission optical device 1. The front-to-back direction is the direction facing the wearer. The left-to-right direction is the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction and the vertical direction.

[0009] The ocular transmission type optical device 1 is eyewear having an anti-glare function. The ocular transmission type optical device 1 is, for example, spectacles or goggles. The ocular transmission type optical device 1 may be prescription spectacles or non-prescription spectacles (so-called sunglasses). The ocular transmission type optical device 1 may be worn on both ears, or may be worn on the head or only one ear. Furthermore, the ocular transmission type optical device 1 may be for one eye instead of both eyes. In the following, an example will be described in which the ocular transmission type optical device 1 is non-prescription spectacles.

[0010] 1 is a schematic diagram of an ophthalmic transmission type optical device according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the ophthalmic transmission type optical device 1 includes a frame 11 and a pair of ophthalmic lenses 12.

[0011] The frame 11 includes a front 20 , a pair of temples 21 , and a pair of end pieces 22 .

[0012] The front 20 holds a pair of left and right ophthalmic lenses 12. The front 20 includes a pair of rims 30 and a bridge 31. The rim 30 holds the ophthalmic lenses 12. The rim 30 is formed, for example, in an annular shape, and the ophthalmic lenses 12 are fitted into the inner circumference of the annular shape. Note that the rim 30 is not limited to an annular shape as long as it has a shape that can hold the ophthalmic lenses 12. Furthermore, the ophthalmic lenses 12 may be held by a member other than the rim 30. In this case, the frame 11 does not need to include the rim 30. The bridge 31 connects the pair of rims 30.

[0013] The temples 21 are connected to the left and right ends of the front 20, respectively. Two temples 21 form a pair on the left and right and are connected to the front 20. The temples 21 are members extending in the front-to-rear direction. Each temple 21 is connected to the front 20 via, for example, a hinge (not shown). This allows the temples 21 to rotate relative to the front 20.

[0014] The end pieces 22 are provided at the rear end of each temple 21 and are portions that are hooked over the wearer's ears. The two end pieces 22 are a pair, one on the left and one on the right, and are formed, for example, as ear hooks that are curved downward to engage with the wearer's ears. The end pieces 22 may be formed integrally with the temples 21 or may be formed separately. When the ophthalmic transmission optical device 1 is worn, the pair of left and right temples 21 hold the wearer's temporal region, and the end pieces 22 are hooked over the wearer's ears, thereby supporting the frame 11.

[0015] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the ophthalmic lens 12 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the ophthalmic lens 12 is a lens having a polarizing film 50. In other words, the ophthalmic lens 12 is a polarized lens. The ophthalmic lens 12 has two substrates 40 and the polarizing film 50.

[0016] The substrate 40 is a light-transmitting lens. The substrate 40 is formed of, for example, colored or colorless transparent glass or plastic. Either or both of the two substrates 40 may be a lens with prescription or a lens without prescription.

[0017] The substrate 40 has an object-side surface and an eyeball-side surface. The object-side surface is the surface that is located on the side opposite to the eyeball side when the ophthalmic transmission type optical device 1 is worn by a wearer. Hereinafter, the object-side surface may be referred to as the "outer surface." The eyeball-side surface is the surface that is located on the eyeball side when the ophthalmic transmission type optical device 1 is worn by a wearer. Hereinafter, the eyeball-side surface may be referred to as the "inner surface."

[0018] The substrate 40 may be a so-called meniscus lens, which has a convex outer surface and a concave outer surface, or may be a plano lens with zero refractive power, or a finished lens with refractive power for vision correction.

[0019] The two substrates 40 are arranged side by side and overlap each other in the optical axis direction, which is the thickness direction of the ophthalmic lens 12 and the aforementioned front-to-rear direction.

[0020] The polarizing film 50 is provided between the two substrates 40. The polarizing film 50 selectively transmits light of a specific polarization direction. The polarizing film 50 according to this embodiment transmits some or all of lateral light, i.e., light polarized in the horizontal direction. Most of the light reflected from the water surface or road surface is light polarized in the horizontal direction, which is parallel to the water surface or road surface. The polarizing film 50 according to this embodiment is arranged so as to transmit some or all of the horizontally polarized light rather than completely blocking it.

[0021] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the ophthalmic transmission type optical device 1 as viewed from the front. As shown in Fig. 3, when the ophthalmic lens 12 is supported by the front 20, the transmission axis PA of the polarizing film 50 is shifted from the vertical direction by a predetermined angle. The transmission axis PA is an axis that represents the direction in which light is polarized upon transmission through the polarizing film 50. The transmission axis PA is also called the polarization axis, and is perpendicular to the absorption axis.

[0022] In the example shown in Fig. 3, the transmission axis PA of the polarizing film 50 is set in the horizontal direction. That is, in the example shown in Fig. 3, the angle θ between the direction of the transmission axis PA (hereinafter referred to as the "transmission direction") and the horizontal direction is 0°. The transmission direction of the polarizing film 50 does not need to be perfectly aligned with the horizontal direction and may include a margin of error. That is, the transmission direction is not limited to the horizontal direction, and may be shifted from the vertical direction by a predetermined angle. In other words, the transmission direction may be any direction other than the vertical direction.

[0023] For example, in a state where the ophthalmic lens 12 is supported by the front 20, the transmission direction may be set to a position shifted by +5° from the horizontal direction as shown in Fig. 4. Note that in the example shown in Fig. 4, the transmission direction is set to a position shifted by +5° from the horizontal direction, but it may also be set to a position shifted by -5° from the horizontal direction. In other words, the angle θ may be ±5°.

[0024] For example, in a state where the ophthalmic lens 12 is supported by the front 20, the transmission direction may be set to a position shifted by +10° from the horizontal direction as shown in Fig. 5. Note that in the example shown in Fig. 5, the transmission direction is set to a position shifted by +10° from the horizontal direction, but it may also be set to a position shifted by -10° from the horizontal direction. In other words, the angle θ may be ±10°.

[0025] For example, in a state where the ophthalmic lens 12 is supported by the front 20, the transmission direction may be set to a position shifted by +15° from the horizontal direction as shown in Fig. 6. Note that, although the transmission direction is set to a position shifted by +15° from the horizontal direction in the example shown in Fig. 6, it may also be set to a position shifted by -15° from the horizontal direction. In other words, the angle θ may be ±15°.

[0026] The smaller the angle θ, the more light (mainly horizontally linearly polarized light) reflected from glossy surfaces such as water surfaces and road surfaces passes through the polarizing film 50. Therefore, the smaller the angle θ, the greater the contrast between the glossy surface and its surroundings, making it easier for the wearer to see puddles and slippery road surfaces. As an example, the angle θ is within ±15°, more preferably within ±10°, and even more preferably within ±5°.

[0027] However, if the angle θ is too small, the contrast may be too strong for the wearer. In such cases, the angle θ may be set to any value other than 90° or 0°, such as 10° or 15°, within the range of 0° to 90° (0<θ<90°). This configuration ensures a contrast suitable for the wearer and further improves visibility of puddles and slippery roads. For example, a plurality of ophthalmic lenses 12 with angles θ in 5° increments within the range of 0<θ≦90° may be prepared in advance at an eyeglass store, and the wearer may select the ophthalmic lens 12 that best suits them at the eyeglass store.

[0028] Here, for example, an eyeglass lens manufacturer provides (including sales) the above-mentioned ophthalmic lens 12 to eyeglass stores and wearers. The ophthalmic lens 12 sold by the eyeglass lens manufacturer may be a lens (hereinafter referred to as an "edged lens") whose periphery has been cut to match the shape of the front 20 (hereinafter referred to as "edging process"), or may be a lens before edging process. For example, when edging process is performed by the eyeglass lens manufacturer, the edged lens, which is the lens after edging process, is provided from the eyeglass lens manufacturer to the eyeglass store. When edging process is performed by the eyeglass store, the ophthalmic lens 12 before edging process is provided from the eyeglass lens manufacturer to the eyeglass store.

[0029] A mark M for determining the transmission direction is formed on the ophthalmic lens 12 provided by the eyeglass lens manufacturer. The mark M is formed at least on the ophthalmic lens 12 before the edging process. The mark M is, for example, an alignment reference mark. The alignment reference mark indicates, for example, the horizontal direction (horizontal reference) of the ophthalmic lens 12.

[0030] In the following, an example will be described in which the mark M is an alignment reference mark. When performing edging, the worker uses the mark M to level the ophthalmic lens 12. The worker then performs edging on the leveled ophthalmic lens 12 using a edging machine.

[0031] The transmission direction of the ophthalmic lens 12 determined by the mark M is a direction shifted by a predetermined angle from the vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction indicated by the mark M. The transmission direction may be set to the horizontal direction indicated by the mark M. Furthermore, the transmission direction is, for example, within a range of ±15° from the horizontal direction indicated by the mark M, more preferably within a range of ±10°, and even more preferably within a range of ±5°.

[0032] FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing an example of an ophthalmic lens 12 before edging. FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing another example of an ophthalmic lens 12 before edging. The ophthalmic lens 12 before edging is formed in a circular shape in a plan view. For example, only two marks M are formed on the ophthalmic lens 12 before edging. The line connecting these two marks M indicates the horizontal direction. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the marks M are notches or scribes formed on the outer periphery of the ophthalmic lens 12 before edging. Note that in the example shown in FIG. 7, the marks M do not remain on the ophthalmic lens 12 after edging. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the marks M are formed as hidden marks. Note that in the example shown in FIG. 8, the marks M remain on the ophthalmic lens 12 after edging.

[0033] <Example> Two types of polarized lenses were prepared as test lenses: a conventional polarized lens and a polarized lens according to the present disclosure. The conventional polarized lens is a polarized lens with a vertical transmission direction. The polarized lens according to the present disclosure is a polarized lens with a horizontal transmission direction. Both the conventional polarized lens and the polarized lens according to the present disclosure are gray in color and have a refractive index of 1.60.

[0034] In a room illuminated by white LED lights, a sheet of food wrap (approximately 22 cm wide and 60 cm long) was placed on the floor to create a glossy surface simulating a puddle. Six subjects, wearing the test lenses, observed the glossy surface from a distance of approximately 2 m. As a result, all six subjects judged that the glossy surface was easier to see with the polarized lenses of the present disclosure than with conventional polarized lenses.

[0035] There is a demand for ophthalmic lenses that can reduce glare from sunlight and other sources while ensuring visibility of glossy road surfaces and objects from the perspective of safety when driving or walking. Conventional ophthalmic lenses have a polarizing film with a vertical transmission direction. In such cases, reflected light from road surfaces and objects is blocked, sometimes making it impossible to ensure visibility of road surfaces and objects.

[0036] The ophthalmic lens 12 of this embodiment is a polarized lens having a polarizing film 50, and the direction of the transmission axis PA of the polarizing film 50 is set to be offset from the vertical by a predetermined angle when the ophthalmic lens is supported by the frame 11. With this configuration, the ophthalmic lens 12 can transmit some or all of the light reflected from glossy road surfaces and objects. As a result, it is possible to reduce glare from sunlight and the like while ensuring visibility of road surface conditions and objects.

[0037] 2 has a configuration in which the polarizing film 50 is sandwiched between two substrates 40, but is not limited to this. For example, the ophthalmic lens 12 may have only one substrate 40, and the polarizing film may be formed on the outer surface or inner surface of the substrate 40.

[0038] Known techniques can be used for the manufacturing method and materials of the polarizing film 50. That is, the polarizing film 50 of the present embodiment is not limited to a particular manufacturing method or material as long as the transmission direction is set not in the vertical direction but in a direction shifted from the vertical direction (including the horizontal direction).

[0039] The execution order of each process, such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages, in the devices, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings, is not specifically stated as "before," "prior to," or the like. It should also be noted that the execution order of each process can be implemented in any order, as long as the output of a previous process is not used in a subsequent process. Even if the operational flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is described using "first," "next," or the like for convenience, this does not mean that the process must be implemented in this order. Furthermore, to the extent permitted by law, the disclosures of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-001877 and all documents cited herein are incorporated by reference.

[0040] 1: Eye transmission type optical device, 11: Frame, 12: Ophthalmic lens, 40: Substrate, 50: Polarizing film, M: Mark, PA: Transmission axis

Claims

1. An ophthalmic transmissive optical device having an ophthalmic lens with a polarizing film and a frame for supporting the ophthalmic lens, wherein a transmission direction, which is a direction of a transmission axis of the polarizing film in a state where the ophthalmic lens is supported by the frame, is set to a direction deviated by a predetermined angle from a vertical direction.

2. The ophthalmic transmissive optical device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission direction is set within a range of ±15° from a horizontal direction.

3. The ophthalmic transmissive optical device according to claim 2, wherein the transmission direction is set to a horizontal direction.

4. An ophthalmic lens having a polarizing film, wherein a mark for determining a transmission direction, which is a direction of a transmission axis of the polarizing film, is formed, and the transmission direction determined by the mark is set to a direction deviated by a predetermined angle from a vertical direction.

5. The ophthalmic lens according to claim 4, wherein the mark is an alignment reference mark indicating a horizontal direction of the ophthalmic lens, and the transmission direction is set to a direction deviated by a predetermined angle from a vertical direction orthogonal to the horizontal direction indicated by the alignment reference mark.

6. The ophthalmic lens according to claim 5, wherein the transmission direction is set within a range of ±15° from the horizontal direction indicated by the alignment reference mark.

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