Flexible Electro-Active Lens for Minimally Invasive Vision Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electro-active lenses are rigid, which adds thickness and may cause undesired astigmatic changes when inserted through larger incisions, and there is a need for flexible and foldable options that can be used in various optical applications.
Innovation Solution
Development of a flexible electro-active lens with a flexible housing and embedded electro-active element, allowing for foldability and adjustability of optical power through electrically controlled refractive index changes, using materials like polysulphones and liquid crystal layers, with power supplied by rechargeable batteries or kinetic energy harvesting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If rigid electro-active elements are used in the lens, then the lens can provide stable optical power adjustment, but the lens thickness increases and it cannot be folded for insertion through small incisions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using a flexible housing made of thin film material that can be folded and inserted through small incisions. The electro-active element is integrated within this flexible housing, allowing the entire lens assembly to be flexible while maintaining optical functionality. This resolves the contradiction by enabling foldability without sacrificing optical power adjustment capability.
2Ease of manufacture
If the incision size is increased to insert the lens, then the lens can be implanted, but undesired astigmatic changes of the cornea occur
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible housing allows the lens to be folded into a compact form that can be inserted through a small 3mm or less incision, avoiding the need for larger incisions that would cause astigmatic changes. The flexibility enables minimally invasive implantation while maintaining the ability to provide stable optical power adjustment.
3Stability of the object's composition
If rigid materials are used for electro-active elements, then the lens structure is stable, but the contact lens thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by integrating the electro-active element within a flexible housing structure. This composite construction allows the electro-active element to maintain structural stability for optical power adjustment while the flexible housing provides thin-film characteristics that reduce overall lens thickness and enable foldability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables insertion through small incisions without astigmatic changes and provides adjustable optical power for correcting vision issues such as presbyopia, myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism, with reduced material thickness and power efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an electro-active element (6) embedded in the film, wherein the electro-active element has an alterable refractive index
Implementation Method 2
using materials like polysulphones and liquid crystal layers
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A flexible electro-active lens is provided. The electro-active lens includes a flexible refractive optic having a fixed refractive index; a flexible electro-active element, embedded within the flexible refractive optic, and having an alterable refractive index; and a controller electrically connected to the flexible electro-active, wherein when power is applied to the controller, the refractive index of the flexible electro-active element is altered.