Non-repeating Echelettes Intraocular Lens Dysphotopsia Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) often cause undesirable visual effects like dysphotopsia (glare or halos) and compromise intermediate vision, while providing adequate near and far vision, indicating a need for improved IOL systems that enhance image quality across a wide range of foci without such issues.
Innovation Solution
The development of IOLs with a diffractive profile featuring non-repeating echelettes on at least one surface, extending radially from the optical axis to the outer periphery, which includes a central zone, a peripheral zone, and an intermediate zone, each with unique echelette configurations to optimize optical power distribution and reduce stray light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multifocal IOLs are used to provide near and far vision, then vision at two distances is improved, but intermediate vision is compromised and dysphotopsia occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The optical surface is segmented into multiple distinct zones: a central zone with first diffractive echelettes for near vision, an intermediate zone with second diffractive echelettes for intermediate vision, and a peripheral zone with third diffractive echelettes for far vision. This segmentation allows each zone to independently optimize for its specific distance range, providing comprehensive vision correction while minimizing optical interference that causes dysphotopsia.
Solution Approach 2:
Each zone of the optical surface is assigned different local optical properties through distinct diffractive echelette configurations. The central zone has echelettes optimized for near focus, the intermediate zone has echelettes optimized for intermediate focus, and the peripheral zone has echelettes optimized for far focus. This local differentiation ensures that light rays are directed to appropriate focal points based on their entry location, improving intermediate vision and reducing harmful optical effects.
2Reliability
If diffractive echelettes are configured to provide near and far focus, then near and far vision is improved, but intermediate vision remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The optical surface is divided into three radially spaced zones, each containing diffractive echelettes with specific geometries optimized for different focal distances. The addition of the intermediate zone with its own unique echelette configuration ensures that intermediate vision is explicitly addressed, making the lens adaptable to all three distance ranges rather than just two.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the traditional bifocal concept by adding a radial dimension to the zonal differentiation. Instead of only varying optical power along the optical axis, the lens varies echelette geometry both radially (creating distinct zones) and axially (creating multiple focal points), thereby achieving trifocality through a two-dimensional optimization approach.
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
This design enhances visual acuity across an extended range of distances, minimizing dysphotopsia and improving intermediate vision, thereby providing better overall visual performance compared to conventional multifocal IOLs.
Implementation Method 1
Multifocal IOLs may, for example, rely on a diffractive optical surface to direct portions of the light energy toward differing focal distances
Implementation Method 2
Diffractive monofocal and multifocal lenses can make use of a material having a given refractive index and a surface curvature which provide a refractive power
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses, systems and methods for providing improved ophthalmic lenses, particularly intraocular lenses (IOLs). Exemplary ophthalmic lenses can include a plurality of echelettes arranged around the optical axis, having a profile in r-squared space. The echelettes may be non-repeating over the optical zone.