Optometric Device Using Over-Refraction for Prescription Accuracy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing optometry apparatuses fail to accurately calculate the diopter power required for corrective devices like spectacles or contact lenses when the examinee is already wearing a refraction device with incorrect diopter power.

Innovation Solution

An optometry apparatus that includes a light projecting optical system, a corrective optical system, and an information acquirer to measure the diopter power of the existing refraction device and calculate a more accurate prescription value by performing over-refraction while considering the examinee's actual vision with the current device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a standard optometry apparatus measures refractive error without considering the examinee's current corrective device, then the measurement process is simple, but the calculated prescription value is inaccurate for examinees wearing incorrect diopter power

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespectacle prescription value accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The information acquisition means acquires information on the diopter power of the refraction corrective device worn by the examinee before performing the refractive error measurement. This preliminary acquisition of corrective device information allows the system to subsequently calculate an accurate spectacle prescription value by considering both the current corrective device parameters and the measured refractive error, thereby resolving the contradiction between measurement simplicity and prescription accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the optometry apparatus measures refractive error in an examinee wearing a refraction corrective device, then the measurement reflects real-world viewing conditions, but the apparatus cannot determine the additional diopter power needed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprescription relevance to actual visionVSAvoidadditional diopter power information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The control means uses the information acquired about the corrective device's diopter power as feedback to calculate the additional diopter power required. By incorporating this feedback loop where the known corrective device parameters inform the calculation of needed prescription adjustments, the system can accurately determine the additional power required while maintaining measurement conditions that reflect the examinee's actual viewing environment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using complex optical methods to directly measure additional diopter power, the system substitutes a computational approach. The control means calculates the additional diopter power by processing the acquired information on the current corrective device's diopter power together with the refractive error measurement, replacing potential mechanical measurement complexity with information processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 the calculation of a more precise spectacle prescription by accounting for the errors in the existing refraction device, providing a new prescription that corrects for the examinee's real vision needs.

Implementation Method 1

a light projecting optical system configured to project target light flux toward the examinee's eye

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

a corrective optical system placed in an optical path of the light projecting optical system and configured to change the optical property of the target light flux

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentEP3967211B1Optometric device
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 NIDEK CO LTD
  • EP3967211B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3967211B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3967211B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

An optometry apparatus that examines the optical property of an examinee's eye includes: a light projecting optical system configured to project target light flux toward the examinee's eye; a corrective optical system placed in an optical path of the light projecting optical system, the corrective optical system being configured to change the optical property of the target light flux; an information acquisition means configured to acquire information on diopter power of a refraction corrective device worn by the examinee; and a control means configured to control the corrective optical system and perform an over-refraction on the examinee's eye during wear of the refraction corrective device, in which the control means calculates a prescription value of a new refraction corrective device on the basis of a refractive error acquired by a subjective examination that is performed for the over-refraction, and the diopter power information. As a result, it is possible to calculate a more correct spectacle prescription value for an examinee who wears a refraction corrective device with wrong diopter power.