GB2458495A

GB2458495A - Contact lens with multiple pinholes

Info

Publication number: GB2458495A
Application number: GB0805176A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Richard Hendrik Veen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-03-20
Filing date: 2008-03-20
Publication date: 2009-09-23
Also published as: GB0805176D0

Abstract

A soft contact lens 5 comprises a cosmetic coloured area 6 and an opaque iris 7 with a plurality of pinholes 8 arranged so as to direct light 1 to a light sensitive part of the retina of a wearer 10. The wearer's ophthalmic prescription may be incorporated into the contact lens. One embodiment may be a trial contact lens designed to determine the optimal pinhole arrangement for a wearer, e.g. by axis markings [12, figure 7]. The contact lens may be truncated or back weighted to stabilise its position in the wearer's eye 9 (Figures 8, 9). Prisms such as yoke prisms (figures 13, 14) may be included to alter the direction of the light transmitted by the pinholes 8 into the eye 9. The contact lens pinhole 8 positioning may be based on the results of digital retinal mapping. The contact lens wearer may further add magnification by the use of LVA (low vision aid) telescopic systems. The device may remedy retinal damage related sight loss e.g. age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Prism lenses may also be used to decentre a single central pinhole image transmitted by a single pinhole contact lens.

Description

SUBNORMAL VISION CONTACT LENS

Description

The subnormal contact lens by its variable design properties helps to solve the problem of subnormal vision patients whose loss of vision may be due to trauma and pathological changes of the retina and macular area.

The opaque iris designed soft lens ( hydro gel/silicone) uses the principle of the singular optical pinhole disc, but in multiples of pinholes in predetermined positions and sizes ranging from.1 mm to2.O mm in diameter and spacing arrived at by the use of the trial fitting set. The basic principle of the pinhole disc is to concentrate the incident image rays onto the retina through a small pinhole, thus intensii'ing the image seen by the patient, who is not wearing any corrective lenses, on the healthy macular.

In the case of macular degeneration, sometimes not all the macular is damage, the subnormal vision contact lens, using a trial fitting set aims to locate the best area of vision using multiple pinholes of predetermined position and sizes and the added advantage of modem retinal digital imagery to locate the healthy area. The position of best vision can also be found in the Para-macular area.

As the spherical contact lens rotates clockwise and anti-clockwise in either eye, the trial lens with specifically positioned bundles of pinholes has axis markings. Once the patient begins to blink the lens rotates into the "best vision" position and the axis is noted.

The final lens ordered will not rotate, as it will be held in position by the common use of truncation or back surface weighted lens or similar design. The final lens which is opaque except for the pinholes will have a cosmetic iris to match the patients other eye. It can also include the patients prescription.

In the case of large central damage to the macular and one has to use what ever area of the retina is available, a trial lenses with varying base out/in/up /down prisms depending on rotation and locating axis can he used to determine best vision position for monocular vision.

This will again be locked in position by truncation or similar in the final lens.

In the case of binocular vision, the same procedure can be used, but could result in a prism problem. However it may be possible to use yoke prisms horizontally and vertically to establish binocular vision.

The image size can be fwther magnified if required by the patient wearing a LVA (low vision aid) telescope supplied by the Low Vision Clinics, over their subnormal vision contact lenses. The added advantage of this is a lager image will improve visual acuity.

WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS

Reference to 1/5 Fig. 1 This shows the typical focus of the broad rays of light I of fig. 1 passing through a pinhole disc 2 of fig.l to in a concentrated ray 3 of. fig.I focus on the screen 4offig.I Reference to Fig.2 of 1/5.

This shows a the typical focus of the broad rays of light I of fig.2 passing through a.

multiple pinhole disc 2 of fig.2. The concentrated rays 3 of fig.2 onto screen 4 of ig.2.

Reference to Fig.3 of 2/5.

Fig.3 shows a frontal view of a typical cosmetic iris painted 6 of fig.3 opaque soft contact lens of fig 3 with a clear central pupil 7 of fig.3.Reference to fig.4 of 2/5Fig.4 shows a typical frontal view of a subnormal vision contact lens 5 of flg.4 with a black central pupil 7 of fig.4.with specifically position pinholes 8 of fig.4.

With Reference to Fig.5 of 2/5 Fig 5. shows a selection of an enlargement of a opaque pupil 7 of Fig.4, where 5of fig.4 is the carrier soft lens, 7 of fig.5 various opaque pupils with predetermined mul-tiple pinhole apertures 8 of fig.5 inside and outside the opaque pupil aperture 7offlg.5 The position, size and distance apart of the pinholes 8 of fig.5 will vary according to the best vision position.

With Reference to Fig.6 Of 3/5 Fig.6 shows a schematic eye 9 of fig.6 with a subnormal vision contact lens 5 of fig. 6 in situ on the cornea of the schematic eye 9 of fig.6. This shows the image rays 1 of fig.6 passing through the contact lens 5 of fig.6 and being concentrated rays 3 of fig.6 onto the best vision area of the macular or para-macular 10 of fig.6.

With Reference to Fig. 7 of 3/5 Fig.7 shows a trial fitting subnormal contact lens 11 of fig.7 with axis markings 12 of fig.7in different trial position due to the blinking of the eye. Also shown are the bun-dles of predetermined pinholes 8 of fig.7 internally and externally to the opaque pupil 7 of flg.7.

With Reference to Fig.8 of 4/5 Fig.8 shows a typical cosmetic subnormal vision contact lens 13 of fig.8 truncated 14 of fig.8.

With Reference to Fig.9 of 4/5 Fig.9 shows a typical cosmetic subnormal contact lens 13 of fig.9 locked in position by the truncation 14 of fig.9 in the patients eye 15 of fig.9 by the lower lid 16 of fig.9.

With Reference to Fig. 10 of 4/5 This fig.! 0 shows the alternative design for locking a lens in position using a typical back surface weighted contact lens or similar design 17 of fig.! 0.

With Reference to Fig. 11 and Fig 12 of 5/5 Fig.!! and fig. 12 shows a schematic drawing of light rays or images I of fig.! 1 and fig. 12 passing through a prism 18 of fig. 11 and fig.!2,where the base directionl9 of the prism 18 fig.! 1 and fig.!2 alters the deviation. This system incorporated into the contact lens, is used to decentre the image in the eye to a healthy part of the retina. The image can be further magnified by the use of a common LVA telescope (low vision aid).

With Reference to Fig.! 3 of 5/5 Fig. 13 shows two prisms of equal strength with incident rays 1 of fig. 13 both being bent in the same direction. In the case of yoke prisms, the prism would be base out, in one eye and base in, in the other eye.

Continued....

With Reference to Fig.14 of 515 Fig. 14 shows two yoke prisms 18 of fig.14 with incident rays 1 of fig.14 being equally de-centred to the left of the target screen 20 of fig. 14, creating the effect of yoke prisms. Focal points are 21 of fig.14. As the subnormal vision contact lens has a stabiising system (truncation) ref.14 ofFig.9 4/5, the decentred images will be held in place. This also ap-plies in the vertical plain. * ** * * * * ** **** * * S... * S.. *. .. * S S * S S. * * .. * 55 4.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Using an opaque iris, in a cosmetic coloured soft lens, with specific placed mul- tiple pinholes to concentrate the incident rays of the multiple pinholes on a pre-determined healthy part of the retina. This distinguishes the design from the centrally designed pinhole contact lens that helps with reading in presbyopes.
2. Using a designed fitting trial set with specifically positioned multiple pinholes and axis markings to locate the best vision position.
3. Using common truncation or back weighted system to stabilise the contact lens, holding the multiple pinholes in the best vision position.
4. To make use of prisms where necessary to decentre the pinhole images to a healthy part of the retina, vertically or horizontally for best vision.
5. To make use of yoke prisms in binocular vision to decentre the multiple pin-holes, right or left or up or down.
6. To make use of digital retinal imagery to locate the best vision position when using the trial fitting.
7. To make use of LVA (low vision aid) telescopic for further monocular and binocular magnification of the image size.*. ,..
8. To make use of a prism lens to decentre a single central pinhole image onto a * healthy part of the para-macular or retina to obtain best vision.* :*
9. Using a patients prescription incorporated into the lens design to further im-prove their vision. 0*** * ****SSI IS * S S * S 5 * S S * S.