WO2024155925A1

WO2024155925A1 - Wavelength selective ophthalmic lens

Info

Publication number: WO2024155925A1
Application number: PCT/US2024/012223
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeffrey Brown; Ruby Chakraborty; Gregory Carlson; Griff ALTMANN
Original assignee: Hoya Optical Labs Of America, Inc.
Priority date: 2023-01-20
Filing date: 2024-01-19
Publication date: 2024-07-25

Abstract

A wavelength selective ophthalmic lens which utilizes coloring or tinting to filter selective wavelengths and thereby provide treatment of various conditions. A base lens of a first corrective power may include a plurality of raised lenslets on its surface, each of the lenslets being of a second corrective power that is different from the first corrective power. The coloring or tinting may be applied to one or more of the lenslets disposed on the base lens. The coloring or tinting may be applied to the base lens, to a laminate applied to the base lens, or to the lenslets themselves. The coloring may be applied using dyes, pigments, or the like. Various patterns of colored or tinted lenslets may be utilized, including patterns forming concentric rings or the like.

Description

WAVELENGTH SELECTIVE OPHTHALMIC LENS

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims benefit and priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63/596,058 filed November 3, 2023 entitled Wavelength Selective Ophthalmic Lens, and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63/480,848 filed January 20, 2023 entitled Wavelength/Color Component of Therapeutic Ophthalmic Lens, both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Myopia, commonly referred to as “near-sightedness”, is a progressive eye disease with a high and increasing incidence. Myopia involves refractive error usually caused by the eyeball growing too long such that images created by the lens focus in front of, rather than on, the retina, which can cause objects far away from the eye to appear blurry. A visualization of this process is illustrated in Fig. 1 .

[0003] Previously, several different types of lens designs have been studied and shown to potential effectiveness for myopia control. Such lens designs include multifocal (e.g., bifocal, trifocal) and aspheric lens optics. Such lens designs have been applied to both spectacle and contact lenses. Overall, these lens designs have shown significant reduction both in myopia development as well as in axial growth. The improvement of these lens designs has been shown to be dependent on various factors such as higher time of usage and higher rate of myopia progression.

[0004] Another example of a lens design previously used to treat myopia is a defocus-incorporated multiple segment (DIMS) lens, which aids development of the eye for proper refractive properties (emmetropization). As shown in Fig. 2, DIMS lenses may utilize a series of smaller “lenslets” which contribute in an additive manner to the lens’s corrective power in selected locations. The lenslets are typically small, circular, and distributed in a circular ring-shaped pattern centered on the wearer’s pupil. Examples of DIMS lenses are shown and described in U.S. Patent No. 11 ,029,540, which is hereby incorporated by reference. [0005] The eye has slightly different focal length for different wavelengths as illustrated in Fig. 3. There is also evidence that eye growth may be directed by color stimulus. The physiology of the eye indicates that longer wavelength light may control this process. When blur is detected at these wavelengths, the eye may attempt to correct by shortening axial growth, thus resulting in an eye which senses images accurately when it has matured.

[0006] It is thus desirable to provide an ophthalmic lens for treatment of myopia which combines the use of lenslets with the use of color.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Disclosed herein are systems, devices, and/or methods which relate to the use of a wavelength selective ophthalmic lens for treatment of various conditions, such as myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, migraines, and the like.

[0008] In an example embodiment, one or more portions of an ophthalmic lens may be colored (e.g., blue, green, red, etc.), such as by incorporating various pigments and/or dyes, so as to filter or block certain wavelengths of light for treatment of various conditions, such as myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, migraines, and the like.

[0009] In an example embodiment, coloring may be applied directly to or aligned with one or more lenslets formed on a surface of a base lens.

[0010] In an example embodiment, a colored pattern may be printed onto an ophthalmic lens.

[0011] In an example embodiment, the colored pattern may be applied to an ophthalmic lens having a plurality of lenslets (e.g., a DIMS lens).

[0012] In an example embodiment, the colored pattern may be applied in register or alignment with the desired lenslets using transfer printing or other methods.

[0013] In an example embodiment, the colored pattern may be applied directly to a base lens. [0014] In an example embodiment, the colored pattern may be incorporated into a laminate, which is then aligned with one or more lenslets during manufacture.

[0015] In an example embodiment, an ophthalmic lens may have portions with added power having a color, with the wavelength selected for optimal clinical effect.

[0016] In an example embodiment, the colored pattern may be applied directly to one or more lenslets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] These and other aspects, features and advantages of which embodiments of the invention are capable of will be apparent and elucidated from the following description of embodiments of the present invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which

[0018] Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating refractive error due to myopia.

[0019] Fig. 2 is a frontal view of an example embodiment of a DIMS lens.

[0020] Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating different focal lengths for different wavelengths in an eye.

[0021] Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the translation of treatment concepts from a concentric ring lens design to a DIMS lens design.

[0022] Fig. 5 is a frontal view of an example embodiment of a DIMS lens with coloring applied to some, but not all, lenslets.

[0023] Fig. 6 is a frontal view of an example embodiment of a DIMS lens with coloring applied to all lenslets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the invention. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

[0025] For the purposes of this specification, use of the terms “about”, “around”, or “approximately” when referring to a value may be understood to mean within 10% of the stated value (either greater or lesser), inclusive.

[0026] Disclosed herein are various embodiments of ophthalmic lenses, including spectacle lenses and contact lenses, which utilize color stimulus for treatment of various conditions, such as myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, migraines, and the like. By recognizing that eye growth may be directed by color stimulus, various lens designs have been developed which incorporate coloring in a manner that affects axial eye growth and thereby may result in an eye which senses images accurately when it has matured.

[0027] Generally, a colored pattern may be printed onto an ophthalmic lens such as, for example, by application of a colored dye. The colored pattern may be applied to an ophthalmic lens having a plurality of lenslets (e.g., a “DIMS lens”), with the pattern being applied to a base lens in register or alignment with one or more desired lenslets, with the pattern being applied to a laminate which is applied to the base lens, or with the pattern being applied directly to one or more of such lenslets.

[0028] The colored pattern may be configured to apply wavelength selective filtering for treatment of various conditions such as myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, migraines, and the like. The colored pattern may be configured to completely block or filter certain wavelengths in certain example embodiments. However, in other example embodiments, the colored pattern may be configured to only partially block or filter certain wavelengths.

[0029] The manner by which the colored pattern is incorporated into the ophthalmic lens may vary. By way of example, the print pattern may be applied directly to the base lens. By way of further example, the print pattern may be incorporated into a laminate which is then aligned with a desired pattern (e.g., a lenslet pattern) during manufacture. The colored pattern may be aligned with portions of the ophthalmic lens having added power, with the wavelength of the colored pattern being selected for best clinical effect based on a particular patient or condition being treated.

[0030] As yet another example, coloring or tinting may be applied directly to one or more lenslets which are formed on the surface of a base lens. The coloring may be applied to all of such lenslets or may be applied to only some of such lenslets. The coloring may be applied to such lenslets either before or after the lenslets have been formed on the base lens. The lenslets may all comprise the same corrective power or may have varying corrective powers. Some of the lenslets may have no corrective power.

[0031] The coloring or tinting may be applied based on corrective power, and thus only to certain lenslets of a certain corrective power. The coloring may be applied based on positioning, and thus only to certain lenslets at desired positions on the base lens.

[0032] To manufacture such lenses, a process analogous to that used to prepare laminated lenses with active layers may be utilized. A pattern may be printed onto a flat sheet, with the flat sheet then being molded to the lens. However, such a process may present certain shortcomings or disadvantages, such as poor bonding due to steep base curves or difficulties in ensuring that the corrective and color patterns maintain concentricity.

[0033] An alternative method of manufacturing such lenses may utilize a pad (transfer) printing process to place the colored pattern directly onto the lens, centered on its optical pattern. Such a method may eliminate the requirement to align the print with optical zones in subsequent steps. With the print uncovered in such a manner, application of a standard hardcoat protective layer may take on a greater importance. Thus, a hardcoat compatible with the printed ink of the colored pattern may be utilized to protect the colored pattern.

[0034] Coloring may also be applied to portions of the base lens which do not include any lenslets. Such colored portions of the base lens may have corrective power or may not have corrective power. The coloring may be applied to both a combination of portions of the base lens which include lenslets, and portions of the base lens which do not include lenslets.

[0035] The coloring may be applied to portions of the base lens having different types of geometries. For example, the coloring may be applied to convex portions of the base lens, concave portions of the base lens, and/or planar (i.e., substantially flat) portions of the base lens.

[0036] Various configurations of colored patterns have been contemplated which incorporate different patterns and/or different colors or tints so as to selectively filter or absorb different wavelengths. A blue or green coloring or tint may be applied so as to absorb or filter longer wavelengths of light (e.g., in the red or orange spectrum) while allowing shorter wavelengths of light (e.g., in the blue or violent spectrum) to pass. Conversely, a red coloring or tint may be applied so as to absorb shorter wavelengths of light while allowing longer wavelengths of light to pass.

[0037] As a first example, a blue or green coloring or tint may be applied only in non-corrective portions of the lens, including either the base lens or one or more lenslets. As a second example, the inverse configuration may be utilized, with a blue or green coloring applied only to corrective (i.e., added power) portions of the lens, including either the base lens or one or more lenslets.

[0038] As a third example, only red may be applied in non-corrective portions of the lens, including either the base lens or one or more lenslets. As a fourth example, the inverse configuration may be utilized, with a red coloring applied only to added power portions of the lens, including either the base lens or one or more lenslets.

[0039] As a fifth example, both blue/green and red may be utilized, with red applied in non-corrective portions of the lens and blue/green applied in added power portions of the lens, including either the base lens or one or more lenslets. As a sixth example, the inverse configuration may be utilized, with blue/green applied in non-corrective portions of the lens and red applied in added power portions of the lenses, including either the base lens or one or more lenslets. [0040] It should be appreciated, however, that any colors may be utilized, and thus the present disclosure should not be construed as limited only to blue, green, or red coloring, which are described merely for illustrative purposes. Thus, various different colors or tints may be utilized depending on the wavelengths of light desired to be filtered/absorbed and the wavelengths of light desired to be efficiently passed through.

[0041] Specific embodiments are described below. However, it should be appreciated that any of the features from any of the embodiments can be mixed and matched with each other in any combination. Hence, the present invention should not be restricted to only these embodiments, but any broader combination(s) thereof.

[0042] Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the application of concepts applied to ophthalmic lenses having concentric rings to DIMS ophthalmic lenses having a plurality of lenslets. As shown in Fig. 4, it can be seen that both types of lenses may have focus areas and defocus areas.

[0043] In a DIMS configuration, a plurality of lenslets cover at least a portion of the base lens. Some or all of the plurality of lenslets may have a corrective power. As illustrated in Fig. 4, in some example embodiments, groupings of lenslets may have a corrective power and groupings of lenslets may not have a corrective power (e.g., planar power). The groupings of lenslets having a corrective power may comprise groups of adjacent lenslets forming various shapes, such as the small, discontinuous islands as shown in the figure, with the lenslets surrounding such small, discontinuous islands being comprised of a different corrective power or no corrective power at all.

[0044] In a concentric ring configuration, instead of small islands used to realize defocus power, the corrective portions may be realized using concentric rings. Such a configuration may achieve the same effect as the use of small islands without the need for fine machining on small parts.

[0045] Figs. 5-6 illustrate an example embodiment of a DIMS lens 100 having a plurality of lenslets 120 arranged on a base lens 110, with Fig. 5 illustrating an example embodiment in which coloring or tinting has been applied to some, but not all, of the lenslets 120 and Fig. 6 illustrating an example embodiment in which coloring or tinting has been applied to all of the lenslets 120. [0046] In the example embodiment shown in Fig. 5, coloring 130 has been applied to some, but not all, of the lenslets 120, resulting in a plurality of colored lenslets 130 that are distinguishable from the remaining lenslets 120, to which no coloring or tinting has been applied.

[0047] As shown in the example embodiment of Fig. 5, the colored lenslets 130 may be arranged in concentric patterns around a central region having no lenslets. As an example, the colored lenslets 130 may be arranged to form continuous rings having a substantially circular or polygonal shape. It should be appreciated that such a configuration is merely for illustrative purposes only, and thus should not be construed as limiting in scope. A wide range of patterns may be utilized for the colored lenslets 130, or the colored lenslets 130 may be randomly arranged among the lenslets 120 with no discernible pattern. In some example embodiments, the colored lenslets 120 may not form a closed loop or shape as shown in Fig. 5. In some example embodiments, the colored lenslets 120 may not be concentric, such as by including a single “ring” structure of colored lenslets 120.

[0048] Fig. 6 illustrates an example embodiment in which coloring 130 has been applied to all of the lenslets 120. Such lenslets 120 may all comprise a corrective power or, in some example, some or all of the lenslets 120 may have no corrective power at all.

[0049] In some example embodiments, different lenslets 120 may have different corrective powers. Thus, the lenslets 120 may all comprise the same corrective power or, in some example embodiments, one or more of the lenslets 120 may comprise a different corrective power than one or more of the remaining lenslets 120. In an example embodiment, one or more lenslets 120 may comprise positive corrective power, negative corrective power, and/or zero corrective power.

[0050] With reference to Fig. 5, in an example embodiment, the colored lenslets 130 may comprise a first corrective power and the remaining, non-colored lenslets 120 may comprise a second corrective power, with the first and second corrective powers being selected from a group consisting of positive corrective power, negative corrective power, and zero corrective power. As a non-limiting example, continuing to reference Fig. 5, the colored lenslets 130 may comprise a positive corrective power (e.g., +2.5) and the remaining, non-colored lenslets 120 may comprise a zero corrective power. As another non-limiting example, the colored lenslets 130 may comprise different corrective powers (e.g., a first plurality of colored lenslets 130 may comprise a first corrective power and a second plurality of colored lenslets 130 may comprise a second corrective power, with the first and second corrective powers being different from each other.

[0051] The plurality of lenslets 120 may be arranged in a ring-shaped pattern as shown in Fig. 5, with a central region of the base lens 110 not including any lenslets 120. However, it should be appreciated that the pattern shown in Fig. 5 is merely for exemplary purposes, and thus the scope should not be construed as limited to any particular pattern. Various patterns of lenslets 120 may be utilized in different embodiments. In some example embodiments, a majority of the base lens 110 may include lenslets 110 without a bare central region.

[0052] The dimensions of the lenslets 120, and their coverage of the base lens 110, may vary in different embodiments. In an example embodiment in which the lenslets 120 are arranged in a ring configuration as shown in Figs. 2 and 5-6, the central region of the base lens 110 not including any lenslets 120 may comprise a radius of between about 2.5 mm and 10 mm. Each of the lenslets 120 may comprise an area of between about 0.5 mm² and 3.14 mm², though other areas (greater or lesser) may be utilized in certain embodiments. The lenslets 120 may cover between about 20% and 60% of the total surface area of the base lens 110, though in various embodiments the lenslets 120 may cover more or less of the total surface area of the base.

[0053] As previously mentioned, the plurality of lenslets 120 may apply a corrective power (positive or negative). The coloring or tinting 130 may be applied to a portion or all of the plurality of lenslets 120. In another example embodiment, only some of the plurality of lenslets 120 may apply a corrective power. In such an example embodiment, the coloring or tinting 130 may be applied to the lenslets 120 applying a corrective power, to the lenslets 120 not applying a corrective power, or to a combination thereof. [0054] It should be appreciated that the coloring or tinting 130 may be applied directly to the lenslets 120. Thus, one or more of the lenslets 120 may be colored or tinted. The manner by which the lenslets 120 may be colored or tinted may vary and may include, for example, application of dye to the lenslets 120 or incorporation of pigments within the lenslets 120.

[0055] However, in some example embodiments, the coloring or tinting 130 may instead be applied directly to an underlying laminate in alignment with the lenslets, such that the coloring 130 is not applied directly to the lenslets 120 themselves, but instead to the laminate underlying the lenslets 120. In such example embodiments, no coloring or tinting may be applied to the base lens 110 or lenslets 120, but only to an intermediate laminate between the base lens 110 and lenslets 120. In some example embodiments, the laminate may instead be applied to the inner surface of the base lens 110 and thus not be in direct contact with the lenslets 120.

[0056] In yet other example embodiments, the coloring 130 may be applied directly to the base lens 110, such as by applying a dye to the base lens 110 or by dispersing particles within the material forming the base lens 110.

[0057] Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1 . A wavelength selective ophthalmic lens, comprising: a base comprising a first corrective power; a plurality of lenslets disposed on the base, each of the plurality of lenslets comprising a second corrective power; and a coloring applied to one or more of the plurality of lenslets, the coloring being configured to apply wavelength selective filtering for treatment of a condition.

2. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 1 , wherein the second corrective power is configured to focus an image away from the retina so as to promote normal emmetropization rather than aberrational shape and/or growth of an eye.

3. The wavelength selective ophthalm ic lens of claim 1 , wherein the first corrective power is negative.

4. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 3, wherein the second corrective power is positive.

5. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 1 , wherein each of the first corrective power and the second corrective power is selected from a group consisting of a positive corrective power, a negative corrective power, and a zero corrective power.

6. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 1 , wherein the second corrective power is greater than the first corrective power.

7. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lenslets are arranged in a closed-loop pattern.

8. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 7, wherein a central region of the base does not include the plurality of lenslets.

9. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 8, wherein the central region of the base comprises a radius of between about 2.5 mm and 10 mm.

10. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 1 , wherein the coloring is selected from a group consisting of red, green, and blue.

11. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 1 , wherein the coloring is applied to the base.

12. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 11 , wherein the coloring is aligned with one or more of the plurality of lenslets.

13. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 1 , wherein the coloring is applied to one or more of the plurality of lenslets.

14. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of lenslets comprises an area of between about 0.5 mm² and 3.14 mm².

15. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lenslets cover between about 20% and 60% of a total surface area of the base.

16. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 1 , wherein the coloring is comprised of a dye.

17. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 1 , wherein the coloring is comprised of a pigment.

18. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 1 , wherein the coloring is applied to a plurality of lenslets to form a closed-loop pattern of colored lenslets.

19. The wavelength selective ophthalmic lens of claim 19, wherein the closed-loop pattern of colored lenslets forms a plurality of concentric rings of colored lenslets.

20. A wavelength selective ophthalmic lens, comprising: a base; a plurality of non-colored lenslets disposed on the base; and a plurality of colored lenslets disposed on the base, wherein each of the plurality of colored lenslets is comprised of a lenslet to which a coloring has been applied, and wherein the plurality of colored lenslets form a plurality of concentric rings on the base; and, wherein the plurality of colored lenslets are configured to apply wavelength selective filtering for treatment of a condition.