Optics: eye examining – vision testing and correcting – Spectacles and eyeglasses – Ophthalmic lenses or blanks
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-02
2001-10-23
Sugarman, Scott J. (Department: 2873)
Optics: eye examining, vision testing and correcting
Spectacles and eyeglasses
Ophthalmic lenses or blanks
C351S177000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305801
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to wearable optics for outdoor sporting and recreational activities. More particularly, this invention relates to contact lenses for outdoor sporting and recreational activities that vary the amount of light passing through the contact lenses to the retina of the eye, depending on the light intensity and wavelength, so that improved visual perception is possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,154, issued to Hoffman on Apr. 1, 1997, describes a light-filtering contact lens for outdoor wear. The Hoffman contact lens variably transmits light having wavelengths ranging from 500 to 700 nm and prevents the transmission of ultraviolet and blue light, that is, light having wavelengths ranging from approximately 200 nm to approximately 500 nm. Although the '154 patent teaches that blue light is linked to undesirable effects on the human eye, other studies indicate that blue light is necessary for enhanced perception of many objects in sporting and recreational activities.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,245, issued to the inventors of the present invention on Jan. 7, 1997, teaches the use of light-filtering eyeglasses to enhance perception of objects in outdoor sporting or recreational activities. The light-filtering eyeglasses enhance perception by allowing the transmission of light having wavelengths that are substantially corresponding to and adjacent to the wavelengths of light reflected by the object used in the outdoor sporting event, and substantially attenuating other reflected light. The '245 patent suggests the use of conventional contact lenses rather than eyeglasses, but does not disclose contact lenses capable of cooperating with the pupil of the eye to automatically accommodate both high-intensity lighting environments and low-intensity environments.
What is needed, then, is a contact lens having at least one optical filter region that: (1) transmits blue light as well as other wavelengths in order to enhance perception of objects used in outdoor sporting, recreational and other activities; (2) transmits light corresponding to the wavelength of light reflected by an object used in an outdoor sporting or recreational activity and attenuates other reflected light; and (3) automatically varies light perception as lighting conditions change from high-intensity lighting environments to low-intensity lighting environments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention accomplishes these and other objectives with a contact lens comprising a contact lens body having one or more optical filter regions having characteristics optimized for use in outdoor activities but adaptable for use in low ambient light conditions as well.
In a first embodiment of the invention, a contact lens has a single optical filter region disposed in the center of the lens body, with the optical filter region having a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of a pupil when constricted in response to exposure to high-intensity light. The optical filter region is surrounded by an optical region on the lens body that is substantially clear such that it transmits substantially all of the light in the visible region greater than 400 nm, while preferably providing UV protection by blocking light having wavelengths less than 400 nm. The percentage of light transmitted through the optical filter region can be constant or variable and may vary from greater zero percent (>0%) to less than one hundred percent (<100%), and lenses having different characteristics can be offered to correspond to the subjective desires of different users. In accordance with one object of the invention, the optical filter region has a diameter that is selected to correlate with the size of the pupil in the eyes of the wearer of the lens so that when the pupil dilates under low light conditions, an increasing percentage of the light passes through the clear area of the lens. Conversely, when the ambient light is bright, the pupil will constrict such that a decreasing percentage of the light will pass through the clear area as compared to the optical filter region. This will have the effect of automatically varying the perceived brightness of the object or scene as the eye is exposed to varying levels of ambient light.
The single optical filter region may, optionally, have one of three different filter characteristics:
(1) The optical filter region is operative to provide UV protection by substantially attenuating light having wavelengths approximately less than 400 nm while transmitting a relatively higher percentage of light over at least some visible wavelengths greater than 400 nm. In an optical filter region of this first characteristic type, the percentage of light transmitted may be constant over a range of wavelengths greater than 400 nm or the transmission percentage may vary. In either case, the total light transmitted over all visible wavelengths greater than 400 nm is greater as compared to the total light transmitted at wavelengths less than 400 nm. In addition, the optical filter region does provide attenuation above 400 nm in the nature of conventional sunglasses such that the transmission percentage of visible wavelengths is less than 100%.
(2) The optical filter region is operative to provide U-V protection by substantially attenuating light having wavelengths approximately less than 400 nm, transmitting a relatively higher (but less than 100%) fixed or variable percentage of light having wavelengths ranging from approximately 400 nm to approximately 600 nm, with a transmittance peak centered substantially around 500-525 nm, and to substantially attenuate light having wavelengths greater than 600 nm with the transmittance of the lens rolling off more rapidly on the red side of the curve than on the blue side.
(3) The optical filter region is operative to substantially attenuate light having wavelengths less than approximately 300 nm, to transmit a variable percentage of light having wavelengths ranging from approximately 300 nm to 680 nm with a reduced transmittance in the approximate range of 550-575 nm, and to transmit a fixed or variable greater percentage of visible light having wavelengths greater than 680 nm.
In a second embodiment of the invention, the contact lens body has first, second, and third adjacent optical filter regions arranged concentrically around the center of the lens. The outermost diameter of the three combined optical filter regions is approximately equal to the diameter of a pupil exposed to low-intensity light, that is, a fully dilated pupil. A clear optical region as described above may be provided that surrounds the third optical filter region. The lenses can be manufactured in multiple configurations having varying light transmittance levels such that a particular lens is selected in accordance with the subjective desires of the user, and may vary from greater than zero percent (>0%) to less than one hundred percent (<100%).
Each of the three optical filter regions may have one of the three different filter characteristics that were described with reference to the first embodiment of the lens having a single optical filter region, as discussed above. Further, the first, second, and third optical filter regions may be manufactured to provide different transmission characteristics such that the total light transmitted at visible wavelengths greater than 400 nm increases from the first to the second, and then from the second to the third, optical filter regions. This provides the automatic adjustment of attenuation and brightness as perceived by the wearer as the pupil changes in size.
In a third embodiment of the invention, a contact lens has first, second, and third adjacent optical filter regions arranged concentrically around the center of the lens. The outermost diameter of the three combined optical filter regions is approximately equal to the diameter of a pupil exposed to low-intensity light, that is, a fully dilated pupil. A clear optical region as described above may be provided that surrounds the third optical filter re
Kerns, Jr. David V.
Moore J. Paul
Patterson Mark J.
PeakVision, LLC
Sugarman Scott J.
Waddey & Patterson
LandOfFree
Contact lens with filtering for outdoor sporting and... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Contact lens with filtering for outdoor sporting and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Contact lens with filtering for outdoor sporting and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2604364