Lenses and spectacles bearing lenses

Details Lenses and spectacles bearing lenses Lenses and spectacles bearing lenses

1999-04-16

2002-01-01

Sugarman, Scott J. (Department: 2873)

Optics: eye examining, vision testing and correcting

Spectacles and eyeglasses

Ophthalmic lenses or blanks

C351S041000, C351S176000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06334681

ABSTRACT:

The present invention relates to spectacles bearing sunglass lenses, in particular spectacles with refractive power and to optical lens elements for mounting in frames of the wrap-around or shield type.
It is known in the prior art to manufacture non-corrective eyeglasses such as sunglasses or protective eyeglasses having wrap-around segments designed to shield the eye from incident light, wind, and foreign objects in the temporal vision field of the wearer.
Visible light and light in the UV region may enter the eye from angles as high as 100° from the line of sight.
It has not been possible, however, in prior art sunglasses or protective eyeglasses, to provide such spectacles with significant refractive power, whilst maintaining a cosmetically acceptable appearance. The radius of curvature required to provide an ophthalmic lens including a prescription surface is such that the spectacles would produce a bug-eyed appearance, which would be cosmetically unacceptable.
Moreover, direct utilisation of prior art sunglass lenses with refractive power does not permit retrofitting of non-prescription sunglasses nor use of prescription lenses with a variety of sunglasses.
Whilst attempts have been made in the prior art to provide a wrap-around sun shield over otherwise generally standard prescription eyeglasses, such products are generally cosmetically unacceptable and suffer from significant optical distortions.
Attempts have also been made to provide detachable prescription lenses to otherwise standard sunglasses but such arrangements are both cosmetically unattractive and suffer from considerable optical distortion due to light passing between two spaced lens surfaces.
Similarly it is known in the prior art to manufacture non-corrective clip-on sunglasses for attachment to standard prescription spectacles. However such clip-on sunglasses are also both cosmetically unattractive and suffer from similar optical distortion.
Further, in International Patent Application PCT/AU97/00188 “Improved Single Vision Lenses”, Applicants disclose an optical lens element including a front and back surface, at least one surface being continuous, and forming a prescription (Rx) zone and a peripheral temporal zone for providing a shield in the area of the temples, which zones are smoothly blended to avoid a prismatic jump from the Rx zone to the temporal zone.
Whilst such lenses are a significant improvement, problems remain in respect of ease of manufacture, optical quality and ease of mounting, particularly for lenses of medium to high power. Specifically, highly powered minus lenses tend to intrude against the temples of the wearer, requiring the use of a peripheral zone, as described, in that region for lenses beyond about −4.00 D corrective power. From extensive wearer trials, Applicants have established that wearers enjoy the greater width of corrected vision provided by lenses of this type and report less enthusiastically against the use of the peripheral extension which has no corrective power. For example for plus power lenses beyond about +2.00 D corrective power, the inner surface of the lens may clash against the wearer's eyelashes unless the peripheral extension is used, again diminishing the wearer's experience of panoramic corrected vision.
Accordingly it would be a significant advance in the art if lens constructions could be provided which avoid the problems of physical contact with the wearer but nevertheless deliver corrected vision approaching the full field available to human vision.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least alleviate, one or more of the difficulties and deficiencies related to the prior art.
Accordingly in a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an ophthalmic article including
a first lens element having a front and rear surface; and
a complementary lens element capable of bearing a prescription (Rx surface having a front surface so shaped to closely approach at least a portion of the rear surface of the first lens element.
In this embodiment, the complementary lens element provides at least a portion of the refractive power required by the wearer, and is so shaped that the ophthalmic article remains substantially free of optical distortion and cosmetically acceptable.
By the term “lens element” as used herein, we mean an optical or ophthalmic lens, semi-finished lens, or lens wafer which may be utilised in the formation of an ophthalmic product.
The ophthalmic article may be of any suitable shape. The article may be a pair of spectacles. The article may be a pair of sunglasses.
The first lens element may be a tinted sunglass element(s), preferably attached to a spectacle frame. The first lens element may exhibit plano power or may provide positive or negative refractive power.
The first lens element may include an extension in the temporal region.
The complementary lens element may have a front surface of complementary shape to the rear surface of the first lens element.
In an alternative aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ophthalmic article including
a first lens element capable of bearing a prescription (Rx) surface; and
a complementary lens element having a rear surface so shaped to closely approach at least a portion of the front surface of the first lens element.
In this embodiment, the complementary lens element may function as a sunglass element and/or may provide at least a portion of the refractive power of the ophthalmic article, for example to improve night driving optical performance. The complementary lens element has a rear surface so shaped that the ophthalmic article remains substantially free of optical distortion and cosmetically acceptable.
The first lens element may be a standard prescription lens element. The first lens element may include an extension in the temporal region.
The complementary lens element may be a tinted sunglass lens element. The complementary lens element may also include an extension in the temporal region. The complementary lens element may exhibit plano power or may provide positive or negative refractive power.
Accordingly, in a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lens element holder including
a pair of lens element supports;
attachment means for removably attaching the lens element holder to a spectacle frame; and
a pair of lens elements mounted on or in the lens element supports.
The lens element holder according to this aspect of the present invention is adapted for utilisation with any suitable spectacle frame, in particular a spectacle frame bearing sunglass lenses, protective lenses, or prescription lenses, or any combination thereof. In a preferred aspect the lens element holder may be designed to clip in behind the sunglass lenses.
Accordingly, in a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided spectacles including
a spectacle frame;
a tinted sunglass element(s) or shield element attached to the frame;
a lens element holder including a pair of lens element supports;
attachment means for optionally removably attaching the lens element holder to the spectacle frame; and
a pair of optical lens elements mounted on or in the lens element supports.
Applicants have discovered that by utilising a pair of optical lens elements to provide refractive power to the spectacles, the spectacles have a significantly improved appearance for the wearer and significantly reduced optical distortion between the spectacle lenses and lens wafers.
The spectacle frame utilised in the spectacles according to this aspect of the present invention may be of any suitable type. A conventional spectacle frame may be used. A spectacle frame of the wrap-around type is preferred.
Frames of the rimless and temple bar type may be used.
The optical lens elements may be optical lens wafers.
The pair of optical lens elements may be a pair of optical lens wafers.
The pair of optical lens elements utilised in the spectacles according to this aspect of the present invention may be of any suitable type. A back lens ele

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