Lenses, eyewear, and methods for enhancing perception of visual light
View Patent ↗Lenses and eyewear are provided having enhanced or reduced transmittance of green light which can enhance the optical experience of various activities, including golfing and fishing. The improved lenses and eyewear are characterized by the presence of compounds within or upon the lenses that limit the transmittance of certain wavelengths of light while allowing the transmittance of other wavelengths of light. The compounds may typically be one or more optical dyes that are chosen for their absorption spectra to limit the transmittance or enhance the transmission of certain wavelengths of light. Methods for enhancing the visual experience and methods of fabricating the lenses are also disclosed.
1 . A lens comprising:
a lens wafer; and
a compound overlaying the lens wafer or embedded in the lens wafer, the compound comprising one or more dyes;
wherein the one or more dyes comprise a first dye adapted to limit light transmittance between 460 nm and 520 nm and a second dye adapted to limit light transmittance between 565 nm to 625 nm and are selected to impart light transmittance characteristics such that the lens exhibits a light transmittance at 550 nm that is greater than 30%, and greater than a transmittance at 480 nm and greater than a transmittance at 580 nm; and
wherein the first dye comprises 0.01 to 1 grams of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer and the second dye comprises 0.01 to 1 gram of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer.
2 . The lens as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first dye comprises 0.05 to 0.5 grams of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer and the second dye comprises 0.05 to 0.5 grams of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer.
3 . The lens as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between 470 nm and 510 nm and the second dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between 575 nm and 615 nm.
4 . The lens as recited in claim 3 , wherein the first dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between 480 nm and 500 nm and the second dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between of 585 nm to 605 nm.
5 . The lens as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more dyes are further adapted to provide a light transmittance at 700 nm greater than the light transmittance at 580 nm.
6 . The lens as recited in claim 1 , wherein the lens wafer comprises one of a polycarbonate, a polyamide, a polymethyl methacrylate, a cyclic olefin copolymer, and a bio-based thermoplastic.
7 . The lens as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more dyes are further adapted to provide the light transmittance at 550 nm that is at least 10% transmittance greater than the transmittance at 480 nm.
8 . A lens comprising:
a polymer; and
one or more dyes embedded in the polymer;
wherein the one or more dyes comprise a first dye adapted to limit light transmittance between 460 nm and 520 nm and a second dye adapted to limit light transmittance between 565 nm to 625 nm and are selected to impart light transmittance characteristics such that the lens exhibits a light transmittance at 550 nm that is greater than 30%, and greater than a transmittance at 480 nm and greater than a transmittance at 580 nm; and wherein the first dye comprises 0.01 to 1 grams of dye per kilogram of polymer and the second dye comprises 0.01 to 1 gram of dye per kilogram of polymer.
9 . The lens as recited in claim 8 , wherein the first dye comprises 0.05 to 0.5 grams of dye per kilogram of polymer and the second dye comprises 0.05 to 0.5 grams of dye per kilogram of polymer.
10 . The lens as recited in claim 8 , wherein the first dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between 470 nm and 510 nm and the second dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between 575 nm and 615 nm.
11 . A method for enhancing perception of visual light, the method comprising:
receiving visual light on a surface of a lens comprising:
a lens wafer; and
a compound overlaying the lens wafer or embedded in the lens wafer;
wherein the compound is configured to impart light transmittance characteristics such that the lens exhibits a light transmittance at 550 nm that is greater than 30%, and greater than the transmittance at 480 nm and greater than the transmittance at 580 nm, and wherein the compound comprises a first dye adapted to limit light transmittance between 460 nm and 520 nm and a second dye adapted to limit light transmittance between 565 nm to 625 nm, and wherein the first dye comprises 0.01 to 1 gram of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer and the second dye comprises 0.01 to 1 gram of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer;
allowing the visual light to pass through the lens; and
with the lens, filtering at least some of the visual light passed through the lens to reduce a transmittance of a light bandwidth of 500 nm to 570 nm.
12 . The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first dye comprises 0.05 to 0.5 grams of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer and the second dye comprises 0.05 to 0.5 grams of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer.
13 . The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the lens wafer comprises one of a polycarbonate, a polyamide, a polymethyl methacrylate, a cyclic olefin copolymer and, and a bio-based thermoplastic.
14 . A lens comprising:
a lens wafer; and
a compound overlaying the lens wafer or embedded in the lens wafer, the compound comprising one or more dyes;
wherein the one or more dyes are selected to impart light transmittance characteristics such that the lens exhibits a light transmittance at 550 nm that is greater than 30%, and greater than a transmittance at 480 nm and greater than a transmittance at 580 nm, and provide a light transmittance at 450 nm greater than the light transmittance at 480 nm.
15 . The lens as recited in claim 14 , wherein the one or more dyes comprise a first dye adapted to limit light transmittance between 460 nm and 520 nm and a second dye adapted to limit light transmittance between 565 nm to 625 nm.
16 . The lens as recited in claim 14 , wherein the first dye comprises 0.01 to 1 grams of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer and the second dye comprises 0.01 to 1 gram of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer.
17 . The lens as recited in claim 14 , wherein the first dye comprises 0.05 to 0.5 grams of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer and the second dye comprises 0.05 to 0.5 grams of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer.
18 . The lens as recited in claim 14 , wherein the first dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between 470 nm and 510 nm and the second dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between 575 nm and 615 nm.
19 . The lens as recited in claim 18 , wherein the first dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between 480 nm and 500 nm and the second dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between of 585 nm to 605 nm.
20 . The lens as recited in claim 14 , wherein the one or more dyes are further adapted to provide a light transmittance at 700 nm greater than the light transmittance at 580 nm.