Electro-active ophthalmic lens having an optical power blending region
The present invention generally relates to an electro-active optic incorporating a blend region between two regions each having different optical properties.
1. An electro-active lens, comprising at least one electro-active blend region, wherein when electrical power is applied thereto, said blend region provides a substantially continuous transition of optical power from a first region of optical power to a second region of optical power of said lens, wherein a surface relief diffractive structure produces said blend region.
2. The lens of claim 1 , wherein a patterned electrode structure produces said blend region.
3. The lens of claim 1 , wherein phase-wrapped, full-wave Fresnel zones produce said blend region.
4. The lens of claim 1 , wherein said transition of optical power is described by a polynomial of second order or higher.
5. The lens of claim 1 , wherein said transition of optical power is described by any continuous mathematical function.
6. The lens of claim 1 , wherein said transition of optical power is described by a combination of at least two continuous mathematical functions.
7. The lens of claim 1 , wherein the optical power of said blend region is modulated by application of a voltage.
8. An electro-active lens, comprising:
a. a refractive lens of fixed optical power; and
b. an electro-active element having dynamic optical power and a peripheral edge in optical communication with said refractive lens, wherein the optical power of said electro-active lens is the sum of the optical powers of said electro-active element and said refractive lens, and when said electro-active element is activated, said electro-active element provides for a region of substantially continuous transition in optical power from the sum of optical powers of said electro-active element and said refractive lens to the optical power of said refractive lens, and wherein said transition region is located near the peripheral edge of said electro-active element, wherein diffraction of optical waves produces the transition of optical power.
9. The lens of claim 8 , wherein the optical power of the electro-active element is mostly constant over a portion of its area.
10. The lens of claim 8 , wherein the optical power of the electro-active element can be modulated by the application of at least two voltages.
11. The lens of claim 8 , wherein the transition of optical power of the electro-active element gradually reduces to a substantially zero value.
12. The lens of claim 8 , wherein phase wrapped, full-wave Fresnel zones produce the transition of optical power.
13. The lens of claim 8 , wherein a patterned electrode structure produces the transition of optical power.
14. The lens of claim 8 , wherein the transition of optical power is described by any continuous mathematical function.
15. An electro-active lens, comprising:
a. a refractive lens of fixed optical power, and
b. an electro-active element having dynamic optical power and a peripheral edge in optical communication with said refractive lens, wherein the optical power of said electro-active lens is the sum of the optical powers of said electro-active element and said refractive lens, and when said electro-active element is activated, said electro-active element provides for a region of substantially continuous transition in optical power from the sum of optical powers of said electro-active element and said refractive lens to the optical power of said refractive lens, and wherein said transition region is located near the peripheral edge of said electro-active element, wherein a surface relief diffractive structure produces the transition of optical power.
16. An electro-active lens, comprising at least one electro-active blend region, wherein when electrical power is applied thereto, said blend region provides at least one stepped transition of optical power from a first region of optical power to a second region of optical power of said lens, wherein a surface relief diffractive structure produces said blend region.
17. The lens of claim 16 , wherein a patterned electrode structure produces said blend region.
18. The lens of claim 16 , wherein the optical power of said blend region is modulated by application of a voltage.
19. An electro-active lens, comprising:
a. at least one region of fixed optical power; and
b. at least one region of dynamic optical power having a blend region, wherein when electrical power is applied to said blend region, said blend region has diffractive power and provides a continuous transition of optical power from said dynamic power region to said fixed power region, wherein a surface relief diffractive structure produces said blend region.
20. The lens of claim 19 , wherein a patterned electrode structure produces said blend region.
21. The lens of claim 19 , wherein phase-wrapped, full-wave Fresnel zones produce said blend region.