Flexible dynamic electro-active lens

1. An electro-active device, comprising:

a refractive optic having a fixed refractive index and configured to be placed within or on a human eye, the refractive optic comprising at least one bendable film at least partially defining a flexible electro-active element embedded within said refractive optic, wherein said flexible electro-active element comprises:

a first conductive material disposed on the at least one bendable film;

a second conductive material disposed on the at least one bendable film; and

a liquid crystal material having an alterable refractive index and disposed between the first conductive material and the second conductive material within a cavity defined by the at least one bendable film.

2. The electro-active device of claim 1 , wherein said flexible electro-active element is less flexible than said flexible refractive optic.

3. The electro-active device of claim 1 , wherein said flexible electro-active element is as flexible as said refractive optic.

4. The electro-active device of claim 1 , wherein said refractive optic comprises at least one of a polysulphone material and a polyetherimide material.

5. The electro-active device of claim 1 , wherein the refractive optic provides a first optical power and the flexible electro-active element provides a second optical power that is lower than the first optical power.

6. The electro-active device of claim 1 , further comprising a photovoltaic cell electrically connected to said flexible electro-active element for providing power thereto.

7. The electro-active device of claim 1 , further comprising a kinetic energy driver electrically connected to said flexible electro-active element for converting the motion of the human eye into electrical power for powering said flexible electro-active element.

8. The electro-active device of claim 1 , further comprising a piezoelectric film adapted for connecting the electro-active device to an eye structure, wherein the tension of said piezo-electric film is changed by the motion of the human eye for transducing said change in tension into electrical power.

9. The electro-active device of claim 1 , wherein said flexible electro-active element is adapted for remote tuning.

10. The electro-active device of claim 1 , wherein said flexible electro-active element comprises at least one of a dynamic aperture and a diffractive element.

11. The electro-active device of claim 1 , further comprising a photo-detector array configured to determine a distance from an object to the electro-active device.

12. The electro-active device of claim 11 , further comprising a focusing lens disposed over the photo-detector array.

13. The electro-active device of claim 1 , wherein said flexible electro-active element comprises an electro-active material having an alterable refractive index which, in an unaltered state, is approximately equal to the fixed refractive index so as to provide failsafe operation of the electro-active device.

14. The electro-active device of claim 13 , wherein, when no power is applied to the flexible electro-active element, the electro-active material is in the unaltered state.

15. The electro-active device of claim 1 , further comprising two or more photodetectors configured for use in determining a distance of an object from the electro-active device.

16. The electro-active device of claim 1 , wherein the electro-active device comprises at least part of at least one of a contact lens, an intraocular lens, and an intraocular optic.

17. A flexible electro-active lens comprising:

a flexible housing having a fixed optical power;

a flexible electro-active element embedded in said housing, said flexible electro-active element comprising two or more photo-detectors,

wherein said flexible electro-active element has an optical power adapted for changing within an optical power range of from a minimum optical power to a maximum optical power,

wherein said fixed optical power is greater than said maximum optical power, and

wherein the flexible electro-active lens is one of an intraocular lens and an intraocular optic,

wherein said flexible electro-active element comprises an electro-active material having an alterable refractive index which, in an unaltered state, is approximately equal to a refractive index of the flexible housing so as to provide failsafe operation of the flexible electro-active lens.

18. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17 , further comprising a photovoltaic cell electrically connected to said flexible electro-active element for providing power thereto.

19. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17 , further comprising a kinetic energy driver electrically connected to said flexible electro-active element for providing power thereto, wherein said kinetic energy driver is adapted for converting the motion of a human eye into electrical power.

20. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17 , further comprising a piezo-electric film electrically connected to said flexible electro-active element for providing power thereto, wherein the tension of said piezo-electric film is changed by the motion of a human eye for transducing said change in tension into electrical power.

21. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17 , further comprising concentric ring shaped electrodes electrically connected to said flexible electro-active element.

22. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17 , wherein the flexible electro-active element further comprises a flexible film.

23. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 22 , wherein said flexible film comprises at least one of a polysulphone material and a polyetherimide material.

24. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17 , wherein said flexible housing comprises a refractive optic.

25. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17 , wherein said flexible electro-active element is less flexible than said flexible housing.

26. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17 , wherein said flexible electro-active element is as flexible as said flexible housing.

27. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17 , further comprising memory metal configured to bias the flexible electro-active lens toward an unfolded state.

28. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 17 , wherein the two or more photo-detectors are configured for use in determining a distance of an object from the flexible electro-active lens.

29. A flexible electro-active lens, comprising:

a flexible housing;

a refractive optic having a fixed refractive index; and

a rigid electro-active element embedded within said flexible housing,

wherein said rigid electro-active element comprises an electro-active material having an alterable refractive index approximately equal to the fixed refractive index in an unaltered state so as to provide failsafe operation of the flexible electro-active lens.

30. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 29 , further comprising a kinetic energy driver electrically connected to said rigid electro-active element for converting the motion of the eye into electrical power for providing said rigid electro-active element with said electrical power.

31. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 29 , further comprising a photovoltaic cell electrically connected to said rigid electro-active element for providing power thereto.

32. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 29 , further comprising a piezo-electric film adapted for connecting the flexible electro-active lens to an eye structure, wherein the tension of said piezo-electric film is changed by the motion of the eye for transducing said change in tension into electrical power.

33. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 29 , wherein said flexible housing comprises at least one of a polysulphone material and a polyetherimide material.

34. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 29 , wherein said rigid electroactive element is adapted for remote tuning.

35. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 29 , wherein said rigid electro-active element further comprises two or more photo-detectors.

36. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 35 , wherein the two or more photo-detectors are configured for use in determining a distance of an object from the flexible electro-active lens.

37. The flexible electro-active lens of claim 29 , wherein the flexible electro-active lens comprises at least part of at least one of a contact lens, an intraocular lens, and an intraocular optic.