Methods, systems, and apparatus for modulating or reducing photophobic responses
An optical filter may reduce the frequency and/or severity of photophobic responses or for modulating circadian cycles by controlling light exposure to cells in the human eye in certain wavelengths, such as 480 nm and 590 nm, and a visual spectral response of the human eye. The optical filter may disrupt the isomerization of melanopsin in the human eye reducing the availability of the active isoform, whereas the attenuation of light weighted across the action potential spectrum of the active isoform attenuates the phototransduction cascade leading to photophobic responses. Embodiments of an optical filter are described. In one embodiment an optical filter may be configured to transmit less than a first amount of light in certain wavelengths, and to transmit more than a second amount of light weighted across the visual spectral response. Methods of use and methods of manufacturing optical filters are also described.
1. An apparatus for reducing the frequency and/or severity of photophobic responses or for modulating circadian cycles by controlling exposure of cells in a retina, relative to a visible spectrum range of 400 nm to 700 nm, the apparatus comprising:
an optical filter configured to transmit:
light averaged across a first wavelength range of between 565 nm and 615 nm, wherein the transmitted light across the first wavelength range is a dose of light experienced by receptive cells of a subject (D rec,590 ),
light averaged across a second wavelength range of between 454 nm and 506 nm, wherein the transmitted light across the second wavelength range is a dose of light experienced by receptive cells of a subject (D melan ),
light averaged across a third wavelength range within a visible spectrum less than about 454 nm, between 506 nm and 565 nm, and greater than 615 nm, the transmitted light across the third wavelength range is a dose of light experienced over the visual spectrum (D vis ), and
wherein a ratio including the light across the first wavelength range and the light across the third wavelength range is defined as a figure of merit (FOM 1 ) of the optical filter, the figure of merit being determined by:
FOM
1
=
1
-
D
rec
,
590
D
rec
,
590
(
T
=
1
)
1
-
D
vis
D
vis
(
T
=
1
)
where D rec,590 (T=1) is the light across the first wavelength range in the absence of an optical filter, and D vis (T=1) is the light across the third wavelength range in the absence of an optical filter, wherein the figure of merit (FOM 1 ) is at least 1.3,
wherein a ratio including the light across the second wavelength range and the light across the third wavelength range is defined as a figure of merit (FOM 2 ) of the optical filter, the figure of merit being determined by:
FOM
2
=
1
-
D
melan
D
rmelan
(
T
=
1
)
1
-
D
vis
D
vis
(
T
=
1
)
where D melan (T=1) is the light across the second wavelength range in the absence of an optical filter, and D vis (T=1) is the light across the third wavelength range in the absence of an optical filter, wherein the figure of merit FOM 2 is at least 1.3;
wherein the optical filter includes a dye; and
wherein the optical filter has chromaticity coordinates where the x-coordinate is between 0.367 and 0.386 and the y-coordinate is between 0.359 and 0.376.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the figure of merit FOM 2 is at least 2.0.
3. An apparatus for reducing the frequency and/or severity of photophobic responses by controlling light exposure to melanopsin ganglion cells in a retina, relative to a visible spectrum range of 400 nm to 700 nm, the apparatus comprising:
an optical filter configured with:
a light transmission fraction, averaged across wavelengths between 454 nm and 506 nm, less than an amount T melan , wherein T melan is a light across a first wavelength range in the absence of an optical filter; and
a light transmission fraction, averaged across wavelengths within a visible spectrum less than 454 nm and greater than 506 nm, greater than an amount T vis , wherein T vis is the light across a second wavelength range in the absence of an optical filter,
wherein a ratio including said light transmission fractions is defined as a figure of merit (FOM) of the optical filter, the figure of merit being determined by:
FOM
=
1
-
T
melan
1
-
T
vis
wherein the figure of merit of said optical filter is at least 1.3;
wherein the optical filter includes a dye; and
wherein the optical filter has chromaticity coordinates where the x-coordinate is between 0.367 and 0.386 and the y-coordinate is between 0.359 and 0.376.
4. An apparatus for reducing the frequency and/or severity of photophobic responses by controlling light exposure to melanopsin ganglion cells in a retina, relative to a visible spectrum range of 400 nm to 700 nm, the apparatus comprising:
an optical filter configured to transmit less than a first amount of light averaged across wavelengths between 454 nm and 506 nm, wherein said first amount of light is a dose of light experienced by the melanopsin ganglion cells of a subject (D melan ), and to transmit more than a second amount of light averaged across wavelengths within a visible spectrum less than 454 nm and greater than 506 nm, said second amount of light is a dose of light experienced over the visual spectrum (D vis ),
wherein a ratio including said first amount of light and said second amount of light is defined as a figure of merit (FOM), the figure of merit being determined by:
FOM
=
1
-
D
melan
D
melan
(
T
=
1
)
1
-
D
vis
D
vis
(
T
=
1
)
where D melan (T=1) is said first amount of light in the absence of an optical filter, and D vis (T=1) is said second amount of light in the absence of an optical filter, wherein the figure of merit of said optical filter is at least 1.3;
wherein the optical filter includes a dye; and
wherein the optical filter has chromaticity coordinates where the x-coordinate is between 0.367 and 0.386 and the y-coordinate is between 0.359 and 0.376.
5. An apparatus for reducing the frequency and/or severity of photophobic responses or for modulating circadian cycles by controlling exposure of cells in a retina, relative to a visible spectrum range of 400 nm to 700 nm, the apparatus comprising:
an optical filter configured to deliver:
a first dosage of light, averaged across wavelengths between 565 nm and 615 nm, said first dosage is D rec,590 ;
a second dosage of light, averaged across wavelengths between 454 nm and 506 nm, wherein said second dosage is D melan ; and
a third dosage of light, across wavelengths within a visible spectrum between 506 nm and 565 nm, wherein said third dosage is D grn ;
wherein a ratio including said second dosage of light and said third dosage of light is defined as a figure of merit (FOM 1 ), the figure of merit being determined by:
FOM
1
=
1
-
D
melan
D
melan
(
T
=
1
)
1
-
D
grn
D
grn
(
T
=
1
)
where D melan (T=1) is said second dosage of light in the absence of an optical filter, and D grn (T=1) is said third dosage of light in the absence of an optical filter, wherein the figure of merit is at least 1.3,
wherein a ratio including said first dosage of light and said third dosage of light is defined as a figure of merit (FOM 2 ), the figure of merit being determined by:
FOM
2
=
1
-
D
rec
,
590
D
rec
,
590
(
T
=
1
)
1
-
D
grn
D
grn
(
T
=
1
)
where D rec,590 (T=1) is said first dosage of light in the absence of an optical filter, and D grn (T=1) is said third dosage of light in the absence of an optical filter, wherein the figure of merit is at least 1.3, and
wherein the filter has chromaticity coordinates where the x-coordinate is between 0.367 and 0.386 and the y-coordinate is between 0.359 and 0.376.