A method for modifying the refractive index of an optical, polymeric material. The method comprises irradiating select regions of the optical, polymeric material with a focused, visible or near-IR laser having a pulse energy from 0.05 nJ to 1000 nJ. The irradiation results in the formation of refractive optical structures, which exhibit little or no scattering loss. The method can he used to modify the refractive index of an intraocular lens following the surgical implantation of the intraocular lens in a human eye. The invention is also directed to an optical device comprising refractive optical structures, which exhibit little or no scattering loss and are characterized by a positive change in refractive index.

A method of modifying a refractive profile of an eye having an intraocular device implanted therein, wherein the method includes determining a corrected refractive profile for the eye based on an initial refractive profile, identifying one or more locations within the intraocular device based on the corrected refractive profile, and directing a pulsed laser beam at the locations to produce the corrected refractive profile. A system of modifying an intraocular device located within an eye, wherein the system includes a laser assembly and a controller coupled thereto. The laser assembly outputs a pulsed laser beam having a pulse width between 300 picoseconds and 10 femtoseconds. The controller directs the laser assembly to output the pulsed laser beam into the intraocular device. One or more slip zones are formed within the intraocular device in response thereto, and the slip zones are configured to modify a refractive profile of the intraocular device.

A spectacle lens contains, starting from the object-sided front surface of the spectacle lens to the opposite rear-side of the spectacle lens, at least a) one component A including an ultrathin glass, b) one component B including at least one polymer material and/or at least one mineral glass, c) one component C, including at least one functional layer and/or an ultra-thin glass. A method for producing such a spectacle lens is also disclosed.

A method for modifying the refractive index of an optical polymeric material. The method comprises continuously irradiating predetermined regions of an optical, polymeric material with femtosecond laser pulses to form a gradient index refractive structure within the material. The optical polymeric material can include a photosensitizer to increase the photoefficiency of the two-photo process resulting in the formation of the observed refractive structures. An optical device includes an optical, polymeric lens material having an anterior surface and posterior surface and an optical axis intersecting the surfaces and at least one laser-modified, GRIN layer disposed between the anterior surface and the posterior surface and arranged along a first axis 45 to 90 to the optical axis. The at least one laser-modified GRIN layer comprises a plurality of adjacent refractive segments characterized by a variation in index of refraction across at least one of at least a portion of the adjacent segments and along each segment.

A laser system for modifying the index of refraction of an optical hydrogel material. The laser system comprises a computer program to determine the position and shape of refractive structures to be written into the optical hydrogel material to correct a patient's vision, and a focused laser that generates laser light having a wavelength of from 400 nm to 900 nm, and which operates with an average power of 10 mW to 1000 mW to produce a pulse energy from 0.05 nJ to 1000 nJ with a peak intensity at focus of greater than 10.sup.13 W/cm.sup.2. The refractive structures exhibit a change in the index of refraction of 0.01 to 0.06 in the optical hydrogel material.

A method of manufacturing a spectacle lens having a lens substrate a lens substrate and at least one coating is disclosed. The method includes at least the following steps in the given order: providing a lens substrate having an uncoated or pre-coated front surface and an uncoated or pre-coated back surface, coating at least one surface with at least one coating, the surface of the at least one coating being modifiable when contacted with at least one medium being able to modify the surface of the coating, completely or partially contacting the surface of the coating with the at least one medium, applying at least one single electromagnetic pulse to at least one of the surfaces of the spectacle lens having the lens substrate, the coating and the medium and obtaining the spectacle lens having the at least one coating with a completely or partially modified surface.

A method of determining outdoor characteristics of a photochromic optical article includes: determining environmental conditions for an area; positioning the optical article to face a first direction; determining a first incident irradiance on the optical article; determining a first surface temperature and first spectrum of the optical article; rotating the optical article to face a second direction; determining a second surface temperature and Full Characterization of Lens second spectrum of the optical article; determining a second incident irradiance on the optical article; and generating a prediction model of spectral transmission of the optical article. Further using environmental and climate conditions and to select a photochromic article most appropriate for an area.

An optical device comprising an optical hydrogel with select regions that have been irradiated with laser light having a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 50 nJ and a wavelength from 600 nm to 900 nm. The irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index of from 0.01 to 0.06, and exhibit little or no scattering loss. The optical hydrogel is prepared with a hydrophilic monomer.

A spectacle lens contains, starting from the object-sided front surface of the spectacle lens to the opposite rear-side of the spectacle lens, at least a) one component A including an ultrathin glass, b) one component B including at least one polymer material and/or at least one mineral glass, c) one component C, including at least one functional layer and/or an ultra-thin glass. A method for producing such a spectacle lens is also disclosed.

An optical device comprising an optical hydrogel with select regions that have been irradiated with laser light having a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 50 nJ and a wavelength from 600 nm to 900 nm. The irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index of from 0.01 to 0.06, and exhibit little or no scattering loss. The optical hydrogel is prepared with a hydrophilic monomer.