Self-accomodating lens and method for controlling a self-accomodating lens

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a self-accommodating lens, which is formed in particular as contact lens. A plurality of actuators are arranged in a star-shaped manner on the front side of the lens body. The angle to the adjacent lens is determined by detection of a directional radio signal.

Claims

1. A self-accommodating lens, comprising: a lens body configured to be place onto or into an eye of a patient, wherein a curvature of the lens body is modifiable as a function of an angle to an adjacent lens; and an antenna, which emits a directional signal.

2. The self-accommodating lens according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is formed as patch antenna.

3. The self-accommodating lens according to claim 2, wherein the antenna is formed as a patch array.

4. The self-accommodating lens according to claim 3, wherein the antenna is formed as a curved patch array.

5. A self-accommodating lens, comprising: a lens body made of a transparent elastic material, the lens body having a front side and a rear side; and at least one actuator for modifying a curvature of the lens, the at least one actuator being arranged on the front side.

6. The self-accommodating lens according to claim 5, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a plurality of actuators.

7. The self-accommodating lens according to claim 6, wherein the actuators extend over the front side in a star-shaped manner.

8. The self-accommodating lens according to claim 6, wherein the actuators have a width of less than 0.5 mm.

9. The self-accommodating lens according to claim 5, wherein the self-accommodating lens is formed in such a way that the curvature can be adjusted step by step.

10. The self-accommodating lens according to claim 5, wherein the at least one actuator is formed as MEMS actuator.

11. The self-accommodating lens according to claim 10, wherein the actuator is formed as electrostatic actuator.

12. The self-accommodating lens according to claim 5, wherein the actuator is formed in a ring-shaped manner.

13. The self-accommodating lens according to claim 5, wherein the actuator comprises an electroactive polymer.

14. The self-accommodating lens according to claim 5, wherein an angle to another lens is used as adjustment-input variable for the actuator.

15. A set comprising two self-accommodating lenses, at least one of the two self-accommodating lenses being the self-accommodating lens according to claim 1.

16. A method for controlling the focal length of a self-accommodating lens, comprising the steps of: measuring a signal intensity of a directional radio signal of an adjacent lens; calculating a control signal by a controller; and activating at least one actuator for changing a curvature of the lens.

17. A system of self-accommodating lenses, comprising: a first lens having a first optical axis, comprising a first lens body made of a transparent elastic material, the first lens body being adapted for placement onto or into an eye of a patient, a first actuator configured to adjust a focal length of the first lens body based by changing a shape of the first lens body, a first antenna configured to emit a first directional signal, and a first controller, operatively connected to the first actuator and the first antenna; and a second lens having a second optical axis, comprising a second lens body made of a transparent elastic material, the second lens body being adapted for placement onto or into another eye of the patient, a second actuator configured to adjust a focal length of the second lens body based by changing a shape of the second lens body, and a second antenna configured to receive the first directional signal; and a second controller, operatively connected to the second actuator and the second antenna; wherein the second controller is configured to determine an angle between the first optical axis and the second optical axis based on the first directional signal received by the second antenna and to adjust the focal length of the second lens in response to the determined angle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0091] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show various exemplary embodiments of a self-accommodating lens, in each case in a schematic top view onto the front side.

[0092] FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the antenna.

[0093] FIG. 4 shows a patch array.

[0094] FIG. 5 is a symbolic illustration of the antenna during sending and receiving.

[0095] FIG. 6 is a simulation of the radio signal of an antenna, which is formed as patch array.

[0096] FIG. 7 schematically shows an electrostatic actuator.

[0097] FIG. 8 is an illustration of the eyes of the user comprising two self-accommodating lenses.

[0098] FIG. 9 shows the connection of the distance of an object and the diopter required for this.

[0099] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of the method for controlling a self-accommodating lens.

[0100] FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration of a further embodiment of a self-accommodating lens.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0101] FIG. 1 shows a self-accommodating lens 1 illustrated schematically in a top view onto the front side.

[0102] The self-accommodating lens 1 comprises a lens body 2 made of a transparent material, in particular a silicon.

[0103] When the lens 1 is placed into the human eye, a region 3 through which light falls into the eye when the iris is maximally opened, extends around a center point 7, on which the optical axis lies.

[0104] It goes without saying that the shape of the lens body 2 has to be changed in particular in this region, in order to attain another focal length.

[0105] For this purpose, the lens 1 comprises a plurality of actuators 6, which extend in a star-shaped manner virtually over the entire lens body 2.

[0106] The actuators 6 are attached to the front side of the lens body 2.

[0107] The actuators 6 are strip-shaped and can change the curvature of the front side of the lens 1.

[0108] In order to detect at what distance the eyes of the user (not illustrated) are focused, the angle to an adjacent lens 1 can be measured.

[0109] For this purpose, the lens can comprise a plurality of patch antennas 5, which are in particular formed as patch array.

[0110] The signal lobe of at least one patch antenna 5 can be detected and measured by an adjacent lens, as will be described in more detail below.

[0111] For the energy supply, the lens body 2 in this exemplary embodiment comprises a ring-shaped thin film battery 8, which extends concentrically around the actuators 6 in the outer region.

[0112] Conductor tracks for activating the actuators 6 as well as a coil for inductively charging the battery 8 can be arranged concentrically to the thin film actuator.

[0113] A controller 4 comprising the corresponding processors for the signal evaluation and activation of the actuators can be arranged on the front side of the lens body 2 or can be embedded in the lens body 2.

[0114] FIG. 2 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment.

[0115] In the case of this exemplary embodiment, the actuators 6 do not extend through the center point of the optical axis, but a free region 9 is provided, around which the actuators 6 extend radially.

[0116] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a patch antenna 5.

[0117] The patch antenna comprises a rectangularly formed antenna 10, which is arranged on a reflector.

[0118] To attain a good directivity, a patch array 12 is preferably used, which comprises a plurality of antennas 10, which are arranged on a substrate 13.

[0119] As illustrated schematically in FIG. 5, a signal lobe 14, which is detected by an opposite patch array 12, can be emitted via the patch array 12.

[0120] On the basis of the signal intensity, a conclusion can be drawn to the angle between the optical axes of the lens.

[0121] In this exemplary embodiment, only one antenna in the form of a patch array is in each case located on opposite sides.

[0122] In the case of another embodiment (not illustrated), several antennas are present, which are spaced apart from one another, and it is detected, at which antenna the signal lobe 14 is directed.

[0123] FIG. 6 shows the simulation of the signal lobe 14 of a patch array.

[0124] It can be seen that a patch array of this type has a good directivity. A portion with a high signal intensity in particular extends only over an angular range of approximately 30°.

[0125] FIG. 7 shows the basic principle of an exemplary embodiment of an actuator used for the self-accomodating lens in a schematic side view.

[0126] The actuator comprises a flexible substrate 15.

[0127] Said flexible substrate is preferably formed in a strip-shaped manner and can also be part of the lens body.

[0128] A plurality of electrode pairs 16 located opposite one another are arranged on front and rear side of the substrate 15.

[0129] A hollow space 17 is in each case located between the electrode pairs 16.

[0130] The hollow space 17 preferably extends in a strip-shaped manner and parallel along the electrodes 16.

[0131] The curvature of the substrate 15 can be changed on electrostatic basis via the position of the hollow space 17 and the activation of the electrodes 16.

[0132] The rest state, thus the state when no voltage is applied to the electrodes 16, is shown in this schematic exemplary embodiment.

[0133] The flexible substrate 15 thereby follows the basic contour of the lens body.

[0134] If a voltage is now applied, the hollow spaces 17 can be pushed together or pulled apart transversely to their main direction of extension, which has the result that the curvature of the flexible substrate 15 and thus the curvature on the top side of the lens body changes.

[0135] A change of the top side of the lens body is associated with a contour change with respect to the convexity as a whole, and thus changes the focal length of the lens.

[0136] The functional principle of the disclosure is illustrated schematically in FIG. 8.

[0137] The two eyes 18 of the user are illustrated, which are located opposite one another and which are focused on the near range here in slightly exaggerated illustrated.

[0138] The eyes 18 thus extend inwardly at a relatively large angle.

[0139] The user wears two contact lenses 1 according to the disclosure.

[0140] It can be seen that the schematically illustrated radio lobes 14 radiate in a different direction, depending on the angle of the eyes 18.

[0141] FIG. 9 shows the connection between near vision and far vision and the diopter required for this.

[0142] In the case of a healthy person with normal eyesight, the lens of the human eye is also set to far vision to a rest position.

[0143] If the lens cannot deform any longer or also after a cataract surgery, an adaptation of the diopter is necessary for the near field of view, which starts at approximately 1 m.

[0144] It goes without saying that the diopter of up to 10 cm illustrated here is not necessary.

[0145] An exemplary embodiment of the method for controlling a lens, in particular a contact lens, is illustrated in FIG. 10.

[0146] The signal intensity of the radio lobe of the adjacent lens is measured by means of an antenna, in particular by means of a patch antenna.

[0147] It is now determined via a controller, at what angle the eyes are inclined relative to the optical axis.

[0148] An angle of less than 5° suggests that the eyes of the user are set to far vision, for example because the user focusses on an object in the distance.

[0149] The actuators thereby remain in the rest position and no control signal is emitted to the actuators via the controller.

[0150] When changing into the near field, the actuators can be changed in two stages.

[0151] In the case of an angle of between 5° and 10°, the focal length is changed via a first control signal by activation of the actuators in such a way that the diopter increases by 2.5.

[0152] In the case of an angle of 10°, the controller switches to maximum near vision, and a second control signal is generated, by means of which the actuators increase the diopter by 5.

[0153] A modulation of this type in three stages is already sufficient in order to be able to focus on objects in the distance sharply as well as to be able to work in front of a monitor in the near vision range and in order to be able to read normal text size, without additional visual aid.

[0154] FIG. 11 shows a further embodiment of a self-accommodating lens 1 in a schematic illustration.

[0155] In the case of this embodiment, the actuator 6 is formed as a concentric ring.

[0156] Said concentric ring can comprise electroactive polymers, such as, e.g., polypyrrole, which, due to a volume change due to an electrochemical oxidation and reduction by applying a low voltage of less than 3V, contract the actuator when the field of vision is located in the near range.

[0157] The actuator 6 runs around a free center in a ring-shaped manner and thus does not interfere with the field of view.

[0158] Except for the actuator 6, the self-accommodating lens can be formed in the same way as the above-described exemplary embodiments.

[0159] The implementation of the control elements, which are present for an accommodating lens, was improved further by means of the invention.

[0160] While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the disclosed or illustrated embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover numerous other modifications, substitutions, variations and broad equivalent arrangements that are included within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0161] 1 self-accommodating lens

[0162] 2 lens body

[0163] 3 maximum opening iris

[0164] 4 controller

[0165] 5 patch antenna

[0166] 6 actuator

[0167] 7 center point/optical axis

[0168] 8 thin film actuator/coil

[0169] 9 free region

[0170] 10 antenna

[0171] 11 reflector

[0172] 12 patch array

[0173] 13 substrate

[0174] 14 signal lobe

[0175] 15 flexible substrate

[0176] 16 electrode

[0177] 17 hollow space

[0178] 18 eye