Contact lens containing a diffractive optical element and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12411361-B2
Application number	US-202318855331-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2023
Priority date	Oct 19, 2022
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a contact lens ( 100 ) including a diffractive optical element ( 101 ), an optical filter ( 103 ), and an optic axis ( 109 ) passing through the optical filter and the diffractive optical element. The diffractive optical element ( 101 ) is configured to focus visible light. The optical filter ( 103 ) is configured to filter out light with a wavelength of 450 nm to 495 nm. The optical filter ( 103 ) may allow through light with a wavelength of 500 nm to 750 nm. The optical filter ( 103 ) may include one or more colorants. The present disclosure also relates to a method ( 600 ) of manufacturing a contact lens. The present disclosure also relates to a method ( 700 ) of correcting the vision of a user.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A contact lens including a diffractive optical element, an optical filter and an optic axis passing through the optical filter and the diffractive optical element, wherein:
the diffractive optical element is configured to focus visible light; and
the optical filter is configured to block light with a wavelength of 450 nm to 495 nm to reduce the visible light spectrum that can pass through the contact lens.

2. The contact lens according to claim 1 , wherein the optical filter allows through light with a wavelength of 500 nm to 750 nm.

3. The contact lens according to claim 1 , wherein the optical filter includes one or more colorants.

4. The contact lens according to claim 1 , wherein the contact lens comprises a material having one or more colorants dispersed within it.

5. The contact lens according to claim 1 , wherein the contact lens includes a layer containing the optical filter.

6. The contact lens according to claim 5 , wherein the layer forms the anterior surface of the contact lens.

7. The contact lens according to claim 1 , wherein the diffractive optical element is embedded within the contact lens.

8. The contact lens according to claim 1 , wherein the diffractive optical element is centred on the optic axis of the contact lens and is surrounded by a peripheral region of the contact lens.

9. The contact lens according to claim 1 , wherein the characteristic wavelength of the diffractive optical element is from 500 nm to 750 nm.

10. The contact lens according to claim 1 , wherein the optical filter absorbs UV wavelengths.

11. The contact lens according to claim 1 , wherein the diffractive optical element includes a diffractive structure that diffracts and refracts the light incident upon it.

12. The contact lens according to claim 1 , wherein in a transverse cross-sectional plane passing through the optic axis, the diffractive optical element comprises a series of peaks and troughs of a first refractive index, wherein the troughs are filled by a material with a second refractive index.

13. The contact lens according to claim 1 , wherein the diffractive optical element includes a first portion with a first refractive index and a second portion that includes a liquid crystal cell that is switchable between a matched state and an unmatched state, wherein
in the matched state the refractive index of the liquid crystal cell is equal to the first refractive index; and
in the unmatched state the refractive index of the liquid crystal cell is different to the first refractive index.

14. A method of correcting the vision of a user, said method comprising:
obtaining the contact lens according to claim 1 ;
placing the contact lens on the surface of the eye of a user; and
the contact lens diffracting light so that the light is focused onto the retina of the eye of the user.

15. A method of manufacturing a contact lens, comprising:
obtaining one or more colorants that absorb light with a wavelength of 450 nm to 495 nm and allow light with a wavelength of 500 nm to 750 nm to pass through;
forming a diffractive optical element with a diffractive structure that is configured to focus visible light with a wavelength higher than 495 nm; and
forming a contact lens incorporating the diffractive optical element and the one or more colorants to block light with a wavelength of 450 nm to 495 nm to reduce the visible light spectrum that can pass through the contact lens.

16. The method of manufacture according to claim 15 , wherein forming the contact lens includes the following method steps:
molding a lens body around the diffractive optical element such that the diffractive optical element is embedded in the lens body;
forming a layer incorporating the one or more colorants; and
bonding the posterior surface of the layer to the anterior surface of the lens body.

17. The method of manufacture according to claim 15 , wherein prior to forming a contact lens, the method additionally includes the step of obtaining one or more compounds that absorb UV light and wherein the step of forming a contact lens includes incorporating the one or more compounds into the contact lens.

Assignees

• Coopervision Int Ltd

Inventors

• Evans Edward James Harley
• Oag Robert

Classifications

• G02C7/10

  Filters, e.g. for facilitating adaptation of the eyes to the dark; Sunglasses · CPC title

• G02C7/083

  Electrooptic lenses · CPC title

• G02C2202/22

  Correction of higher order and chromatic aberrations, wave front measurement and calculation · CPC title

• G02C2202/20

  Diffractive and Fresnel lenses or lens portions · CPC title

• G02C7/104

  having spectral characteristics for purposes other than sun-protection · CPC title