Low vision eye glasses

Abstract: Eye glasses are disclosed for improving the vision of people with macular degeneration, optic nerve damage or similar low vision problems. The glasses comprise two lens assemblies, each having a magnifying lens with two convex surfaces and a reducing lens with two concave surfaces. The reducing lens incorporates prism rings which focus an image or light onto an undamaged portion of the macular. A frame is employed for supporting each assembly at a predetermined distance from an eye of a user and for supporting the lenses assembly in a predetermined orientation with respect to each other with the lenses defining a fixed space therebetween. Also disclosed are the lenses themselves and the method of using them.

Description: This invention relates to improved eye glasses for use by people with macular (retinal) degeneration, optic nerve damage or similar low vision problems. Various types of apparatus have been devised for people with vision problems. The most common of such apparatus are eye glasses for focusing light rays of an object being viewed onto the macular retinal membrane on the rear of the eyeball. Inadequate focusing is not uncommon and in general is caused by the improper focusing by the cornea and lens of the eyeball. When the cornea and lens do not function to properly bend or refract the incoming, image-bearing light rays, such light rays are not properly focused upon the macular retinal membrane and, as a result, the optic nerves cannot convey the proper information to the brain to effect proper vision. Many such problems are caused by non-spherical eyeballs. Mechanical lenses can normally correct this type of vision problem. Such mechanical lenses may take the form of contact lenses, eye glasses or the like and have been in common usage for many years. When, however, faulty vision is caused either by the degeneration of the whole or part of the macular retinal membrane on the back or interior face of the eyeball, or by the deterioration of the optic nerve which would normally carry the images from the macular retinal membrane to the brain, standard lenses are generally insufficient to restore proper vision to the patient so afflicted. Various commercial devices for overcoming low vision problems have received limited commercial acceptance. One of these devices is the Finebloom System. The Finebloom System is constructed of tube-type devices consisting of mirrors that attach to a conventional pair of eye glasses. This apparatus allows a patient using such system to focus on objects at one particular distance. The mirrors of the tubes concentrate the focused light to allow the degenerated macular retinal membrane, or degenerated part thereof, or the deteriorated optic nerve to function again to thereby restore some vision. Different tubes must be utilized for focusing at different distances. Additionally, such a system restricts the user to properly pinpoint or tunnel vision. Another low vision aid is the Opticon System. This system consists of diverging contact lenses of a negative power used in optical cooperation with additional conventional converging lenses of positive power. The positive lenses must be moved toward or away from the contact lenses and eyes of the user to focus in a manner similar to a telescope. Patients utilizing such a system have a wider field of vision than they would experience with the Finebloom System, but magnification becomes a problem. Vertex distance, or distance from the contact lens of negative power to the front of the forward lens of positive power, creates a telescopic image much larger than normal size. This results in a depth perception problem for the user. Objects being viewed thus appear much closer than they really are. Further, as a practical matter, a great percentage of users of systems of this type are older and encounter problems applying and removing their contact lenses. Various prior art disclosures describe lens arrangements in combinations which have limited structural similarities to the lens arrangement of the present invention. The original telescope by Galileo, for example, utilized negative power lens close to the eye of the user in optical combination with a positive power lens supported by a tube at fixed distance from the negative lens. Most telescopes now provide for relative displacement between lenses to enable focusing at different distances. Furthermore, telescopes are designed for magnifying rather than for achieving the effective one-to-one focusing which is the objective for normal eye glass use. Other lens arrangements which utilize combined lenses of positive and/or negative characteristics are found in U.S. Patent Numbers 2,474,837 to Glancy and 3,511,558 to Uberhagen. These disclosures are directed to apparatus for use as magnifiers as in telescopes or cameras, a totally different function than the present invention which seeks to retain a one-to-one imaging with increased illumination over a range of distances for correcting low vision problems. Even though structural similarities may exist between the present invention and these prior art devices, their structural dissimilarities preclude their use for the purposes of the present invention. Additionally, other prior art disclosures which describe lens arrangements for eye glasses can be found in U.S. Patent Numbers 968,693 to Rohr; 2,092,789 to Tillyer; 3,702,218 to Manhire; and 3,877,978 to Tolar. In all of these prior art disclosures, the lens assemblies are directed to combinations of lenses of varying shapes and powers to correct the problems a patient may have in focusing light rays onto the macular retinal membrane as caused by an improperly functioning cornea and lens rather than focusing at a particular selected area of the retina. None of the prior art arrangements of lenses provides for light concentrating capability to help patients who have low vision problems as caused by macular degeneration, optic nerve damage or the like. In most cases, these prior art patents describe lens arrangements which combine their positive and/or negative lenses together into a single lens. They therefore function as a single lens solely for the purpose of improving the focusing capabilities of the patient. Further, as discussed above, even though structural similarities may exist between the present invention and these prior art devices, their structural dissimilarities preclude their use for the purposes of the present invention. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of fabricating eye glasses for focusing and concentrating light viewed from an object source onto an optically responsive portion of a partially degenerated macular retinal membrane disposed along the inner surface of an eye, the eye glasses including a positive power lens, and a negative power lens having an optical center and a prism portion, the method comprising the steps of: forming the positive lens; forming the negative lens, including predeterminately locating the optical center of the negative lens therein and integrally providing the prism portion generally in circumferential relation about the negative lens for passing ambient light entering the negative lens toward the retinal membrane; assembling the positive and negative lenses in a frame in predetermined positions with respect to each other, so that, in use, the negative lens is positioned between the positive lens and the eye; and disposing the optical center in a preselected position during the assembling step, thereby to control image direction for focusing an image on the optically responsive portion of the retinal membrane when converging light passes through the negative lens from the object source. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there are provided eye glasses for enhancing visual acuity of a person suffering from vision deterioration due to loss of light response in portions of the person's retina, comprising: an outer positive power lens for converging light received from an object, said outer lens being supported by a frame; an inner negative power lens spaced apart from said outer lens and supported by said frame so that, in use, said inner lens is positioned between said outer lens and the person's retina and cooperatively functions with said outer lens to direct the light from an object onto an optically responsive portion of the person's retina; and a prism ring circumscribing said inner lens and oriented to re-direct ambient light onto the person's retina. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pair of spectacles for focusing and concentrating light received from an object onto an optically responsive portion of a partially degenerated macular retinal membrane which is positioned along the inner surface of an eye, said spectacles comprising: an outer positive power lens for converging light received from the object, said outer lens being supported by a frame; an inner negative power lens spaced apart from said outer lens and supported by said frame so that, in use, said inner lens is positioned between said outer lens and the eye and controls image direction to focus an image upon the optically responsive portion of the retinal membrane, said inner lens having an outer concave surface facing said outer lens and an inner concave surface facing away from said outer lens, the diameter of the inner concave surface being smaller than the diameter of the outer concave surface; and a circular ring prism circumscribing said inner lens and oriented to refract light entering said inner lens toward an optical center of said inner lens. The present invention eliminates the need for a patient to endure tunnel or pinpoint vision and eliminates the need for a patient to wear a bulky apparatus or one which would require constant readjustment for focusing. For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference should be had to the following non-limiting description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a top view of a lens frame assembly for use in eye glasses according to this invention; FIG. 2 is a rear view of the lens frame assembly of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the lens frame assembly of FIG. 1 showing the hinging action of the assembly; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of one form of a lens assembly for the lens frame assembly of FIG. 1; and FIG. 5 is a planar view of a convex lens forming a part of the lens assembly of FIG. 5. FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate one form of eye glass frame assembly 10 for improving the vision of patients suffering from low vision problems such as macular degeneration, optic nerve damage or the like. The frame assembly includes a standard lens support frame or rim 12 for ridigly holding a magnification lens in proper orientation with respect to an eye of a user of such eye glasses. The rim 12 is preferably plastic so as to have low weight while providing massive support. The interior surface of rim 12 is provided with a groove in a manner well known in the art formed as an inset ledge adapted to receive the edges of a lens for maintaining it in a desired position. The frame assembly also includes elongated side stems 14 and 16 terminating in downturned arms for positioning behind the ears of a user for securing the glasses on the head of the user so as to hold the frames and, consequently, the lens assemblies, in proper orientation with respect to the eyes of a user. Hinges 18 and 20 are preferably provided at the forward ends of the stems adjacent the rims to permit the folding of the parts of the eye glasses into a compact arrangement when not in use. A bridge 22 couples two lens openings 24 and 26 across the nose of a user. In such manner, the optical axes of a lens held in the frame assembly 10 normally coincide with the optical axes of the eyeballs of a user so that the objects being viewed are usually aligned in a predetermined orientation for proper vision. The frame assembly 10 also includes an inner frame 28 for holding a second pair of lenses in a predetermined position with respect to the lenses held in frame 12. The frame 28 is also of a type well known in the art and preferably comprises a wire frame having low mass so that the combined size of frames 12 and 28 is maintained relatively small. As can be seen in the view of FIG. 1, frame 12 is hinged to frame 28 by hinges 30 and 32 which allows the frame 12 to pivot as much as five millimeters with respect to frame 28. FIG. 3 shows the pivoted frames. As will become apparent from the discussion to follow, an important feature is the combination of a prism effect into the lenses so that the viewed image may be focused onto a particular area of a retina. In some patients, e.g., diabetic patients, that portion of a retina which is responsive to light may vary from day-to-day. By providing a slight adjustment of the relative positions of the frame 12 and 28, the position of the focused image may be varied. So long as the optical centers of the lenses are not affected, the image will not deteriorate. The inner frame 28 aslo includes nose pieces 34 and 36 for supporting the frame assembly 10 on the nose of a user in the well known manner. One form of lens assembly is shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4. The first or outer lens 38, that lens most distant from the eye 40 of the user, is of a positive power or positive optical characteristics and functions as an enlarging lens for the optical system. Such a lens will function to converge light rays received from an object 42 being viewed. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, this lens is formed with two convex surfaces, one at its front or outer side 44 and one at its back or inner side 46. Normally, for a positive lens, at least one surface of the lens must be convex. This lens is of sufficient size to effect its appropriate imaging function with its edge thickness being between about 0.5 millimeters and about 1.5 millimeters. Its inner side 46, that side closer to the eye of a user, preferably has a convex surface with a curvature of between about 2.13 diopter and about 4.76 diopter. A diopter is a unit of measurement of the refractive power of a lens equal to the reciprocal of its focal length measured in meters. The second lens 48 of each optical system is of a negative power or negative optical characteristics and functions to reduce the image being viewed by diverging received light rays. This lens is preferably formed with two concave surfaces, one at its front or outer side 52 and one at its back or inner side 54. This lens preferably is of slightly larger diameter than lens 38 and has a center thickness of between about 1.2 millimeters and about 1.6 millimeters. The curvature of the first or outer side 52 of the second lens 48 preferably is between 4.29 diopter and 6.72 diopter. The various lenses of the optical assemblies are preferably formed of glass or plastic of commercial lens quality and performance characteristics. Such materials are well known in the art, readily available in the market place and are fully described in the published literature. The space 50 between the lenses along their optical axes 62 is normally between about 1.2 millimeters and 1.5 millimeters. The image-bearing light rays from an object being viewed are converged by the first lens 38, pass through the space 50, and are then diverged by passage through the second lens 48. The lens assembly, i.e., lenses 38 and 48, is designed and configured so as to produce an essentially one-to-one magnification which is preferred for eye glass usage. The space between the lenses 38 and 40 can be varied by the hinged frame assembly. In the bifocal area, the lenses can be moved to be as much as 7.5 millimeters apart. This additional separation can provide additional magnification in the bifocal area. FIG. 4 also illustrates, added to the first lens 38, preferably on its outer or front surface 58, a bifocal lens 64. The bifocal lens is designed to effect a proper prescription and is located or disposed at the bottom of the front of the first lens adjacent the front of the rim. It constitutes a minor extent of the lens surface. This bifocal lens functions in a normal fashion as a standard bifocal lens permitting a user to read at close distances by viewing through the major extent of the lenses. Bifocals, as well as their methods of fabrication and use, are well known in the art. In addition to the normal bifocal function, eye glasses with bifocal lenses constructed in accordance with the present invention provide the light concentration function for people with low vision problems as described herein above. Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a front view of the inner lens 48. The outer line 74 represents the beginning edge of the outer concave surface 52. The inner line 76 represents the beginning edge of the inner concave surface 54. The positions of the lines 76 and 74 have been exaggerated for clarity. The relative difference in diameter of the outer and inner concave surfaces 52 and 54 defines a prism or circular refractive interface 78 which is actually a reflection of the surface 80 (see Fig. 4). The prism surface 78 enhances the light gathering ability of lens 48 and brightens images directed to the eye. By shifting the relative position of the surfaces 52 and 54 and varying the relative size, the image can be focused on areas of the retinal membrane 70 which are active or undamaged, i.e., the optical center of the lens 48 can be shifted to change the focal area on the eye. Preferably, the diameter of the inner concave surface 54 is maintained constant while the diameter of the outer concave surface 52 may be varied as required. Typically, the surface 54 will have a diameter of 35 millimeters while the diameter of surface 52 may vary between 38 and 50 millimeters. Variation of one millimeter in the size of the defined prism surface will shift the image by five degrees angularly with respect to the optical axis of the lenses. From the above, it will be appreciated that the lens system provides two separate and distinct functions. The first function is to direct an image onto an optically responsive portion of a user's retina. The second function is to act as a light gatherer to increase the amount of light directed toward the retina. It is believed that the light gathering function may be of more significance than the image directing function. For example, in some tests for visual acuity in which the patient is placed in a darkened room and directed to observe an image on a screen, it has been found that very little improved vision could be measured. However, the same patient in a well lighted room experienced a significant improvement in visual acuity. This light gathering function is believed due to the prism surface 78 which can be shown to be effective in directing light toward the retina. Note that it is not believed that the prism surface 78 redirects the viewed image but only that it increases the amount of light entering the eye and therefore makes the eye more sensitive to image information. It is also noted that the prism ring or circular refractive interface 78 may have different widths and the angle of the surface 80 may vary as well as a function of the diameter and radius of curvature of the outer concave surface 52 in relation to the diameter and radius of curvature of the inner concave surface 54. As the angle of surface 80 varies, the angle at which light is reflected toward the optical center of the lens 48 will vary along with the amount of light (illumination) projected onto the retina. Other variations such as lens material, or concentricity of the outer radius of curvature in relation to the inner radius of curvature, will also affect the focal area of light refracted by the prism ring. Each of these elements may be controlled in order to direct illumination onto the most functional parts of the retina. In fitting the lenses, a standard first or magnifying lens 38, as well as a standard second or diverging lens 48, are designed to the imaging needs of the user. A detailed description of apparatus and method for selecting lenses is given in U.S. Patent Application Serial Number 226,791 filed August 1, 1988. The first lens can be moved forward and backward during the fitting process to effectively focus the image to the needs of the patient in a a manner similar to a zoom lens on a camera. When the image being viewed is being focused to a particular patient's needs and objects can be viewed clearly, this information is used to prepare a lens assembly. By computing the distance from the first lens 38 to the second lens 48, times the power of the first lens, with correct power and lens curvature, both lenses can then be positioned in a frame assembly such as that shown in FIGS. 1-3. It is understood that for some conditions the optical axes of the patient's lenses may have to be slightly offset from the optical axis of the eye of the patient for proper fitting. Such may occur when the light responsive portion of a patient's retina is off the optical axis of the eye. Although the invention has been described in its preferred forms or embodiments with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred forms has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, fabrication and use, including the combination and arrangement of parts and steps, may be resorted to without departing from the invention.

Claims: A method of fabricating eye glasses for focusing and concentrating light viewed from an object source (42) onto an optically responsive portion of a partially degenerated macular retinal membrane (70) disposed along the inner surface of an eye (40), the eye glasses including a positive power lens (38), and a negative power lens (48) having an optical center and a prism portion (78, 80), the method comprising the steps of: forming the positive lens (38); forming the negative lens (48), including predeterminately locating the optical center of the negative lens therein and integrally providing the prism portion (78, 80) generally in circumferential relation about the negative lens for passing ambient light entering the negative lens toward the retinal membrane; assembling the positive and negative lenses (38, 48) in a frame (10) in predetermined positions with respect to each other, so that, in use, the negative lens is positioned between the positive lens and the eye; and disposing the optical center in a preselected position during the assembling step, thereby to control image direction for focusing an image on the optically responsive portion of the retinal membrane when converging light passes through the negative lens from the object source. The method according to claim 1, wherein the frame (10) has relatively adjustable lens supports (12, 28, 30, 32), the method further including the step of selectively adjusting the relative position of the lenses for focusing the image on different selected areas of the retinal membrane. Eye glasses for enhancing visual acuity of a person suffering from vision deterioration due to loss of light response in portions of the person's retina (70), comprising: an outer positive power lens (38) for converging light received from an object (42), said outer lens being supported by a frame (10); an inner negative power lens (48) spaced apart from said outer lens and supported by said frame so that, in use, said inner lens is positioned between said outer lens and the person's retina and cooperatively functions with said outer lens to direct the light from an object (42) onto an optically responsive portion of the person's retina (70); and a prism ring (78, 80) circumscribing said inner lens and oriented to re-direct ambient light onto the person's retina. The eye glasses according to claim 3, wherein said prism ring (78, 80) is positioned about the inner surface (54, 80) of said inner lens (48). The eye glasses according to claim 3, wherein said inner lens (48) is a double concave lens with the radius of a concave portion (52) of the outer surface of the lens being larger than the radius of a concave portion (54) of the inner surface, the difference in radii defining the prism ring (78, 80). The eye glasses according to claim 5, wherein said inner lens (48) includes an angularly cut outer circumscribing surface (80) between said inner surface concave portion (54) and a radially outer edge of said inner lens, said angularly cut surface (80) forming a circular refractive surface to refract light toward the retina (70). A pair of spectacles for focusing and concentrating light received from an object (42) onto an optically responsive portion of a partially degenerated macular retinal membrane (70) which is positioned along the inner surface of an eye (40), said spectacles comprising: an outer positive power lens (38) for converging light received from the object (42), said outer lens being supported by a frame (10); an inner negative power lens (48) spaced apart from said outer lens and supported by said frame so that, in use, said inner lens is positioned between said outer lens and the eye and controls image direction to focus an image upon the optically responsive portion of the retinal membrane, said inner lens having an outer concave surface (52) facing said outer lens (38) and an inner concave surface (54) facing away from said outer lens (38), the diameter of the inner concave surface (54) being smaller than the diameter of the outer concave surface (52); and a circular ring prism (78, 80) circumscribing said inner lens (48) and oriented to refract light entering said inner lens toward an optical center of said inner lens. The pair of spectacles according to claim 7, wherein said outer lens (38) has two convex surfaces (44, 46). The pair of spectacles according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the space between said lenses (38, 48) is between about 1.2 to 1.5mm. The pair of spectacles according to any of claims 7 to 9, wherein said outer lens (38) has an edge thickness of between about 0.5 to 1.5mm. The pair of spectacles according to any of claims 7 to 10, wherein said inner lens (48) has a center thickness of between about 1.2 to 1.6mm. The pair of spectacles according to any of claims 7 to 11, further comprising a bifocal lens (64) formed as part of said outer lens (38). The pair of spectacles according to any of claims 7 to 12, wherein the space between said inner and outer lenses (38, 48) along their optical axes (62) is between about 1.2 to 1.5mm. The pair of spectacles according to any of claims 7 to 13, wherein said frame (10) includes a first frame member (12) for supporting said outer lens (38) and a second frame member (28) for supporting said inner lens (48), said first and second frame members (12, 28) being pivotable relative to each other via pivot means (30, 32).

Inventors: PARKER WILLIAM SEAL, PARKER, WILLIAM SEAL
Applicants: PARKER WILLIAM SEAL, PARKER, WILLIAM SEAL
Application year: 1988
Main classification: G02C7
IPC codes: G02C7, G02C9