Patent Abstract:
A method for training an athlete is provided. The method includes equipping the athlete with eyewear having a first lens ( 205 ) which extends over the field of vision of a first eye, wherein the first lens has first ( 207 ) and second ( 209 ) distinct optical regions which impart vision to the first eye which is characterized by undistorted central vision and distorted peripheral vision; and causing the athlete to undertake a training exercise which replicates a motion required by the sport the athlete is being trained for.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application 61/527,343, filed Aug. 25, 2011, having the same title and the same inventor, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present disclosure pertains generally to eyewear, and more particularly to the use in sports of eyewear which imparts tunnel vision or a similar effect to the user, thus causing the wearer to focus on a central subject and also inducing subtle inner ear reflexes which may help to improve the athletic performance of the wearer. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Eyewear is currently known to the art which features lenses equipped with first and second optical regions having first and second distinct optical powers. Common bifocal lenses are one example of such eyewear. Bifocals are frequently prescribed to patients diagnosed with presbyopia (a progressively diminished ability to focus on near field objects with age) who further require correction for other visual impairments such as myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism. In a common configuration, the lower center portion of a bifocal lens provides for near-sighted vision, while the remainder of the lens provides for distance correction. 
         [0004]    The use of eyewear in sports is also well known. For example, skiers frequently wear polarizing goggles to enable them to see the terrain of the slopes better, especially on sunny days. The use of such eyewear also serves an obvious protective function. 
         [0005]    The use of corrective eyewear in sports is also common. For example, many athletes wear contact lenses, especially in contact sports, to correct for astigmatism and other deficiencies in their vision. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In one aspect, a method for training an athlete is provided. The method comprises (a) equipping the athlete with eyewear having a first lens which extends over the field of vision of a first eye, wherein the first lens has first and second distinct regions which impart vision to the first eye which is characterized by central vision having a first optical quality and peripheral vision having a second optical quality which is different from said first optical quality; and causing the athlete to undertake a training exercise which replicates a motion required by the sport the athlete is being trained for. 
         [0007]    In another aspect, a method for training an athlete is provided. The method comprises (a) equipping the athlete with eyewear having a first lens which extends over the field of vision of a first eye, wherein the first lens has first and second distinct regions which impart vision to the first eye which is characterized by a first central and first peripheral vision, wherein the first central vision has a first optical quality that is not shared by the first peripheral vision; and (b) causing the athlete to undertake a training exercise which replicates a motion required by the sport the athlete is being trained for. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals indicate like features and wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a first particular, non-limiting embodiment of a set of eyeglasses made in accordance with the teachings herein. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of a second particular, non-limiting embodiment of a set of eyeglasses made in accordance with the teachings herein. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of a particular, non-limiting embodiment of an ophthalmic lens made in accordance with the teachings herein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    While the use of eyewear in sports is fairly prevalent, such use has been directed primarily at vision enhancement and protection. However, the beneficial effects which may be achieved in sports with eyewear which selectively modifies different fields of the user&#39;s vision (e.g., by imparting different optical characteristics or perceptual experience to those fields so as to create, for example, a condition of near-sightedness or tunnel vision) has heretofore been unappreciated. 
         [0013]    It has now been found that such eyewear can have a profound effect, as a training tool or as a performance enhancement device, in sports where the user&#39;s visual focus is important in achieving a desired result. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the use of the eyewear disclosed herein is believed to cause the wearer to focus on a central subject, and to also induce subtle inner ear reflexes which may help to improve the athletic performance of the wearer. For example, in golf, maintaining good visual focus frequently goes hand-in-hand with the mechanics of properly swinging a golf club, with the result that many flaws in a golfer&#39;s swing can be traced to failure by the golfer to maintain proper focus on the ball throughout the swing. However, it has now been found that, if a golfer is equipped with eyewear of the type disclosed herein, many of the problems associated with an improper swing can be avoided, overcome, minimized or otherwise ameliorated, thus allowing the user to train with a proper swing and to develop the muscle memory needed to replicate a proper swing on the golf course. Similar results may be achieved in other sports, especially those in which the athlete&#39;s visual focus has a significant effect on proper mechanics. 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  discloses a first particular, non-limiting embodiment of eyewear which may be utilized in the practice of the methodologies disclosed herein. The eyewear  201  disclosed therein is a set of eyeglasses having first  205  and second  211  lenses. As used herein, the term “lens” refers merely to a portion of the eyeglasses that covers a portion of the user&#39;s field of vision, and does not by itself imply any particular optical characteristic or effect. The first lens  205  has first  207  and second  209  regions defined therein, and the second lens  211  has third  213  and fourth  215  regions defined therein. Any of the first  207 , second  209 , third  213  and fourth  215  regions may be optical regions (that is, may impart an optical effect to the user&#39;s vision). These regions may be placed in various locations in the lenses, but preferably, the first  207  and third  213  regions are situated within the lens so that they are disposed over all or a portion of the central portion of the user&#39;s vision, and the second  209  and fourth  215  regions are situated within the lens so that they are disposed over all or a portion of the peripheral portion of the user&#39;s vision. 
         [0015]    In one preferred embodiment, the optical characteristics of the first  207  and third  213  regions are the same, and the optical characteristics of the second  209  and fourth  215  regions are the same, although embodiments are also possible in which the optical characteristics of any of the first  207 , second  209 , third  213  and fourth  215  optical regions may independently be the same or different. For example, in one preferred embodiment, the color and/or tinting of the first  207  and third  213  regions is the same, the color and/or tinting of the second  209  and fourth  215  regions is the same, and the color and/or tinting of the first  207  and second  209  regions is different. 
         [0016]    Even more preferably, the first  207  and third  213  regions may have a lesser degree of color and/or tinting (and preferably, no color or tinting) (as measured, for example, by darkness, saturation or hue), and the second  209  and fourth  215  regions may have a greater degree of color and/or tinting (and preferably, a pronounced degree of color and/or tinting). This has the effect of dimming the peripheral portion of the user&#39;s vision, thus creating a tunnel vision effect of the type referred to above which is characterized by clear and bright central vision and a darkened peripheral vision. 
         [0017]    In another preferred embodiment, the optical power of the first  207  and third  213  regions is the same, and the optical power of the second  209  and fourth  215  regions is the same. Preferably, the first  207  and third  213  regions impart normal (e.g., 20/20) vision to the user in the field of vision they cover, and hence, the optical characteristics of this region may be selected in light of the user&#39;s vision. By contrast, the optical characteristics of the second  209  and fourth  215  regions are preferably selected to impart other than 20/20 vision to the user, and more preferably are selected to impart distorted, blurred, or occluded vision to the user in the field of vision they cover. Most preferably, the optical characteristics of the second  209  and fourth  215  regions are selected so that, taken in conjunction with the first  207  and third  213  regions, the eyewear imparts a condition of tunnel vision or near-sightedness to the user which is characterized by clear central vision and a peripheral vision that is distorted or “out-of-focus”. 
         [0018]    Various means may be utilized to create regions with different optical characteristics for the purposes of the teachings herein. The optical characteristics may be, for example, color, tint, optical power, polarization, specularity, diffusiveness, degree of clarity, degree of obfuscation, optical reflectivity (over one or more wavelengths), optical transmission (over one or more wavelengths), the presence or absence of visual artifacts, degree of vision correction, or various combinations or subcombinations of the foregoing. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates a second particular, non-limiting embodiment of eyewear which may be utilized in the methodologies described herein. The eyewear  301  in this embodiment comprises a set of glasses  302  equipped with a clip  321  that releasably engages a flip frame  319 . The glasses  302  are otherwise conventional and comprise a first frame  303  within which is set first  323  and second  325  lenses. In some implementations of this embodiment, the glasses  302  may be prescription glasses to impart corrected (and hence normal) vision to users with vision problems. In other implementations, the glasses may simply comprise clear glass or plastic that does not provide any vision correction. 
         [0020]    The flip frame  319  comprises a second frame  333  within which is set a first  305  lens comprising first  307  and second  309  regions, and a second  311  lens comprising third  313  and fourth  315  regions. The first  305  and second  311  lens, and the first  307 , second  309 , third  313  and fourth  315  regions may be of the type described with respect to their analogous components in the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0021]    In use, when it is desired to impart tunnel vision, near-sightedness, or to otherwise modify the user&#39;s vision for the purposes described herein, the user simply flips the flip frame  319  into place over the first  323  and second  325  lenses, whereupon the eyewear  301  functions in a manner similar to the eyewear of  FIG. 1 . Hence, this embodiment provides the user with ready access to the advantages of the eyewear described herein, while also providing the user with the protection or use of conventional eyewear when such advantages are not needed. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  illustrates a third particular, non-limiting embodiment of eyewear which may be utilized in the methodologies described herein. The eyewear in this embodiment comprises an ophthalmic lens  401  having first  407  and second  409  regions defined therein. If the user wears an ophthalmic lens of this type in each eye, the first  407  and second  409  regions in the two lenses may be the same or different. 
         [0023]    The first  407  and second  409  regions may be of the type described in the embodiments above, and preferably cooperate to induce tunnel vision or short-sightedness, or to otherwise manipulate the vision of the user in the manner described herein. Methods which may be used to make an ophthalmic lens of this type are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,472,993 (Matsui), which is incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0024]    In some of the embodiments described herein, it may be desirable to construct lenses having a first region characterized by a first degree of optical distortion d 1  and a second region characterized by a second degree of optical distortion d 2 , wherein d 1 &lt;d 2 . In such embodiments, d 1  may be very small or may be essentially 0, and d 2  may be in the range, for example, of greater than 2%, greater than 5%, greater than 10%, or greater than 20%. 
         [0025]    Various methodologies for measuring the degree of optical distortion may be utilized in fabricating such embodiments. One such methodology is described, for example, in the ASTM F2156-11 standard entitled “Standard Test Method for Measuring Optical Distortion in Transparent Parts Using Grid Line Slope”. In some implementations of this type of embodiment, the optical distortion may maintain or expand the image in the center of the field of view and compress the image in the periphery of the field of view. Examples of lenses capable of performing such a functionality may be found, for example, in U.S. 2012/0206627 (Reshidko et al.), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
         [0026]    In some of the embodiments described herein, it may be desirable to construct lenses having a first region characterized by a first % transmission T 1  to visible light and a second region characterized by a second % transmission T 2  to visible light. In such embodiments, the difference in % transmission (T 1 −T 2 ) is preferably at least 10%, more preferably at least 20%, even more preferably at least 30%, and most preferably in the range of about 25% to about 50%. The % transmission may be expressed in various ways including, for example, the average transmission over the visible region of the spectrum, or the minimum or maximum transmission over the visible region of the spectrum. 
         [0027]    In some of the embodiments described herein, it may be desirable to construct lenses having a first region characterized as being relatively free of optical occlusions, and a second region which contains optical occlusions. The occlusions may be, for example, particles or features which specularly or diffusely scatter, reflect light or absorb light over the visible region of the spectrum. Preferably, the first region is essentially devoid of such optical occlusions so that it provides little or no scattering, reflection or absorption of visible light, while the second region provides at least some scattering, reflection or absorption of visible light. The amount of scattering, reflection or absorption of visible light in the second region may be, for example, at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 30%, or at least 50%, but is preferably within the range of about 25% to about 50%, while the amount of scattering, reflection or absorption of visible light in the first region is preferably less than 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, and even more preferably less than about 2%. The % of scattering, reflection or absorption may be expressed in various ways including, for example, the average scattering, reflection or absorption over the visible region of the spectrum, or the minimum or maximum scattering, reflection or absorption over the visible region of the spectrum. 
         [0028]    In some embodiments, the second region may have visible features (such as, for example, printed features) disposed thereon or therein, and the first region may be free of such features or contain a lower incidence of them. The features may include, for example, dots, lines, curves, geometrical figures or patterns, or the like. In other embodiments, perforations in the lenses may be used in place of, or in addition to, such features. 
         [0029]    In some of the embodiments described herein, it may be desirable to construct lenses having a first region characterized as having a higher transmission or a lower reflectivity or absorption, and a second region characterized as having a lower transmission or a higher reflectivity or absorption. This may be accomplished, for example, by providing or applying an optically reflective or absorbing film to (or over) the second region but not to (or over) the first region, or by providing an optically reflective or absorbing film to (or over) both regions and selectively removing it from the first region. A similar effect may be provided by applying an optically reflective or absorbing pigment to (or over) the second region but not to (or over) the first region, by providing a higher density of the reflective or absorbing pigment or film to (or over) the second region than the first region, or by applying first and second reflective or absorbing films to the first and second regions, wherein the second reflective film has a higher reflectivity than the first reflective film. 
         [0030]    In any of the foregoing embodiments, the reflective films or pigments may also be polarizing films or pigments. Moreover, the optical reflectivity or absorption of the second region to visible light may be, for example, at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 30%, or at least 50%, but is preferably within the range of about 25% to about 50%, while the optical reflectivity or absorption of the first region to visible light is preferably less than 10%, more preferably less than about 5%, and even more preferably less than about 2%. 
         [0031]    In some of the embodiments described herein, it may be desirable to construct lenses in which the first region is characterized as having a first color or hue (or being colorless), and in which the second region is characterized as having a second color or hue. The first and second colors or hues are preferably distinct, but may also (or instead) differ in value or saturation. Preferably, the second color is darker or cooler (e.g., more towards the blue end of the spectrum) than the first color. Most preferably, the first region is colorless, and the second region is selected from the group consisting of green, blue or violet. 
         [0032]    The first, second, third and fourth regions may have various shapes and may independently be, for example, elliptical, circular, polygonal (including, for example, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal and octagonal), or irregular in shape. 
         [0033]    The dimensions of the first, second, third and fourth regions may vary from one implementation to another. Typically, the first and third regions have a major dimension within the range of about 4 mm to about 75 mm, preferably within the range of about 8 mm to about 50 mm, more preferably within the range of about 15 mm to about 35 mm, and most preferably within the range of about 20 mm to about 30 mm. The dimensions of the second and fourth regions may also vary, and will typically de dictated by such considerations as style, gender of the user, the dimensions of popular or available frames, and the like. 
         [0034]    In some embodiments, the boundaries between the first and second regions and the third and fourth regions may be sharply defined. In other embodiments, these regions may be blurred, may transition gradually into each other, or may be separated from each other by an intervening region which may be optically distinct from the first and second regions. 
         [0035]    While the eyewear disclosed herein has frequently been described as lenses having two distinct optical regions thereon, one skilled in the art will appreciate that a larger number of optical regions may be utilized to a similar effect. 
         [0036]    The eyewear disclosed herein may be utilized in various activities, but is especially suitable for training activities for sports. The eyewear disclosed herein is especially suitable for sports or activities in which the athlete&#39;s or user&#39;s visual focus has a significant effect on proper mechanics and/or the development of muscle memory. Some non-limiting examples of sports that the eyewear may be utilized in include golf, tennis (or various other racquet sports), baseball, football, basketball, volleyball, fencing, bowling, marksmanship and gymnastics. It will be appreciated that the eyewear disclosed herein may be especially useful in particular drills or training exercises for these or other sports or activities. It will further be appreciated that the eyewear disclosed herein may be especially useful in particular drills or training exercises for an athlete which replicate a motion required by the sport the athlete is being trained for. 
         [0037]    All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein. 
         [0038]    As used herein, the term “essentially”, as used in reference to a geometric shape or figure (e.g., “essentially elliptical”), means that one skilled in the art would describe the item in question as having the designated shape or figure, notwithstanding slight deviations or imperfections in the item that might prevent it from meeting the strict mathematical definition of such a shape or figure. When used in reference to a number k, “essentially” k shall mean k±0.05 k. Moreover, the disclosure of “essentially” k shall be taken to be a disclosure of both “essentially” k and k as possible values for the parameter in question. 
         [0039]    The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention. 
         [0040]    Preferred embodiments of the devices and methodologies disclosed herein have been described. Variations of these preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. It is expected that skilled artisans will employ such variations as appropriate, and it is further expected that the devices and methodologies disclosed herein may be practiced other than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this disclosure is to be construed as including all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the disclosure unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0