CN111292615A - High performance selective optical wavelength filtering providing improved contrast sensitivity - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to high performance selective light wavelength filtering providing improved contrast sensitivity, ophthalmic systems comprising selective light wavelength filters, wherein the selective filters provide improved contrast sensitivity.

Description

High performance selective optical wavelength filtering providing improved contrast sensitivity

The present application is a divisional application of the following applications: application No. 201710363855.4, filed on.31/10/2007 entitled "high Performance Selective light wavelength Filtering providing improved contrast sensitivity"; the application No. 201710363855.4 is a divisional application of the following applications: application No. 200780050536.2, filed on.31/10/2007 entitled "high performance selective light wavelength filtering providing improved contrast sensitivity".

Technical Field

The present invention relates to high performance selective optical wavelength filtering that provides improved contrast sensitivity.

Background

Electromagnetic radiation from the sun continuously bombards the earth's atmosphere. Light is composed of electromagnetic radiation that travels in waves. The electromagnetic spectrum includes radio waves, millimeter waves, microwaves, infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet light (UVA and UVB), x-rays, and gamma rays. The visible spectrum includes the longest visible wavelength of about 700 nm and about 400nm (nanometers or 10)^-9Rice) ofThe shortest wavelength. The blue light wavelength falls within a range of approximately 400 nanometers to 500 nanometers. For the ultraviolet band, the UVB wavelength is 290 nm to 320 nm and the UVA wavelength is 320 nm to 400 nm. Gamma and x-rays constitute higher frequencies of the spectrum and are absorbed by the atmosphere. The wavelength spectrum of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is 100-400 nm. Most of the UVR wavelengths are absorbed by the atmosphere, except in the stratospheric ozone depletion region. In the last 20 years, the literature has demonstrated that depletion of the ozone layer is mainly due to industrial pollution. Increased UVR exposure has a wide public health impact, as increased UVR eye and skin diseases are expected.

The ozone layer absorbs wavelengths up to 286 nm, thus preventing the organism from being exposed to radiation with the highest energy. However, we were exposed to wavelengths above 286 nm, most of which fell within the human visible spectrum (400-700 nm). The human retina responds only to the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Shorter wavelengths pose the greatest hazard because they instead contain more energy. Blue light has been shown to be the portion of the visible spectrum that causes the greatest photochemical damage to animal Retinal Pigment Epithelial (RPE) cells. Exposure to these wavelengths is referred to as a blue light hazard because these wavelengths are perceived as blue by the human eye.

Cataracts and macular degeneration are widely believed to be due to photochemical damage to the intraocular lens and retina, respectively. Blue light exposure has also been shown to accelerate proliferation of uveal melanocytes. The most energetic photons in the visible spectrum have a wavelength of 380 to 500 nanometers and are perceived as violet or blue. For example, Mainster and Sparrow, "How what is" How Much Blue LightShouldan IOL Transmit? The wavelength dependence of phototoxicity summarized on all mechanisms is generally expressed as the spectrum of action, as described in "br.j. ophthalmol.,2003, vol. 87, pages 1523-29 and fig. 6. In an aphakic eye (aphakic eye), light having a wavelength shorter than 400nm causes damage. In phakic eyes, this light is absorbed by the intraocular lens and therefore does not cause retinal phototoxicity; however, it can cause optical deterioration of the lens or cataract.

The pupil of the eye responds to photopic retinal illuminance in trolands, which is the product of the incident flux and the wavelength-dependent sensitivity of the retina and the projected area of the pupil. This sensitivity is described in Wyszecki and Stiles, Color Science: Concepts and Methods, Quantitative Data and formula (Wiley: New York)1982, especially page 102-107.

The present research strongly supports the premise that short-wavelength visible light (blue light) with a wavelength of about 400nm to 500 nm may be the cause of AMD (age-related macular degeneration). It is believed that the highest blue light absorption level occurs in the region of about 430 nanometers, such as 400 nanometers to 460 nanometers. Studies further indicate that blue light exacerbates other pathogenic factors in AMD, such as genetics, cigarette smoke, and excessive alcohol intake.

The human retina includes multiple layers. The layers listed in order from the layer that initially contacts any light entering the eye to the deepest layer include:

1) nerve fiber layer

2) Ganglion cells

3) Inner net layer

4) Bipolar horizontal cell

5) Outer mesh layer

6) Photoreceptors (rod cells and cone cells)

7) Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE)

8) Bruch's membrane

9) Choroid (choroid)

When light is absorbed by the eye's photoreceptor cells (rods and cones), the cells become white and non-receptive until they recover. This recovery process is a metabolic process and is called the "visual cycle". Absorption of blue light has been shown to reverse the process prematurely. This premature reversal increases the risk of oxidative damage and is believed to result in the accumulation of the pigment lipofuscin in the retina. This accumulation occurs in the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) layer. It is believed that due to the excess lipofuscin, aggregates of extracellular material called drusen are formed.

Current research shows that metabolic waste by-products accumulate in the pigment epithelium of the retina during one person's lifetime, starting from the infant, due to the interaction of light with the retina. This metabolic waste is characterized by certain fluorophores, the most notable one being lipofuscin component A2E. In vitro studies by Sparrow showed that the lipofuscin chromophore A2E found in RPE was maximally excited by light at 430 nm. Theoretically, when the combination of such accumulations of metabolic waste products, especially lipofuscin fluorophores, reaches a certain degree of accumulation, a point of detonation (tipping point) is reached, the physiological capacity of the human body to metabolize certain such waste products within the retina decreases when the human reaches a certain age threshold, and a blue light stimulus of appropriate wavelength leads to the formation of drusen in the RPE layer. It is believed that drusen then further interfere with the normal physiological/metabolic capacity to allow the appropriate nutrients to reach the photoreceptors, thereby causing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a leading cause of irreversible loss of serious importance in the united states and western countries. Due to the projected change in population and the overall increase in the number of elderly people, AMD patients are expected to increase significantly in the next 20 years.

Drusen impede or prevent the RPE layer from providing the photoreceptors with the appropriate nutrients, which causes damage or even death to these cells. To further complicate the process, lipofuscin becomes toxic when it absorbs a large amount of blue light, causing further damage and/or death of the RPE cells. It is believed that the lipofuscin component A2E is responsible, at least in part, for the short wavelength sensitivity of RPE cells. A2E has been shown to be maximally excited by blue light; the photochemical events caused by this excitation cause cell death. See, e.g., JanetR.Sparrow et al, "Blue light-absorbing intraocular lens and regenerative pigment protection in vitro," J.Cataramt Refract. Surg.2004, Vol.30, pp.873-78.

From a theoretical point of view, the following seems to occur:

1) throughout life from infancy, waste accumulation occurs at the pigment epithelium level.

2) The metabolic activity and capacity of the retina to handle this waste product generally decreases with age.

3) The macular pigment generally decreases with age, thereby filtering out less blue light.

4) Blue light causes lipofuscin to become toxic. The resulting toxicity destroys the pigment epithelium.

The lighting and vision protection industry has standards for the exposure of human vision to UVA and UVB radiation. Surprisingly, there is no such criterion for blue light. For example, in common fluorescent tubes available today, the glass envelope primarily blocks ultraviolet light, but the blue light passes through with little attenuation. In some cases, the housing is designed to have improved transmission in the blue region of the spectrum. Such artificial light sources of harm may also cause eye damage.

Spark from university of columbia demonstrated that RPE cell death by blue light could be reduced by up to 80% if about 50% of the blue light in the 430 ± 30nm wavelength range was blocked. Blue light blocking eyewear (e.g., sunglasses, spectacles, goggles) and contact lenses intended to improve eye health are disclosed, for example, in U.S. patent No.6,955,430 to Pratt. Other ophthalmic devices aimed at protecting the retina from such phototoxic light include intraocular lenses and contact lenses. These ophthalmic devices are placed in the optical path between ambient light and the retina and typically contain or are coated with dyes that selectively absorb blue and ultraviolet light.

Other lenses are known which attempt to reduce chromatic aberration by blocking blue light. Chromatic aberration is caused by optical dispersion of the ocular media, including the cornea, intraocular lens, aqueous humor, and vitreous humor. This dispersion focuses the blue light at a different image plane than the longer wavelength light, resulting in defocusing of the full color image. Conventional blue blocking lenses are described in U.S. patent No.6,158,862 to Patel et al, U.S. patent No.5,662,707 to Jinkerson, U.S. patent No.5,400,175 to Johansen, and U.S. patent No.4,878,748 to Johansen.

Conventional methods of reducing the blue light exposure of the ocular media typically cut off light well below the threshold wavelength while also reducing the longer wavelength exposure. For example, the lens described in U.S. patent No.6,955,430 to Pratt transmits less than 40% of incident light having wavelengths up to 650 nanometers as shown in fig. 6 of Pratt' 430. The blue blocking lenses disclosed by Johansen and difffendaffer in U.S. patent No.5,400,175 similarly attenuate light over the entire visible spectrum by more than 60% as shown in fig. 3 of the' 175 patent.

Balancing the range and amount of blocked blue light can be difficult because blocking and/or inhibiting blue light can affect the color balance, color vision, and perceived color of an individual looking through the ophthalmic device. For example, shooting glasses appear bright yellow and block blue light. Shooting glasses typically make certain colors more visible when looking at a blue sky, thereby allowing the shooter to see the targeted target faster and more accurately. While this is suitable for shooting glasses, it is unacceptable for many ophthalmic applications. In particular, such ophthalmic systems may be cosmetically unappealing due to yellow or amber tint in the lens caused by blue light blocking. More particularly, one common technique for blue blocking involves tinting or dyeing the lens with a blue blocking colorant such as BPIFilter Vision 450 or BPI Diamond Dye 500. Tinting may be achieved, for example, by dipping the lens in a heated tint pot containing a blue blocking dye solution for a predetermined period of time. Typically, the dye solution has a yellow or amber color and thus imparts a yellow or amber tint to the lens. For many people, this yellow or amber-tinted appearance is cosmetically undesirable. Furthermore, such tint may interfere with the normal color perception of the lens user, making it difficult to correctly perceive the color of a traffic light or sign, for example.

Efforts have been made to compensate for the yellowing effect of conventional blue blocking filters. For example, blue blocking lenses have been treated with additional dyes (e.g., blue, red, or green dyes) to counteract the yellowing effect. This treatment intermixes the additional dye with the original blue blocking dye. However, while this technique may mitigate the yellow color in blue-blocking lenses, intermixing of dyes may reduce the blue-blocking efficacy by allowing more of the blue spectrum to pass through. Furthermore, these conventional techniques undesirably reduce the overall transmission of light wavelengths other than the blue light wavelength. This unwanted reduction in turn can result in reduced visual acuity for the lens user.

It has been found that conventional blue blocking reduces visible light transmission, which in turn stimulates pupil dilation. Dilation of the pupil increases the light flux to the inner ocular structures, including the intraocular lens and the retina. Since the radiant flux reaching these structures increases with the square of the pupil diameter, a lens that blocks half the blue light but has reduced visible light transmission relaxes the pupil from a2 mm diameter to a 3 mm diameter, effectively increasing the dose of blue light photons reaching the retina by 12.5%. Protecting the retina from phototoxic light depends on the amount of such light that strikes the retina, which depends on the transmissive properties of the ocular medium and on the dynamic aperture of the pupil. To date, previous studies have not addressed the effect of the pupil on blue light to prevent phototoxicity.

Another problem with conventional blue blocking is that it can reduce night vision. Blue light is more important for low light levels or scotopic vision than for bright or photopic vision, for both scotopic and photopic vision, the results are quantitatively expressed in the photosensitivity spectrum. Photochemical and oxidative reactions result in the natural increase in the absorption of 400 to 450nm light by the iol tissue with age. Although the number of rod photoreceptors on the retina, which are responsible for low light vision, also decreases with age, increased absorption by the artificial lens is important to reduce night vision. For example, scotopic visual acuity decreases by 33% in a 53 year old intraocular lens and 75% in a 75 year old intraocular lens. In Mainster and Sparrow, "How what Multi Light Should and IOL Transmit? The balance between retinal protection and scotopic visual acuity is further described in br.j. ophthalmol,2003, volume 87, pages 1523-29.

Conventional methods of blue blocking may also include cut-off or high-pass filters to reduce transmission below the specified blue or ultraviolet wavelengths to 0. For example, it is possible to completely or almost completely block all light below the threshold wavelength. For example, U.S. published patent application No.2005/0243272 to Mainster and Mainster, "Intraocular LenseShold Block UV Radiation and Violet but not Blue Light," Arch. Ophthal, Vol.123, page 550 (2005) describe the blocking of all Light below a threshold wavelength of 400 to 450 nanometers. Such blockage may be undesirable because the dilation of the pupil increases the total flux as the boundaries of the long-pass filter are shifted to longer wavelengths. As described above, this reduces scotopic vision sensitivity and increases color distortion.

Recently, there has been debate in the field of intraocular lenses (IOLs) regarding proper UV and blue light blocking while maintaining acceptable photopic, scotopic, color vision and circadian rhythms.

In view of the foregoing, there is a need for ophthalmic systems that can provide one or more of the following effects:

1) blue blocking with acceptable level of blue protection

2) Acceptable color aesthetics, i.e., the eye system is perceived by a person observing it as being substantially color neutral when worn by a wearer

3) Acceptable color perception by the user. There is a particular need for ophthalmic systems that do not impair the wearer's color vision and further do not cause the wearer to be displeasing in the level of reflection from the system back surface into the wearer's eye

4) Acceptable light transmission at wavelengths other than blue wavelengths. There is a particular need for ophthalmic systems that selectively block blue wavelengths while transmitting more than 80% of visible light

5) Acceptable photopic, scotopic, color vision and/or circadian rhythms

This is a need as more and more data is being directed towards blue light as one of the possible causative factors in macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the industrialized world, and other retinal diseases.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates to ophthalmic systems comprising selective light wavelength filters, wherein the selective filters provide improved contrast sensitivity.

Drawings

Fig. 1A and 1B show examples of ophthalmic systems that include a posterior blue blocking component and an anterior color balancing component.

Fig. 2 shows an example of the use of a dye blocker (dye resist) to form an ophthalmic system.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary system with a blue blocking component and a color balancing component integrated into a clear or substantially clear ophthalmic lens.

Fig. 4 shows an exemplary ophthalmic system formed using an in-mold coating process.

Fig. 5 shows the combination of two ophthalmic parts.

Fig. 6 shows an exemplary ophthalmic system using an antireflective coating.

Fig. 7A-7C show various exemplary combinations of blue blocking components, color balancing components, and ophthalmic components.

Fig. 8A and 8B show examples of ophthalmic systems that include a multifunctional blue blocking and color balancing component.

Fig. 9 shows a reference for observed colors corresponding to various CIE coordinates.

Figure 10 shows the transmission of the GENTEX E465 absorbing dye.

FIG. 11 shows the absorbance of GENTEX E465 for absorbing the dye.

Fig. 12 shows the transmittance of a polycarbonate substrate with a dye concentration suitable for absorbing in the 430nm range.

Fig. 13 shows the transmittance as a function of wavelength for a polycarbonate substrate with an antireflective coating.

Fig. 14 shows a color map of a polycarbonate substrate with an antireflective coating.

Fig. 15 shows the transmission as a function of wavelength for an uncoated polycarbonate substrate and a polycarbonate substrate with an antireflective coating on both sides.

FIG. 16 shows 106 nanometer TiO on polycarbonate substrate₂The spectral transmittance of the layer.

FIG. 17 shows 106 nanometer TiO on polycarbonate substrate₂Color map of the layer.

FIG. 18 shows 134 nm TiO on polycarbonate substrate₂The spectral transmittance of the layer.

FIG. 19 shows 134 nm TiO on polycarbonate substrate₂Color map of the layer.

Fig. 20 shows the spectral transmittance of a modified AR coating suitable for color balancing a substrate with a blue light absorbing dye.

Fig. 21 shows a color plot of a modified AR coating suitable for color balancing a substrate with a blue light absorbing dye.

Fig. 22 shows the spectral transmittance of a substrate with a blue light absorbing dye.

Figure 23 shows a color map of a substrate with a blue light absorbing dye.

Fig. 24 shows the spectral transmittance of a substrate with a blue light absorbing dye and a back AR coating.

Figure 25 shows a color map of a substrate with a blue light absorbing dye and a back AR coating.

Fig. 26 shows the spectral transmittance of a substrate with a blue light absorbing dye and AR coatings on the front and back sides.

Fig. 27 shows a color map of a substrate with a blue light absorbing dye and AR coatings on the front and back sides.

Fig. 28 shows the spectral transmittance of a substrate with a blue light absorbing dye and a color balancing AR coating.

Fig. 29 shows a color map of a substrate with a blue light absorbing dye and a color balancing AR coating.

Fig. 30 shows an exemplary ophthalmic device comprising a film.

Fig. 31 shows the optical transmission characteristic of an exemplary film.

Fig. 32 shows an exemplary ophthalmic system comprising a film.

Fig. 33 shows an exemplary system comprising a membrane.

Figures 34A and B show pupil diameter and pupil area, respectively, as a function of field illumination.

FIG. 35 shows the transmission spectrum of a thin film doped with a perylene dye, where the product of concentration and pathlength yields a transmission of about 33% at about 437 nanometers.

FIG. 36 shows the transmission spectrum of a film according to the invention at a perylene concentration approximately 2.27 times higher than that shown in the previous figures.

FIG. 37 shows SiO₂And ZrO₂Exemplary transmission spectra of the six layer stack of (a).

Fig. 38 shows reference color coordinates corresponding to munsell color patches (tiles) emitted from a given light source in (L, a, b) color space.

FIG. 39A shows a color shift bar graph of Munsell color patches (color tiles) of a correlation filter. Fig. 39B shows the color shift induced by the associated blue blocking filter.

FIG. 40 shows a color shifting bar graph of perylene dyed substrates of the invention.

Fig. 41 shows the transmission spectrum of the system of the present invention.

Fig. 42 shows a bar graph summarizing the color distortion in daylight for the munsell color patches (tiles) of the fixture of the present invention.

FIGS. 43A-B show a representative series of skin reflectance spectra for different ethnic subjects.

Fig. 44 shows an exemplary skin reflectance spectrum of a caucasian subject.

Fig. 45 shows the transmission spectra of various lenses.

Fig. 46 shows an exemplary dye.

Fig. 47 shows an ophthalmic system with a hard coating.

Fig. 48 shows the transmission as a function of wavelength for a selective filter with a strong absorption band around 430 nm.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to ophthalmic systems that provide effective blue light blocking while providing a cosmetically appealing product, normal or acceptable color perception by the user, and a high proportion of transmitted light for good visual acuity. An ophthalmic system is provided that can provide an average transmission of visible light of 80% or better, suppress selective wavelengths of blue light ("blue blocking"), achieve proper color vision performance for the wearer, and provide a substantially color neutral appearance to an observer of a wearer wearing the lens or lens system. As used herein, "average transmission" of a system refers to the average transmission of wavelengths over a range (e.g., the visible spectrum). A system may also be characterized by the "light transmission" of the system, which refers to the average over a range of wavelengths weighted according to the sensitivity of the eye at each wavelength. The systems described herein may use a variety of optical coatings, films, materials, and absorbing dyes to produce the desired effect.

More specifically, embodiments of the present invention may provide effective blue blocking as well as color balance. As used herein, "color balance" or "color balanced" means that the yellow or amber color, or other undesirable effects of blue light blocking, are reduced, counteracted, neutralized, or otherwise compensated for to produce a cosmetically acceptable result, while not reducing blue light blocking efficacy. For example, wavelengths at or near 400 nm-460 nm may be blocked or their intensity reduced. In particular, for example, wavelengths at or near 420 nanometers to 440 nanometers may be blocked or reduced in intensity. Furthermore, the transmission of unblocked wavelengths may be kept at a high level, e.g., at least 80%. Additionally, the ophthalmic system appears transparent or substantially transparent to an external observer. The color perception is normal or acceptable to the system user.

As used herein, "ophthalmic system" includes prescription or non-prescription ophthalmic lenses for use in, for example, clear or tinted eyeglasses, sunglasses, contact lenses with or without visible tinting and/or cosmetic tinting, intraocular lenses (IOLs), corneal implants, corneal inlays, corneal onlays (corneas-lays), and electro-active ophthalmic devices, and may be treated or processed or combined with other components to provide the desired functionality as further detailed herein. The present invention may be designed for direct application to corneal tissue.

As used herein, an "ophthalmic material" is a material commonly used in the manufacture of ophthalmic systems, such as corrective lenses. Exemplary ophthalmic materials include glass, plastics such as CR-39, Trivex, and polycarbonate materials, although other materials may be used and are known for various ophthalmic systems.

The ophthalmic system may include a blue blocking component at the rear of the color balancing component. The blue blocking component or color balancing component may be or form part of an ophthalmic component (e.g., a lens). The posterior blue blocking component and the anterior color balancing component may be separate layers on or adjacent to or near one or more surfaces of the ophthalmic lens. The color balancing component may reduce or neutralize the yellow or amber tint of the rear blue blocking component, thereby creating a cosmetically acceptable appearance. For example, the ophthalmic system may appear transparent or substantially transparent to an external observer. The color perception is normal or acceptable to the system user. In addition, because the blue-blocking colorant and the color balancing colorant are not intermixed, wavelengths in the blue light spectrum may be blocked or their intensity reduced and for unblocked wavelengths, the transmission intensity of incident light in the ophthalmic system may be at least 80%.

As described above, blue blocking techniques are known. Known techniques for blocking blue wavelengths include absorption, reflection, interference, or any combination thereof. As described above, according to one technique, the lenses can be tinted/dyed with a blue blocking colorant, such as BPI Filter Vision 450 or BPI Diamond Dye 500, in appropriate proportions or concentrations. The tinting may be accomplished, for example, by immersing the lens in a heated tinting tank containing a blue blocking dye solution for a predetermined period of time. According to another technique, a filter is used for blue blocking. The filter may comprise, for example, an organic or inorganic compound that exhibits absorption and/or reflection and/or interference at blue wavelengths. The filter may comprise a plurality of thin layers or coatings of organic and/or inorganic substances. Each layer may have properties of absorbing, reflecting or interfering with light having a blue wavelength, independently or in combination with other layers. A Rugate notch filter is an example of a blue blocking filter. Rugate filters are single films of inorganic dielectrics in which the refractive index oscillates continuously between high and low values. By two materials having different refractive indices (e.g. SiO)₂And TiO₂) The co-deposited rugate filters of (a) are known to have a well-defined stop band for wavelength blocking, outside which the attenuation is minimal. The construction parameters of the filter (period of oscillation, refractive index modulation, number of refractive index oscillations) determine the performance parameters of the filter (center of stop band, width of stop band, transmission within stop band). Rugate filters are disclosed in more detail in, for example, U.S. patent nos.6,984,038 and 7,066,596 (each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety). Another blue blocking technique is the use of a multi-layer dielectric stack. The multilayer dielectric stack is fabricated by depositing discrete layers of alternating high and low refractive index materials. Similar to rugate filters, design parameters (e.g., layers)Thickness, refractive index of each layer, and number of layer repetitions) determine the performance parameters of the multilayer dielectric stack.

The color balance may include, for example, a blue colorant/dye, or a suitable combination of red and green colorants/dyes, in a suitable proportion or concentration to impart to the color-balancing component such that the overall ophthalmic system has a cosmetically acceptable appearance when viewed by an external observer. For example, the entire ophthalmic system appears transparent or substantially transparent.

Fig. 1A shows an ophthalmic system comprising a posterior blue blocking component 101 and an anterior color balancing component 102. Each component has a concave rear side or surface 110, 115 and a convex front side or surface 120, 125. In system 100, rear blue blocking member 101 may be or include an ophthalmic member such as a single vision lens (single vision lens), wafer, or optical preform. The single vision lens, wafer or optical preform may be colored or dyed for blue blocking. The front color balancing component 102 may comprise a surface cast layer applied to a single vision lens, wafer or optical preform according to known techniques. For example, the surface cast layer can be attached or bonded to a single vision lens, wafer or optical preform using visible or ultraviolet light or a combination of both.

The surface cast layer can be formed on the convex side of a single vision lens, wafer or optical preform. Since the single-vision lens, wafer or optical preform has been tinted or dyed for blue blocking, it may have a cosmetically undesirable yellow or amber color. Accordingly, the surface cast layer may be colored, for example, with a suitable ratio of blue colorant/dye or a suitable combination of red and green colorant/dye.

The surface cast layer may be treated with a color balancing additive after application to a single vision lens, wafer or optical preform that has been processed to blue blocking. For example, a blue blocking single vision lens, wafer or optical preform having a surface cast layer on its convex surface may be immersed in a heated color tank with the appropriate proportions and concentrations of color balancing dyes in solution. The surface cast layer will absorb the color balancing dye from the solution. To prevent the blue blocking single vision lens, wafer or optical preform from absorbing any color balancing dyes, the concave surface may be masked or sealed with a dye blocking agent, such as tape or wax or other coating. This is shown in fig. 2, which shows an ophthalmic system 100 with a dye blocking agent 201 on the concave surface of a single-vision lens, wafer or optical preform 101. The edges of the single vision lens, wafer or optical preform may remain uncoated to make them cosmetically tone-tuned. This may be important for negative-focus lenses with thick edges.

FIG. 1B shows another ophthalmic system 150 wherein the front color balancing component 104 may be or include an ophthalmic component such as a single or multi-focal lens, wafer, or optical preform. The rear blue blocking part 103 may be a surface cast layer. To make such a combination, the convex surface of the color balancing single vision lens, wafer or optical preform may be masked with a dye blocker as described above to prevent it from absorbing the blue blocking dye when the combination is immersed in a heated tint pot containing a blue blocking dye solution. At the same time, the exposed surface casting layer absorbs the blue blocking dye.

It should be understood that the surface cast layer may be used in conjunction with multifocal, rather than single vision lenses, wafers or optical preforms. In addition, the surface cast layer may be used to increase the power (power), including multifocal power, of a single vision lens, wafer or optical preform, thereby converting a single vision lens, wafer or optical preform into a lined or progressive addition lens. Of course, the surface cast layer can also be designed to add little or no power to a single vision lens, wafer or optical preform.

Fig. 3 shows blue blocking and color balance functionality integrated into an ophthalmic device. More specifically, in ophthalmic lens 300, the portion 303 corresponding to the depth of penetration of the colorant into the otherwise transparent or substantially transparent ophthalmic part 301 in the rear area may be blue blocking. Further, the portion 302 corresponding to the depth to which the colorant penetrates into the otherwise transparent or substantially transparent ophthalmic part 301 in the front or anterior region may be color balanced. The system shown in fig. 3 may be manufactured as follows. The ophthalmic part 301 may, for example, be an initially transparent or substantially transparent single or multi-focal lens, wafer or optical preform. The clear or substantially clear single or multi-focal lens, wafer or optical preform may be colored with a blue blocking colorant while rendering its front convex surface non-absorbing, for example by masking or coating with a dye blocking agent as described above. Thus, a portion 303 starting at the back concave surface of a transparent or substantially transparent single or multi-focal lens, wafer or optical preform 301 and extending inwardly and having blue light blocking functionality can be manufactured by colorant penetration. The anti-absorption coating of the front convex surface can then be removed. An anti-absorption coating can then be applied on the concave surface and the front convex surface and outer edge of the single or multi-focal lens, wafer or optical preform can be colored (e.g., by immersion in a heated color tank) for color balance. The color balancing dye will be absorbed by the outer rim and the portion 302 extending from the front convex surface and inwards that remains uncolored due to the earlier coating. The order of the foregoing methods can be reversed, i.e., the concave surface can be masked first while the rest is colored for color balance. The coating can then be removed and the recessed areas of a certain depth or thickness that remain uncolored due to shading colored for blue blocking.

Referring now to fig. 4, an ophthalmic system 400 may be formed using an in-mold coating process. More specifically, an ophthalmic part 401, such as a single or multi-focal lens, wafer, or optical preform, that has been dyed/colored with a suitable blue blocking colorant, dye, or other additive may be color balanced via surface casting using a colored in-mold coating 403. The in-mold coating 403 containing a suitable amount and/or mixture of color balancing dyes may be applied over a convex mold (i.e., a mold used to apply the coating 403 to the convex surface of the ophthalmic part 401, not shown). A colorless monomer 402 may be filled between coating 403 and ophthalmic part 401 and cured. The process of curing monomer 402 causes the color balanced in-mold coating to transfer itself to the convex surface of ophthalmic part 401. The result is a blue-blocking ophthalmic system with a color balancing surface coating. The in-mold coating may be, for example, an antireflective coating or a conventional hard coating.

Referring now to fig. 5, an ophthalmic system 500 may contain two ophthalmic components, one blue blocking and the other color balanced. For example, the first ophthalmic component 501 may be a rear single-vision or concave multifocal lens, wafer, or optical preform that is dyed/colored with an appropriate blue-blocking colorant to achieve a desired level of blue-blocking. The second ophthalmic part 503 may be a front single vision or convex surface multifocal lens, wafer or optical preform bonded or secured to a rear single vision or concave surface multifocal lens, wafer or optical preform, for example, using an ultraviolet or visible light curable adhesive 502. The front single vision or convex surface multifocal lens, wafer or optical preform can be color balanced before or after it is bonded to the rear single vision or concave surface multifocal lens, wafer or optical preform. If so, the front single or convex surface multifocal lens, wafer or optical preform can be color balanced, for example, by the techniques described above. For example, the rear single or concave surface multifocal lens, wafer or optical preform may be masked or coated with a dye blocking agent to prevent it from absorbing the color balancing dye. The bonded back and front portions can then be placed together in a heated color pot containing a suitable color balancing dye solution to allow the front portion to absorb the color balancing dye.

Any of the above-described embodiment systems may be combined with one or more anti-reflection (AR) components. This is shown, for example, in fig. 6 for ophthalmic lenses 100 and 150 shown in fig. 1A and 1B. In fig. 6, a first AR-part 601, e.g. a coating, is applied on the concave surface of the rear blue-blocking element 101 and a second AR-part 602 is applied on the convex surface of the color balancing part 102. Similarly, a first AR-component 601 is applied on the concave surface of the rear blue-blocking component 103 and a second AR-component 602 is applied on the convex surface of the color balancing component 104.

Fig. 7A-7C show other exemplary systems that include a blue blocking component and a color balancing component. In fig. 7A, ophthalmic system 700 includes a blue blocking component 703 and a color balancing component 704 formed as contiguous but discrete coatings or layers on or adjacent to the front surface of a clear or substantially clear ophthalmic lens 702. The blue blocking component 703 is behind the color balancing component 704. An AR coating or other layer 701 may be formed on or adjacent to the back surface of a clear or substantially clear ophthalmic lens. Another AR coating or layer 705 may be formed on or adjacent to the front surface of the color balancing layer 704.

In fig. 7B, a blue blocking component 703 and a color balancing component 704 are disposed on or adjacent to the back surface of a clear or substantially clear ophthalmic lens 702. The blue blocking component 703 is still behind the color balancing component 704. The AR component 701 may be formed on or adjacent to the rear surface of the blue blocking component 703. Another AR component 705 may be formed on or adjacent to the anterior surface of the clear or substantially clear ophthalmic lens 702.

In fig. 7C, a blue blocking member 703 and a color balancing member 704 are provided on or adjacent to the back surface and the front surface, respectively, of the transparent ophthalmic lens 702. The blue blocking component 703 is still behind the color balancing component 704. The AR component 701 may be formed on or adjacent to the rear surface of the blue blocking component 703, and another AR component 705 may be formed on or adjacent to the front surface of the color balancing component 704.

Fig. 8A and 8B show an ophthalmic system 800 in which the functions of blocking blue wavelengths and performing color balancing may be combined in a single component 803. For example, the combining feature may block blue wavelengths and reflect some green and red wavelengths, thereby neutralizing the blue and eliminating the appearance of the dominant colors in the lens. The combining feature 803 may be disposed on or adjacent to the front or back surface of the transparent ophthalmic lens 802. The ophthalmic lens 800 may further include an AR part 801 on or adjacent to the front or back surface of the clear ophthalmic lens 802.

To quantify the effectiveness of the color balancing component, it may be useful to observe the light reflected and/or transmitted by the ophthalmic material substrate. The observed light can be characterized by its CIE coordinates to indicate the color of the observed light; by comparing these coordinates with the CIE coordinates of the incident light, it can be determined how much the color of the light has shifted due to reflection/transmission. White light is specified as having CIE coordinates of (0.33 ). Thus, the closer the CIE coordinates of the observed light are (0.33 ), the "whiter" it appears to the observer. To characterize the color shift or balance achieved by the lens, (0.33 ) white light can be directed to the lens and the CIE of the reflected and transmitted light observed. If the transmitted light has a CIE of about (0.33 ), there is no color shift and objects viewed through the lens have a natural appearance, i.e., no color shift, compared to objects viewed without the lens. Similarly, if the reflected light has a CIE of about (0.33 ), the lens has a natural cosmetic appearance, i.e., it appears uncolored to an observer viewing the lens or user of the ophthalmic system. Therefore, it is desirable that the transmitted and reflected light have a CIE as close as possible to (0.33 ).

Fig. 9 shows a CIE diagram indicating observed colors corresponding to various CIE coordinates. The reference point 900 is coordinates (0.33 ). Although the central region of the figure is labeled "white," some light having CIE coordinates within that region may appear slightly colored to an observer. For example, light having CIE coordinates of (0.4 ) appears yellow to an observer. Therefore, to achieve a color neutral appearance in an ophthalmic system, it is desirable that the (0.33 ) light transmitted and/or reflected by the system (i.e., white light) have CIE coordinates after transmission/reflection as close to (0.33 ) as possible. The CIE diagram shown in fig. 9 is used herein as a reference to show color shifts observed with various systems, although the labeled regions are omitted for clarity.

Absorbing dyes may be included in the base material of ophthalmic lenses by injection molding the dye into the base material to produce lenses having specific light transmission and absorption properties. These dye materials can absorb the main peak wavelength of the dye or absorb shorter resonance wavelengths due to the presence of the sorel band commonly found in porphyrin materials. Exemplary ophthalmic materials include various glasses and polymers, e.g.

Polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate, silicone, and fluoropolymer, however other materials may be used and are known for various ophthalmic systems.

By way of example only, GENTEX dye (day) material E465 transmittance and absorbance are shown in FIGS. 10-11. The absorbance (A) and transmittance (T) are represented by the formula A ═ log₁₀And (1/T) correlation. In this case, the transmittance is 0 to 1 (0)<T<1). The transmission is usually expressed as a percentage, i.e. 0%<T<100 percent. E465 dyes block wavelengths less than 465 and are typically used to block light having high Optical Density (OD)>4) Of the wavelength(s). Similar products are available to block other wavelengths. For example, E420 from GENTEX blocks wavelengths below 420 nanometers. Other exemplary dyes include porphyrins, perylenes, and similar dyes that absorb blue wavelengths.

The absorbance at shorter wavelengths can be reduced by reducing the dye concentration. This and other dye materials may achieve a transmission of 50% in the 430 nanometer region. Fig. 12 shows the transmittance of a polycarbonate substrate with a dye concentration suitable to absorb in the 430nm range and with some absorption in the 420 nm-440 nm range. This is achieved by reducing the dye concentration and accounting for the polycarbonate substrate. The rear surface is not coated with antireflection at this time.

Dye concentration may also affect the appearance and color shift of the ophthalmic system. By reducing the concentration, systems with various degrees of color shift can be obtained. As used herein, "color shift" refers to the amount of change in the CIE coordinates of the reference light after transmission and/or reflection of the ophthalmic system. Due to differences in the various types of light (e.g., sunlight, incandescent light, and fluorescent light) that are typically perceived as white, it may be useful to characterize a system by the color shift caused by the system. It may therefore be useful to characterize a system based on the amount of displacement of the CIE coordinates of incident light as it is transmitted and/or reflected by the system. For example, a system in which light with CIE coordinates (0.33 ) becomes light with CIE (0.30 ) after transmission is described as causing a color shift of (-03, -.03), or more generally (+ -0.03, ± 0.03). Thus, the color shift caused by a system indicates what "natural" light and viewed objects are in the eye of the wearer of the system. As described further below, systems have been implemented that produce less than (+ -0.05 ) to (+ -0.02, + -0.02) color shifts.

Reduction of short wavelength transmission in ophthalmic systems may be useful to reduce cell death caused by photoelectric effects in the eye, such as excitation by A2E. It has been shown that reducing incident light at 430 ± 30 nanometers by about 50% can reduce cell death by about 80%. See, e.g., Janet R.Sparrow et al, "Blue Light-absorbing intussulacerlens and continuous pigment epithium protection in vitro," J.CataractRefract.Surg.2004, Vol.30, pp.873-78, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. It is further believed that reducing the amount of blue light, such as light in the 430-.

Although absorbing dyes can be used to block undesirable wavelengths of light, as a side effect, the dyes can create a tint in the lens. For example, many blue-blocking ophthalmic lenses have a yellow tint, which is generally undesirable and/or aesthetically displeasing. To counteract this staining, a color balancing coating may be applied on one or both surfaces of the substrate in which the absorbing dye is contained.

Anti-reflection (AR) coatings, which are interference filters, are well established within the commercial ophthalmic coating industry. The coating is typically several layers, typically less than 10 layers, and is often used to reduce the reflection from the polycarbonate surface to less than 1%. An example of such a coating on a polycarbonate surface is shown in fig. 13. The color pattern of this coating is shown in fig. 14, which is observed to be quite neutral. The total reflectance was observed to be 0.21%. The reflected light was observed to have CIE coordinates of (0.234, 0.075); the transmitted light has CIE coordinates of (0.334, 0.336).

AR coatings may be applied on both surfaces of a lens or other ophthalmic device to achieve higher transmission. This configuration is shown in fig. 15, where the darker lines 1510 are AR coated polycarbonate and the finer lines 1520 are uncoated polycarbonate substrate. This AR coating increased the total transmitted light by 10%. Some natural loss of light occurs due to absorption in the polycarbonate substrate. The particular polycarbonate substrate used in this example had a transmission loss of about 3%. In the ophthalmic industry, AR coatings are typically applied on both surfaces to increase the transmittance of the lens.

In the system of the present invention, an AR coating or other color balancing film may be combined with an absorbing dye to achieve both blue wavelength absorption and increased transmission, typically in the 430nm region. As described above, eliminating light only in the 430nm region typically results in a lens with some residual color cast. To spectrally tune the light to achieve color neutral transmittance, at least one AR coating may be modified to tune the overall transmitted color of the light. In the ophthalmic system of the present invention, such adjustments can be made on the front lens surface to produce the following lens structures:

air (furthest from the user's eye)/front convex lens coating/absorbent ophthalmic lens substrate/back concave antireflection coating/air (closest to the user's eye)

In such a configuration, the front coating may provide spectral tuning to counteract color cast due to absorption in the substrate, in addition to the antireflective function typically performed in conventional lenses. The lens may thus provide an appropriate color balance for both transmitted and reflected light. In the case of transmitted light, the color balance enables proper color vision; in the case of reflected light, the color balance may provide proper lens aesthetics.

In some cases, a color balancing film may be disposed between two layers of other ophthalmic materials. For example, filters, AR films, or other films may be disposed within the ophthalmic material. For example, the following configuration may be used:

air (furthest from the user's eye)/ophthalmic material/film/ophthalmic material/air (closest to the user's eye)

The color balancing film may also be a coating, such as a hard coating, applied to the outer and/or inner surface of the lens. Other configurations are possible. For example, referring to fig. 3, an ophthalmic system may include an ophthalmic material 301 doped with a blue-light absorbing dye and one or more color balancing layers 302, 303. In another configuration, inner layer 301 may be a color balancing layer surrounded by an ophthalmic material 302, 303 doped with a blue light absorbing dye. Additional layers and/or coatings, such as AR coatings, may be disposed on one or more surfaces of the system. It will be appreciated what similar materials and configurations may be used, for example, in the systems described with reference to fig. 4-8B.

Thus, the overall spectral response of a lens with an absorbing dye can be fine tuned using optical films and/or coatings such as AR coatings. The change in transmission in the visible spectrum is well known and varies with the thickness and number of layers in the optical coating. In the present invention, one or more layers may be used to provide the desired adjustment of spectral properties.

In one exemplary system, the TiO is applied through a single layer₂(common AR coating materials) produce a color change. FIG. 16 shows TiO₂106 nm thick monolayer. A color map of this same layer is shown in fig. 17. The CIE color coordinates (x, y)1710 for transmitted light are (0.331, 0.345). The reflected light has CIE coordinates of (0.353,0.251)1720, producing a purplish pink color.

Varying the TiO as shown in the transmission spectra and color plots for the 134 nm layer shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, respectively₂The layer thickness changes the color of the transmitted light. In this system, transmitted light exhibits CIE coordinates of (0.362,0.368)1910 and reflected light has CIE coordinates of (0.209,0.229) 1920. The transmission properties of various AR coatings and their prediction or evaluation are known in the art. For example, various computer programs can be used to calculate and predict the transmission of an AR coating formed from AR materials of known thickness. Exemplary non-limiting programs include essential machinery Thin Films Software available from Thin Film Center, Inc., TFCalc available from Software Spectra, Inc., and FilmStar Optical Thin Film Software available from FTGSSoft Associates. Other methods may be used to predict the performance of AR coatings or other similar coatings or films.

In the system of the present invention, blue light absorbing dyes can be combined with coatings or other films to provide a blue light blocking, color balanced system. The coating may be an AR coating on the front side modified to correct the color of transmitted and/or reflected light. The transmittance and color plots of the exemplary AR coatings are shown in fig. 20 and 21, respectively. Fig. 22 and 23 show graphs of transmittance and color, respectively, for polycarbonate substrates with blue light absorbing dyes without AR coating. The dyed substrate absorbs most strongly in the 430nm region, including some absorption in the 420-440 nm region. The dyed substrate may be combined with a suitable AR coating as shown in fig. 20-21 to increase the total transmission of the system. The transmittance and color plots for the dyed substrates with backside AR coatings are shown in figures 24 and 25, respectively.

AR coatings may also be applied to the front of the ophthalmic system (i.e., the surface furthest from the system wearer's eyeglasses) to produce the transmittance and color maps shown in fig. 26 and 27, respectively. Although this system exhibits high transmission and the transmitted light is relatively neutral, the reflected light has a CIE of (0.249, 0.090). Thus, to more fully color balance the effects of blue light absorbing dyes, the front AR coating can be modified to achieve the color balance necessary to make a color neutral configuration. The transmittance and color plots for this configuration are shown in fig. 28 and 29, respectively. In this configuration, both the transmitted and reflected light can be optimized to achieve color neutrality. The internally reflected light is preferably about 6%. If this level of reflectivity is annoying to the wearer of the system, the reflection can be further reduced by adding additional different absorptive dyes to the lens substrate that absorb different wavelengths of visible light. However, the design of this configuration achieves significant performance and meets the needs of the color balancing ophthalmic system for blue blocking described herein. The total transmission is over 90% and both the transmitted and reflected colors are quite close to the white point of color neutrality. As shown in fig. 27, the reflected light has a CIE of (0.334 ) and the transmitted light has a CIE of (0.341,0.345), indicating little or no color shift.

In some configurations, the front-side modified anti-reflective coating may be designed to block 100% of the blue wavelengths to be suppressed. However, this may result in about 9% to 10% back reflection for the wearer. Such levels of reflectivity may be annoying to the wearer. Thus, by incorporating an absorbing dye into the lens substrate (this reflection of the front modified antireflective coating), the desired effect can be achieved while reducing the reflectance to a level well accepted by the wearer. The reflected light of the system comprising one or more AR coatings as observed by the wearer may be reduced to 8% or less, more preferably 3% or less.

The combination of front and back AR coatings may be referred to as a dielectric stack, and various materials and thicknesses may be used to further alter the transmission and reflection characteristics of the ophthalmic system. For example, the front AR coating and/or the back AR coating may be made of different thicknesses and/or materials to achieve a particular color balancing effect. In some cases, the materials used to make the dielectric stack may not be the materials conventionally used to make antireflective coatings. That is, the color balance coating may correct color shift caused by the blue light absorbing dye in the substrate without performing an antireflection function.

As mentioned above, optical filters are another blue blocking technology. Accordingly, any of the blue blocking components may be or include a blue blocking filter or be combined with a blue blocking filter. Such filters may include rugate filters, interference filters, bandpass filters, band-stop filters, notch filters, or dichroic filters.

In embodiments of the present invention, one or more of the above-described blue blocking techniques may be used in combination with other blue blocking techniques. By way of example only, a lens or lens component may employ both a dye/colorant and a rugate notch filter to effectively block blue light.

Any of the above structures and techniques may be used in the ophthalmic system of the present invention to achieve blocking at blue wavelengths equal to or near 400-460 nm. For example, in an embodiment, the wavelength of the blocked blue light may be within a predetermined range. In embodiments, the range may be 430nm ± 30 nm. In other embodiments, the range may be 430nm ± 20 nm. In still other embodiments, the range may be 430nm ± 10 nm. In embodiments, the ophthalmic system may limit transmission of blue light wavelengths within the above-described ranges to substantially 90% of incident wavelengths. In other embodiments, the ophthalmic system may limit transmission of blue light wavelengths within the above-described ranges to substantially 80% of incident wavelengths. In other embodiments, the ophthalmic system may limit transmission of blue light wavelengths within the above-described ranges to substantially 70% of incident wavelengths. In other embodiments, the ophthalmic system may limit transmission of blue light wavelengths within the above-described ranges to substantially 60% of incident wavelengths. In other embodiments, the ophthalmic system may limit transmission of blue light wavelengths within the above-described ranges to substantially 50% of incident wavelengths. In other embodiments, the ophthalmic system may limit transmission of blue light wavelengths within the above-described ranges to substantially 40% of incident wavelengths. In still other embodiments, the ophthalmic system may limit transmission of blue light wavelengths within the above-described ranges to substantially 30% of incident wavelengths. In still other embodiments, the ophthalmic system may limit transmission of blue light wavelengths within the above-described ranges to substantially 20% of incident wavelengths. In still other embodiments, the ophthalmic system may limit transmission of blue light wavelengths within the above-described ranges to substantially 10% of incident wavelengths. In still other embodiments, the ophthalmic system may limit transmission of blue light wavelengths within the above-described ranges to substantially 5% of incident wavelengths. In still other embodiments, the ophthalmic system may limit transmission of blue light wavelengths within the above-described ranges to substantially 1% of incident wavelengths. In still other embodiments, the ophthalmic system may limit transmission of blue light wavelengths within the above-described ranges to substantially 0% of incident wavelengths. In other words, the ophthalmic system may cause an attenuation of the electromagnetic spectrum at wavelengths within the above range of at least 10%; or at least 20%; or at least 30%; or at least 40%; or at least 50%; or at least 60%; or at least 70%; or at least 80%; or at least 90%; or at least 95%; or at least 99%; or substantially 100%.

In some cases, it may be particularly desirable to filter a relatively small portion of the blue light spectrum, such as in the 400 nm-460 nm region. For example, it has been found that blocking too much of the blue light spectrum can interfere with scotopic vision and circadian rhythms. Conventional blue-blocking ophthalmic lenses typically block a much larger amount of the broad spectrum of blue light, which can adversely affect the "biological clock" of the wearer and have other adverse effects. Accordingly, it may be desirable to block a relatively narrow range of the blue light spectrum as described herein. Exemplary systems that can filter relatively small amounts of light in a relatively small range include systems that block or absorb 5-50%, 5-20%, and 5-10% of light having wavelengths of 400 nm-460 nm, 410nm-450nm, and 420 nm-440 nm.

While selectively blocking blue wavelengths as described above, the ophthalmic system may transmit at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% of other portions of the visible electromagnetic spectrum. In other words, the ophthalmic system may cause attenuation of the electromagnetic spectrum at wavelengths outside the blue light spectrum (e.g., wavelengths other than those in the range of about 430 nanometers) of 20% or less, 15% or less, 10% or less, and in other embodiments, 5% or less.

In addition, embodiments of the present invention may further block ultraviolet radiation in the UVA and UVB bands as well as infrared radiation at wavelengths greater than 700 nanometers.

Any of the ophthalmic systems disclosed above can be incorporated into an eyewear article, including external wear eyewear, such as eyeglasses, sunglasses, goggles, or contact lenses. In this type of eyewear, since the blue blocking component of the system is behind the color balancing component, the blue blocking component is always closer to the eye than the color balancing component when the eyewear is worn. The ophthalmic system may also be used in articles such as surgically implantable intraocular lenses.

Several embodiments use thin films to block blue light. The film in an ophthalmic or other system can selectively inhibit at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 30%, at least 40%, and/or at least 50% of blue light in the range of 400 nanometers to 460 nanometers. As used herein, a film "selectively" suppresses a wavelength range if the film suppresses at least some transmission in that range while having little or no effect on transmission of visible wavelengths outside that range. The film and/or the system comprising the film may be color balanced so as to be perceived by an observer and/or user as colorless. Systems comprising the films of the present invention can have a scotopic luminous transmission of visible light of 85% or better and further allow a person viewing through the film or system to have substantially normal color vision.

Fig. 30 shows an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The film 3002 may be disposed between two layers or areas 3001, 3003 of one or more substrate materials. As further described herein, the film may contain a dye that selectively inhibits certain wavelengths of light. The substrate material may be any material suitable for use in lenses, ophthalmic systems, windows, or other systems in which the film may be disposed.

The optical transmission characteristics of the exemplary films of the present invention are shown in fig. 31, where approximately 50% of the blue light in the 430nm ± 10nm range is blocked with little loss to other wavelengths in the visible spectrum. The transmission shown in fig. 31 is exemplary, and it is to be understood that for many applications it may be desirable to selectively suppress less than 50% of the blue light, and/or the particular wavelength suppressed may be variable. It is believed that in many applications, cell death may be reduced or prevented by blocking less than 50% of the blue light. For example, it may be preferred to selectively suppress about 40%, more preferably about 30%, more preferably about 20%, more preferably about 10%, more preferably about 5% of light in the range of 400-460 nm. Selectively inhibiting a lesser amount of light may prevent damage caused by high-energy light while being small enough that the inhibition does not adversely affect the scotopic vision and/or circadian rhythm of the system user.

Fig. 32 shows a film 3201 incorporated into an ophthalmic lens 3200 of the invention, sandwiched between layers 3202, 3203 of ophthalmic material. The thickness of the front ophthalmic material layer is, for example, only 200 to 1000 microns.

Similarly, FIG. 33 shows an exemplary system 3300 according to the present invention, such as an automobile windshield. The film 3301 can be incorporated into the system 3300 where it is sandwiched between layers of substrate material 3302, 3303. For example, when the system 3300 is an automotive windshield, the substrate materials 3302, 3303 can be conventional windshields. It is understood that different substrate materials may be used in various other systems, including vision, display, ophthalmic and other systems, without departing from the scope of this invention.

In one embodiment, the system of the present invention may operate in an environment where the associated emitted visible light has a very specific spectrum. In such cases, it may be desirable to adjust the filtering action of the membrane to optimize the light transmitted, reflected, or emitted by the object. This may be the case, for example, when the color of transmitted, reflected or emitted light is a primary consideration. For example, when the film of the present invention is used in a camera flash or flash filter, it is desirable that the perceived color of an image or print is as close to the true color as possible. As another example, the film of the present invention may be used in an instrument for viewing a disease behind a patient's eye. In such systems, it is important that the film does not interfere with the true and observed color of the retina. As another example, some forms of artificial lighting may benefit from wavelength-tailored filters employing the films of the present invention.

In one embodiment, the films of the present invention may be used in photochromic, electrochromic or tintable ophthalmic lenses, windows or automotive windshields. In a colorinactive environment, such a system may be able to protect against ultraviolet wavelengths, direct sunlight intensity, and blue wavelengths. In such an environment, the blue wavelength shielding properties of the film are effective whether or not the coloration is active.

In one embodiment, the film may achieve selective suppression of blue light while color balancing and have a visible dark-viewing light transmission of 85% or more. Such films may be useful for lower light transmission applications, such as driving glasses or sports glasses, and may provide improved visual performance due to improved contrast sensitivity.

For some applications, it may be desirable for the systems of the present invention to selectively suppress blue light as described herein and have a light transmission in the visible spectrum of less than about 85%, typically about 80-85%. This may be desirable, for example, when the substrate material used in the system suppresses more light at all visible wavelengths due to its higher refractive index. As a specific example, a high index (e.g., 1.7) lens may reflect more light at these wavelengths, resulting in less than 85% light transmission.

To avoid, mitigate, or eliminate the problems found in conventional blue blocking systems, it may be desirable to reduce, rather than eliminate, the transmission of phototoxic blue light. The pupil of the eye responds to photopic retinal illuminance (photoperiodic retina) in Trolands, which is the product of the incident flux and the wavelength-dependent sensitivity of the retina and the projected area of the pupil. Filters placed in front of the retina (whether in the eye, such as in an intraocular lens; attached to the eye, such as on a contact lens or corneal substitute; or in the optical path of the eye, such as on an ophthalmic lens) may reduce the total light flux reaching the retina and stimulate pupil dilation, thereby compensating for the reduction in field illumination. When exposed to steady illumination in the field of view, the pupil diameter typically fluctuates around a value that increases as the illumination decreases.

Moon and Spencer, j.opt.soc.am. volume 33, page 260 (1944) describe the functional relationship between pupil area and field illuminance using the following pupil diameter formula:

d＝4.9-3tanh(Log(L)+1) (0.1)

wherein d is in millimeters and L is cd/m²Is the illuminance in units. FIG. 34A shows luminance as a field illumination (cd/m)²) Pupil diameter (millimeters) as a function of (d). FIG. 34B shows luminance as a field illumination (cd/m)²) Pupil area (mm square) of the function of (a).

The illumination is determined by international ICE standards as a spectrally weighted integral of visual acuity over wavelength:

L＝K_m∫L_e,λV_λd λ photopic vision

L'＝K'_m∫L_e,λV'_λd lambda scotopic vision (0.2)

Wherein for dark (night) vision, K_m' equal to 1700.06lm/W, K for photopic (diurnal) vision_m683.2lm/W, spectral luminous efficiency function V_λAnd V_λ' Standard light and dark observers are specified. The luminous efficiency function V is illustrated in FIG. 9 of Michael Kallonitis and CharlesLuu, "Psychophysics of Vision" (available in http:// webvision. med. utah. edu/Phychll. html, last 8.8.2007, which is incorporated herein by reference)_λAnd V_λ'。

The placement of an absorptive ophthalmic element in the form of an intraocular lens, a contact lens, or an ophthalmic lens reduces the illumination according to the following formula:

L＝K_m∫T_λL_e,λV_λd λ photopic vision

L'＝K'_m∫T_λL_e,λV'_λd lambda scotopic vision (0.3)

Wherein T is_λIs the wavelength dependent transmission of the optical element. The integral value in equation 1.3 normalized to the unfiltered illuminance value calculated from equation 1.2 is shown in table I for each prior art blue blocking lens.

TABLE I

Referring to Table I, the ophthalmic filter according to Pratt reduces scotopic vision sensitivity by 83.6% of its unfiltered value-this attenuation both reduces scotopic vision and stimulates pupil dilation according to equation 1.1. The fixture described by Mainster reduced scotopic flux by 22.5%, which is less intense than the Pratt fixture, but still quite large.

In contrast, the films of the present invention partially attenuate both ultraviolet and blue light while reducing scotopic vision illumination by no more than 15% of its unfiltered value using an absorptive or reflective ophthalmic element. Surprisingly, the system of the present invention has been found to selectively inhibit the desired blue region while having little or no impact on photopic and scotopic vision.

In one embodiment, perylene (C20H12, CAS #198-55-0) is incorporated into an ophthalmic device at a concentration and thickness sufficient to absorb light at its absorption maximum of 437 nanometers at about 2/3. The transmission spectrum of this fixture is shown in fig. 35. As shown in table I, the variation in illumination caused by this filter was only about 3.2% under scotopic conditions and about 0.4% under photopic conditions. Increasing the concentration or thickness of perylene in the device reduces the transmission at each wavelength according to Beer's law. Fig. 36 shows the transmission spectrum of the device with a perylene concentration 2.27 times higher than that of fig. 6. Although this device selectively blocks more phototoxic blue light than the device in fig. 6, it reduces the dark illumination by less than 6% and the light illumination by less than 0.7%. Note that the reflection has been removed from the spectra in fig. 35 and 36 to show only the effect of absorption by the dye.

Dyes other than perylene may have strong absorption in the blue or substantially blue wavelength range and little or no absorbance in other regions of the visible spectrum. Examples of such dyes shown in fig. 46 include porphyrin, coumarin, and acridinyl molecules, which can be used alone or in combination to produce reduced but not eliminated transmission at 400 nm-460 nm. The methods and systems described herein can thus use similar dyes based on other molecular structures at concentrations that mimic the transmission spectra of perylenes, porphyrins, coumarins, and acridines.

The dye may be introduced into the optical path according to embodiments of the present invention by a variety of methods familiar to those skilled in the art of optical processing. The dye may be incorporated directly into the substrate, added to the polymeric coating, absorbed into the lens, incorporated into a laminate structure (which includes a dye-impregnated layer or as a composite with dye-impregnated particles).

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a dielectric coating may be applied that is partially reflective in the ultraviolet and blue spectral regions and anti-reflective at longer wavelengths. Methods for designing suitable dielectric Optical Filters are outlined in textbooks such as Angus McLeod, Thin Film Optical Filters (McGraw-Hill: NY) 1989. SiO according to the invention₂And ZrO₂An exemplary transmission spectrum of the six layer stack of (a) is shown in fig. 37. Referring again to table I, this optical filter blocked phototoxic blue and ultraviolet light while reducing dark illumination by less than 5% and reducing bright illumination by less than 3%.

Although many conventional blue blocking techniques attempt to suppress as much blue light as possible, prior studies have shown that in many applications it may be desirable to suppress relatively small amounts of blue light. For example, to prevent undesirable effects on scotopic vision, it may be desirable for the ophthalmic system of the present invention to suppress only about 30% of blue (i.e., 380-500 nm) wavelength light, or more preferably only about 20% of blue light, more preferably about 10%, more preferably about 5%. It is believed that by suppressing as little as 5% of blue light, cell death may be reduced, while the extent of such blue light reduction has little or no effect on the scotopic vision and/or circadian behavior of the person using the system.

As used herein, a film of the present invention that selectively suppresses blue light is described as suppressing the amount of light measured relative to a substrate system comprising the film. For example, the ophthalmic system may use polycarbonate or other similar lens substrates. Materials commonly used for such substrates may suppress various amounts of light at visible wavelengths. If the blue blocking film of the present invention is added to the system, it may selectively suppress 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and/or 50% of all blue wavelengths, as measured relative to the transmission of the same wavelength of light in the absence of the film.

The methods and apparatus disclosed herein minimize and preferably eliminate color perception shift caused by blue blocking. The colors perceived by the human visual system result from the neural processing of light signals falling on retinal pigments having different spectral response characteristics. To mathematically describe color perception, a color space is constructed by integrating the product of three wavelength-dependent color matching functions and spectral irradiance. The result was three values characterizing the perceived color. The uniform (L, a, b) color space established by Commission Internationale de L' eclairage (cie) can be used to characterize perceived colors, but similar calculations based on other color criteria are familiar to those skilled in the art of color science and can also be used. The (L, a, b) color space specifies the luminance on the L axis and the color within the plane defined by the a and b axes. A uniform color space defined by such CIE standards may be preferred for computational and contrast purposes because the Cartesian (Cartesian) distance of the space is proportional to the magnitude of the perceived color difference between the two objects. The use of uniform Color space is well recognized in the art, as described in Wyszecki and Stiles, Color Science: Concepts and Methods, Quantitative Data and formula (Wiley: New York) 1982.

The optical design according to the methods and systems described herein may use a spectral palette that describes the visual environment. A non-limiting example of this is the munsell matte palette, which consists of 1,269 color patches (color tiles) that have been determined by psychophysical experiments to be just noticeable as being different from each other. The spectral irradiance of these color patches was measured under standard lighting conditions. The color coordinate arrays in the (L, a, b) color space corresponding to each of these color patches illuminated by the D65 sunlight source are a reference for color distortion and are shown in fig. 38. The spectral irradiance of the color patches is then adjusted by a blue blocking filter and a new set of color coordinates is calculated. The shift in perceived color of each patch corresponds to the geometric shift in the (L, a, b) coordinates. This calculation has been used for Pratt's blue blocking filter, where the average color distortion is 41 Just Noticeable Difference (JND) units in (L, a, b) space. The minimum distortion caused by the Pratt filter is 19JND, the maximum distortion is 66, and the standard deviation is 7 JND. A color-shifting histogram of all 1,269 color patches is shown in fig. 39A (top).

Referring now to fig. 39B, the color shift caused by the Mainster blue blocking filter has a minimum value of 6, an average value of 19, a maximum value of 34, and a standard deviation of 6 JND.

As shown in table II, embodiments of the present invention using two concentrations of perylene dye or the above-described reflective filter can have a color shift that is significantly less than conventional devices, whether measured as average, minimum, or maximum distortion. FIG. 40 is a bar graph showing the color shift of perylene dyed substrates according to the invention with the transmission spectra shown in FIG. 35. Clearly, the movement on all the color patches was observed to be significantly smaller and narrower than the conventional devices described by Mainster, Pratt et al. For example, simulation results show (L, a, b) shifts as low as 12 and 20 JNDs for films of the invention, with average shifts across all plots as low as 7-12 JNDs.

TABLE II

In one embodiment, the combination of reflective and absorptive elements can filter harmful blue light photons while maintaining relatively high light transmission. This allows the system of the present invention to avoid or reduce pupil dilation, protect or prevent impairment of night vision, and reduce color distortion. One example of such a method combines the dielectric stack shown in fig. 37 with the perylene dye of fig. 35, resulting in the transmission spectrum shown in fig. 41. The device was observed to have a bright light transmission of 97.5%, a dim light transmission of 93.2%, and an average color shift of 11 JND. A bar graph summarizing the color distortion (for a munsell color block) of this fixture in daylight is shown in fig. 42.

In another embodiment, the optical filter is external to the eye, such as a spectacle lens, a goggle, a viewfinder, or the like. When using conventional filters, the color of the wearer's face as seen by an external observer may be tinted by the lens, i.e. the facial color or skin tone is typically changed by a blue blocking lens when viewed by another person. This yellow discoloration, accompanied by blue light absorption, is generally cosmetically undesirable. The procedure for minimizing this color shift is the same as described above for the munsell patches and replaces those of the munsell patches with the reflectance of the wearer's skin. Skin color is a function of pigmentation, blood flow, and lighting conditions. A representative series of skin reflectance spectra for different ethnic subjects is shown in fig. 43A-B. An exemplary skin reflectance spectrum for caucasian is shown in fig. 44. The skin has (L, a, b) color coordinates (67.1,18.9,13.7) in daylight (D65) illumination. Placement of the Pratt blue blocking filter changed these color coordinates to (38.9,17.2,44.0), shifted by 69 JND units. The Mainster blue blocking filter shifts the color coordinates by 17 JND units to (62.9,13.1, 29.3). By comparison, the perylene filters described herein caused a color shift of 1/3 of either only 6JND or the Mainster filter. A summary of the cosmetic color shifts of exemplary caucasian skin under daylight illumination using various blue blocking filters is shown in table III. The data shown in table I were normalized to remove any effect caused by the substrate material.

TABLE 3

Reference to	Drawing (A)	L*	a*	b*	δ(L*,a*,b*)
						Skin(s)	14-15	67	19	14	0
Pratt		39	17	44	69
						Mainster		63	13	29	17
Inventive system	35	67	17	19	6
						Inventive system	36	67	15	23	10
Inventive system	37	67	17	19	6

In one embodiment, the light source may be filtered to reduce, but not eliminate, the blue light flux to the retina. This may be accomplished using the principles described herein with an absorptive or reflective element between the field of view and the light source. For example, an architectural window may be covered with a perylene containing film to match the transmission spectrum of the window to that shown in fig. 35. Such filters generally do not cause pupil dilation nor do they cause a perceptible color shift when external sunlight passes through them, as compared to uncoated windows. The blue filter of the present invention can be used in artificial light sources such as fluorescent lamps, incandescent lamps, arc lamps, flash lamps and diode lamps, displays and the like.

Various materials can be used to make the films of the present invention. Two such exemplary materials are polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyvinyl butyral (PVB). In the case of PVA films, they may be prepared by partial or complete hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate to remove acetate. PVA films may be desirable due to beneficial film forming, emulsifying, and adhesive properties. In addition, PVA films have high tensile strength, flexibility, high temperature stability and provide excellent oxygen barrier.

PVB films can be prepared from the reaction of polyvinyl alcohol in butyraldehyde. PVB may be suitable for applications requiring high strength, optical clarity, flexibility, and toughness. PVB also has excellent film forming and adhesion properties.

PVA, PVB, and other suitable films can be extruded, cast from solution, spin-coated and then cured, or dip-coated and then cured. Other manufacturing methods known in the art may also be used. There are several ways to incorporate the dyes needed to produce the desired spectral properties of the film. Exemplary dye incorporation methods include vapor deposition, chemical crosslinking within the film, dissolution within small polymer microspheres, and incorporation into the film. Suitable dyes are available from companies including Keystone, BPI & Phantom.

Most tinting of ophthalmic lenses is performed after the lenses are shipped from the manufacturer. Thus, it may be desirable to incorporate blue light absorbing dyes during the manufacturing process of the lens itself. To do this, the filter and color balancing dyes may be incorporated into the hardcoat and/or the adjacent (associated) primer layer that promotes adhesion of the hardcoat to the lens material. For example, a primer coating and an adjoining hard coat are typically added to the top of an ophthalmic lens or other ophthalmic system at the end of the manufacturing process to provide additional durability and scratch resistance to the final product. The hard coat is typically the outermost layer of the system and may be on the front, back, or both the front and back of the system.

Fig. 47 shows an exemplary system having a hard coat layer 4703 and an adhesion promoting primer layer 4702 adjacent thereto. Exemplary hardcoat and adhesion promoting primer layers are available from manufacturers such as Tokuyama, UltraOptics, SDC, PPG, and LTI.

In the system of the present invention, both the blue blocking dye and the color balancing dye may be included in the undercoat layer 1802. Both blue blocking and color balancing dyes may also be included in the hard coating 1803. The dyes need not be contained in the same coating. For example, a blue blocking dye may be included in the hard coating 1803 and a color balancing dye included in the undercoat 1802. The color balancing dye may be included in the hardcoat 1803 and the blue blocking dye in the undercoat 1802.

The primer and hard coat layers according to the present invention may be deposited using methods known in the art, including spin coating, dip coating, spray coating, evaporation, sputtering, and chemical vapor deposition methods. The blue blocking and/or color balancing dyes to be included in each layer may be deposited simultaneously with the layer, as in the case of dissolving the dyes in a liquid coating and applying the resulting mixture to the system. The dye may also be deposited in a separate process or sub-process, as in the case of spraying the dye onto the surface prior to curing or drying or applying the coating.

The hardcoat and/or basecoat can function and achieve the benefits described herein for the film. In particular, the coating can selectively inhibit blue light while maintaining desirable photopic, scotopic, circadian, and phototoxicity levels. The hardcoats and/or basecoats described herein can also be used in any and various combinations in ophthalmic systems that include the films described herein. As a specific example, an ophthalmic system may include a thin film that selectively suppresses blue light and a hard coating that provides color correction.

The selective filter of the present invention may also provide improved contrast sensitivity. Such a system is used to selectively filter harmful invisible and visible light while having little impact on photopic vision, scotopic vision, color vision and/or circadian rhythms while maintaining acceptable or even improved contrast sensitivity. The present invention can be designed so that in certain embodiments, the final residual color of the fixture to which the selective filter is applied is substantially colorless, while in other embodiments, where a substantially transparent residual color is not required, the residual color can be yellowish. Preferably, the yellow color of the selective filter is not objectionable to the wearer. Yellowness can be measured quantitatively using a yellowness index, such as ASTM E313-05. Preferably, the selective filter has a yellowness index of no more than 50, 40, 35, 30, 25, 23, 20, 15, 10, 9, 7 or 5.

The present invention may include selective light wavelength filtering embodiments, such as: windows, automotive windshields, light bulbs, flasher bulbs, fluorescent lights, LED lights, televisions, computer monitors, and the like. Any light that impinges on the retina can be selectively filtered by the present invention. By way of example only, films comprising selective filter dyes or pigments, dye or pigment components added after the substrate is made, dye components integrated with the manufacture or formulation of the substrate material, synthetic or non-synthetic pigments (such as melanin, lutein or zeaxanthin), selective filter dyes or pigments provided as visible colorants (having one or more colors) as in, for example, a contact lens, selective filter dyes or pigments provided in ophthalmic scratch resistant coatings (hardcoats), selective filtering dyes or pigments provided in ophthalmic antireflective coatings, selective light wavelength filtering dyes or pigments provided in hydrophobic coatings, interference filters, selective light wavelength filtering dyes or pigments provided in photochromic lenses, or selective light wavelength filtering dyes or pigments provided in bulb or tube substrates may practice the present invention. It should be noted that the present invention contemplates selective optical wavelength filters that filter out a particular range of wavelengths or ranges of wavelengths, but never filter out wavelengths that are uniformly distributed throughout the visible spectrum.

Those skilled in the art will readily know how to provide a selective optical wavelength filter for a substrate material. By way of example only, the selective filter may be absorbed, injected, impregnated, added to the base raw material, added to the resin before polymerization, layered within the optical lens by means of a film containing a selective filtering dye or pigment.

Dyes and/or pigments may be employed in the present invention in suitable concentrations, by way of example only, perylene, porphyrin or derivatives thereof. Reference is made to fig. 48 to observe the functional capabilities of different concentrations of perylene and to block light wavelengths around 430 nanometers. The level of transmission can be controlled by the dye concentration. Other dye chemistries can adjust the absorption peak position.

Perylenes with appropriate concentration levels provide a balance of photopic vision, scotopic vision, circadian rhythm, and phototoxicity ratios while maintaining a substantially colorless appearance:

TABLE V

An increase in contrast sensitivity is observed with the appropriate concentrations of perylene. See example 2, table VI. It should be noted that the present invention is implemented using perylene based dyes or pigments, merely as examples. When such a dye is used, the dye may be formulated so that it is molecularly or chemically bound to the substrate or a coating applied to the substrate so that the dye does not leach out, depending on the embodiment or use. By way of example only, it is used in contact lenses, IOLs, corneal inlays, corneal onlays, and the like.

When other visible wavelengths are found to be harmful by science, selective filters can be combined to block other target wavelengths.

In one embodiment of the invention, the contact lens comprises a perylene dye formulated such that it does not leach out of the contact lens material. The dye is further formulated so that it provides a yellow hue. This yellow tint enables the contact lens to have a tint that is convenient for the wearer to handle. The perylene dye or pigment further provides selective filtration as shown in figure 48. This filtering provides retinal protection and increased contrast sensitivity without endangering the photopic, scotopic, color vision or circadian rhythms of the person in any meaningful way.

In the case of the present embodiment of a contact lens, the dye or pigment may be incorporated into the contact lens, for example by absorption, so that it lies within a circle of 10 mm diameter or less in the center of the contact lens, preferably 6-8 mm diameter in the center of the contact lens, which circle coincides with the wearer's pupil. In such embodiments, the dye or pigment concentration that provides selective light wavelength filtering is increased to a level that provides the wearer with increased contrast sensitivity (as compared to when the contact lens is not worn) and does not harm (one, more or all of) the person's photopic vision, scotopic vision, color vision or circadian rhythm in any meaningful way.

Preferably, the increase in Contrast sensitivity is evidenced by an increase in the user's Functional vision Contrast sensitivity Test (FACT) score of at least about 0.1, 0.25, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1, 1.25, 1.4, or 1.5. The ophthalmic system preferably maintains one or all of these characteristics within 15%, 10%, 5% or 1% of the characteristic levels in the absence of the ophthalmic system with respect to photopic vision, scotopic vision, color vision and/or circadian rhythm of the wearer.

In another embodiment of the invention employing a contact lens, a dye or pigment is provided which causes a yellow tint within a diameter of 5-7 mm at the center of the contact lens and wherein a second tint is added at the periphery of the center tint. In such embodiments, the concentration of dye that provides selective light wavelength filtering is increased to a level that provides excellent contrast sensitivity for the wearer without jeopardizing (one, more or all of) the wearer's photopic vision, scotopic vision, color vision or circadian rhythm in any meaningful way.

In another embodiment of the invention employing a contact lens, the dye or pigment is provided so as to be located within substantially the entire diameter of the contact lens from one edge to the other. In such embodiments, the concentration of dye that provides selective light wavelength filtering is increased to a level that provides excellent contrast sensitivity for the wearer without jeopardizing (one, more or all of) the wearer's photopic vision, scotopic vision, color vision or circadian rhythm in any meaningful way.

When various embodiments of the present invention are used in or on human or animal tissue, the dye is formulated in such a way as to chemically bind to the intercalation base material, thereby ensuring that it does not leach out in the surrounding corneal tissue. Methods for providing chemical hooks that enable such binding are well known in the chemical and polymer industries.

In another embodiment of the invention, the intraocular lens comprises a selective light wavelength filter which has a yellowish hue and further provides the wearer with improved contrast sensitivity without jeopardizing (one, more or all of) the wearer's photopic vision, scotopic vision, color vision or circadian rhythm in any meaningful way. When the selective filter is used on or in an intraocular lens, the dye or pigment content can be increased to exceed that of ophthalmic lenses because the aesthetic properties of the intraocular lens cannot be seen by the person observing the wearer. This enables the ability to increase the concentration of the dye or pigment and provides a higher level of improved contrast sensitivity without jeopardizing (one, more or all of) the photopic vision, scotopic vision, color vision or circadian rhythm of the wearer in any meaningful way.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, an ophthalmic lens comprises a selective optical wavelength filter comprising a dye having a perylene, wherein the dye is formulated to provide the ophthalmic lens with a substantially colorless appearance. Furthermore, it provides improved contrast sensitivity for the wearer and does not jeopardize (one, more or all of) the photopic vision, scotopic vision, color vision or circadian rhythm of the wearer in any meaningful way. In this particular embodiment of the invention, the dye or pigment is incorporated into a film located in or on the surface of the ophthalmic lens.

Examples

Example 1: polycarbonate lenses with integral films containing various concentrations of blue blocking dye were manufactured and the transmission spectra of each lens were measured as shown in fig. 45. Perylene concentrations of 35, 15, 7.6 and 3.8ppm (weight basis) at a lens thickness of 2.2 mm were used. The various metrics calculated for each lens are shown in table IV with reference to the reference numbers corresponding to fig. 45. Since the selective absorbance of light depends primarily on the product of dye concentration and coating thickness according to Beer's law, it is believed that comparable results can be achieved using a hard coat and/or an undercoat in conjunction with or in place of the film.

TABLE IV

All lenses described in table IV and figure 45 include UV dyes commonly used in ophthalmic lens systems to suppress UV wavelengths below 380 nm, except for 35ppm tinted lenses. The photopic ratio describes normal vision and is calculated as the integral of the filter transmission spectrum and V λ (photopic sensitivity) divided by the integral of unfiltered light with this same sensitivity curve. The scotopic vision ratio describes vision under scotopic lighting conditions and is calculated as the integral of the filter transmission spectrum and V' λ (scotopic vision sensitivity) divided by the integral of unfiltered light with this same sensitivity curve. The circadian ratio describes the effect of light on the circadian rhythm and is calculated as the integral of the filter transmission spectrum and M' λ (melatonin suppression sensitivity) divided by the integral of unfiltered light with this same sensitivity curve. The phototoxicity ratio describes the eye damage caused by high energy light exposure and is calculated as the integral of the filter transmission and B λ (phakic UV-blue phototoxicity) divided by the integral of unfiltered light with this same sensitivity curve. The response function used to calculate these values corresponds to Mainster and Sparrow, "How Much Blue LightShouldan IOL Transmit? Ophthalmol,2003, Vol 87, pp 1523-29, Mainster, "Intramular fibers cover Block UV Radiation and Violet but not Blue Light," Arch. Ophtal, Vol 123, pp 550 (2005) and Mainster, "Violet and Blue Light blocking Intramular fibers: Photoprotection vs. Photoresist", Br. J. Ophthalmol,2006, Vol 90, pp 784-92. For some applications, different phototoxicity curves are appropriate, but the calculation method is the same. For example, for intraocular lens (IOL) applications, the aphakic phototoxicity profile should be used. Furthermore, as the understanding of phototoxic light mechanisms improves, new phototoxicity curves may be applicable.

As shown by the exemplary data above, the system of the present invention can selectively suppress blue light, particularly in the 400 nm-460 nm region, while still providing photopic light transmission of at least about 85% and a phototoxicity ratio of less than about 80%, more preferably less than about 70%, more preferably less than about 60%, more preferably less than about 50%. As noted above, photopic vision light transmission of up to 95% or greater can also be achieved using the techniques described herein.

The principles described herein may be applied to a variety of light sources, filters, and skin tones in order to filter a certain portion of phototoxic blue light while reducing pupil dilation, scotopic visual acuity, color distortion through the ophthalmic device, and cosmetic color of the external ophthalmic device from the perspective of an observer observing the face of a person wearing the device.

Several embodiments of the present invention are specifically illustrated and/or described herein. However, it will be appreciated that modifications and variations of the present invention are covered by the above teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention. For example, while the methods and systems described herein have been described using examples of specific dyes, dielectric optical filters, skin tones, and light sources, it is to be understood that alternative dyes, filters, skin colors, and light sources may be used.

Example 2:the contrast sensitivity of 9 patients was tested using 1X and 2X dye concentrations with a clear filter as a control. 7 of the 9 patients showed an overall improved contrast sensitivity according to the functional visual contrast sensitivity test (FACT). See table VI:

Claims (20)

1. a display system, comprising:

a selective optical wavelength filter configured to block transmission of 5-50% of light in the wavelength range of 400-460 nm and to transmit at least 80% of light in the wavelength range of 460-700 nm,

wherein the selective optical wavelength filter has a yellowness index of not more than 15, and

wherein the selective optical wavelength filter is a component of a film, layer or coating.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display system is a computer monitor.

3. The display system of claim 1, wherein the display system is a television.

4. The display system of claim 1, wherein the wavelength range is 430nm ± 20 nm.

5. The display system of claim 1, wherein the wavelength range is 430nm ± 30 nm.

6. The display system of claim 1, wherein the selective light wavelength filter comprises at least one of a dye and a pigment.

7. The display system of claim 1, wherein the selective light wavelength filter comprises one or more of: perylene, porphyrin, coumarin, acridine and derivatives thereof.

8. The display system of claim 1, wherein the selective optical wavelength filter comprises perylene or a derivative thereof.

9. The display system of claim 1, wherein the selective light wavelength filter comprises a porphyrin or derivative thereof.

10. The display system of claim 1 wherein the selective optical wavelength filter comprises a synthetic or non-synthetic pigment.

11. The display system of claim 1, wherein the selective optical wavelength filter comprises at least one of: melanin, lutein and zeaxanthin.

12. The display system of claim 1, wherein the selective light wavelength filter has a yellowness index of no greater than 10.

13. The display system of claim 1 wherein the white light has CIE (x, y) coordinates of (0.33 + 0.05) when transmitted through the display system.

14. A display system, comprising:

a light transmitting filter configured to selectively filter 5-50% of light transmission of a blue light wavelength range including 430 nanometers,

wherein the light transmitting filter comprises an average light transmission in the visible spectral range of at least 80%,

wherein the light transmitting filter has a yellowness index of not more than 15, and

wherein the light transmitting filter is a component of a film, layer or coating.

15. The display system of claim 14, wherein the display system is a computer monitor.

16. The display system of claim 14, wherein the display system is a television.

17. The display system of claim 14, wherein the light transmission filter has a transmission spectrum having a first minimum at wavelengths in the range of 410nm-450nm, a first maximum at wavelengths less than the first minimum, and a second maximum at wavelengths greater than the first minimum. .

18. The display system of claim 14, wherein the light transmitting filter has a yellowness index of no greater than 10.

19. A system, comprising:

a computer monitor; and

a light transmission filter configured to block transmission of 5-50% of light in the wavelength range of 400-460 nm; and transmits at least 80% of light in the wavelength range of 460-700 nm

Wherein the light transmitting filter is a component of a film, layer or coating.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the light transmitting filter has a yellowness index of no greater than 15.

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