WO2020210567A1 - Methods of selecting lenses for correction of color vision deficiency - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to tests for assisting a person with color blindness to select a color-blind correcting lens that improves his color perception. The test can be self-assisted and online based. A color-blind person can follow the present test steps to select a color vision aid product (e.g., eyeglasses) that meets his personal needs.

Description

METHODS OF SELECTING LENSES FOR CORRECTION OF COLOR VISION

DEFICIENCY

REFERENCE TO RELATED DISCLOSURES

[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No.: 62/831,869 filed April 10, 2019 entitled,“METHODS OF SELECTING LENSES FOR CORRECTION OF COLOR VISION DEFICIENCY”; the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] The present disclosure relates to methods for aiding a person to select color blindness correcting lenses and glasses that best meet the individual needs of the person.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Color blindness, also known as color vision deficiency, is a type of vision deficiency in the way a person sees colors. A person with this vision problem, has difficulty in distinguishing certain colors, such as blue and yellow, or red and green. Most people who have certain color blindness, may see colored objects only with certain colors washed off and being confused with other colors, dependent on the particular type of color vision deficiency they have. Color blindness may be congenital, an inherited condition that affects males more frequently than females, or acquired due to other diseases. According to the Prevent Blindness America, congenital color blindness affects an estimated 8 percent of males (i.e., 1 in 12 men) and about 1 percent of females (i.e., 1 in 200 women) in the world, and approximately 5% of the population has an acquired colorblindness. Red-green color deficiency is the most common form of color vision deficiency that is caused by the loss or limited function of red cone or green cone photopigments. Others forms of color blindness include blue-yellow color blindness and complete color blindness.

[0004] Color blindness can cause some degrees or severe discomfort to a person’s life, making it difficult to read color-coded information such as bar graphs and pie charts. People with color blindness are often deprived of taking some professions such as graphic design, chemical industry, transportation, geology, medical professions and military.

[0005] There is no cure for congenital color blindness although gene therapies for correcting the mutated genes that cause color vision deficiency are proposed. Some types of acquired color blindness are not curable either. However, a variety of coping strategies can help a person with color vision deficiency to function better in a color-oriented world such as color blind correction lenses and glasses, e.g., special lenses that can enhance color perception. For example, people with red-green color blindness may use a special set of lenses to help them perceive red and green colors more accurately. There are many types of color-blind rectification lenses and eyeglasses available in the marketplace. Sometimes, a person with color vision deficiency selects his lenses and eyeglasses based on user’s review on the products. However, oftentimes the lens works for one person cannot correct the color vision deficiency of another person. Applicant has successfully developed a number of new types of lenses and eyeglasses for color blind rectification. Applicant received feedbacks from the users that the glasses either work perfectly or have limited effect on improving their color blindness. For example, the eyeglasses Model TP-012 can correct about 80% of users with red-green color blindness while about 20% of users with red-green color blindness complained that the same Model TP-012 did nothing or had only limited effect in improving their color perception. To assist a user to select lenses that meet his individualized need, Applicant developed the present test to aid a user to select the lenses and eyeglasses that work the best for him. The present method makes the selection test straightforward and easy-to- perform.

[0006] The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG. 1 shows a representative case of the selection tool including a series of images taken with different types of color-blind rectification lenses, and an image taken with a regular lens. The image is a representative picture of Ishihara Color Vision test.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0008] In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a straightforward test for assisting a person with color blindness to select a color-blind correction lens that improves the person’s individualized color vision deficiency. The test simply requires a person (a) looking through a series of images with his naked eyes; the series of images including a number of images taken with different lenses for correction of color blindness and an image taken with a regular lens, wherein all the images contain the same object; (b) identifying an image from which the person with the naked eyes, can see the same object in the image taken with a regular lens (i.e., that a normal person without color blindness can see); and (c) selecting the lens with which the identified image is taken.

[0009] In some embodiments, the series of images are displayed in a display module. In one preferred embodiment, the series of images are displayed on a computer screen, or a smart phone screen, or a pad screen, or a LCD display, or the like. In some embodiments, the series of images are displayed as a flyer, a poster, a booklet, or the like. In some

embodiments, the series of images are displayed side-by-side on the same page (e.g., on the same screen).

[0010] In some embodiments, the person is self-assisted and performs the selection test at home. In other embodiments, the test can be performed at an ophthalmologist’s office, or a glasses store. In other embodiments, the test is on-line based. A person may perform the test at a manufacturer’s website or at a retailer’s test page, before selecting a particular lens for his color blindness correction.

[0011] In some embodiments, the lenses can be any available lenses for correction of color blindness. In some examples, the lenses for correction of color blindness may be selected from the group of consisting of TP-012, TP-025, TP-021, TP-002, TP-020 and GM- 2. The lenses may be contact lenses or lenses for eyeglasses.

[0012] In some embodiments, the lens for correction of color blindness can block UV lights. The outer surface of the lens is further coated with a film of UV lights blocking compounds comprising silica, titanium pentoxide and fluoride. The film may be water resistant.

[0013] In some embodiments, the lens for correction of color blindness may have zero power or have minus powers for correcting nearsightedness (a.k.a. myopia). The color blindness lens may be a lens for presbyopia.

[0014] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a screen tool is provided which comprises a number of images taken with different color blindness rectification lenses and an image taken with a regular lens wherein all the images contain the same object. The images may be digital or printed. In some embodiments, the image is an Ishihara color test image. In some embodiments, the images may be included into a color blindness test booklet such as Ishihara color test booklet. DESCRIPTION

[0015] The details of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure are set forth in the accompanying description below. Although any materials and methods similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present disclosure, the preferred materials and methods are now described. Other features, objects and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent from the description. In the description, the singular forms also include the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. In the case of conflict, the present description will control.

[0016] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of methods featured in the disclosure, suitable methods and materials are described below in the detailed description, examples and claims.

[0017] In the claims, articles such as“a,”“an,” and“the” may mean one or more than one unless indicated to the contrary or otherwise evident from the context. Claims or descriptions that include“or” between one or more members of a group are considered satisfied if one, more than one, or all the group members are present in, employed in, or otherwise relevant to a given product or process unless indicated to the contrary or otherwise evident from the context. The disclosure includes embodiments in which exactly one member of the group is present in, employed in, or otherwise relevant to a given product or process. The application includes embodiments in which more than one, or the entire group members are present in, employed in, or otherwise relevant to a given product or process.

[0018] It is also noted that the term“comprising” is intended to be open and permits but does not require the inclusion of additional elements or steps. When the term“comprising” is used herein, the term“consisting of’ is thus also encompassed and disclosed.

[0019] Where ranges are given, endpoints are included. Furthermore, it is to be understood that unless otherwise indicated or otherwise evident from the context and understanding of one of ordinary skill in the art, values that are expressed as ranges can assume any specific value or subrange within the stated ranges in different embodiments of the disclosure, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit of the range, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. [0020] In addition, it is to be understood that any particular embodiment of the present disclosure that falls within the prior art may be explicitly excluded from any one or more of the claims. Since such embodiments are deemed to be known to one of ordinary skill in the art, they may be excluded even if the exclusion is not set forth explicitly herein. Any particular embodiment can be excluded from any one or more claims, for any reason, whether or not related to the existence of prior art.

[0021] It is to be understood that the words which have been used are words of description rather than limitation, and that changes may be made within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the true scope and spirit of the disclosure in its broader aspects.

[0022] While the present disclosure has been described at some length and with some particularity with respect to the several described embodiments, it is not intended that it should be limited to any such particulars or embodiments or any particular embodiment, but it is to be construed with references to the appended claims so as to provide the broadest possible interpretation of such claims in view of the prior art and, therefore, to effectively encompass the intended scope of the disclosure.

[0023] The present application relates to a test for aiding a person with color vision deficiency to select a vision aid, a device, a contact lens and/or eyeglasses to improve his color vision deficiency. The person can perform the test himself. The test may be used at a clinical setting as well, assisting an ophthalmologist to select a vision aid for his patient in need. The test may also be used at glasses stores to assist the consumer to select lenses (e.g., contact lenses) and eyeglasses for correction of his color vision deficiency.

[0024] A significant percentage of the population is affected by color blindness (also known as“color vision deficiency (CVD)”). The person with color blindness has generally a decreased ability to perceive color, or distinguish color differences, under normal, natural lighting conditions.

[0025] As used herein, the terms“color blindness” and“color vision deficiency” are used interchangeably. "Color blindness" is a variable trait, including individuals with just slight color vision deficiency to those rare individuals with a complete lack of color perception. Color vision deficiency may be congenital caused by missing cone photoceptors or altered function of some cone cells. There are three main types of color-blindness, based on photopigment defects in cone cells that respond to blue, green and red light. Red-green color vision defects are the most common form of color vision deficiency. Affected individuals have trouble distinguishing between some shades of red, yellow, and green. Blue-yellow color vision defects (also called tritan defects), which are rarer, cause problems with differentiating shades of blue and green, and cause difficulty distinguishing dark blue from black. A less common and more severe form of color vision deficiency called blue cone monochromacy causes very poor visual acuity and severely reduced color vision. Color vision deficiency may be acquired color vision deficiency as the results of ocular, neurologic, metabolic, systemic diseases, or injuries to the retina or particular areas of the brain and eye. Some exemplary diseases that can lead to color blindness include Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes mellitus, glaucoma, leukemia, liver disease, chronic alcoholism, macular degeneration, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, Kallmann syndrome, sickle cell anemia and retinitis pigmentosa. Acquired color vision deficiency may also be drug induced. Medicines including but not limited to antibiotics, barbiturates, high-blood pressure medications, anti-tuberculosis drugs may cause color blindness. In addition, some industrial or environmental chemicals such as carbon monoxide and carbon disulfide can also lead to color blindness.

[0026] Although scientists have reported several gene therapies to cure inherited color vision deficiency that is caused by genetic mutations, e.g., mutations in genes encoding the L-, M- and S-cone opsin, no curable treatment is clinically available for congenital color vision deficiency. Some of acquired color vision deficiencies can be cured. In many cases, symptoms may progress to severe forms of color blindness and become incurable. However, there are a number of vision aids and devices and coping strategies to aid a color-blind person to distinguish colors, including, but not limited to, ophthalmic lenses, soft or rigid contact lenses, intra ocular lens (IOL), filters and spectacles for correction of color blindness.

[0027] As used herein, the terms“correction” and“rectification” are used

interchangeably. In the context of the present disclosure, the“correction” means an acceptable level of improvement of color vision of a person. A person whose color vision deficiency is corrected will be able to distinguish colored objects under natural light condition.

[0028] In addition to different kinds of color blindness, individuals suffering from the same color-blindness such as the red-green color blindness may have different characteristics such as severity in color deficiency, normal or reduced visual acuity, etc. For example, the types and severity of persons with acquired color vision deficiencies can change over time. This diversity requires a person with color vision deficiency to select a vision aid product that meets his individualized rectification need. It is known that a change in spectral sensitivity may change color vision behavior. A person suffering from a red-green color deficiency, may be benefited by a color blindness correction lens that increases the perception to green wavelength light, while optionally decreasing the perception to red wavelength light.

However, the changes in spectral sensitivity, e.g., changes in color wavelength ranges, are different in individual persons with color vision deficiency.

[0029] A variety of technologies and products for improving color insensitivity has been developed. The focus is to make lenses that can rectify color blindness. In some examples, the surfaces of color correction lenses are coated with compounds to form an optical element that may absorb, reflect and transmit light in a specific wavelength range where relative sensitivity is increased to rectify the desired color blindness. Although these lenses and devices provide benefit to some persons with color vision deficiency, a significant percentage of persons could have limited improvement in their color vision deficiencies using the same lenses and devices. One reason is because of the diversity of the deficiencies in terms of the level of color insensitivity, the cause and affected areas, etc.

[0030] This diversity raises a problem for a person with color vision deficiency. When a color blind person shops for a color vision aid (e.g., an eyeglasses), he faces a problem of selecting which eyeglasses that will benefit him, among different eyeglasses with lenses that can rectify for example a red-green color blindness. For example, the red-green blindness correction lenses from different manufacturers and providers may provide different light sensitivity depending on the technologies they use, it is then difficult for a person with red- green blindness to choose an appropriate product that fits his personal requirement.

[0031] Applicant develops and manufactures several new lenses with specific chemical coats on the surfaces of color correction lenses. The lenses can improve color vision deficiency effectively, aiding color-blind persons in distinguishing colored objects. However, the inventors of the present disclosure found that there have been a number of cases in which the color vision deficiencies of some users cannot be fully improved by the lenses that are designed for correcting the type of color blindness the users have, although the same lenses work effectively for other users with the same type of color blindness (e.g., red-green blindness).

[0032] There is a need to have a straightforward test to support a person with color blindness to select a suitable vision aid to satisfy his or her individualized requirement in reducing the effects of their color blindness condition. Particularly, many users intend to shop on-line. Without first trying on the product, it is likely that the particular product may not satisfy his need though the same product works very well for other users.

[0033] In addition, patients who live in remote areas or cannot get life insurance may have limited access to eye specialists and cannot get special assistance from eye doctors. These patients, when they need color vision correction, sometimes search on-line to look for commercially available lenses for correction of their color blindness. They often select the products that have the best user’s review on the products. Sometimes, the products they choose do not meet their personal needs for color correction as their types and severity in color vision deficiency differ. All of these signify the need of a simple and straightforward test which in addition to eye doctors, persons who cannot see their doctors often can easily identify the lenses that can correct their color deficiencies.

[0034] Besides self-guiding a color-blind person to select a vision aid product, an easy-to- perform test may help ophthalmologists and eye doctors to diagnose color blindness and test the individualized needs of their patients with color blindness.

[0035] The disclosure, methods and embodiments herein provide an easy, straightforward, self-assisted test that helps a color-blind person to select the lenses that aid the color-blind person in improving his personal need for correcting his color-deficient vision. According to the present disclosure, a test for supporting a person with color vision deficiency to select a color vison correction product is provided. The test simply requires a color blind person (a) looking through a series of images with his naked eyes; the series of images including a number of images taken with different lenses for correction of color blindness and an image with a regular lens, wherein all the images contain the same object; (b) identifying an image from which the person with the naked eyes, can see the same object in the image taken with a regular lens (i.e., the object that a normal person without color blindness can identify); and (c) selecting the lens with which the identified image is taken.

[0036] In some embodiments, the present test, in response to the person’s request for fine adjustment, changes the specific image for correction of color blindness.

[0037] In some embodiments, the series of images are displayed in a display module. In one preferred embodiment, the series of images are displayed on a computer screen, or a smart phone screen, or a pad screen, or a LCD display, or the like. In some embodiments, the series of images are displayed as a flyer, a poster, a booklet, or the like. In some

embodiments, the images are displayed side-by-side on the same page. [0038] In some embodiments, the images may be displayed on any other visual display devices.

[0039] In some embodiments, the images may be pictures for Ishihara color test, or pictures for a pseudoisochromatic plate color vision test, or pictures for any other color vision tests. The images may be digital or printed.

[0040] FIG.l shows a representative display of the images in accordance with the present selection test. In this non-limiting example, at least six different colored lenses are used to take the images; each of the lenses is coated with materials for a particular color. An image taken with a regular lens is also included as a control. All the images contain the same number 606 hidden in an Ishihara color test pattern. The images are displayed in front of a color-blind person. If the color-blind person with his naked eyes could distinguish the object (i.e. the number 606) in one of the images, the color coated lens used to take the same image is selected for that person for color blindness correction. The object hidden in the images may be any other symbols including, but not limited to, numbers, circles, stars, squares and animals.

[0041] The present test may be performed by a color-blind person himself. In some embodiments, the present screen test may be used to support an ophthalmologist and eye doctor to diagnose a patient with color vision deficiency and select an aid product in reducing the effects of the patient’s color vision deficiency. In some examples, the images may be displayed on computers in a clinical setting such as an eye doctor’s office. In other embodiments, the test may be used at glasses stores to assist a consumer to select color vision aid eyeglasses.

[0042] In some embodiments, the color-blind person is self-assisted and performs the present selection test at home. As a non-limiting example, the test is on-line based. A color blind person may perform the test at a manufacturer’s website or at a retailer’s product test page, before selecting a particular color vision product for his color vision deficiency.

[0043] In some embodiments, the present selection test may be combined with a color vision test used to test for color blindness. As a non-limiting example, the images and test of the present disclosure may be combined with a popular book color vision test, such as a pseudoisochromatic plate color vision test (PIP) (e.g., an Ishihara test, PIP24 Plate Color Vision Test, and Divorine), a color arrangement test (e.g., Munsell-Hue D-15 and Munsell- Hue 100) , a cone color and contrast sensitivity color vision test (e.g., Waggoner HRR and Richmond HRR), Nagel Anomaloscope, and a computerized color vision testing. A patient diagnosed with color blindness can continue to perform the present selection test to select an appropriate color vision aiding product. In other embodiments, the present test can be combined with online Ishihara test for color blindness.

[0044] In some embodiments, the images are taken with lenses for correcting a congenital color blindness, an acquired color blindness, a red-green blindness, a blue-yellow color blindness, or a complete color blindness. The person may have an acquired color vision deficiency, a congenital color vision deficiency, a red-green color vision deficiency (such as protanopia caused by complete absence of red photoreceptors, deuteranopia caused by absence of the green photoreceptors, protanomaly caused by an altered spectral sensitivity of red photoreceptors, and deuteranomaly caused by an altered spectral sensitivity of green photoreceptors), a blue-yellow color vision deficiency (such as tritanopia caused by complete absence of blue photoreceptors and tritanomaly affecting blue-green and yellow-red hue discrimination), or monochromacy (a complete color blindness caused by absence of two or all three of the cone cells).

[0045] In some embodiments, the lenses can be any available lenses for correction of color blindness. In some examples, the lenses for correction of color blindness may be selected from the group of consisting of TP-012, TP-025, TP-021, TP-002, TP-020 and GM- 2. The lenses may be contact lenses or lenses for eyeglasses.

[0046] In some embodiments, the color vision aiding products may be any devices that can improve a person’s color vision. The products may comprise ophthalmic lenses. In some embodiments, the lenses may provide optical (focusing) correction to the eye, or they may be of zero power and provide no such correction. In some embodiments, the lenses may have minus powers for correcting nearsightedness (a.k.a. myopia). The color blindness lens may be a lens for presbyopia. In some examples, the lenses may be, but are not limited to, eyeglass lenses, polarized lenses, gradient lenses, photochromic lenses, multi -focal lenses (e.g., progressive, bifocal and trifocal lenses) and contact lenses. In some preferred embodiments, the lenses are eyeglass lenses and contact lenses.

[0047] In some embodiments, the lenses and eyeglasses can also block UV lights. The outer surface of the lens is further coated with a film of UV lights blocking compounds comprising silica, titanium pentoxide and fluoride. The UV blocking film may be water resistant.

[0048] In some embodiments, the lens maybe a contact lens. A contact lens made in accordance with this disclosure typically has a lens thickness in the order of 0.15 mm. The size of the lens depends somewhat on the size of the eye to be fitted and is in the range of about 10 mm to about 20 mm, or about 11 mm to about 15 mm.

[0049] In some embodiments, the lens may be made of any materials suitable for making a lens, such as light-transmitting plastics (e.g., polycarbonate), high-index plastics, glass (e.g., borosilicate glass), and lightweight composites. In one preferred embodiment, the lens is a resin lens.

[0050] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a screen test tool is provided which comprises a number of images taken with different color blindness rectification lenses and an image taken with a regular lens wherein all the images contain the same object. The images may be digital or printed. In some embodiments, the image is an Ishihara color test image. In some embodiments, the test tool is combined with a color vision test such as an Ishihara color test booklet or a computerized color test.

[0051] with the preset test, a person with color vision deficiency would be able to perform the test at home before he places an order for a specific vision aid product (e.g. eyeglasses). The test could not only reduce the risk of getting a product that doesn’t meet his

individualized need, but also increase the accuracy of the color vision correction.

SPECIFIC EXAMPLES

EXAMPLE 1

[0052] The method described herein was used by a person with red-green color blindness. The person first ordered a pair of glasses (TP-012) that is described for rectifying red-green color blindness from an online retail store. The product TP-012 corrects the red-green blindness in almost 80% of persons with red-green blindness. The person however complained that TP-012 didn’t improve his color vision deficiency at all. Applicant sent the person a series of images that were taken using different lenses for correction of color blindness developed by Applicant. All the images contain the number 606 (FIG.l) hidden in an Ishihara color test pattern. The person viewed the images with his naked eyes, and found that he can see the number hidden in the image taken with the TP-025 lens. The person switched the glasses with the TP-025 lens and his color vision has been improved with the new glasses.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a person with a color vision deficiency in selection of a color vision aid product comprising:

(a) looking through a series of images with naked eyes; the series of images including a number of images taken with different color correcting lenses and an image with a regular lens, wherein all the images contain the same object;

(b) identifying an image from which the person with the naked eyes, can distinguish the same object in the image taken with a regular lens; and

(c) selecting the lens with which the identified image is taken.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the images are displayed in a display module.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the images are displayed on a computer screen, a smart phone screen, a pad screen, a LCD display, a flyer, a poster, a reflection in a mirror, a booklet, or the like.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the images are displayed on a computer screen and the person is self-assisted.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the images are displayed in a clinical setting.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising: in response to the person’s request for fine adjustment, changing the specific image for correction of color vision deficiency.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the images are taken with any lenses for correction of color vision deficiency.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the lenses for correction of color vision deficiency are selected from the group consisting of TP-012, TP-025, TP-021, TP-002, TP-020 and GM- 2

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the outer surface of the color correcting lens is further coated with a film of UV lights blocking compounds comprising silica, titanium pentoxide and fluoride.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the film for blocking UV lights is water resistant.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the lens has zero power for correcting a focus, or has a minus power for correcting myopia, or is for presbyopia.

12. The method of any one of claims 1-11, wherein the lens is a contact lens or an eyeglass lens.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the lens is an eyeglass lens.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the lens is selected from the group consisting of resin lens, polycarbonate lens, high-index plastic lens, borosilicate glass lens, and lightweight composite lens.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the lens is a resin lens.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the person has a congenital color vision deficiency, or an acquired color vision deficiency.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the person has a congenital color vision deficiency including protanopia, deuteranopia, protanomaly, deuteranomaly, tritanopia, tritanomaly, and monochromacy.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein the method is combined with a color blindness test; the color blindness test may be Ishihara Color Vision test, PIP24 Plate Color Vision Test, Divorine, Munsell-Hue D-15 test, Munsell-Hue 100 test, Waggoner HRR test, Richmond HRR test, Nagel Anomaloscope, or a computerized color vision testing.