Abstract: The present invention provides a series of aspherical contact lenses, each lens having a first central optical zone on its anterior surface and a second central optical zone on its posterior surface. Both central optical zones are aspherical surfaces. The first central optical zone is designed to have a surface which provides a target optical power and an optical power profile selected from the group consisting of (1) a substantially constant optical power profile, (2) a power profile mimicking the optical power profile of a spherical lens with an identical targeted optical power, and (3) a power profile in which lens spherical aberration at 6 mm diameter is from about 0.65 diopter to about 1.8 diopters more negative than spherical aberration at 4 mm diameter.

Abstract: The invention provides a contact lens which requires a predetermined orientation on an eye. The contact lens comprises an anterior surface and an opposite posterior surface. The anterior surface includes a vertical meridian, a horizontal meridian, a central optical zone, a transitional non-optical zone surrounding the central optical zone, a peripheral zone surrounding the transitional non-optical zone, and an edge zone circumscribing and tangent to the peripheral zone. The presence of the transitional non-optical zone provides a continuous transition from the central optical zone to the peripheral zone and enables separate and independent designs of the central optical zone and the peripheral zone. Orientation features are incorporated only in the peripheral zone, does not provide an prism optical distortion, and can maintain a predetermined orientation of the lens on an eye.

Abstract: A system and method for determining hierarchical information is described. Aspects include using the Collins model for parsing non-textual information into hierarchical content. The system and process assign labels to lines that indicate how the lines relate to one another.

Abstract: A system and method for determining hierarchical information is described. Aspects include using the Collins model for parsing non-textual information into hierarchical content. The system and process assign labels to lines that indicate how the lines relate to one another.

Abstract: This invention is related to creation of a mold for an ophthalmic lens using higher order mathematical functions, such as non-uniform rational b splines (NURBs), to create surfaces that do not contact fluid optical material, such as molding back pieces. In particular, the present invention optimizes the flow of mold material. Additionally, use of the present invention creates substantially uniform thickness of the mold, minimizing optical distortions.

Abstract: A method for matching an original document image with a copy image is disclosed. The original document image is defined as an ensemble of blocks, each of the blocks having neighboring blocks. A mask is formed for each of the blocks by dilating foreground pixels included in the block. A best match is searched in the copy image, for each of the blocks, using a search window, by correlating pixels in the mask with pixels in a corresponding portion in the copy image. Each of the best matches has a matching score. Each of the blocks is indicated as “unmatched” when the corresponding matching score is less than a matching threshold. A displacement vector is computed for each of the matched blocks.

Abstract: A method of producing a master cast used in making a contact lens mold, comprising the steps of: rotating a master cast blank, having an outer surface, about a first rotational axis and cutting at lest one first surface onto the outer surface of the master cast blank; and rotating the master cast blank about a plurality of secondary rotational axes, each secondary rotational axis being different from the first rotational axis, and cutting a portion of a ridge-off surface from the outer surface of the master cast blank while rotating at each secondary rotational axis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a toric multifocal contact lens having a cylindrical optical power to correct astigmatism vision errors and a multifocal power to compensate for presbyopia. A toric multifocal contact lens of the invention has a central axis, an anterior surface having a first central optical zone, and an opposite posterior surface having a second central optical zone. The first central optical zone and the second central optical zone combine to provide a cylindrical optical power to correct astigmatism vision errors and a multifocal power to compensate for presbyopia.

Abstract: The present invention provides a translating contact lens having a central axis, an anterior surface and an opposite posterior surface. The anterior surface includes an optical zone and a ramped ridge zone, which is disposed below the optical zone and capable of controlling contact lens position on an eye in primary gaze or translating amount across the eye when the eye changes from gazing at an object at a distance to gazing at an object at an intermediate distance or at a nearby object, or both.

Abstract: The present invention provides pharmaceutical formulations comprising a solid ionic complex of a polypeptide having an isoelectric point lower than physiological pH and an anionic carrier molecule. The formulations of the invention are suitable as depot formulations for the sustained release of therapeutic polypeptides.

Abstract: The present invention provides a contact lens comprising a convex surface and a concave surface, one or both of the surfaces comprising: a) a central optical zone that is an aspherical sub-surface; b) a transition zone that is adjacent to said central optical zone, wherein and is a rotationally symmetric off-center sphere sub-surface; and c) a peripheral zone that comprises one or more sphere sub-surfaces, wherein all sub-surfaces are tangent to each other. By having a transition zone of the present invention, flexion points at the junction of optical zone with peripheral zone can be eliminated. The present invention also provides a method for producing a contact lens of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention provides a contact lens having an orientation feature that does not provide an prism optical distortion and can maintain a predetermined orientation of the lens on an eye. A contact lens of the invention comprises an anterior surface and an opposite posterior surface. The anterior surface includes a vertical meridian, a horizontal meridian, a central optical zone, a blending zone extending outwardly from the central optical zone, a peripheral zone surrounding the blending zone, and an edge zone circumscribing and tangent to the peripheral zone. The presence of the blending zone ensures that the peripheral zone, the blending zone and the central optical zone are tangent to each other.

Abstract: A contact lens has top, a bottom, a rotational axis, an inner surface and an opposite outer surface having a plurality of zones. The plurality of zones include an optical zone, a ridge zone and a transition zone. The optical zone has a lower edge and includes a distance vision zone and a near vision zone. The distance vision zone has a first radius of curvature that provides distance vision correction. The distance vision zone also has a first area that is sufficient to overlay a substantial portion of a pupil of a user and is disposed in a first position within the optical zone so that the user's pupil is substantially subtended by the distance vision zone when the user is gazing at a substantially horizontal point. The near vision zone is substantially concentric with the rotational axis and extends radially outward from the distance vision zone.

Abstract: A contact lens has top, a bottom, a rotational axis, an inner surface and an opposite outer surface having a plurality of zones. The plurality of zones include an optical zone, a ridge zone and a transition zone. The optical zone has a lower edge and includes a distance vision zone and a near vision zone. The distance vision zone has a first radius of curvature that provides distance vision correction. The distance vision zone also has a first area that is sufficient to overlay a substantial portion of a pupil of a user and is disposed in a first position within the optical zone so that the user's pupil is substantially subtended by the distance vision zone when the user is gazing at a substantially horizontal point. The near vision zone is substantially concentric with the rotational axis and extends radially outward from the distance vision zone.

Abstract: A contact lens includes a central zone and a peripheral zone. The central zone extends radially from a center to a central intermediate edge and has a radius corresponding to a radius of a contracted pupil of a user when subjected to a high ambient light condition. The central zone also has a constant first refractive power across the central zone. The peripheral zone extends radially from the central intermediate edge to an outer edge and has a radius corresponding to a dilated pupil of the user. The peripheral zone has a refractive power that is equal to the first refractive power at the intermediate edge and that increases radially to a second refractive power, different from the first refractive power, at the outer edge. The contact lens also includes a non-optical zone that extends radially from the outer edge to an outermost radius corresponding to a radius of a user's cornea.

Abstract: The present invention provides a toric multifocal contact lens having a cylindrical optical power to correct astigmatism vision errors and a multifocal power to compensate for presbyopia. A toric multifocal contact lens of the invention has a central axis, an anterior surface having a first central optical zone, and an opposite posterior surface having a second central optical zone. The first central optical zone and the second central optical zone combine to provide a cylindrical optical power to correct astigmatism vision errors and a multifocal power to compensate for presbyopia.

Abstract: The present invention provides a translating contact lens having a central axis, an anterior surface and an opposite posterior surface. The anterior surface includes an optical zone and a ramped ridge zone capable of controlling contact lens position on an eye in primary gaze and/or translating amount across the eye when the eye changes from gazing at an object at a distance to gazing at an object at an intermediate distance or at a nearby object. The ramped ridge zone is disposed below the optical zone and includes an upper edge, a lower ramped edge, a latitudinal ridge that extends outwardly from the anterior surface, and a ramp that extends downwardly from the lower ramped edge and has a curvature or slope that ensures a varying degree of interaction between the ramped ridge zone and the lower eyelid depending on where the lower eyelid strikes the ramped ridge zone. The lower eyelid of the eye is engaged with at least some portion of the ramped ridge zone at all times.

Abstract: The present invention provides a contact lens comprising a convex surface and a concave surface, one or both of the surfaces comprising: a) a central optical zone that is an aspherical sub-surface; b) a transition zone that is adjacent to said central optical zone, wherein and is a rotationally symmetric off-center sphere sub-surface; and c) a peripheral zone that comprises one or more sphere sub-surfaces, wherein all sub-surfaces are tangent to each other. By having a transition zone of the present invention, flexion points at the junction of optical zone with peripheral zone can be eliminated. The present invention also provides a method for producing a contact lens of the present invention.

Abstract: A method for matching an original document image with a copy image is disclosed. The original document image is defined as an ensemble of blocks, each of the blocks having neighboring blocks. A mask is formed for each of the blocks by dilating foreground pixels included in the block. A best match is searched in the copy image, for each of the blocks, using a search window, by correlating pixels in the mask with pixels in a corresponding portion in the copy image. Each of the best matches has a matching score. Each of the blocks is indicated as “unmatched” when the corresponding matching score is less than a matching threshold. A displacement vector is computed for each of the matched blocks.

Abstract: The invention provides a multifocal optical lens having a holographic optical element that selectively redirects light to provide the wearer with a single image formed from a single focal power. The invention also provides a method for producing a multifocal optical lens having a holographic optical element.