Abstract: A hand-held non contact tonometer includes a piston having a transparent plane parallel window normal to a measurement axis of the tonometer along which the piston travels to discharge a fluid pulse without interfering with optical alignment functions of the instrument. In a first embodiment intended for home use by a patient, an alignment guidance system utilizing a concave mirror and a target source in a plane containing the center of curvature of the concave mirror present an alignment image to the patient for guiding self-alignment. An infra-red light source at the focal point of the concave mirror irradiates the concave mirror so that a collimated beam is reflected along the measurement axis and focused by an objective lens.

Abstract: A glare tester suitable for use with conventional subjective refractors for testing visual acuity is disclosed. The tester may be fitted to new refractors or retrofitted to existing refractors. The preferred tester is a plastic annular ring with a plurality of LEDs mounted in recesses to direct light toward the test axis and a surface to reflect the LED light toward the patient's eye. A coating on the ring surface opposite the patient's eye improves the LED efficiency.

Abstract: An improved tonometer is disclosed having a pachymetric device means for measuring a patient's corneal thickness to allow for correction of the intraocular pressure measurement where the corneal thickness measurement deviates from a calibration mean corneal thickness. In a preferred embodiment, a single light source is pulsed just prior to intraocular pressure measurement to illuminate a central corneal section, and a pair of lateral light detector arrays are arranged to obliquely image the corneal section and generate signals which may be processed by a CPU to produce a corneal thickness measurement. If the corneal thickness measurement deviates from the calibration mean corneal thickness, the CPU calculates a thickness-corrected intraocular pressure measurement. The intraocular pressure measurement, corneal thickness measurement, and/or corrected intraocular pressure measurement may then be reported by a suitable display.

Abstract: A device for testing visual contrast sensitivity is disclosed whereby the contrast between a vectographically polarized test symbol and a reference background may be continuously varied by changing the direction of polarization of a polarization analyzer situated along the test axis. The invention is practiced by providing a chart projector or a conventional refractor with a rotatable analyzer.

Abstract: An instrument for photographing the ocular fundus is aligned by using a physical aperture designed to permit illumination of only a small area of the optic disc for minimal patient awareness of incident light and corresponding pupil dilation without mydriatics. The increased field of view and obliquity of viewing afforded by pupil dilation permits flashing of the fundus for photographic recording without image obscuring corneal reflections. The light restricting aperture is removed immediately before photographic recording.

Abstract: A fixture for use in refracting an aphakic eye over a properly patient fitted spectacles frame glazed with major spherical component lenses and placed in a position of use upon the patient. The fixture, having trial lens holders for right and left eye refraction, is attached to rims of the spectacles frame for establishing parallelism of the holders with the frame and provision is made for separately adjusting each right and left eye lens holder vertically and horizontally as needed for centering with a corresponding glazed lens. Refraction over the major lens in each case may be conducted with trial lenses placed in the respective holders.

Abstract: A holder for a lens-marking pen attachable to the pen oppositely of its working end and having a rest in the form of a spring arm adapted to extend along a side of the pen to a bifurcated termination straddling the pen's marking tip and resiliently biasing the tip away therefrom. In its function as a pen rest, the bifurcation of the spring is placed against a lens or other surface to be marked for steadying the pen which may then be depressed to bring its marking tip into contact with the surface between legs of the bifurcation.

Abstract: A device for use in the art of fitting lenses to spectacle frames wherewith ophthalmic measurements are applied directly to frames selected by patients. A frame without lenses is adjusted to fit the patient, the measuring device is then applied to the frame and the whole placed upon the face. Horizontal and vertical measurements of distances from lateral and inferior points on the frame rims to a desired location of lens optical center relative to pupil are made for each eye and these measurements are forwarded to the lens finishing shop for edging and fitting of the lenses.

Abstract: An illuminator including an incandescent lamp and strobe tube in a pivotable carrier adapted to selectively alternately position the lamp and tube in an identical single position of use, each being electrically activable only when at the position of use. The incandescent lamp affords continuous light of relatively low intensity for illumination of objects to be examined and the strobe tube affords short duration high intensity flash illumination for photographic recording purposes.

Abstract: A device for use in fitting lenses to spectacles frames wherewith ophthalmic measurements are applied directly to frames selected by patients. A frame without lenses is adjusted to fit the patient, the fitting device is applied to the frame and the whole placed upon the face. Measurements of distances from extreme lateral and inferior points on the frame rims to the patient's visual axis in the case of each eye are taken for use in edging the lenses to a size and shape which will locate their optical centers in coincidence with the patient's visual axes when the spectacles are glazed and put to use.

Abstract: A lens suitable for implantation in the eye is provided with laterally extending iris clips each having at least one of its ends locked within the body of the lens. The clips are initially extended through close-fitting openings, terminally beaded and forcefully retracted sufficiently to bury their beaded ends within the lens body. Cold flow of lens material around the beaded ends locks the clips in place.

Abstract: A lens suitable for implantation in the eye is provided with iris clips formed of plastic filaments each having at least one of its ends fastened to the lens. Ends of the clips to be fastened are ferruled for secure and permanent affixation.

Abstract: A device for use in fitting ophthalmic lenses to spectacles frames. Horizontal and vertical measurements from optical centers of the lenses to their extreme lateral nasal and inferior edges are obtained by attaching the device to the edge of rimless lenses of a properly patient fitted sample rimless spectacles or rims of a similarly fitted rimmed spectacles frame intended to receive the lenses. The sample rimless spectacles or rimmed frame is then placed in the normal position of use upon the patient and a wand component of the fitting device is used to indicate the proper lens optical center location relative to the patient's pupils. Extreme lateral and inferior lens edge measurements are taken from the wand and forwarded to the lens finishing shop for edging of the lenses to final size and shape.

Abstract: A device for use in the art of fitting lenses to spectacle frames wherewith ophthalmic measurements are applied directly to frames selected by patients. A frame without lenses is adjusted to fit the patient, the measuring device is then applied to the frame and the whole placed upon the face. Horizontal and vertical measurements of distances from lateral and inferior points on the frame rims to a desired location of lens optical center relative to pupil are made for each eye and these measurements are forwarded to the lens finishing shop for edging and fitting of the lenses.

Abstract: Making perforate optical sections (lenses) of pseudophakoi with avoidance of drilling operations and adversities thereof. Lens material is drawn with embedded acid soluble columns corresponding in diametral size and relative juxtaposition to the size and spaced locations of holes needed in a lens and the columns are etched away prior to or following final edging and surface finishing of the lens. Making multiple lens preforms is contemplated.

Abstract: A lens suitable for implantation in an aphakic eye is provided with a supporting system useful in positioning the lens in either the posterior or anterior chamber and which accommodates to normal function of a dynamic pupil. The supporting system includes flexible spring-like members structurally designed to follow a dilating and contracting pupil with negligible force against a normally dilated iris diaphragm while providing for automatic centration in the pupil and permanent longitudinal fixation of the lens under normal and extreme conditions of dilation.

Abstract: A lens suitable for implantation in the eye is provided with laterally extending iris clips each having at least one of its ends locked within the body of the lens. The clips are initially extended through close-fitting openings, terminally beaded and forcefully retracted sufficiently to bury their beaded ends within the lens body. Cold flow of lens material around the beaded ends locks the clips in place.

Abstract: A lens suitable for implantation in the eye is provided with a supporting system which accommodates to normal function of a dynamic pupil. The supporting system includes flexible spring-like members structurally designed to follow a dilating and contracting pupil while providing longitudinal fixation and centration of the lens.

Abstract: A lens suitable for implantation in the eye is provided with rearwardly disposed laterally extending iris clips anchored inwardly of the lens perimeter within openings extending forwardly into the lens from its rear surface.

Abstract: Apparatus for evaluation a human subject's color vision response including light emmiting diodes providing luminance in the yellow and red and green color spectrums, means for controlling the individual luminescence of the red and green diodes in an inverse relationship and means for displaying the yellow and red-green luminescence for comparative viewing by the human subject.