Abstract: This invention includes an ophthalmic lens having a convex surface and an opposite concave surface where one of said surfaces contains alternating distance and near power zones where one or more distance zones have cylinder power.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for designing lenses and lenses produced thereby in which method locally fitted Chebyshev polynomials are used to design one or more of the lens' surfaces.

Abstract: The invention provides multifocal ophthalmic lenses that have zones of more than one optical power, or focal length. The lenses correct for high order optical aberrations in more than one field of gaze.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for designing lenses useful for correcting presbyopia, lenses incorporating such designs and methods for producing these lenses. The lenses of the invention exhibit a better distribution of the distance and near vision powers within the multifocal zone and, thus, improved visual acuity and wearer satisfaction.

Abstract: A method is provided which is used to design soft contact lens via corneal topographic analysis. The topography of the cornea is matched to a corresponding topography of a soft contact lens. A geometrical transformation which maps the corneal elevation onto the back surface of an unflexed soft contact lens is used to minimize errors induced by flexure of the lens. The mapping transformation takes into account the effects of flexure. As a result, the contact lens has a back surface with a curvature which matches the specific elevations of the cornea, while the front surface can be spherical or any desired symmetrical or asymmetrical shape.

Abstract: The invention provides lenses that have zones of more than one optical power, or focal length, and a smooth transition between the zones of differing power.

Abstract: Stabilized contact lens are provided in which the stabilization zones are obtained by using spline or polynomials to describe one or more peripheral portions of a surface of the lens. The lens' stabilization zones are smoothly integrated into the lens providing a lens that is both effectively stabilized on the eye and comfortable for the lens wearer.

Abstract: Stabilized contact lens are provided in which the stabilization zones are obtained by using spline or polynomials to describe one or more peripheral portions of a surface of the lens. The lens' stabilization zones are smoothly integrated into the lens providing a lens that is both effectively stabilized on the eye and comfortable for the lens wearer.

Abstract: The invention provides contact lenses designed to accommodate lens wearer's that may develop dry eye. The lenses of the invention are of a design that decreases or substantially eliminates the occurrence of dry eye in the lens wearer.

Abstract: The invention provides contact lenses that incorporate a coaxial stabilization zone to stabilize the orientation of the lens in relation to the eye.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for integrating corneal topographic data and ocular wavefront data with primary ametropia measurements to create a soft contact lens design. Corneal topographic data is used to design a better fitting soft contact lens by achieving a contact lens back surface which is uniquely matched to a particular corneal topography, or which is an averaged shape based on the particular corneal topography. In the case of a uniquely matched contact lens back surface, the unique back surface design also corrects for the primary and higher order optical aberrations of the cornea. Additionally, ocular wavefront analysis is used to determine the total optical aberration present in the eye. The total optical aberration, less any corneal optical aberration corrected utilizing the contact lens back surface, is corrected via the contact lens front surface design.

Abstract: The invention provides lenses incorporating both birefringent material and zones of more than one optical power, or focal length.

Abstract: A method for fitting and designing an ophthalmic lens for a presbyope that yields improved visual acuity in general, and takes into account individual fitting characteristics. More specifically, a method for fitting and designing a contact or intraocular lens which takes into account material properties of the lens by observing the “print through” associated with the lens as an indicator of the topography of the lens. The term “print through” is used to refer to any change in lens topography on the front surface of the lens as a result of changes in topography on the back surface of the lens. If a significant amount of “print through” is observed, this generally indicates that the multifocal function of the lens is properly being performed. In such a situation, the clinician can then adjust the add power to the desired level.

Abstract: The invention provides a pair of multifocal lenses for the correction of presbyopia. The dominant eye lens has an optic zone with the distance optical power required and additional zones of either or both distance and near optical power. The non-dominant eye lens has an optic zone with the near optical power and additional zones of either or both near and distance optical power.

Abstract: A method for fitting and designing ophthalmic lenses that yields improved visual acuity and takes into account individual lens fitting characteristics is provided. More specifically, the method of the invention takes into account the materials properties of the lens by observing the print-through associated with the lens.

Abstract: An ophthalmic lens provides a cumulative ratio of distance to near focal length that is predominantly distance correction under high illumination, nearly evenly divided between distance and near correction under moderate illumination, and favoring again distance vision correction under low level illumination. The lens is specifically adjusted to match the patient's pupil size as a function of illumination level, in the preferred embodiment by applying pupil size parameters as a function of age. This lens has the properties of matching both the distribution of near and distance focal vision correction to the type of human activity typically undertaken in various illumination conditions, as well as matching particular lens dimensions to suit the size of the pupil as a function of illumination intensity.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing complex optical surfaces in soft contact lenses includes a first step of defining the complex optical surfaces with a computer assisted drafting program using a mix of patient determined parameters and selected manufacturing process determined parameters to define a mathematical "meta lens". A machine code data set is then generated to machine a plurality of contact lens mold inserts to define a complex optical surface on each of the inserts. The machining step is conducted with a single point diamond lathe having submicron precision and repeatability. A first and second plurality of intermediate contact lens mold halves are then molded with said contact lens mold inserts to define said complex optical surfaces on said mold halves having micron range transitions between optical surfaces. The complex geometric forms and optical surfaces include bifocal lenses, aspheric lenses, and toric lenses wherein the lenses may include parabolic or elliptical geometry.

Abstract: Concentric lens designs are disclosed for astigmatic presbyopes which comprise at least one surface which has a circular central portion and a plurality of concentric annular rings with at least three separate optical powers corresponding to a prescription for a patient and corresponding to 1) a basic distance spherical prescription Rx, 2) a near add spherical prescription Rx, and 3) a spherical prescription corresponding to the full, or preferably a fraction of the, cylindrical prescription Rx. An astigmatic presbyopic prescription contains an astigmatic correction, normally in the nature of a cylindrical prescription which specifies both the cylindrical optical power and the orientation of the cylindrical axis. The cylindrical prescription is taken into account in the design of the lens, but not with a cylindrical optical surface.

Abstract: A design family of contact lenses includes a central area utilized for distance vision, surrounded by multiple alternating annuli of near and distance optical powers, surrounded by a peripheral distance zone. The design can also be used in intraocular lenses (IOL). The distance optical power is constant across the design family of lenses, but the near optical power increases as a subject's presbyopia increases. The design family of contact lenses can be fitted to a patient in a standard fashion by fitting both eyes to the best distance visual acuity (VA), and obtaining near acuity from the near annuli. A modified monovision method fits the patient's dominant eye with a contact lens as described having the full prescription distance power and fitting the nondominant eye with a contact lens as described having a distance optical power between the full prescription distance optical power and the near optical power.