System, ophthalmic lens, and method for extending depth of focus

Abstract

System, ophthalmic lens, and method for extending depth of focus includes an optic having a clear aperture disposed about a central axis. The optic includes a first surface and an opposing second surface. The first and second surfaces are configured to introduce an asymmetric aberration to the eye while maintaining the in-focus visual acuity.

1 . An ophthalmic lens for an eye, the eye having an in-focus visual acuity and a depth of focus, the ophthalmic lens comprising:
 an optic having a central axis and a clear aperture disposed about the central axis, the optic comprising a first surface and an opposing second surface, the first and second surfaces together configured to introduce at least some asymmetric aberration to the eye to extend the depth of focus while maintaining the in-focus visual acuity.   
   
   
       2 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the asymmetric aberration is a higher order asymmetric aberration. 
   
   
       3 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the asymmetric aberration is selected from a group consisting of: an asymmetric astigmatism, a higher order astigmatism, a vertical coma, a lateral coma, and a trefoil. 
   
   
       4 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second surfaces are together configured to introduce a predetermined degree of coma to the eye while maintaining the in-focus visual acuity. 
   
   
       5 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the optic is selected from the group consisting of: a monofocal intraocular lens, a multifocal intraocular lens, an accommodating intraocular lens, and a toric intraocular lens. 
   
   
       6 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first and second surfaces comprises an asymmetric curvature. 
   
   
       7 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the eye has an intraocular lens implanted therein, the intraocular lens having a predetermined optical characteristic, wherein the in-focus visual acuity is based at least in part on the optical characteristic, and wherein the optic and the intraocular lens are together configured to introduce the asymmetric aberration to the eye while maintaining the in-focus visual acuity. 
   
   
       8 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the optic is a multifocal intraocular lens comprising a plurality of focal points, each of the plurality of focal points having a depth of focus, and wherein the asymmetric aberration extends the depth of focus of each of the plurality of focal points. 
   
   
       9 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the optic is an accommodating intraocular lens configured to provide the eye with a functional range of vision, and wherein the asymmetric aberration extends the functional range of vision. 
   
   
       10 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the optic is further configured to correct for one or more non-asymmetric higher order aberrations. 
   
   
       11 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more non-asymmetric higher order aberrations is selected from a group consisting of a spherical aberration and a non-asymmetric astigmatism. 
   
   
       12 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , further comprising a binary phase mask optically coupled with the optic, the binary phase mask configured to extend the depth of focus by a predetermined amount, and wherein the asymmetric aberration further extends the depth of focus beyond the predetermined amount. 
   
   
       13 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the optic is an intraocular lens having a hyperfocal configuration for extending the depth of focus by a predetermined amount, and wherein the asymmetric aberration further extends the depth of focus beyond the predetermined amount. 
   
   
       14 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the optic is a zonal aspheric intraocular lens configured to extend the depth of focus by a predetermined amount, and wherein the asymmetric aberration further extends the depth of focus beyond the predetermined amount. 
   
   
       15 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the optic is a diffractive monofocal intraocular lens, and wherein the asymmetric aberration is further configured to correct for a chromatic aberration associated with the diffractive monofocal intraocular lens. 
   
   
       16 . A lens system for an eye, the eye having an in-focus visual acuity and a depth of focus, the lens system comprising:
 a first lens having a first optical axis; and   a second lens adjacent the first lens, the second lens having a second optical axis being non-aligned with the first optical axis, the first lens and second lens together configured to introduce at least some asymmetric aberration to the eye to extend the depth of focus while maintaining the in-focus visual acuity.   
   
   
       17 . A method for modifying a depth of focus of an eye, the method comprising the steps of:
 measuring a wavefront aberration of the eye;   determining an in-focus visual acuity of the eye; and   determining an asymmetric aberration to be induced in the wavefront aberration of the eye, the depth of focus being extended by the asymmetric aberration when induced in the wavefront aberration and while maintaining the in-focus visual acuity.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising inducing the asymmetric aberration in the wavefront aberration. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of inducing is selected from a group consisting of:
 implanting an intraocular lens configured to introduce the asymmetric aberration to the eye while maintaining the in-focus visual acuity;   positioning an ophthalmic lens adjacent the eye, the ophthalmic lens configured to introduce the asymmetric aberration to the eye while maintaining the in-focus visual acuity;   photoaltering a cornea of the eye to introduce the asymmetric aberration to the eye while maintaining the in-focus visual acuity;   implanting a corneal tissue portion in the cornea of the eye, the corneal tissue configured to introduce the asymmetric aberration to the eye while maintaining the in-focus visual acuity;   inserting an intracorneal implant in the cornea of the eye, the intracorneal implant configured to introduce the asymmetric aberration to the eye while maintaining the in-focus visual acuity.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of determining an asymmetric aberration comprises:
 selecting an asymmetric aberration type from a group consisting of an asymmetric astigmatism, a higher order astigmatism, a vertical coma, a lateral coma, and a trefoil; and   determining an amount of the asymmetric aberration type to extend the depth of focus while maintaining the in-focus visual acuity.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising forming an ophthalmic lens configured to introduce the asymmetric aberration. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the forming step comprises one of a group consisting of:
 lathe-cutting an ophthalmic lens having first and second opposing surfaces, the first and second opposing surfaces together configured to introduce the asymmetric aberration to the eye; and   molding an ophthalmic lens having first and second opposing surfaces, the first and second opposing surfaces together configured to introduce the asymmetric aberration to the eye.