Ophthalmic Lenses for Reducing, Minimizing, and/or Eliminating Interference on In-Focus Images by Out-of-Focus Light

Abstract

An ophthalmic lens comprising: at least one first optical zone with a first axis, the at least one first optical zone being configured such that, in use with an eye, at least a portion of light passing through the at least one first optical zone is refracted to a first focal point on the first axis; and at least one second optical zone configured such that, in use with the eye, at least a portion of light passing through the at least one second optical zone is refracted to one or more focal points positioned off-axis relative to the first focal point and on at least one focal plane different than a focal plane corresponding to the first focal point; wherein the at least one second optical zone is configured such that the light extending beyond the one or more focal points provides extended depth of focus.

1 . An ophthalmic lens comprising:
 at least one first optical zone with a first axis, the at least one first optical zone being configured such that, in use with an eye, at least a portion of light passing through the at least one first optical zone is refracted to a first focal point on the first axis; and   at least one second optical zone configured such that, in use with the eye, at least a portion of light passing through the at least one second optical zone is refracted to one or more focal points positioned off-axis relative to the first focal point and on at least one focal plane different than a focal plane corresponding to the first focal point;   wherein the at least one second optical zone is configured such that the light extending beyond the one or more focal points provides extended depth of focus.   
     
     
         2 . An ophthalmic lens comprising:
 at least one first optical zone with a first axis, the at least one first optical zone being configured such that, in use with an eye, at least a portion of light passing through the at least one first optical zone is refracted to a first focal point on the first axis; and   at least one second optical zone configured such that, in use with the eye, at least a portion of light passing through the at least one second optical zone is refracted to one or more focal points positioned off-axis relative to the first focal point and on at least one focal plane different than a focal plane corresponding to the first focal point;   wherein the at least one first optical zone is configured such that first focal point is positioned in front of a retinal plane; and   wherein the at least one second optical zone is configured such that the light extending beyond the one or more focal points in conjunction with the light refracted to the first focal point provides extended depth of focus.   
     
     
         3 . An ophthalmic lens comprising:
 at least one first optical zone with a first axis, the at least one first optical zone being configured such that, in use with an eye, at least a portion of light passing through the at least one first optical zone is refracted to a first focal point on the first axis; and   at least one second optical zone configured such that, in use with the eye, at least a portion of light passing through the at least one second optical zone is refracted to one or more focal points positioned off-axis relative to the first focal point and on at least one focal plane different than a focal plane corresponding to the first focal point;   wherein the at least one first optical zone is configured such that first focal point is positioned in front of a retinal plane; and   wherein the at least one second optical zone is configured such that the light extending beyond the one or more focal points in conjunction with the light refracted to the first focal point provides extended depth of focus extending from the retinal image plane to an anterior plane positioned in front of the first focal point at a location that results in the first focal point being substantially equidistant from the anterior plane and the retinal plane.   
     
     
         4 . An ophthalmic lens comprising:
 at least one first optical zone with a first axis, the at least one first optical zone being configured such that, in use with an eye, at least a portion of light passing through the at least one first optical zone is refracted to a first focal point on the first axis; and   at least one second optical zone configured such that, in use with the eye, at least a portion of light passing through the at least one second optical zone is refracted to one or more focal points positioned off-axis relative to the first focal point and on at least one focal plane different than a focal plane corresponding to the first focal point;   wherein the at least one first optical zone is configured such that first focal point is positioned in front of a retinal plane; and   wherein the at least one second optical zone is configured such that the light extending beyond the one or more focal points in conjunction with the light refracted to the first focal point provides extended depth of focus located entirely within an eye.   
     
     
         5 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first optical zone has a substantially circular shape and centrally located on the ophthalmic lens and the at least one second optical zone has a substantially annular shape surrounding the at least one first optical zone. 
     
     
         6 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first optical zone and the at least one second optical zone are concentric. 
     
     
         7 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more focal points positioned off-axis relative to the first focal point comprise a finite number of focal points. 
     
     
         8 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more focal points positioned off-axis relative to the first focal point comprise an infinite number of focal points. 
     
     
         9 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more focal points positioned off-axis relative to the first focal point are positioned on at least 2 focal planes (e.g., at least 2, 3, 4, or 5 focal planes). 
     
     
         10 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one focal plane is in front of, behind or in substantially the same plane as the first focal point. 
     
     
         19 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the rays that extend beyond the at least one focal planes also form a depth of focus behind and in front of the first focal point. 
     
     
         20 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the amount of depth of focus in front of the first focal point to the amount of the depth of focus behind the first focal point may be about 100:0 (entirely in front of the first focal point), 90:10, 80:20, 75:25, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50 (equally in front of and behind the first focal point), 40:60, 30:70, 25:75, 20:80, 10:90, and/or 0:100 (entirely behind the first focal point). 
     
     
         21 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second zone cross-section, in two dimensions, has a focal length that is independent of the remaining portions of the ophthalmic lens. 
     
     
         22 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second zone is created by adjusting the curvature of the base lens on at least one of a front surface of the ophthalmic lens and/or a back surface of the ophthalmic lens. 
     
     
         23 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second zone is created by adjusting the curvature of the base lens on the front surface of the ophthalmic lens to create one of a plus optical zone or a minus optical zone. 
     
     
         24 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second zone is created by adjusting the curvature of the base lens on the back surface of the ophthalmic lens to create one of a plus optical zone or a minus optical zone. 
     
     
         25 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second optical zone has a substantially annular shape that includes a tilted curvature to influence (e.g., shift) the depth of focus. 
     
     
         26 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second optical zone has a substantially annular shape comprising multiple curve infusions that have the same optical properties or different optical properties. 
     
     
         27 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second optical zone has a substantially annular shape comprising multiple conjoined curvatures. 
     
     
         28 . The ophthalmic lens of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second optical zone has a substantially annular shape created by replacing at least one surface curvatures of the lens with a line. 
     
     
         29 - 56 . (canceled)