A new contact lens designed in a spiral could be a breakthrough in vision correction, particularly for older adults, a new study shows.
But beyond being “only” a tool for improving eyesight, the spiral-shaped lens model could have innovative applications for imaging systems that rely on small cameras as well, the researchers suggested.
According to diagrams included in the study, the lens appears as if someone had stamped it with a pinwheel.
A majority of seniors have some type of vision impairment, even if it is low-level. As many as two-thirds of nursing home residents have either age-related macular degeneration or complete blindness, data shows.
“Lens design is of paramount importance in the evolving world of technology,” the study authors wrote, “where compactness and high optical performance are a necessity, ranging from smartphones and wearable devices to vehicles and virtual reality.”
VR or mixed reality, which has been gaining popularity within senior care and living, could greatly benefit from advanced imaging technologies: a user often gets mismatching visual cues from a virtual object and the actual VR screen, which can cause literal headaches, the study authors explained.
Recent innovations in VR headset design have focused more on the physical comfort of the wearable, as opposed to improvements in the visual display capabilities, or how it relates to optometry, McKnight’s has reported.
In its visual applications, the spiral lens model, labeled as a “spiral diopter,” by the researchers, appeared to work better than existing designs in accounting for varied lighting conditions, the study showed. The spiral feature created what is known as an “optical vortex,” generating multiple focus points, as if there were multiple lenses involved.
The researchers noted the design could be used for either wearable lenses — contacts and eyeglasses — or even ocular implants.
While the researchers did not specify when spiral lenses might be implemented in emerging technologies, near-term follow-up studies will fine-tune the shape and distribution of the lens spiral, the study authors said.
The research was published Thursday in the journal Optica.
