US 10,206,566 B2 · Optical method to assess the refractive properties of an optical system

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments may include a device, system and method for providing a low cost device that can measure refractive errors very accurately via attachment to a smart phone. A disclosed device may use ambient light or a light source in simulating the cross cylinder procedure that optometrists use by utilizing the inverse Shack-Hartman technique. The optical device may include an array of lenslets and pinholes that will force the user to effectively focus at different depths. Using an optical device, in conjunction with a smart phone, the user first changes the angle of the axis until he/she sees a cross pattern (the vertical and horizontal lines are equally spaced). The user adjusts the display, typically using the controls on the smartphone, to make the lines come together and overlap, which corresponds to bringing the view into sharp focus, thus determining the appropriate optical prescription for the user.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method to measure refraction errors, including diopter correction and astigmatism in a user, using an optical device and a smartphone, the method comprising the steps of:

a. attaching the optical device to a screen of the smart phone using microsuction tape and an elastic band, wherein the optical device comprises a view screen;
b. using the view screen to depict two lines the two lines having a beginning angle including a first and second (vertical and horizontal) indicium;
c. directing the view screen of the optical device towards the user;
d. changing the angle of the axis of the indicia until the user sees two crosses displaced by the same distance, wherein the first and second indicia are equally spaced;
e. moving the first and second indicia into alignment, using the optical device attached to the smart phone;
f. rotating the pattern on the display by 45 degrees such that the first indicia is parallel to the axis of astigmatism, and the second indicia is perpendicular to the axis of astigmatism;
and
g. adjusting the lines depicted upon the view screen such that the first and second indicia are overlapping.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Optical method to assess the refractive properties of an optical system

Life of this patent

Optical method to assess the refractive properties of an optical system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18