Prosthetic iris preparation method
OwnerJohn M. Stolpe, John C. Stolpe +1inventors
InventorsJohn M. Stolpe, John C. Stolpe, Fredric M. Harwin
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Abstract
A method and system of producing a digitally printed iris structure for an artificial eye by using suitable digital graphics software, the appearance of a dilating pupil/collarette is created within the combined center portion/inner ring area of a prosthetic eye—in that a pupil appears to dilate from a small diameter in bright light to a comparatively large diameter in dimmer or darker light. The process of creating such effect is a unique extension of the knowledge that certain colors and pigments in bright light are most apparent, and in dark light tend to appear grey to black.
Claims15
A method for producing a color-matched iris for a prosthetic eye, comprising:
- a. providing an array of sample irises, each sample iris comprising:
- i. a sample cornea;
- ii. a digitized iris print encapsulated in the cornea;
- iii. a backing;
- iv. at least one unique characteristic selected from the group consisting of:
- a body, an inner ring color, an inner ring dimension, an outer ring color, and an outer ring dimension;
- and
- v. a unique indicia associated with the at least one unique characteristic,
- wherein the array of sample irises covers an entire spectrum of eye colors and is removably mounted on a tray;
- b. comparing the array of sample irises with a natural eye of a patient;
- c. selecting at least two sample irises from the array such that the at least one unique characteristic of each selected sample iris matches with a corresponding characteristic of an iris of the natural eye;
- d. identifying the unique indicia of the at least two sample irises;
- f. retrieving a digital image of the at least two sample irises from a database in a computer based on the identified unique indicia;
- g. using the computer and the retrieved digital images of the at least two sample irises to form a digital image of a matching iris by combining the matching unique characteristics;
- h. using a 2-dimensional digital printer and the formed digital image to print the matching iris;
- and
- i. printing an overlay screen of closely spaced marks of a selected color with the 2-dimensional digital printer in at least a portion of a pupil region of the matching iris during the printing of the matching iris, wherein the overlay screen is configured to provide a lifelike dilating pupil effect to the printed matching iris;
- and
- j. encapsulating the printed matching iris in a final iris such that the final iris comprises:
- i. a final cornea,
- ii. the printed matching iris, and
- iii. a final backing.
A method of producing an iris that matches an iris of a natural eye and gives the produced iris a lifelike appearance of a pupil that dilates in dimmed light, comprising:
- comparing an array of sample irises with the iris of the natural eye, wherein each sample iris in the array comprises at least one unique characteristic and a unique indicia associated with the at least one unique characteristic;
- selecting one sample iris from the array of the sample irises as a matching iris;
- identifying the unique indicia of the matching iris;
- retrieving a digital image of the matching iris from a database in a computer based on the identified unique indicia;
- using a 2-dimensional digital printer and the retrieved digital image to print the matching iris;
- printing an overlay screen of closely spaced marks of a selected color with the 2-dimensional digital printer in at least a portion of a pupil region of the matching iris during the printing of the matching iris;
- and
- encapsulating the printed matching iris in a final iris such that the final iris comprises:
- i. a final cornea,
- ii. the printed matching iris, and
- iii. a final backing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.