Head mounted viewer for AR and VR scenes

An optical device comprising:

• a viewing region including an image display layer and a variable lens layer,
• wherein the image display layer includes:
• a plurality of variable transparency pixels that are disposed in a two-dimensional arrangement and that are individually selectably operable to vary transparency to passage of ambient light therethrough, and
• a plurality of display pixels that are disposed in a two-dimensional arrangement and that are individually selectably operable to emit light, and
• wherein the variable lens layer includes
• a plurality of variable lens pixels that are disposed in a two-dimensional arrangement and that are individually operable to impart a variable index of refraction to light incident thereupon;
• and
• wherein the image display layer and the variable lens layer are disposed such that ambient light may pass between the variable transparency pixels and the variable lens pixels and such that light may pass between the display pixels and variable lens pixels.