Wide field spherical lenses and single design spectacle frames therefor

A series of ophthalmic lens elements wherein the front surface of the lens is a sphere approximately concentric with the centroid of rotation of the eye in the as worn position;

• wherein the front surface of each lens element of the series has approximately the same radius of curvature which is essentially a single value selected for the series in the range 25 to 50 mm .+-. about 1 mm;
• and wherein the lens elements in the series have various common positive and negative prescription through powers.

An ophthalmic lens element having at least one surface which lies within a spherical shell defined by two concentric spheres having radii whose lengths differ by no more than 2 mm, the smaller of the radii being no more than 50 mm in length and wherein at least two points O and Q on the edge of the surface subtend an angle OPQ greater than 80.degree. with respect to a center of the shell P.

Prescription eyeglasses wherein refractive through power is provided by two ophthalmic lenses and wherein each lens will contain a sphere extending to edges of the lens having average radii of no more than 35 mm centered approximately in the centroid of rotation of the respective eye, and each lens having a maximum hollow depth of at least 8 mm.

A series of minus power ophthalmic lens elements having at least one surface which lies within a spherical shell of a thickness no greater than 2 mm and a radius of no more than 50 mm, the lens elements in the series having thickness at their geometric centers which increase with the magnitude of the absolute value of power.

Prescription eyewear including a lens having a generally spherical curvature with a radius of no more than 35 mm approximately centered on the centroid of rotation of the eye wherein the lens extends horizontally from the nasal margins of the orbital region to the temporal margins of the orbital region, said lens having a concave rear surface which clears the eye lashes and a through power from the temporal to nasal edge of the lens varying by no more than 0.5 D from a positive or negative prescription power.

A spectacle frame suitable for use with a series of ophthalmic lenses, each of the lenses having a spherical surface of radius R between 25 and 35 mm, each lens in the series having the same value of R, and a second surface selected to provide, in conjunction with the spherical surface, a range of common prescriptions, said frame supporting left and right lenses in the as worn position so that the centers of the spherical surfaces are located approximately at the centroids of the left and right eyes, respectively the frame comprising temple pieces and rim portions for engaging the left and right lenses, wherein the rim portion engaging each lens is formed in the shape of a closed curve lying on the surface of a sphere having a radius approximately equal to the radius of said spherical surface.

Eyeglasses comprising:

• left and right lenses each having a spherical front surface with the same radius of curvature between about 31 mm and 35 mm;
• and
• eyeglass frames including left and right temple pieces and a nose bridge for supporting the lenses on the face of a wearer, so that the center of the spherical front surface of each of the left and right lenses is located approximately on the centroid of rotation of the left and right eye, respectively.

Eyeglasses comprising

• left and right prescription lenses selected from a series of lenses having non-zero through power and each having a spherical surface of the same radius R, R being a value between 25 and 50 mm;
• and
• eyeglass frames including left and right temples pieces and a nose bridge for supporting the lenses on the face of a wearer, so that the center of the spherical surface of each of the left and right lenses is located approximately on the centroid of rotation of the left and right eye, respectively.