Method for modifying the refractive index of an optical material

A method for providing changes in refractive power of an optical device, the method comprising:

• providing the optical device with an optical, polymeric lens material having an anterior surface and posterior surface and an optical axis intersecting the surfaces;
• and
• forming at least one laser-modified, gradient index (GRIN) layer disposed between the anterior surface and the posterior surface with continuous streams of light pulses from a visible or near-IR laser by continuously scanning the light pulses along regions of the optical, polymeric material at a varying scanning speed from 0.4 mm/s to 4 mm/s, varying average power of said laser, or both;
• wherein the at least one laser-modified GRIN layer comprises a plurality of adjacent refractive segments having a continuous change in the index of refraction in relation to the index of refraction of non-modified polymeric material, and the GRIN layer is characterized by a continuous variation in index of refraction of at least one of:
• (i) a portion of the plurality of adjacent refractive segments transverse to the direction scanned;
• and (ii) a portion of the plurality of refractive segments along the direction scanned;
• and wherein the at least one laser-modified, GRIN layer exhibits little or no scattering loss.