Optics of human eye: 400 years of exploration from Galileo's time

Analyzing Effect of Waterclefts on Visual Functions Via Optical Simulations

Purpose

To investigate the impact of the size and location of waterclefts (WC), which are one of several cataract subtypes, on visual function by optical simulation analysis.

Methods

An optical simulation software (CODE V) was used to develop a schematic eye model and several sizes of WC central and peripheral types that were located below the anterior and posterior subcapsules of the crystalline lens, and analyses of refraction, higher-order aberrations (HOA), and the modulation transfer function (MTF) were performed.

Results

An increase in the WC size increased the refraction and HOA and decreased the MTF. The impact of the WC below the posterior subcapsule on the visual function was more enhanced than that below the anterior subcapsule. Large WC demonstrated a remarkable hyperopic shift in refractive power as well as an increase in HOA. The MTF decreased slightly with increasing WC size at a spatial frequency of 20 cycles/mm, and it decreased remarkably at 60 cycles/mm.

Conclusions

The impact on the visual function increased with increasing WC size. It was revealed that eyes with WC below the posterior subcapsule are more hyperopic than those with WC below the anterior subcapsule, and the former have a higher HOA and lower MTF than the latter.

Numerical Study of Customized Artificial Cornea Shape by Hydrogel Biomaterials on Imaging and Wavefront Aberration

The blindness caused by cornea diseases has exacerbated many patients all over the world. The disadvantages of using donor corneas may cause challenges to recovering eye sight. Developing artificial corneas with biocompatibility may provide another option to recover blindness. The techniques of making individual artificial corneas that fit the biometric parameters for each person can be used to help these patients effectively. In this study, artificial corneas with different shapes (spherical, aspherical, and biconic shapes) are designed and they could be made by two different hydrogel polymers that form an interpenetrating polymer network for their excellent mechanical strength. Two designed cases for the artificial corneas are considered in the simulations: to optimize the artificial cornea for patients who still wear glasses and to assume that the patient does not wear glasses after transplanting with the optimized artificial cornea. The results show that the artificial corneas can efficiently decrease the imaging blur. Increasing asphericity of the current designed artificial corneas can be helpful for the imaging corrections. The differences in the optical performance of the optimized artificial corneas by using different materials are small. It is found that the optimized artificial cornea can reduce the high order aberrations for the second case.

Posterior corneal shape: Comparison of height data from 3 corneal topographers

PURPOSE

To compare the ability of 3 clinical corneal topographers to describe the posterior corneal shape.

SETTING

University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

METHODS

Corneas of healthy participants were measured twice with a dual Scheimpflug instrument (Galilei G2), a scanning-slit system (Orbscan IIz), and a single Scheimpflug instrument (Pentacam HR). Height data describing the posterior corneal shape were fit with Zernike polynomials. Mean values with standard deviations (SD), test-retest variability (coefficient of repeatability [CoR]), and interdevice variability were determined for the defocus Z(2,0), astigmatism Z(2,-2) and Z(2,2), and higher-order terms coma Z(3,-1) and Z(3,1), trefoil Z(3,-3) and Z(3,3), and spherical aberration Z(4,0) coefficients for 5.5 mm and 8.0 mm diameters.

RESULTS

For the 5.5 mm diameter, CoRs ranged from 0.3 to 4.3 μm with the dual Scheimpflug instrument, 1.6 to 5.2 μm with the scanning-slit system, and 0.3 to 2.0 μm with the single Scheimpflug instrument. The CoR was similar for the Scheimpflug instruments (P = .43) but poorer for the scanning-slit system (P < .001). The CoRs of the Scheimpflug instruments were smaller than the corresponding population SD for defocus, cardinal astigmatism, coma, and spherical aberration. The scanning-slit system failed to provide 8.0 mm diameter data. There was a significant bias (interdevice variability) between the Scheimpflug instruments in the higher-order coefficients at both diameters.

CONCLUSIONS

Repeatability in assessing the posterior corneal shape was generally good for the Scheimpflug instruments but poor for the scanning-slit system. Interdevice variability between the Scheimpflug instruments compromised the interchangeability of higher-order coefficients. For astigmatism, CoR and 95% limits of agreement of the Scheimpflug instruments typically corresponded to 0.1 diopter per astigmatism term.

Optical eye simulator for laser dazzle events

An optical simulator of the human eye and its application to laser dazzle events are presented. The simulator combines optical design software (ZEMAX) with a scientific programming language (MATLAB) and allows the user to implement and analyze a dazzle scenario using practical, real-world parameters. Contrary to conventional analytical glare analysis, this work uses ray tracing and the scattering model and parameters for each optical element of the eye. The theoretical background of each such element is presented in relation to the model. The overall simulator's calibration, validation, and performance analysis are achieved by comparison with a simpler model based uponCIE disability glare data. Results demonstrate that this kind of advanced optical eye simulation can be used to represent laser dazzle and has the potential to extend the range of applicability of analytical models.

Imaging properties of the light sword optical element used as a contact lens in a presbyopic eye model

The paper analyzes the imaging properties of the light sword optical element (LSOE) applied as a contact lens to the presbyopic human eye. We performed our studies with a human eye model based on the Gullstrand parameterization. In order to quantify the discussion concerning imaging with extended depth of focus, we introduced quantitative parameters characterizing output images of optotypes obtained in numerical simulations. The quality of the images formed by the LSOE were compared with those created by a presbyopic human eye, reading glasses and a quartic inverse axicon. Then we complemented the numerical results by an experiment where a 3D scene was imaged by means of the refractive LSOE correcting an artificial eye based on the Gullstrand model. According to performed simulations and experiments the LSOE exhibits abilities for presbyopia correction in a wide range of functional vision distances.

Strehl ratios characterizing optical elements designed for presbyopia compensation

We present results of numerical analysis of the Strehl ratio characteristics for the light sword optical element (LSOE). For comparison there were analyzed other optical imaging elements proposed for compensation of presbyopia such as the bifocal lens, the trifocal lens, the stenopeic contact lens, and elements with extended depth of focus (EDOF), such as the logarithmic and quartic axicons. The simulations were based on a human eye's model being a simplified version of the Gullstrand model. The results obtained allow to state that the LSOE exhibits much more uniform characteristics of the Strehl ratio comparing with other known hitherto elements and therefore it could be a promising aid to compensate for the insufficient accommodation range of the human eye.