Switchable Focus Eyeglass Lenses

[Paul Rousseau]

I’ve been reading about this new invention.


From the article:

UA Optical Scientists Develop Switchable Focus Eyeglass Lenses
http://uanews.org/cgi-bin/WebObjects...rticleID=12483

"Optical scientists at The University of Arizona have developed new switchable, flat, liquid crystal diffractive lenses that can adaptively change their focusing power."

I am new to the optiboard and I am relatively new to the optical industry.
My interest is in innovation and evolving technology and one of my
projects is recruiting and training eye doctors to dispense golfing
eyeglasses <www.visionforegolfing.com>. I came across this invention while doing research for one of my presentations.

This is the first real evolution of eyeglass lenses (as an external aid to vision) in a long time, and it was predictable. According to Altshuller
who developed the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ), technology evolves (in terms of energy) from mechanical (e.g. optic improvement is currently focused on lens materials and grinding) to liquid/gas the nature of the invention at hand.

Lenses that change shape to accommodate different focal lenghts have
been used in telescopes for a while now, and the U of Arizona invention
is really an application of this technology to eyeglass lenses. In fact, the concept behind the switchable focus eyeglass lens hit the press 5 years
ago, and a commercial application is not seen for at least two years. Moreover, there is a lot of room for improvement to make these lenses
really work as well as current technology PALs.

Still, anyone in the optical industry should be paying attention. These new
lenses will be commercially viable, likely in the 600 dollar range, within 3 to 5 years, and they will, just as CDs and DVD's overtook tape as the preferred recording medium, replace current PAL lens designs.

In fact, we can look forward to the function of "bending light" (to correct vision problems) being delivered without any visible object in front of, on or in the eye in the future. Conceptually, an electronic field can be generated to deliver that function.

I'm interested in your thoughts on this major optical invention, and how
it will impact the vision correction industry.



Paul Rousseau
Director, Training and Development
Vision Fore Golfing
paul.rousseau@visionforegolfing.com
www.visionforegolfing.com

[Dave Nelson]

The concept is certainly not new, and has been around, in one form or another, as long as the "vertex aquired addition lens." A 50s issue of popular science featured a "futuristic" pair of specs that used a flexible thin glass lens, and a pump in the wearer's pocket, along with a reservoir of water to manually pump into the lenses, and change their power. Presumably, new technology has made the concept more viable, but the question remains: how does the unit "know" when to change focus? Solving that problem is relativly easy, but keeping the cost and size of such a unit viable, well. not so easy? Your post is food for thought, however, and where technology takes us is anyone's guess.