Vision Improvement By Dynamic Optics.

Vision provides a majority of information that the brain needs to perceive the world. Simple defocus, which deteriorates vision, can be corrected with conventional lenses. Nevertheless, more complicated defects, such as irregular astigmatisms, cannot be compensated with conventional ophthalmic lenses and require more specific and advanced methods to be corrected. To meet these needs, we designed and constructed a VIDO (Vision Improvement by Dynamic Optics) device. It can be used to virtually place any optical element designed for eye correction as a contact lens or IOL (e.g. with EDOF capabilities). The VIDO device allows clinical testing of new components through a virtual placement of the designed optical elements on the eye.

The system consists of an aberrometer, autorefractometer, virtual vision-correcting unit and an ophthalmoscope, which design is known. However, their combination and automation is an original solution. An exceptionally innovative feature is that the device operates in the open field, making an ophthalmologist and a patient capable of assessing the quality of vision in a translucent optical path with the virtual correction of the eye's optical system. 

The main objective of the research is to design and verify an innovative device for optometry and ophthalmology. The VIDO device optoelectronic system links three modules, i.e., the vision tests projection module, retinal image quality in-vivo assessment module, and virtual optical correction module. The VIDO device enables the simultaneous evaluation of correction effects and real-time optimization of correction elements based on the obtained results. The valuable issue of VIDO technology is so-called open-field functioning. After virtual correction the patient could look through the device to see natural scenes in the room. Devices currently available in the world's markets do not provide natural sight testing capability.  

One of the innovative forms of vision correction we used to test the VIDO device is a compensation of presbyopia, i.e., lack of accommodation of the eye.  The research so far clearly shows that the best improvement of presbyopic vision is obtained by removing the rotational symmetry of the optical system and making its power depends on the polar angular coordinate. The VIDO device allows testing such elements projected on the patient's eye's cornea without the need for expensive manufacturing of single units of experimental correction elements. Such functionality is valuable, especially in the prospect of suppression of high-order aberrations or testing new correction methods. 

The developed technology greatly benefits ophthalmologic clinics with the possibility of automatic optimal compensation of the imperfections of the eye's optical system. Modern intraocular lenses often represent a compromise, improving specific properties of vision (e.g. the scope of the distance) at the expense of others (e.g. contrast sensitivity). The VIDO device makes the patient's choice of intraocular lens easier, providing an assessment of post-operative sight before surgical implantation. The research was supported by the National Center for Research and Development under the LIDER program (LIDER/15/0061/L-9/17/NCBR/2018) and by the Warsaw University of Technology in the "Excellence Initiative - Research University" program.