Methods for fabricating annular mask lens having diffraction-reducing edges

Claim 1

A method of fabricating a lens adapted to be worn on or implanted in the eye wherein the lens includes regions having different levels of visible light transmissivity, that comprises the steps of: a. positioning a lens substrate onto a first surface of a substrate support wherein a photosensitive reagent is present on a lens substrate surface, in the lens surface, or in both the lens substrate surface and the lens surface and wherein the second surface of the support comprises radiation restricting regions; b. directing radiation through the second surface of the support and onto the lens substrate; and c. exposing the lens substrate to sufficient radiation to cause the photosensitive reagent to react whereby the lens fabricated has an annular mask region surrounding a central portion having selected transmissivity such that the central portion transmits more light energy at the center of the central portion and less light energy toward an outer edge of the annular mask region without demarcation in the change in transmissivity within the annular mask region and wherein the central portion has a diameter of sufficient size as not to be effective as or a substitute for refractive correction wherein the lens that is fabricated has a substantially transparent central portion that has a center which is offset from the geometric center of the lens.

Claim 2

A method of fabricating a lens adapted to be worn on or implanted in the eye wherein the lens includes regions having different levels of visible light transmissivity, that comprises the steps of: a. positioning a lens substrate onto a first surface of a substrate support wherein a photosensitive reagent is present on a lens substrate surface, in the lens surface, or in both the lens substrate surface and the lens surface and wherein the second surface of the support comprises radiation restricting regions; b. directing radiation through the second surface of the support and onto the lens substrate; and c. exposing the lens substrate to sufficient radiation to cause the photosensitive reagent to react whereby the lens fabricated has an annular mask region surrounding a central portion having selected transmissivity such that the central portion transmits more light energy at the center of the central portion and less light energy toward an outer edge of the annular mask region without demarcation in the change in transmissivity within the annular mask region and wherein the central portion has a diameter of sufficient size as not to be effective as or a substitute for refractive correction wherein the lens that is fabricated has a substantially transparent central portion that has a center which is offset from the geometric center of the lens.

Claim 5

A method of fabricating a lens adapted to be worn on or implanted in the eye wherein the lens includes regions having different levels of visible light transmissivity, that comprises the steps of: a. providing a lens substrate that has a photosensitive reagent present on the lens substrate surface or in the lens substrate; b. positioning a mask having radiation restricting regions over a surface of the lens substrate; c. providing a source of radiation and directing radiation through the mask and onto the lens substrate; d. exposing the lens substrate to sufficient radiation to interact with the photosensitive reagent whereby the lens fabricated has an annular mask region surrounding a central portion having selected transmissivity such that the central portion transmits more light energy at the center of the central portion and less light energy toward an outer edge of the annular mask region without demarcation in the change in transmissivity within the annular mask region and wherein the central portion has a diameter of sufficient size so as not to be effective as or a substitute for refractive correction; and e. rotating the mask.

Claim 6

A method of fabricating a lens adapted to be worn on or implanted in the eye wherein the lens includes regions having different levels of visible light transmissivity, that comprises the steps of: a. providing a lens substrate that has a photosensitive reagent present on the lens substrate surface or in the lens substrate; b. positioning a mask having radiation restricting regions over a surface of the lens substrate; c. providing a source of radiation and directing radiation through the mask and onto the lens substrate; d. exposing the lens substrate to sufficient radiation to interact with the photosensitive reagent whereby the lens fabricated has an annular mask region surrounding a central portion having selected transmissivity such that the central portion transmits more light energy at the center of the central portion and less light energy toward an outer edge of the annular mask region without demarcation in the change in transmissivity within the annular mask region and wherein the central portion has a diameter of sufficient size so as not to be effective as or a substitute for refractive correction; and e. rotating the mask.

Claim 10

A method of fabricating a lens adapted to be worn on or implanted in the eye wherein the lens includes regions having different levels of visible light transmissivity, that comprises the steps of: a. providing a lens substrate that has a photosensitive reagent present on a lens substrate surface or in the lens surface; b. providing a first source of radiation and positioning adjacent to said first source a first mask having first radiation restricting regions; c. providing a second source of radiation and positioning adjacent to said second source a second mask having second radiation restricting regions; d. focusing radiation from the first source onto the lens substrate whereby the radiation travels through the first mask; e. focusing radiation from the second source onto the lens substrate whereby the radiation travels through the second mask; and f. exposing the lens substrate to sufficient radiation to react with the photosensitive reagent whereby the lens fabricated has an annular mask region surrounding a central portion having selected transmissivity such that the central portion transmits more light energy at the center of the central portion and less light energy toward an outer edge of the annular mask region without demarcation in the change in transmissivity within the annular mask region and wherein the central portion has a diameter of sufficient size as not to be effective as or a substitute for refractive correction wherein the lens that is fabricated has a substantially transparent central portion that has a center which is offset from the geometric center of the lens.

Claim 11

A method of fabricating a lens adapted to be worn on or implanted in the eye wherein the lens includes regions having different levels of visible light transmissivity, that comprises the steps of: a. providing a lens substrate that has a photosensitive reagent present on a lens substrate surface or in the lens surface; b. providing a first source of radiation and positioning adjacent to said first source a first mask having first radiation restricting regions; c. providing a second source of radiation and positioning adjacent to said second source a second mask having second radiation restricting regions; d. focusing radiation from the first source onto the lens substrate whereby the radiation travels through the first mask; e. focusing radiation from the second source onto the lens substrate whereby the radiation travels through the second mask; and f. exposing the lens substrate to sufficient radiation to react with the photosensitive reagent whereby the lens fabricated has an annular mask region surrounding a central portion having selected transmissivity such that the central portion transmits more light energy at the center of the central portion and less light energy toward an outer edge of the annular mask region without demarcation in the change in transmissivity within the annular mask region and wherein the central portion has a diameter of sufficient size as not to be effective as or a substitute for refractive correction wherein the lens that is fabricated has a substantially transparent central portion that has a center which is offset from the geometric center of the lens.

Claim 15

A method of fabricating a lens adapted to be worn on or implanted in the eye wherein the lens includes regions having different levels of visible light transmissivity, that comprises the steps of: a. providing a lens substrate that has a photosensitive reagent present on the lens substrate surface or in a lens substrate; b. providing a source of radiation; c. positioning a shutter masking device between the source of radiation and said lens surface; and d. opening a shutter window in the device from a first position to second position as radiation is directed onto the surface of the substrate through the window thereby exposing a surface of the lens substrate to varying levels of radiation and causing the photosensitive reagent to react and produce a light transmissivity gradient in said lens substrate whereby the lens fabricated has an annular mask region surrounding a central portion having selected transmissivity such that the central portion transmits more light energy at the center of the central portion and less light energy toward an outer edge of the annular mask region without demarcation in the change in transmissivity within the annular mask region and wherein the central portion has a diameter of sufficient size as not to be effective as or a substitute for refractive correction wherein the lens that is fabricated has a substantially transparent central portion that has a center which is offset from the geometric center of the lens.

Claim 16

A method of fabricating a lens adapted to be worn on or implanted in the eye wherein the lens includes regions having different levels of visible light transmissivity, that comprises the steps of: a. providing a lens substrate that has a photosensitive reagent present on the lens substrate surface or in a lens substrate; b. providing a source of radiation; c. positioning a shutter masking device between the source of radiation and said lens surface; and d. opening a shutter window in the device from a first position to second position as radiation is directed onto the surface of the substrate through the window thereby exposing a surface of the lens substrate to varying levels of radiation and causing the photosensitive reagent to react and produce a light transmissivity gradient in said lens substrate whereby the lens fabricated has an annular mask region surrounding a central portion having selected transmissivity such that the central portion transmits more light energy at the center of the central portion and less light energy toward an outer edge of the annular mask region without demarcation in the change in transmissivity within the annular mask region and wherein the central portion has a diameter of sufficient size as not to be effective as or a substitute for refractive correction wherein the lens that is fabricated has a substantially transparent central portion that has a center which is offset from the geometric center of the lens.

Claim 19

A method of fabricating a lens adapted to be worn on or implanted in the eye wherein the lens includes regions having different levels of visible light transmissivity, that comprises the steps of: a. providing a lens substrate that has a photosensitive reagent present on the lens substrate surface or in a lens substrate; b. providing a source of radiation; c. positioning a shutter masking device between the source of radiation and said lens surface; d. directing radiation towards the device; and e. closing a shutter window in the device from a first position to second position as radiation is directed onto the surface of the substrate through the window thereby exposing a surface of the lens substrate to varying levels of radiation and causing the photosensitive reagent to react and produce a light transmissivity gradient in said lens substrate whereby the lens fabricated has an annular mask region surrounding a central portion having selected transmissivity such that the central portion transmits more light energy at the center of the central portion and less light energy toward an outer edge of the annular mask region without demarcation in the change in transmissivity within the annular mask region and wherein the central portion has a diameter of sufficient size as not to be effective as or a substitute for refractive correction wherein the lens that is fabricated has a substantially transparent central portion that has a center which is offset from the geometric center of the lens.

Claim 20

A method of fabricating a lens adapted to be worn on or implanted in the eye wherein the lens includes regions having different levels of visible light transmissivity, that comprises the steps of: a. providing a lens substrate that has a photosensitive reagent present on the lens substrate surface or in a lens substrate; b. providing a source of radiation; c. positioning a shutter masking device between the source of radiation and said lens surface; d. directing radiation towards the device; and e. closing a shutter window in the device from a first position to second position as radiation is directed onto the surface of the substrate through the window thereby exposing a surface of the lens substrate to varying levels of radiation and causing the photosensitive reagent to react and produce a light transmissivity gradient in said lens substrate whereby the lens fabricated has an annular mask region surrounding a central portion having selected transmissivity such that the central portion transmits more light energy at the center of the central portion and less light energy toward an outer edge of the annular mask region without demarcation in the change in transmissivity within the annular mask region and wherein the central portion has a diameter of sufficient size as not to be effective as or a substitute for refractive correction wherein the lens that is fabricated has a substantially transparent central portion that has a center which is offset from the geometric center of the lens.

Claim 23

A method of fabricating a lens adapted to be worn on or implanted in the eye wherein the lens includes regions having different levels of visible light transmissivity, that comprises the steps of: a. providing a lens substrate that has a photosensitive reagent present on the lens substrate surface or in the lens substrate; b. positioning a mask having radiation restricting regions over a surface of the lens substrate; c. providing a source of radiation and directing radiation through the mask and onto the lens substrate; and d. exposing the lens substrate to sufficient radiation to interact with the photosensitive reagent whereby the lens fabricated has an annular mask region surrounding a central portion having selected transmissivity such that the central portion transmits more light energy at the center of the central portion and less light energy toward an outer edge of the annular mask region without demarcation in the change in transmissivity within the annular mask region wherein the central portion has a diameter of sufficient size so as not to be effective as or a substitute for refractive correction and wherein the lens that is fabricated has a substantially transparent central portion that has a center which is offset from the geometric center of the lens.

Claim 24

A method of fabricating a lens adapted to be worn on or implanted in the eye wherein the lens includes regions having different levels of visible light transmissivity, that comprises the steps of: a. providing a lens substrate that has a photosensitive reagent present on the lens substrate surface or in the lens substrate; b. positioning a mask having radiation restricting regions over a surface of the lens substrate; c. providing a source of radiation and directing radiation through the mask and onto the lens substrate; and d. exposing the lens substrate to sufficient radiation to interact with the photosensitive reagent whereby the lens fabricated has an annular mask region surrounding a central portion having selected transmissivity such that the central portion transmits more light energy at the center of the central portion and less light energy toward an outer edge of the annular mask region without demarcation in the change in transmissivity within the annular mask region wherein the central portion has a diameter of sufficient size so as not to be effective as or a substitute for refractive correction and wherein the lens that is fabricated has a substantially transparent central portion that has a center which is offset from the geometric center of the lens.