System and Method for Designing Scleral Lenses

Abstract

A system and method for designing scleral lenses includes a computer, a camera and a lathe connected by a network. The camera captures a set of sagittal images at each of a set of sagittal places of an eye. A combined sagittal image is created from each set of sagittal images. A spline curve is defined for each combined sagittal image creating a set of spline curves. A set of back surface curves if created from the set of spline curves. A back lens surface is generated from the set of surface curves. A front lens surface is generated adjacent the back lens surface. A point cloud is generated from the back lens surface and the front lens surface. The point cloud is converted to a lens image. The lens is converted to a test file for use by the lathe to cut the scleral lens.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method of designing a scleral contact lens comprising:
 capturing a sagittal image of the anterior surface of an eye;   extracting a surface curve from the sagittal image;   creating a back surface curve from the surface curve;   generating a back lens surface from the back surface curve;   creating a front surface curve from the back surface curve; and   generating a front lens surface from the front surface curve.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said creating a back surface curve comprises:
 creating a spline curve for the sagittal image; and 
 converting the spline curve to a back surface curve. 
 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the sagittal image is captured by a camera. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the step of generating a back lens surface from the back surface curve further comprises the steps of:
 generating a back optical surface;   creating a back haptic surface curve for the back surface curve;   generating a back haptic surface from the back haptic surface curve;   generating a back blend surface; and   combining the back optical surface, the back haptic surface, and the back blend surface to form the back lens surface.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the step of generating a back optical surface further comprises the steps:
 receiving a set of back surface points;   generating a back optical surface from the set of back surface points; and   trimming the back optical surface.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising the step of changing a slope of the back haptic surface curve. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the step of generating a front lens surface from the front surface curve further comprises the steps of:
 generating a front optical surface; 
 creating a front haptic surface curve for the front surface curve; 
 generating a front haptic surface from the front haptic surface curve; 
 generating a front blend surface; and 
 combining the front optical surface, the front haptic surface, and the front blend surface to form the front lens surface. 
 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the step of generating a front optical surface, further comprises the steps of:
 receiving a set of front surface points; 
 generating a front optical surface from the set of front surface points; and 
 trimming the front optical surface. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising the step of changing the slope of the front haptic surface curve. 
     
     
         32 . A method of designing a scleral contact lens comprising:
 capturing a plurality of sagittal images of the anterior surface of an eye;   extracting a plurality of surface curves from the plurality of sagittal images;   creating a plurality of back surface curves from the plurality of surface curves;   generating a back lens surface from the plurality of back surface curves;   creating a plurality of front surface curves from the plurality of back surface curves; and   generating a front lens surface from the plurality of front surface curves.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein a computer is used to create a set of combined sagittal images from the plurality of sagittal images. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said creating a plurality of back surface curves comprises:
 creating a spline curve for each combined sagittal image of the set of combined sagittal images to create a set of spline curves; and 
 converting each spline curve to a back surface curve to create the plurality of back surface curves. 
 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the plurality of sagittal images are captured by a camera. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the step of generating a back lens surface from the plurality of back surface curves further comprises the steps of:
 generating a back optical surface;   creating a back haptic surface curve for each back surface curve of the plurality of back surface curves to create a plurality of back haptic surface curves;   generating a back haptic surface from the plurality of back haptic surface curves;   generating a back blend surface; and   combining the back optical surface, the back haptic surface, and the back blend surface to form the back lens surface.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the step of generating a back optical surface further comprises the steps of:
 receiving a set of back surface points;   generating a back optical surface from the set of back surface points; and   trimming the back optical surface.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36  further comprising the step of changing a slope of each back haptic surface curve of the plurality of back haptic surface curves. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the step of generating a front lens surface from the plurality of front surface curves further comprises the steps of:
 generating a front optical surface; 
 creating a front haptic surface curve for each front surface curve of the plurality of front surface curves to create a plurality of front haptic surface curves; 
 generating a front haptic surface from the plurality of front haptic surface curves; 
 generating a front blend surface; and 
 combining the front optical surface, the front haptic surface, and the front blend surface to form the front lens surface. 
 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39  wherein the step of generating a front optical surface, further comprises the steps of:
 receiving a set of front surface points; 
 generating a front optical surface from the set of front surface points; and 
 trimming the front optical surface. 
 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising the step of changing a slope of each from haptic surface curve of the plurality of front haptic surface curves. 
     
     
         42 . A method of creating a scleral contact lens comprising:
 receiving a front lens surface and a back lens surface at a computer;   the computer commanding a lathe to cut the scleral contact lens using the front lens surface and the back lens surface.   
     
     
         43 . A system for designing a scleral contact lens comprising:
 a device for capturing a sagittal image of the anterior surface of an eye;   a computer program for extracting a surface curve from the sagittal image;   a computer program for creating a back surface curve from the surface curve;   a computer program for generating a back lens surface from the back surface curve;   a computer program for creating a front surface curve from the back surface curve; and   a computer program for generating a front lens surface from the front surface curve.   
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43  wherein said computer program for creating a back surface curve comprises:
 Software code for creating a spline curve for the sagittal image; and 
 software code for converting the spline curve to a back surface curve. 
 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 43  further comprising a camera to capture the sagittal image. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 43  wherein the computer program for generating a back lens surface from the back surface curve further comprises:
 software code for generating a back optical surface; 
 software code for creating a back haptic surface curve for the back surface curve; 
 software code for generating a back haptic surface from the back haptic surface curve; 
 software code generating a back blend surface; and 
 software code for combining the back optical surface, the back haptic surface, and the back blend surface to form the back lens surface. 
 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the software code for generating a back optical surface further comprises:
 software code for receiving a set of back surface points;   software code for generating a back optical surface from the set of back surface points, and   software code for trimming the back optical surface.   
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 46  further comprising software for changing a slope of the back haptic surface curve. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 43  wherein the computer program for generating a front lens surface from the front surface curve further comprises:
 software code for generating a front optical surface; 
 software code for creating a front haptic surface curve for the front surface curve; 
 software code for generating a front haptic surface from the front haptic surface curve; 
 software code for generating a front blend surface; and 
 software code for combining the front optical surface, the front haptic surface, and the front blend surface to form the front lens surface. 
 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 49  wherein the software code for generating a front optical surface further comprises:
 software code for receiving a set of front surface points; 
 software code for generating a front optical surface from the set of front surface points; and 
 software code for trimming the front optical surface. 
 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising the step of changing the slope of the from haptic surface curve. 
     
     
         52 . A system for designing a scleral contact lens comprising:
 a device for capturing a plurality of sagittal images of the anterior surface of an eye;   a computer program for extracting a plurality of surface curves from the plurality of sagittal images;   a computer program for creating a plurality of back surface curves from the plurality of surface curves;   a computer program for generating a back lens surface from the plurality of back surface curves;   a computer program for creating a plurality front surface curves from the plurality of back surface curves; and   a computer program for generating a front lens surface from the plurality of front surface curves.   
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 52  wherein a computer program is used to create a set of combined sagittal images from the plurality of sagittal images. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 52  wherein the computer program for creating a set of back surface curves comprises:
 software code for creating a spline curve for each combined sagittal image of the set of combined sagittal images to create a set of spline curves; and 
 software code for converting each spline curve to a back surface curve to create the set of back surface curves. 
 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 52  comprising a camera to capture the sagittal images. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein the computer program for generating a back lens surface from the plurality of back surface curves comprises:
 software code for generating a back optical surface;   software code for creating a back haptic surface curve for each back surface curve of the plurality of back surface curves to create a plurality of back haptic surface curves;   software code for generating a back haptic surface from the plurality of back haptic surface curves;   software code for generating a back blend surface; and   software code for combining the back optical surface, the back haptic surface, and the back blend surface to form the back lens surface.   
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 56  wherein the software code for generating a back optical surface comprises:
 software code for receiving a set of back surface points; 
 software code for generating a back optical surface from the set of back surface points; and 
 software code for trimming the back optical surface. 
 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 56  further comprising a computer program for changing a slope of each back haptic surface curve of the plurality of back haptic surface curves. 
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 52  wherein the computer program for generating a front lens surface from the plurality of front surface curves further comprising:
 software code for generating a front optical surface; 
 software code for creating a front haptic surface curve for each front surface curve of the plurality of front surface curves to create a plurality of front haptic surface curves; 
 software code for generating a front haptic surface from the plurality of front haptic surface curves; 
 software code for generating a front blend surface; and 
 software code for combining the front optical surface, the front haptic surface, and the front blend surface to form the front lens surface. 
 
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 59  wherein the software code for generating a front optical surface further comprises:
 software code for receiving a set of front surface points; 
 software code for generating a front optical surface from the set of front surface points; and 
 software code for trimming the front optical surface. 
 
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 59 , further comprising a computer program for changing a slope of each front haptic surface curve of the plurality of from haptic surface curves. 
     
     
         62 . A system for creating a scleral contact lens comprising:
 a computer for receiving a front lens surface and a back lens surface;   a computer program for commanding a lathe to cut the scleral contact lens using the front lens surface and the back lens surface.   
     
     
         63 . A method of designing a scleral contact lens comprising:
 receiving a surface curve generated from a sagittal image of the anterior surface of an eye;   creating a back surface curve from the surface curve;   generating a back lens surface from the back surface curve;   creating a front surface curve from the back surface curve; and   generating a front lens surface from the front surface curve.   
     
     
         64 . A method of designing a scleral contact lens comprising:
 receiving a plurality of surface curves generated from a plurality of sagittal images of the anterior surface of an eye;   creating a plurality of back surface curves from the plurality of surface curves;   generating a back lens surface from the plurality of back surface curves;   creating a plurality of front surface curve from the plurality of back surface curves; and   generating a front lens surface from the plurality of front surface curves.   
     
     
         65 . A system of designing a sclera contact lens comprising:
 a computer program for receiving a surface curve generated from a sagittal image of the anterior surface of an eye;   a computer program for creating a back surface curve from the surface curve;   a computer program for generating a back lens surface from the back surface curve;   a computer program for creating a front surface curve from the back surface curve; and   a computer program for generating a front lens surface from the front surface curve.   
     
     
         66 . A system for of designing a scleral contact lens comprising:
 a computer program for receiving a plurality of surface curves generated from a plurality of sagittal images of the anterior surface of an eye;   a computer program for creating a plurality of back surface curves from the plurality of surface curves;   a computer program for generating a back lens surface from the plurality of back surface curves;   a computer program for creating a plurality of front surface curve from the plurality of back surface curves; and   a computer program for generating a front lens surface from the plurality of front surface curves.