Improving vision by pupil masking

Abstract

We propose an alternative solution to improve visual quality by spatially modulating the amplitude of light passing into the eye (related to the eye's transmittance), in contrast to traditional correction of the wavefront phase (related to the local refractive power). Numerical simulations show that masking the aberrated areas at the pupil plane should enhance visual function, especially in highly aberrated eyes. This correction could be implemented in practice using customized contact or intraocular lenses.

Keywords: (330.0330) Vision, color, and visual optics; (330.1070) Vision - acuity; (330.4460) Ophthalmic optics and devices.

Fig. 1

Left: Ocular wavefront (in μm) for a 6 mm pupil diameter (primary astigmatism terms were removed and defocus adjusted to simulate the best spectacle correction). Right: Optimized pupil computed by the algorithm (white area). Data corresponds to the healthy (A) and the keratoconic eye (B).

Fig. 2

Logarithm radially averaged Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) for the optimized pupil (black) and for the best centered circular pupil (grey, 4 mm pupil diameter). A retinal contrast threshold curve for a retinal illuminance of 500 Td was also included (dotted line). Data corresponds to the healthy (A) and the keratoconic eye (B)), with equivalent areas of circular pupils of 4.08 and 4.07 mm diameter respectively.

Fig. 3

Monochromatic point spread function for the best centered circular pupil (left, 4 mm pupil diameter) and for the optimized pupil (right). Data corresponds to the healthy (A) and the keratoconic eye (B), with equivalent areas of circular pupils of 4.08 and 4.07 mm diameter respectively.

Fig. 4

Convolution of the monochromatic PSF with an image of an eye-chart with Landolt Cs with letters visual acuity of 0.1 logMAR. Images correspond to the best centered circular pupil (left, 4 mm pupil diameter) and the optimized pupil (right). Data corresponds to the healthy (A) and the keratoconic eye (B), with equivalent areas of circular pupils of 4.08 and 4.07 mm diameter respectively.

Fig. 5

VSMTF_ABS of the optimized pupil as a function of the rotation angle around z-axis of the pupil. The horizontal line represents the value of VSMTF_ABS of the best centered circular pupil (4 mm diameter). Data corresponds to the healthy (A) and the keratoconic eye (B), with equivalent areas of circular pupils of 4.08 and 4.07 mm diameter respectively.