Spectacles
Definition
Optical appliance comprising lenses and a frame with sides extending towards the ears.
They are cheap, easily available
Are used to correct refractive errors and presbyopia
Parts of a spectacle frame
Has two main parts: front and side
Front consists of:
Rims: complete or in complete
Bridge: connection between two rims
Regular bridge –full surface in contact
Inset bridge- projects behind the plane of the frame so that area of contact lies
behind the lens frame
Saddle bridge- combination of the two
Metal frames have got meta bridges and they do not lie in contact
The weight of the spectacles is borne by two plastic pads
Lugs are projections on the side on which side pieces are attached
Side pieces fit spectacles to ear
They are made up of plastic and metal wires in plastic frames
Metal with plastic end-cover in metal frames
Spectacle material
Synthetic material
Metal
Ideal material should have following qualities:
Non-allergic
Resistant to corrosion
Noninflammable
Inexpensive
Durable
Adjustable
Material
Natural: Tortoise shell, horn
Plastic: cellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate, cellulose propionate, perspex
Nylon supra: rare, not used, children
Metal: stainless steal, nickel silver, anodized aluminium, gold
Combination
Tortoise Shell
Shell of hawksbill turtle
Quality depends upon color of the shell.. Amber to red
Durable, attractive colors and mottling, easy to maintain
Restricted now
Plastic Frames
Inexpensive
Mass production
Derived from cotton or petroleum extract or lab production by polymerization
Divided into two groups:
Thermosetting
Thermoplastic can be heated and cooled with loosing plasticity, preferred material
Cellulose nitrate: derived from cotton lint, hard, retains its shape even in hot climate and easy to work
upon, use declined, is inflammables
Cellulose acetate: obtained from cotton lint, is less inflammable then nitrate, stability is low
Cellulose propionate: used in combination frames
Perspex: synthetic acrylic resin, PMMA, highly stable, retain their original shape, non-allergic, not easy
to work as they are rigid
Epoxy resin: thermoplastics, lightweight, stable, do not warp
Nylon frames: not used any more
Metallic frame:
Mass production is easy
Stable
Adjustable
Non-allergic
Noninflammable
Dimensions of spectacle frame
For better productivity and reproducibility various systems of measurement are devised
Datum system, GOMAC and Boxing system
IPD and Frame and lens dimensions are important
To align the optical axis of lens with visual axis of the eye horizontal decentering might be needed
Datum system
Developed in 1930
Forms the British standard for spectacle measurements
Datum line(DD): line that lies midway between two parallel lines drawn horizontally at highest and
lowest point of the lens shape
Datum center: mid point of the datum length
Datum length: that part of the datum line which is bounded by the lens periphery.
It gives the horizontal dimensions of the lens
Mid datum depth: vertical line passing through the datum center and bounded by the periphery of the
lens , gives the vertical dimensions of the lens
Shape difference: difference in millimeters between the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the lens
Datum line of the frame: It is a line which is continuous with datum line of each lens in the frame
Datum center distance (C): distance between the datum center of right and left lens when fitted in a
frame
Distance between lenses: horizontal distance between measured along the horizontal line between the
nasal edges of the spectacle lenses
Boxing system
American system
Boxed lens size: length and height of the rectangle with horizontal and vertical sides tangential to the
lens periphery
Geometric center line (DD):datum line of British standards
Geometrical center of the box (c ): is the standard optical center corresponding to datum center of
British standard
Distance between centers(g) :refers to the distance between the geometrical centers of the right and
left boxes
Distance between lenses (m): is the distance between the nasal vertical tangents to the lens at the peak
of the bevel
Lens Decentration
There are two important points- centration point and centration distance
Centration point of a lens: the point where optical center of lens is intended to lie
Centration distance is the distance between the centration points of the two lens
The centration point should coincide with the datum center of the spectacle and visual axis should pass
through it
CD corresponds to the IPD and datum center distance of spectacles
This is the ideal situation and ensures that there is no prismatic effect
A lens is said to be decentered when its CP does not coincide with the datum center of the spectacles
Why decentration ?
When patients IPD does not coincide with datum center distance of the chosen spectacles
To produce prismatic effect at CP as in phorias
For near work
How is it done?
Amount depends upon the prescription and required prismatic effect
Decentration(d) in cm = Prismatic effect/prescription
For convex lenses it is done in the direction of the base of the prism (nasally and down)
For concave lenses decentration is done towards apex (temporally and up)
In case of cylinders decetration along the axis will not produce any effect
The effect is calculated individually in each axis
Example
If a +4DS requires 2Δ prism , lens will be decentered by 0.5cm and nasally
If a - 4DS requires 2Δ prism , lens will be decentered by 0.5cm and temporally
+2DS/+4DC X 90 with 1 Δ BI and 1 Δ base down
d(vertical)=1/2= 0.5cm
d(horizontal)= 1/ 2+4= 0.16 cm
Lens is decentered 1.6 mm nasally and 5mm down
-2DS/-4DC X 90 with 1 Δ BI and 1 Δ base down
d(vertical)=1/2= 0.5cm
d(horizontal)= 1/ 2+4= 0.16 cm
Lens is decentered 1.6 mm temporally and 5mm up
During reading eyes are lowered 15° and converge to an amount depending upon IPD
CD for near is more important for reading
It is measured by a ruler held over the nose bridge at the level of spectacles and fingers are rested on
temples
The pt. looks at one eye of the examiner who sits at 33 cm
With the LE the examiner locates the nasal border of right pupil and moves the scale till it coincides with
zero
Now the same eye locates the temporal border of the left pupil and notes down the scale reading
coinciding with it – this gives the CD
OR
CP can be placed 2mm nasal and 8mm down from CP for distance
Pantoscopic tilt
Spectacles are fitted with downward tilt of 7-8 ° to the visual axis
The top of the spectacle is ~8 ° forward then the lower end
This patoscopic tilt is done to conform to the rotation of eye on the optical axis of the spectacle lens
Advantages of Patoscopic tilt
Minimizes the effect of oblique astigmatism
Minimizes the vertex distance changes
Lens forms, shapes and power
• Total power of lens can be achieved by combining different types of curved surfaces called as
form of lens
• Lenses can be of two types according to the form: Flat and Curved
• Flat lenses
• Both surfaces have got same type of curvature eg. Biconcave, biconvex
• One surface is flat and the power is ground on the other surface eg. Plano-concave, plano-
convex
• Used in spectacles rarely, in high errors, cause aberrations
• Curved lenses
• Convex surface on one side and concave on the other
• Are of two types:
– Meniscus lens
– Toric lens
• Meniscus lens
• Curved lenses where both the surfaces are spherical
• Mass production
• Toric lenses
• Curved lenses where one surface is spherical and the other is toroidal in shape
• Used when cylinder is present in prescription
• Spherical power is ground on anterior surface while posterior is made toroidal
• Base curve
• Is important for mass production
• Lenses are supplied by the manufacturer as semi-finished blanks which have one surface ground
to have one basic curve, the base curve
• The optician grinds the other surface to get the required power
• BC is mostly added to its anterior surface
• To get plus power negative BC is used and vise versa
• A meniscus lens of BC 6D is called a deep meniscus
• A lens with 1.25 D is called as periscopic lens, not in use
• For toric lenses BC is 6D
• The BC is selected from the table provided by the manufacturer
• Special type of lens forms
Single cut meniscus lenses:
• Used in small or moderate degree of errors
• Standard curve lenses are ground with a concave posterior surface (-1.25D in periscopic or -6D
in deep meniscus)
• Spherical correction is added to the anterior surface
• Lenticular lenses
• Used in high power lenses
• Central portion power is grind to central part and is called as aperture
• Peripheral part is called as carrier
• The aperture is 30-40mm in diameter
• They are of various types:
-Solid lenticulars
- Plano lenticulars
-Cemented lenticulars
-Profile lenticulars
-Fused Lenticulars
• Solid: has carrier has convex slope
• Plano: carrier is plane and aperture is either convex or concave. Concave is called as myodisk
• Cemented: aperture carries the sphere which is fused on a carrier in which cylinder is
incorporated
• Profile: aperture has same shape as the whole lens shape and so aperture is not visible
• Aperture is ground on the back surface of a plus lens and is filled with a glass of high index and
heated at 600°C . It reduces the power
• Lenticular lenses reduce the weight of spectacles as well as aberrations due to high power
Aspheric Lenses
Are also used to make high plus aphakic lenses by modifying the lens curvature peripherally to reduce
aberrations and better peripheral vision
• Best form lenses
• Every lens form has some inherent efects as spectacles are fixed and eyes rotate behind them
• The aberrations can be in the form of oblique astigmatism
• The form of lenses that decrease these aberrations are called as best form lenses
• The lenses are manufactured in such a way that one surface which is flatter is called the base
curve and the other as combining surface
• Combining surface has variable curvature depending upon the prescription
The best practical base curves are:
• From +7 to 0D -6D next to the eye
• From 0D to -6D +6D away from the eye
• -6D to -10 D +1.25 D away from the eye
• -10D to -20D plane away from eye
• For toric lenses used in astigmatic corrections the best BC is 6D
• Meniscus is efficient form of lenses beyond +7 & -20D or aspheric lenses may be used but then
peripheral vision is compromised
• Lenticular lenses can also be used
Lens Shapes
• Outline of lens periphery with nasal side and temporal side indicated.
• Shape difference: is a term which refers to the difference in millimeters between the horizontal
and vertical dimensions of a lens
• Types of lens shapes
• Geometrical Shape: round, oval, pantascopic round oval (PRO)
• Perimetric shapes
• Upswept shapes
• Rimless or angular shapes
• Half –eye shape
Geometrical shapes
• Round: most ancient, not used, only as industrial goggles
• Oval: elliptical, not used
• PRO: Lower half of a circle and upper half an ellipse with same horizontal diameter, most
commonly used
Perimetric shapes:
• Shape resembles the monocular field of vision
• There are two types of perimetric shapes:- rounded contour and squarer contour
Upswept shapes: shape with a slope upwards towards the temple
Rimless or angular shapes:
Half eye shapes: for near only
Lens Power
• Spectacles have curved front and back surface
• The point where these surfaces intersect the optical axis are called as back and front vertex
• If the parallel rays of light are incident on a lens they will be made to converge on a point on
optical axis called as secondary focal point of the lens.
• This is in front of the lens in concave lenses and behind in convex lenses
• The distance between this secondary focus of the lens on the principal axis and its vertex is
called as the vertex focal length
• Vertex power is the reciprocal of the vertex focal length
• Front vertex power( FVP) and back vertex power (BVP) as measured from front and back vertex
point on the lens
• Vertex power depends upon the shape and thickness of the lens and the distance from the eye
• FVP is important in bifocals as near addition is incorporated on the front surface of the distance
correction
• BVP is more important as it is this surface that is used for lens dispensing
• VP can be measured with Lensometer
• BVP is calculated with back surface against the holder and FVP is calculated by placing front
surface down against the holder
• Vertex distance is the distance between the back surface of the lens and front of the cornea
when placed over the nose.
• This is different from vertex focal length which is the distance between the vertex point and the
secondary focal point of the lens & which is placed over retina when lens is used to correct the
refractive error
• If the vertex distance is changed by bringing the spectacle forward or backwards the VD will
change and the secondary focal point will not fall on the retina and the same power of lens will
not correct the RE
• When lens is brought near the eye
– The power of plus lens should be increased
– While the power of minus lens should be decreased
The effective power of a plus lens decreases by decreasing the VD
The effective power of minus lens increases by decreasing the VD
• VD becomes important when power of the lens is more then +/- 4D
• If lenses are separated by the same media on either side the front and back focal lengths are
equal
• If media re not same then equivalent power is taken into account
• It depends upon the RI of the media also
• Combination of thin lenses
BVP (F’v) = F1 + F2 –dF1F2/ 1-dF1
• Where d is the distance between the two lenses in mts.
• F1 and F2 are powers of the two lenses
Equivalent power (F) =F1 + F2- dF1 F2
OR F’ v = F/ 1-dF1
Front vertex power (Fv) = f/1-dF2
• For thick lenses
F= F1 + F2 –d/n F1F2
Where ‘d’ is the thickness of the lens in mts. And ‘n’ is the RI of the lens
BVP or F’v = ___F__
1-d/n F1
FVP or Fv = __F___
1-d/n F2
Single and Multi focal lenses
• Single vision lenses: unifocal , for one distance
• Bifocal lenses: have two powers, for distance and near
• Trifocals: have tree parts, for far distance, intermediate and near vision
• Varifocal lenses: having many portions of different powers, useful for all distances
Multifocal lenses
• Having varying portions of different powers
• Can be bifocals or trifocals
• Used when presbyopia
• The near power is a plus lens called as near or reading addition
• Segment architecture in multifocals
• Centration point (CP): The near CP lies 2mm nasal and 8mm below the distance CP
• Segment shape: round shaped additions were used previously but they caused restricted field
while reading, image jump also occurred
• Image jump is the sudden upward displacement of the image when an object is first viewed
through distance to near
• Flat top shape- called as Univis D lenses.
• The junction line was more visible
• Univis C and sovereign lenses have top of the segment as semicircular hence cosmetically
better
• Executive bifocals: most modern lower half of the spectacle is reading and upper half is for
distance
• Have less image jump, chromatic aberration and wide field
• Segment top: Is the highest point of the segment in cases of curved top. In case of flat top it is
the midpoint of the upper straight line segment top should lie at the level of lower lid
• Segment height: is the distance of segment top from the lowermost point of the spectacle lens.
It depends upon the patient’s work
• Bifocal lenses
• Invented by Benjamin Franklin (Franklin split bifocals)
• Cemented Bifocals: formed by Morck in 1888
• Grinding distance and near segment separately and then sticking the near segment on to the
front surface with Canada balsam or epoxy resins
• Easy to manufacture, control of CP and additions can be removed and changed
• Discoloration and brittleness of glues and dislocation of segment
• Fused bifocals: by Borsch in 1908
• Principle –difference in RI at any interface produces refraction of light at that interface
• To achieve increased refraction needed for near the addition is made up of flint glass of RI
higher then the crown glass used for distance
• A concave depression is grounded on lower part of blank for distance.
• Flint glass button having one convex surface of equal curvature is mounted, clipped and heated
at 600°C to fuse it
• This composite is then worked upon to get the desired power
• Fusion is done on the surface carrying sphere cylinder on posterior surface
• Adv. Inconspicuous dividing line, mechanically stable, and low cost
• Flint glass has more dispersive power, chromatic aberrations are produced while reading
• Solid bifocals: introduced in 1906
• Most frequently used
• Single piece , glass or plastic, no chromatic aberration
• Are made by grinding a more convex or less strong concave on distance correction
• Cylinder is added by making the other surface toroidal
• The dividing line is made invisible
• In seamless bifocals there is a transition zone of power instead of dividing line, image jump is
minimized
