'Autofocus' specs promise sharp vision, near or far

A Finnish company called IXI is developing a new type of glasses that can automatically adjust to help people see clearly at any distance. These are called autofocus specs, and they use advanced technology inside lenses that look just like regular glasses. The secret is in the liquid crystals inside the lenses. When an electric field is applied, these crystals change their orientation, which changes how the lenses bend light. This means the glasses can switch between helping you see things up close, like when you are reading, and things far away, like when you are driving. Niko Eiden, the CEO and co-founder of IXI, says that people want their glasses to look normal, not like something out of a science fiction movie. That is why IXI is working hard to make their autofocus specs look just like ordinary eyewear, even though they are packed with technology.

The glasses also have a built-in eye tracker. This tiny device can sense where you are looking and what kind of vision correction you need at that moment. For example, if you are reading a book, the glasses will adjust to help you see the words clearly. If you look up at a distant object, the lenses will change again to help you see far away. This is a big improvement over traditional bifocal or varifocal glasses, which have different sections for near and far vision. With those, you have to move your eyes or head to look through the right part of the lens. Autofocus specs do all the work for you, making it easier and more comfortable to see at any distance.

As people get older, many develop presbyopia, which makes it hard to focus on things that are close. At the same time, more people are becoming short-sighted, or myopic, which means they have trouble seeing things far away. The need for better vision correction is growing, and companies like IXI are trying to meet that demand with new technology. The first versions of IXI's autofocus glasses were not perfect. The lenses were blurry and the edges did not look good. But after more research and testing, the company has made big improvements. In tests, people wearing the glasses were able to switch between reading and looking at distant objects smoothly. The glasses responded quickly to their eye movements.

The frames of the glasses need to fit well for the eye tracker to work properly. However, the electronics inside make it hard to adjust the frames too much. IXI has designed a few different frame shapes to fit many faces. The battery inside the glasses lasts for about two days and can be recharged overnight. The company has not announced when the glasses will be available or how much they will cost, but they are expected to be expensive. Some eye experts think autofocus specs could help people who have trouble with regular bifocals or varifocals. However, they are not sure if the new glasses are as safe or reliable as traditional ones, especially for important tasks like driving.

Other companies are also working on similar technology. In the past, some glasses let people change the focus by turning a dial, but now the goal is to make glasses that adjust automatically. There are also new lenses that can slow down the progression of myopia in children. These lenses have special designs that help control how the eye grows. Some scientists are even hoping to develop glasses that can reverse myopia, not just slow it down. If successful, these new technologies could help millions of people see better and improve their quality of life.