Display technology compensates for sight loss

The technology being developed at UC Berkeley could potentially help people who currently need corrective lenses to use their smartphones, tablets and computers. One common problem is presbyopia, a type of farsightedness in which the ability to focus on nearby objects is gradually diminished as the aging eyes’ lenses lose elasticity.

The displays could one day aid people with more complex visual problems, known as high order aberrations, which cannot be corrected by eyeglasses, said Brian Barsky, UC Berkeley professor of computer science and vision science, and affiliate professor of optometry.

‘We now live in a world where displays are ubiquitous, and being able to interact with displays is taken for granted,’ project leader Barsky said in a statement. ‘People with higher order aberrations often have irregularities in the shape of the cornea, and this irregular shape makes it very difficult to have a contact lens that will fit. In some cases, this can be a barrier to holding certain jobs because many workers need to look at a screen as part of their work. This research could transform their lives, and I am passionate about that potential.’