LENSES REVISITED

By Indira R
Objectives

• Prismatic effect of decentration

• Decentred lenses
• Decentration relationship- Prentice rule
• Equivalent lens power
• Lenses- vertex powers
• Effective power of a lens
• Vertex power of two thin co-axial lenses
• Cardinal points
• Thick lens
• Thin lens as a special case of thick lens

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Prismatic effect of decentration
• The narrow pencils of light incident
upon both elements are refracted
towards the thickest part of each
element, optical centre in the case of +
lens and base in the case of prism.
• For lens, the deviating power
decreases (∵ 𝒅 = 𝒉/𝒇) towards the
optical centre, whereas with a prism
deviating power remains the same.
i.e., [ ∵ 𝒅 = (𝒏 − 𝟏)𝑨]
• Deviating power of a lens at any given
point is called the prismatic effect at
that point. Comparison in the effect of lens and prism

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Prismatic effect

• The prismatic effect at any point on a lens is the power of the prism which
would replace the lens at that point.
• Lens can be considered to be built up from an innumerable number of
prisms, the powers of which increase as we move away from the optic
centre.
• Prismatic effect zero at optic centre
=> lens is parallel- sided .
• With a + 𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒔 base of prisms directed towards optical centre, but, with a
– 𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒔 bases are directed towards the lens periphery.

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Prismatic representation of lenses

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Transverse movements with lenses
❖ Since a ray incident at the optical
centre is un deviated, on viewing an
object through the optical centre is
seen unchanged in position.
❖ If we view the object through a
positive lens, on moving the lens
downwards we will introduce before
the eye an increasing amount of base
down prismatic effect, through which
objects will appear displaced towards
the prism apex, i.e., upwards, or
against the movement of the lens.
❖ In the case of a negative lens moved
downwards before the eye, base up
prismatic effect is introduced and
objects appear to be displaced
downwards, i.e., with the movement
of the lens.

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Path of a ray through +ve lens

• A spherical lens is symmetric

about its optical axis
• For a plus spherical lens, the
thickest part of the lens
occurs at the optical centre
• The associated prism base
directions point toward the
optical centre, a ray passing
through bends toward the
optical centre.

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Path of a ray through -ve lens

• For a minus spherical lens,

the thinnest part of the lens
occurs at the optical centre
• The associated prism base
directions point away from
the optical centre, and a ray
passing through bends away
from the optical centre.

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Lens sizes

Datum lens size

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Lens sizes

• Datum lens size--- DD’×EE’

• The standard optical centre
position lies on the vertical
line passing through datum
centre, it’s actual height
depends upon the
prescription house.

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Lens sizes
• Boxed lens size is the
horizontal and vertical
dimensions of the
rectangle tangential to the
lens periphery.
• Boxed lens size dimensions
are written 𝒍 × 𝒉.
• The difference between the
datum length and mid-
datum depth (or the
horizontal and vertical
boxed size dimensions) is Boxed lens size
called Shape difference.

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Decentred lenses

• Spectacle lenses are mounted before the

eyes with their optical centres directly in
front of the pupils, for that it may be
necessary to move them from the standard
optical centre position, which is called
decentration.
• Lenses may be decentered before the eye
to produce a prescribed prismatic effect.
• Resulting lens is said to be decentered.

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Rule of decentration
A positive lens decentred
downwards before the eye
produces a base down
prismatic effect and a negative
lens decentred downwards
produces a base up prismatic
effect.
8/22/2023
When decentering a lens to produce a
prescribed prismatic effect, decentre a
+ve lens in the same direction as prism
base required and –ve lens to the
opposite direction to the prism base
required.
• To produce BI prismatic effect
decentre +ve lens inwards but a –
ve lens outwards.
By Indira R 13
 The decentration relationship
(Prentice Rule)
The decentration relationship
• 𝑷 = (𝟏𝟎𝟎𝒄)/𝒇 or
𝑷 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝒄𝑭, c in metre, P in prism
dioptre, F power of lens in dioptre.
• => 𝑷 = 𝒄𝑭 , c expressed in
cm.- Prentice rule

❖ Alternate equation of Prentice rule:

❖ 𝒁 = −𝑷𝒉, where h in cm, P

dioptric power, Z in prism
dioptre.
Plus-minus sign conventions for h (contra ocular view)

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Base directions

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 Prism at a point up and out from the optical center of a minus lens

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Prism powers and base directions for 1 cm steps

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Contraocular view-isoprism curves

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Prism-Lens combinations

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 Prism-Lens combinations

a) Three centered lenses.

b) Base up prism
combined with middle
lens. The numbers are
the resultant prism
powers at the indicated
positions.
c) Same effect achieved
by decentering middle
lens up.

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Major Reference Point

• An uncorrected ametropic eye looking straight ahead,

the point at which the line of sight intersects the
spectacle plane is called Major Reference Point
(MRP).
• When the spectacle Rx for the eye does not call for any
prism power, the lens is placed so that it’s optical
centre is at the MRP.
• When the spectacle Rx is prism-lens combination, the
prism field of the lens is shifted, and the resultant
prism power at the MRP is the prism power called for
in the Rx.

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 Equivalent lens power

• Total deviation, 𝑑 = 𝑑1 + 𝑑2
• ⟹ 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑚 𝑑𝑖𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑟𝑒, 𝑃 = 𝑃1 + 𝑃2
• => 𝑐𝐹 = 𝑐𝐹1 + (𝑐 − 𝑥)𝐹2
[accordingto Prentice rule]
100𝑥
• 𝑃1 = 𝑐𝐹1 = [i.e., P=100 tan d; (d is deviation angle)]
𝑑
• => 𝑥 = (𝑐𝑑𝐹1 /100)
• 𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠, 𝑥 = 𝑐𝑑𝐹1
• => 𝑐𝐹 = 𝑐𝐹1 + 𝑐𝐹2 − 𝑐𝑑𝐹1𝐹2
• => 𝑭 = 𝑭𝟏 + 𝑭𝟐 – 𝒅𝑭𝟏𝑭𝟐

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Vertex Powers
𝒇′𝒗 = 𝑨𝟐 𝑭′, is the back vertex
focal length
(= 𝐿 2𝐹2 𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝑤𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑠)

𝒇𝒗 = 𝑨𝟏 𝑭, is the front vertex

focal length
(= 𝐿 1 𝐹1 𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝑤𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑠)

[thickness of the lens is also

taken into account ]
.

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Effective power of a lens
𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟,

f’

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Effective power of a lens

• If a lens of power F is to be moved through d metres, yet is required to bring light to the
same position (i.e., is required to have the same effect as before) it’s effective power
𝐹
must alter from F to 𝐹𝑒 = 1−𝑑𝐹
• What is actually changing in the effectivity cases is the vergence of the wavefronts as they
travel from one position to the other. i.e., vergence effectivity.
• Plus lenses gain plus affectivity as they move away from the eye.
• Minus lenses lose minus effectivity or gain plus affectivity as they move away from the
eye.

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Vertex power of two thin co-axial lenses

• When d=0, F1 and F 2 being

infinitely thin lenses, vertex
power of the system would be
F1 + F2
𝑭𝟏
• 𝑭𝟏𝒆 = True back vertex
(𝟏−𝒅𝑭𝟏)
• Vertex power of two thin co-axial lenses
power,
𝑭𝟏
𝑭′𝒗 = [ ] + 𝑭𝟐
(𝟏 − 𝒅𝑭𝟏)
𝑭 + 𝑭 –𝒅𝑭𝟏𝑭𝟐
• => 𝑭′𝒗 = 𝟏 𝟐
(𝟏−𝒅𝑭 𝟏)
𝑭
• => 𝑭′𝒗 = , where F is the
𝟏−𝒅𝑭𝟏
equivalent power

Back vertex power of system

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Vertex power of two thin co-axial lenses

• Front vertex power,

𝑭𝒗 = 𝑭𝟏 + 𝑭𝟐𝒆
𝑭𝟐
• => 𝑭 𝒗 = 𝑭 𝟏 + 𝟏−𝒅𝑭 𝟐
𝑭𝟏+ 𝑭𝟐 –𝒅𝑭𝟏𝑭𝟐
• => 𝑭 𝒗 = 𝟏−𝒅𝑭𝟐
• => 𝑭 𝒗 = 𝑭/(𝟏 − 𝒅𝑭𝟐),
where F is the equivalent
power.

Front vertex power of system

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Equivalent lens

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Principal planes and Principal points

Principal planes (unit planes)

Positions of the principal points

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Cardinal points of the system
Position of first principal point , 𝐴1 𝑃1 ,
𝑒 = − 𝑓𝑣 − 𝑓
1 1
=− −
𝐹𝑣 𝐹
𝐹 1−𝑑𝐹2 −1
And since 𝐹𝑣 = , 𝑒=−
1−𝑑𝐹2 𝐹
𝒅𝑭𝟐
⟹𝒆=
𝑭
Position of second principal point, 𝐴2 𝑃2 ,
1 1
𝑒′ = 𝑓𝑣′ − 𝑓 = ′ −
𝐹𝑣 𝐹
𝐹
And since 𝐹𝑣′ = , 𝑒′ =
1 1−𝑑𝐹1
𝑓= 1−𝑑𝐹1 −1
𝐹1 + 𝐹2 − 𝑑𝐹1 𝐹2 𝐹
1 −𝒅𝑭𝟏
= ⟹ 𝒆′ =
1ൗ + 1ൗ − 𝑑ൗ 𝑭
𝑓1 𝑓2 𝑓1 𝑓2
𝒇 𝒇
Or 𝒇 = 𝟏 𝟐
𝒇𝟏 +𝒇𝟐 −𝒅

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Nodal points and equivalent surface
• Nodal points have the property that an
incident ray directed towards the first
nodal point leaves the system as though
from the second nodal point with its
direction unaltered.
• HH’N’N is a parallelogram.
• ∆FPJ & ∆N’F’Q’ are congruent.
• =>Nodal points are separate by same
The expression P’N’ is the radius of curvature of the spherical
distance as the principal points and are
surface separating the two media of indices n and n’ and having
displaced towards the medium of higher
power F. i.e., an optical system separating two media of different
index.
refractive index may be replaced by a single spherical refracting
• PN=P’N’ and FP=N’F’
surface whose vertex lies at P’, the second principal point of the
• PF=-f=>N’F’=f
system, whose centre of curvature lies at N’, the second nodal
• P’N’=P’F’-N’F’=>P’N’=f’-f
point of the system, whose power is the same as the equivalent
• =>P’N’=(n’/F)-(n/F) (𝑛′ −𝑛)
• P’N’=(n’-n)/F power of the system and whose radius is .
𝐹

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 The Thick lens

• A thick lens consists of two refracting surfaces separated by a thickness of

glass.
• Thick lens possesses an equivalent power and front and back vertex powers.
• Applying Snell’slaw at the second face,
𝒏 sin 𝒊 = sin 𝒊’ => 𝒏 tan 𝒊 = tan 𝒊’
• => 𝑛/𝑡 = 1/𝑑 => 𝒅 = 𝒕/𝒏, the equivalent air distance
Equivalent air distance
𝑡
• => 𝐹 = 𝐹1 + 𝐹2 − 𝐹1 𝐹2
𝑛
1 1 1 𝑡 1 1
• ⇒ = + −
𝑓 𝑓1 𝑓2 𝑛 𝑓1 𝑓2
1 1 1 1 𝑡 1 1 1 1
• = 𝑛−1 − + 𝑛−1 − − 𝑛−1 − 𝑛−1 −
𝑅1 ∞ ∞ 𝑅2 𝑛 𝑅1 ∞ ∞ 𝑅2
1 1 𝑡 1
• = 𝑛−1 − + (𝑛 − 1) 2
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑛 𝑅1𝑅2
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝒕
• = (𝒏 − 𝟏 − + (𝒏 − 𝟏)𝟐
𝒇 𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐 𝒏𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐
𝒕𝑭𝟐
• 𝒆 =
𝒏𝑭
−𝒕𝑭𝟏
• 𝒆’ =
𝒏𝑭

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Thin lens as a special case of thick lens
• For a thick lens,
Equivalent power, 𝑭 = 𝑭𝟏 + 𝑭𝟐 – (𝒕/𝒏)𝑭𝟏𝑭𝟐
𝟏 𝟏 (𝒏−𝟏) 𝒕
• => 𝟏/𝒇 = (𝒏 − 𝟏)[𝑹 − 𝑹 + 𝒏𝑹 𝑹 ]
𝟏 𝟐 𝟏 𝟐
• Putting 𝒕 = 𝟎, the above equation reduces to equation for a
thin lens.
1 1 1
• = 𝑛 − 1 [ − ], 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒, 𝑓𝑡 is the focal length of the thin
𝑓𝑡 𝑅1 𝑅2
lens.
𝟏 𝟏 (𝒏−𝟏)𝟐 𝒕
• = +
𝒇 𝒇𝒕 𝒏𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐

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 Behaviour of lens as Thickness increases

For a thick lens,

• For a thick Convex lens, 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝐭
= (𝐧 − 𝟏) − + (𝐧 − 𝟏)𝟐
Equivalent power, 𝑭 = 𝑭𝟏 + 𝑭𝟐 – (𝒕/𝒏)𝑭𝟏𝑭𝟐 𝐟 𝐑𝟏 𝐑𝟐 𝐧𝐑𝟏 𝐑𝟐

For a double convex lens, 𝑅1 is

positive and 𝑅2 is negative.
• => The value of 𝟏/𝒇( or F) decreases with increasing
𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝒏−𝟏 𝒕
thickness. ⟹ = (𝒏 − 𝟏)
𝒇 𝑹𝟏
+
𝑹𝟐
−
𝒏𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐
1 1 1 𝑛−1 𝑡𝑐
• At 𝑡 = 𝑡𝑐 , 𝑓
= 0 𝑜𝑟, 𝑅1
+ 𝑅2
− 𝑛𝑅1 𝑅2
=0
𝒏(𝑹𝟏 +𝑹𝟐 )
• => Critical thickness, 𝒕 𝒄 = (𝒏−𝟏)
• Beyond tc thick convergent lens changes into a
divergent lens.
• If 𝑅1 = 𝑅2, 𝒕 𝒄 = 𝟐𝒏𝑹/(𝒏 − 𝟏)

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 For a double

Glass sphere as a lens convex lens, 𝑅 1 is

positive and 𝑅 2 is
negative.

For a thick lens,

𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝐭
= (𝐧 − 𝟏) − + (𝐧 − 𝟏)𝟐
𝐟 𝐑𝟏 𝐑𝟐 𝐧𝐑𝟏 𝐑𝟐
𝟏 𝟏 (𝒏−𝟏) 𝒕
• ⟹ 𝟏/𝒇 = (𝒏 − 𝟏)[ + − ]
𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐 𝒏𝑹 𝟏𝑹 𝟐
• In the case of a sphere-lens,
. 𝑅 1 = 𝑅 2 = 𝑅 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡 = 2𝑅
𝒏𝑹
• => 𝒇 = 𝟐(𝒏−𝟏)
𝑑𝐹2 𝑡𝐹2 𝑡𝑓
• 𝑒= = =
𝐹 𝑛𝐹 𝑛𝑓2
2𝑅 𝑛𝑅 1 1 𝑅2
= × × 𝑛−1 × − =
𝑛 2× 𝑛−1 ∞ 𝑅2 𝑅
• => 𝑶𝟏𝑷𝟏 = 𝑹
−𝑡𝐹1 −𝑡𝑓 −2𝑅 𝑛𝑅 1 1 −𝑅2
• 𝑒’ = = = × × 𝑛−1 × − =
𝑛𝐹 𝑛𝑓1 𝑛 2 𝑛−1 𝑅1 ∞ 𝑅
• => 𝑶𝟐𝑷𝟐 = −𝑹
𝐹
• 𝐹𝑣 =
1−(𝑡/𝑛)𝐹 2
𝟏
𝟏 𝟏− 𝟐𝑹Τ𝒏 𝒏𝑹 𝟏 𝟏
𝒇𝟐 𝟐𝑹Τ
• 𝒇𝒗 = = 𝟏 = × 𝟏− 𝒏 𝒏−𝟏 × −
𝑭𝒗 ൗ𝒇 𝟐 𝒏−𝟏 ∞ 𝑹𝟐

• ⟹ 𝒇𝒗 = 𝑶𝟏 𝑭𝟏 = 𝑹(𝟐 − 𝒏)/𝟐(𝒏 − 𝟏)
𝐹
• 𝐹𝑣′ = 𝑡Τ 1− 𝑛 𝐹1
𝟏
𝟏 𝟏− 𝟐𝑹Τ𝒏 𝒏𝑹 𝟏 𝟏
𝒇𝟏 𝟐𝑹Τ
• 𝒇′𝒗 = = = × 𝟏− 𝒏 𝒏− 𝟏 × −
𝑭′𝑽 𝟏
ൗ𝒇 𝟐 𝒏−𝟏 𝑹𝟏 ∞

• ⟹ 𝑓𝑣′ = 𝑂2 𝐹2 = 𝑹(𝟐 − 𝒏)/𝟐(𝒏 − 𝟏)

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