PRISM

PREVIOUS Q

• Define prism and give the unit of prism power (2)

• What is the relationship between apical angle and amount of deviation (5)
• If RE 3∆ BO, LE 5∆ BI, what is the resultant prismatic effect (2)
• Prentice rule (2) (5)
• Fresnel prism (2)
• Effective power of prism in near vision (5)
• Find the prismatic effect at points 6 mm below the optical center (2)
• Define prism dioptre (2)
• Explain prismatic effect of decentration (5)
• Effect of incident light on prism (2)
• Calculate the vertical and horizontal and the single resultant prismatic effect at a point
8mm below and 5mm inwards from the optical centre of the lens +4D sph for the RE.
(10).
DEFINITION

• A prism is defined as a portion of a refracting medium bordered by two plane surfaces

which are inclined at a finite angle.
• Prism is a wedge-shaped lens material which deviates light towards its base without
changing its vergence.
TERMINOLOGIES

• The angle between the two refracting surface is called apical angle or refracting angle
of the prism.
• A line bisecting the angle of the prism is called the axis
• Tip of the prism where the angle is formed is called the Apex of the prism. It is the
thinnest portion of the prism,
• The wider bottom of the prism is called the Base. Thickest portion of the prism.
REFRACTION THROUGH PRISM

• When light passes through a prism it refracted towards the base of the prism.
• Light rays entering and leaving a prism are bent towards the base of the prism. This
causes objects to be displaced away from the base of the prism towards its apex.
• Thus, if an object is viewed through a base down prism, it will be seen to be displaced
upward. Similarly, objects appear to shift downward when viewed through a base up
prism, to the right or left when seen through a base-out or base-in prism.
• Light passing through a prism obey snell’s law
n sin i = n′ sin i′
CHARACTERISTICS OF PRISM

• A prism has a thickest edge, the base and a thinnest edge, the apex.
• A prism displaces the incident rays towards the base of the prism.
• A prism displaces the image towards the apex of the prism.
• A prism does not change the vergence of the rays.
• A prism does not magnify or minify the image.
• A prism also disperses incident pencil rays into its component colours
 IMAGE FORMATION

The image formed by a prism is

• Erect
• Virtual
• Image is Displaced towards the apex
ANGLE OF DEVIATION

• The angle of deviation is the net change in the direction of the ray, it is the angle between
the incident ray and emergent ray.
• angle D is called angle of deviation.
• It is defined as the amount of light deviates from the original path in degrees.
• d = a/(n-1)
• (angle of deviation) = (angle of refraction) − (angle of incidence)
d = i′ − i
The amount of deviation when a ray passes through the prism depends on:
• The apical angle
• The index of refraction of the material
• the wavelength of the ray
• The angle from which the ray approaches the prism
PRISM ORIENTATION

• Prism can be oriented in front of the eye using notations base-in or baseout, base up or
base down when the directions are horizontal and vertical. All other base directions
require 360° notation. E.g: RE 2Δ at 160°
OLD ENGLISH NOTATION

The eye is divided into quadrants; UP

• Up in,
• Up out OUT IN

• Down in OUT IN
• Down out.
DOWN
NEW ENGLISH NOTATION

• Circle is divided into 2 semi circles, up and down

up

down
360 DEGREE NOTATION

• In this complete 360 degree protector is used

EQUATIONS

• n sin i = n′ sin i′
• (angle of deviation) = (angle of refraction) − (angle of incidence)
d = i′ − i
• when the lens is made from index 1.5 material (CR-39 plastic has an index of 1.498), then
the angle of deviation is equal to half the apical angle.
d= a/2
• Apical Angle from Degrees of Deviation
a = d(n-1)
UNITS OF PRISM

The power of the prism can be expressed in;

• The prism dioptre
• The centrad
PRISM DIOPTRE (∆)

• The prism diopter is an angular measure derived by using the tangent of the angle of
deviation. The prism diopter is the unit of angular measure whose tangent is 0.01 or
1/100.
• A prism of one dioptre power produces a linear apparent displacement of 1cm, of an
object O, situated at 1 m.
THE CENTRAD

• A centrad is similar to a prism diopter in that a ray is displaced 1 cm at a distance of 1 m

from the prism. The difference between the two is that a prism diopter is measured on a
flat plane 1 m away, whereas the displacement of a centrad is measured on the arc of a
circle having a 1-m radius (Figure 15-5). The centrad is thus a more consistent unit of
measurement, but it is not used clinically
Q??????

• A prism is made from polycarbonate material having an index of 1.586. It has an apical
angle of 5 degrees. What is the angle of deviation that it produces in air?
• A prism with an index of refraction of 1.70 has an apical angle of 9 degrees. Using the
thin prism approximation, what is the angle of deviation?
• A prism made from CR-39 plastic has an apical angle of 8 degrees. Using the thin prism
approximation, what is the angle of deviation?
• A prism made from 1.66 index material is shown to deviate light 6 degrees. What is its
apical angle?
EFFECTIVE POWER OF PRISM FOR NEAR VISION

• Prism will affect the eye somewhat differently when looking at a near object than it does
when looking at a distant object.
• The eye will turn less when looking through a prism at a near object than it will when
looking through that same prism at a distant object. Therefore the effective power of the
prism, when measured as the angle that light enters the eye, will decrease as an object
moves closer to the prism being worn.
• For an object at infinity, a prism will cause that object to be displaced such that the angle
of displacement, (d) equals the angle of rotation of the eye (de) (Figure 15-29). In other
words, for distance vision, the prism causes the light to deviate or bend by the angle d.
This is equal to the actual (effective) turn of the eye de.
• The amount of deviation of the light by the prism is d, as before. However, for near vision
light, is diverging as it enters the prism .
• The effective deviation, de, is less than the angular deviation, d. If we convert the angular
measures d and de to prism diopters, P prism diopters corresponds to d and Pe prism
diopters (effective prism diopters) corresponds to de (effective deviation).
Q

• an object is at a distance of only −10 cm from a base-down prism having a power of 6. If the prism is
worn at a distance of 25 mm from the center of rotation of the eye, what is the effective power of that
prism?
• A person is wearing 4Δ base down before the right eye and 4Δ base up before the left eye. a. What is the
effective power of the prisms at 40 cm if the lenses are worn at a vertex distance of 12 mm, and the
distance from the cornea to the center of rotation of the eye is 13.5 mm? b. This single vision lens wearer
works at a very close 15-cm working distance from time to time. What is the effective power of his prism
prescription for this working distance?
• What is the effective power of a 6Δ prism mounted 25mm infront of center of rotation, when viewing an
object at a 20-cm viewing distance?