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A-Z Glossary

Table of Contents

Abbe Value

Jovi Boparai MD Profile Picture
Written byJovi Boparai, MD
Jovi Boparai MD Profile Picture
Jovi Boparai, MDCo-founder & CEO of CorneaCarePhiladelphia, PA

Bio

Dry eye disease is tough! I get it. I have struggled with dry eyes for several years from contact lens use, and from spending countless hours looking at computer screens. In college, my dry eyes got so bad that I couldn’t wear contact lenses, because of a constant “foreign body sensation” when I had them in. I had to stop reading every 30 minutes because my eyes would start to burn and my vision would get blurry. I tried a plethora of treatments and nothing seemed to work. Dry eye disease was not only impacting my eyes, but also my emotional wellbeing. It was preventing me from enjoying life, and getting in the way of my professional training. I felt overwhelmed, frustrated and hopeless.

It was only when I realized that my dry eyes were linked to my lifestyle, environment and overall health did things start to make sense. I noticed that on days when I spent less time on the computer, my eyes felt better. My symptoms would flare when it was windy, or when there was low humidity. I knew that if I wanted to get ahead of my dry eyes, I needed to not only treat my eyes, but to also address my lifestyle. I started a consistent regimen of artificial tears and eyelid hygiene. I switched from monthly contact lenses to daily contact lenses. I started taking scheduled breaks from looking at a computer. I ate a healthier diet focused on anti-inflammatory/antioxidants foods, and I bought a humidifier for my room. In the beginning doing all this seemed impossible, but over time it became part of my usual routine. Not only did my eyes feel better, but I was overall healthier and happier! Turns out what is good for my eyes, was also good for my mind and body. I carried this lesson with me as I started my career to become an ophthalmologist and ophthalmic surgeon.

Because of my personal journey and professional training, I believe dry eye treatment starts by listening to and empowering the patient. I listen for the struggles and cue in on their strengths, while picking up on their lifestyle. Only then do we together start building a treatment plan that incorporates good eye hygiene with small, but impactful lifestyle changes. Our sight is our most important sense, and it is intimately linked to our very being. I want dry eye patients to not only get their dry eyes under control, but to also enjoy good mental and physical health, and live a fulfilling life. What is good for the eyes should also strengthen the mind and fortify the body!

Get to know me a little better!

Hobby: vintage watches
Food: peanut butter
Superhero: Superman
Guilty pleasure: desserts
Secret power: has never had a headache

Training:

Undergraduate: University of Pittsburgh Honors College
Medical school: Weill Cornell Medicine
Ophthalmology residency: Wills Eye Hospital.

  • Last updated December 16, 2022

What is Abbe Value? 

The Abbe value is a measurement of an optical lens material’s light dispersion. This is important when choosing the appropriate lens material for glasses. It helps determine the optical integrity of the lens.

A low Abbe value means higher light dispersion and undesirable chromatic aberrations, which are visual distortions caused by the lens’ failure to focus all colors on the same focal point in the back of the eye. For many people, this results in seeing unfavorable color fringes, meaning that colors and outlines or edges of objects don’t appear crisp.

The greater the measurement, the clearer the image and the less distortion there is. 

Key Points

  • Abbe values are used to measure the quality of optical lenses.
  • When light passes through any lens, the rays of light either converge or diverge. The Abbe value is determined based on the ability of a lens to achieve a uniform scattering of light.
  • When light is dispersed or converged, it chromatic aberration, which is a distortion of colors. 
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How is the Abbe Value Calculated? 

The Abbe value is a measure of the optical quality of a lens. It is calculated with the help of the refractive indices of the material which are to be used in the optical lens and the wavelength of different spectral lines. This value helps you to choose a material with the best optical properties for specific applications. 

What is Chromatic Aberration? 

Chromatic aberration, also known as color fringing or barrel distortion, is an optical phenomenon that occurs as the wavelength of light entering a lens or mirror is different from the wavelength of light exiting the lens or mirror. Chromatic aberrations cause objects to appear out of focus at the edges of the image because the lens or mirror is unable to refract all the light at once. This difference in focus results in a “fringing” of colors around sharp edges.

The Abbe value is a numerical measure of how much chromatic aberration exists in a lens or mirror. Lenses with a lower measurment have less chromatic aberration, while lenses with a higher measurement have more chromatic aberration.

What is the Refractive Index?

The refractive index is the property of materials that changes the speed of light when it passes from air to a medium with a higher density. This ratio is used to calculate the refractive index of the material. The higher the refractive index, the slower the light travels in that medium. This is why materials with a high refractive index (like glass) appear transparent to us.

The Abbe Value of the Human Eye

The human eye cannot see clearly with lenses with an Abbe value of less than 40. The Abbe value of the human eye itself is between 45 and 50.

Is a High Abbe Value Good?

A high Abbe value is good because it means the lens has a clear image and less distortion. When you’re looking for a lens that will provide you with the best images possible, it’s important to find one that satisfies your desired needs. In addition, weight and aesthetics are also important factors in lens choice.

Bibliography

  1. Novák, Jiří, et al. “Analysis of Method of Determination of Refractive Index and Abbe Number of Lens.” Optical Fabrication, Testing, and Metrology VI, edited by Sven Schröder and Roland Geyl, 2018. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2313295.
  2. Master Eye Associates. “Eyeglass Lens Materials.” Https://Www.Mastereyeassociates.Com, www.mastereyeassociates.com/eyeglass-lens-materials Accessed 29 May 2022.
  3. Bradley, Arthur, et al. “The Impact of IOL Abbe Number on Polychromatic Image Quality of Pseudophakic Eyes” Clinical Ophthalmology, vol. Volume 14, 2020, pp. 2271–81. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.2147/opth.s233099.
  4. Kato, Noriyuki, et al. “Correlation of the Abbe Number, the Refractive Index, and Glass Transition Temperature to the Degree of Polymerization of Norbornane in Polycarbonate Polymers.” Polymers, vol. 12, no. 11, 2020, p. 2484. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12112484.

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