Research Projects

ACTIVA has three scientific pillars:

Workpackage 1) Combating presbyopia: intact vision for near-by objects

Presbyopia is the lack of accommodative power due to a less flexible crystalline lens from the age of 40 years and beyond. For an emmetropic (normally sighted) eye it results in blurred vision for near-by objects. Existing optical solutions are multifocal designs of spectacles, contact lenses, intraocular lenses and corneal ablation patterns, as well as different versions of monovision with one eye adjusted for near vision and the other eye for distant. While those corrections do not restore dynamic accommodation, they give simultaneously images corrected for far and for near. However, improvements are needed as these interventions compromise on the overall optical quality and decrease vision in the central as well as in the peripheral visual field. The lack of accommodation can possibly also be circumvented by adjusting the visual image displayed at near on digital devices.

Workpackage 2) Precise diagnosis: novel methodologies for early detection

To reduce the risk of vision loss due to ocular diseases, early diagnosis is essential. However, current ocular diagnosis mainly depends on subjective judgement of retinal images by the clinician, which sets high demands on the experience by the clinician and requires that there is an established retinal damage. Hence, at the time of the diagnosis the visual function of the patient is already clearly degraded. This is for example the case for age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma, both causing a gradual loss in the sensitivity of the retina. In this research, novel diagnosis technologies will be developed that are based on the visual function of the individual patient. The methods will be important for earlier and more personalized detection of retinal diseases, which is essential for timely treatment.

Workpackage 3) Enabling technologies: improved visual functionality

Age-related changes in our eyes and visual system are to some degree unavoidable and accelerates in the ageing eye. It is therefore of great socioeconomics interest to develop vision aids that improve visual function in the elderly population. Technological and digital advancement have opened new possibilities for advanced customized technologies and training schemes. This research will focus on the development of techniques for enabling intact visual function both during the normal ageing and in diseases degrading vision including retinal degeneration with age, in particular age-related macular degeneration.