Artificial eye lenses are regularly used by ophthalmologists to correct a variety of vision problems. Patients are typically elated after surgery as their vision significantly improves, unveiling the beauty of the world they only remembered before. Yet, modern artificial lenses are imperfect and act more like conventional glasses than the eyes’ surprisingly complicated own lenses.
Everyone knows from school about refraction and how lenses are used to focus light. Many teachers and textbooks use the lens of the eye as an example of a natural lens that’s just like what’s found in a photo camera. The fact is that most lenses found in optical equipment are made of solid glass pieces that only bend light at their surface. Once a beam enters the lens, it’s traveling in a straight line.