Verified Solution Science The Human Eye and the Colourful World

A person can see objects clearly only when they are between 50 cm and 400 cm from his eyes. What type of corrective lenses would he need, and what would be their power, to restore normal vision (i.e., be able to see distant objects and objects at 25 cm)?

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Answer

The person has myopia (cannot see distant objects) and hypermetropia (cannot see very near objects).
To see distant objects (infinity): The far point is 400 cm. The corrective lens must form an image of an object at infinity (u = -infinity) at 400 cm (v = -400 cm). Using 1/f = 1/v - 1/u, f = -400 cm = -4 m. Power P1 = 1/f = 1/(-4) = -0.25 D. (Concave lens)
To see objects at 25 cm: The near point is 50 cm. The corrective lens must form an image of an object at 25 cm (u = -25 cm) at 50 cm (v = -50 cm). Using 1/f = 1/v - 1/u, 1/f = 1/(-50) - 1/(-25) = -1/50 + 2/50 = 1/50. f = 50 cm = 0.5 m. Power P2 = 1/f = 1/(0.5) = +2.0 D. (Convex lens)
Therefore, he needs bifocal lenses, with a concave lens of -0.25 D for distant vision and a convex lens of +2.0 D for near vision.

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