Low-cost didactic model for the quantitative study of lens coupling and simulation of ocular ametropias

Abstract

This work presents the development of a low-cost experimental model for studying image formation in the human eye and the correction of myopia and hyperopia. The proposed model is based on the coupling of two thin spherical lenses, one representing the crystalline lens and the other the corrective lens. The focal lengths of the lenses used were experimentally determined, and the relative percentage errors were calculated with respect to the optical prescription values, yielding results below 3%, which validated the accuracy of the method employed in this study. The simulations successfully reproduced the conditions of normal, myopic, and hypermetropic vision, as well as their respective corrections using divergent and convergent lenses, with quantified values corresponding to each expected optical correction. The model proved to be a promising didactic tool for teaching geometric optics, as it enables practical understanding of concepts such as focal length, dioptric power, and lateral magnification, while fostering active learning through experimentation.