Refraktiivne

Refraktiivne is an Estonian adjective meaning related to refraction, the bending of light as it passes between media of different optical densities. In optics and engineering, refraktiivne describes phenomena, components, and materials that influence the path of light through refraction.

In physics, refraction occurs when light changes speed and direction at media boundaries. The degree of bending is described by the refractive index of the material, and Snell's law governs the relationship between incident and refracted angles. Materials with higher refractive indices bend light more strongly and are used to make lenses and prisms.

In everyday technology, refraktiivne components include eyeglasses, contact lenses, camera lenses, and various optical instruments. These devices manipulate light to form focused images by exploiting refraction. In astronomy, refractive telescopes use lenses to collect and focus light, as opposed to reflective telescopes that rely on mirrors; modern instruments often combine refractive elements with coatings to correct aberrations.

In medicine, the term refraktiivne is especially common in ophthalmology to describe vision problems arising from the eye’s optical system not properly bending light onto the retina. Common refractive errors include myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Corrections include glasses or contact lenses, or refraktiivne kirurgia (refractive surgery) such as LASIK or PRK, which aim to permanently modify corneal shape to adjust focusing power.

Beyond biology and medicine, refraktiivne properties are important in materials science for coatings, waveguides, and optical sensors, where controlling light paths determines performance. The concept of refraction thus spans physics, engineering, medicine, and technology.