Show HN: Open Optical Designer, free and open source lens design software

Nice, Something like this would have been so usefull, I was building a diy projector, and could not find a projector lense in budget, but I found somewhere that I could use two prescription lense to build a projector lense, the distance between those two lense the distance from screen was all trial and error, all I could project was a dim image of cellphone on the ceiling. But looking at this project sent me back to my diy tinkering days.

I may be able to use this!<p>I’m intrigued by the idea of special glasses for the computer. 4 lenses, 2 over each eye. Basically binoculars for the computer screen an arm’s length away. They would allow greater magnification than reading glasses at the same distance. I’ve got the 3D printer, but I’ve struggled with the lens details.

Are there algorithms to select the lens elements for me given the properties I want?<p>How does one buy lens elements? Are they custom manufactured or out of a catalog?