By Sarah McGoldrick
The new year is here and it’s all about personal style and attitude.
Revolutionary technology is the direction lenses are moving in 2013 and this year sees some of the most innovative uses of materials and surfaces.
The technology behind lenses has been changing at an incredibly rapid pace over the past 10 years. No longer are wearers left to choose from heavy, thick lenses that distort the face.
Today glasses offer superb, clear vision with an emphasis on design and comfort for the client.
One of the biggest influences on the design of new lenses is the amount of time people are spending in front of screens. With millions of people looking at computer monitors and phone screens countless times a day, patients are now looking for lenses
that will reduce stress on the eyes.
“Visual needs are changing everyday; monitors are larger and further from your patient’s eyes, people are using multiple visual distances to view tablets and smart phones,” said Martin Bell of Rodenstock.
Traditional lenses are no longer good enough for todays patients, technology is creating not only light strain, but forcing the eyes to be constantly moving and following images and text.
Rodenstock has worked to create a lens that allows patients to work at all distances while reducing the level of fatigue.
The new MyView Ergo creates a variety of viewing areas to correspond with the main use of the lens so wearers are given a customized viewing experience.
“Rodenstock has moved beyond the pre-determined power digression and is calculating the intermediate power digression for each patient dependent upon both their prescription and their main working distance,” said Bell. “This means that your patient will benefit from a customized intermediate focal length rather than having to adjust to a predetermined focal length like other
task-specific lenses.”
Patients will adapt to the customized Ergo quickly and easily, resulting in happier patients and more profitable lens fitting for your office. Personalization of lenses is a strong driver of the technology being introduced by lens developers who are looking for new ways to address individual eye issues.
This has been taken to a whole new level through the introduction of 4D technology which offers faster reaction times and allows wearers to experience reflex vision.
Essilor has been on the leading edge of this technology and has looked to the industry and client needs to help develop new ways to correct vision problems.
During the tests, conducted in accordance with an endorsed protocol by the Research Center 968 INSERM University Pierre et Marie Curie, wearers around the world highlighted the importance and need for this type of technology in the industry ranking it first for every single feature: overall quality of vision, distance vision, intermediate vision, near vision, dynamic vision and adaptation.
“One wearer told us, “this is the closest thing to a single vision lens!”,” said Varilux Brand Manager Camille Descamps adding other wearers noted this technology was easy to read and move around.
It’s this cutting edge approach to care that has lead to the Varilux S series. Descamps says this is revolution that takes lens development and technology to a new level.
Varilux S series innovations provide the wearer with stability of vision in motion (reduction of swim effect up to 90 per cent), wide angle vision (widening of binocular fields of vision up to 50 per cent) and reflex vision (faster visual reaction time).
“Varilux S series is such a revolution that it could be compared to the invention of the first progressive lens by Bernard Maitenaz. Comments from the field confirm that vision is clearer, wider and with no distortion,” she said.
Lenses are no longer just for seeing either. New designs are helping patients and optometrists know what their prescriptions are and how to provide the best possible technology to fit individual needs.
To meet this demand, HOYA will be be launching several new types of lens including their new Backside Engineering technology.
“We are excited about expanding the HOYA portfolio in 2013, including rounding out our full line of Free Form technology and introducing new AR options to meet the ever-changing needs of Eye Care practitioners and their patients,” said HOYA president David Pietribon.
He noted eye care professionals are looking for new technology to provide additional information for wearers and make the process of getting new lenses easier.
The backside engineering technology produces optimized calculations for every prescription and will also be applicable to transitions and polarized lenses.
“Eye care providers are continually looking to their lab for value added services beyond simply providing ophthalmic lenses and lab services. We’ll have new offerings in 2013 to meet these needs as well,” he said.
Greater steps are being taken to protect the eyewear industry in Canada, particularly the lens and contact lens sector.
Tougher rules are being put in place to regulate the sale of eyewear online.
“What is Health Canada doing to protect the growing number of Canadians who choose to purchase their eyewear online, unaware of the risks that such a purchase may entail?” said Senator Percy Downe during a presentation on Bill C-313 which is initially going to regulate contact lenses bought and sold online.
He noted more needs to be done to protect the entire industry from the potential risks of online vendors.
“Nearly half of prescription spectacles delivered by online vendors did not meet either the optical requirements of the patient’s visual needs or the physical requirements for the patient’s safety,” he said. •