...continued from What's New in Eyeglass Lenses

New Lens Technology for Sunglasses
Will Enhance Color, Contrast

BOULDER, Colo., September 2006 — A U.S. patent recently was granted to ColorLink (Boulder, Colo.) for new lens technology that involves sandwiching a special filter between components that block reflected light (polarized) to improve color and contrast vision.

Company officials say in a news release that the new technology, known as ColorCorrect, is ideal for sports eyewear because of improvements in contrast vision, increasing abilities such as spotting baseballs or tennis balls on cloudy days.

The technology also could enhance color sensitivity in people who have problems with color vision. The technology should be available in 2007, according to ColorLink officials.

New Polarized Definity Lenses Help Reduce Outdoor Glare

DALLAS, August 2006 — Definity and Definity Short progressive lenses from Essilor of America (Dallas) now are available in polarized form, which means extra glare from reflective surfaces such as water or snow can be reduced.

The Definity Short lens contains a special design that allows zones for presbyopic correction at varying distances, including near, to be included in smaller, more fashionable frames.

The Definity lines also include a unique, specific lens design that enables sharper views when looking down, particularly useful for enthusiasts of sports such as golf or tennis.

"Definity and Definity Short polarized are ideal lenses for patients who maintain an active lifestyle," Definity general manager Francois Glon said in a company news release. "Summer lends itself to more outdoor activity and exposure to the sun, so these are the perfect lenses for active presbyopes who love to bike, golf, and enjoy the outdoors."

Progressive Version of Wavefront iZon Lenses Now Available

SAN DIEGO, April 2006 — Wavefront iZon brand eyeglasses now are available as progressive lenses able to correct vision simultaneously at near, intermediate, and distance ranges for presbyopes, Ophthonix company officials announced in spring 2006.

Ophthonix (San Diego) is the first and currently only company that uses wavefront technology to individually measure the way a person sees to obtain a type of "eye print" of vision errors, including higher order aberrations that ordinarily are not corrected by conventional lenses. These individual "eye prints" then are used to formulate each customized eyeglass lens for crisper vision.

"Our approach to customizing the iZon Progressive begins by defining the patient needs and then producing the lens based upon those needs, whereas other progressive brands attempt to force a patient into a specific, static design," said Ophthonix President and CEO Andreas Dreher, PhD.

[Read more about how wavefront lenses work.]

High Tech Lenses Can Help Presbyopes

DALLAS, February 2006 — Two new progressive eyeglass lens styles using wavefront technology to precisely measure how the eye sees have been introduced by Essilor of America based in Dallas, Tex.

Progressive lenses typically are prescribed for older individuals with focusing problems caused by presbyopia or hardening of the eye's natural lens. Wavefront technology, used in custom LASIK surgery, addresses vision defects known as higher order aberrations that traditional lenses could not correct.

The two Essilor lens styles include Varilux Physio and Varilux Physio 360°, which company officials say eliminate distortions found in other lenses.

"This is the product of years of research and development, and the result is a lens which provides progressive wearers with an unprecedented visual acuity," said Essilor Lenses President Mike Daley in a company news release. "Varilux Physio is the premier lens that will give presbyopes the ability to see near, far, and everything in-between, with the fewest higher order aberrations ever found in a progressive lens."

Defense Grant Funds SuperVision Lens Technology

ROANOKE, Va., January 2006 — The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded $3.5 million to PixelOptics Inc., based in Roanoke, Va., to pursue development of high tech corrective lenses that might enable sight keener than 20/20 vision.

The technology, known as SuperVision, uses sensors and specially developed lens materials to continually adapt to a changing environment. PixelOptics President and CEO Dwight Duston, PhD, said the ability of SuperVision lenses to adapt and change focusing capability allows for correction of vision defects that conventional lenses cannot address.

"SuperVision is intended to provide the U.S. military forces with a competitive combat advantage and reduce the number of friendly fire incidents," Duston said in a company news release. He added that technology has developed only within the last several years that enables accurate diagnosis of vision defects known as higher order aberrations, which might be addressed and corrected with SuperVision lenses.

New Wavefront-Guided Lenses May Improve Night Driving

iZon Wavefront-Guided lenses are designed to deliver optimized vision at night. Click on the photo for a comparison.

SAN DIEGO, December 2005 — Ophthonix announced that clinical results of the company's iZon Wavefront-Guided glasses show they greatly improve night vision by wearers. Results show that iZon Wavefront-Guided Lenses improve a driver's ability to identify pedestrians by an average of 330 milliseconds — or 30 feet sooner when driving 55 miles per hour — when compared with conventional lenses. This is comparable to about three car lengths or the distance across a typical intersection.

The iZon lenses are created through a process that uses the Z-View Aberrometer to measure a person's eyes using wavefront technology. The instrument measures the eye's higher order aberrations that are not detected in a traditional eye exam; the results are used to create lenses that are customized for each person and designed to produce better contrast and crispness of vision than other eyeglass lenses. Ophthonix plans to expand the iZon Wavefront lens introduction nationwide in 2006.

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[Page updated October 2007]