HOYALUX iD lenses place distance and magnification on the front and lateral power changes on the back.
As eyecare professionals (ECPs) make digitally surfaced lenses a regular part of their practice, manufacturers continue increasing product availability. For example, both HOYA VISION CARE, North America and Shamir Insight, Inc. introduced mid-level progressive addition free-form lenses to their offerings at this year’s Vision Expo East. The following ECPs have found digitally surfaced lenses a useful extension of their practice, and here they describe which ones they like best.
HOYALUX ID Madeleine Kruhsberg is a Master Optician, and owner of Optique of Denver, a boutique optical shop on trendy Blake Street. HOYALUX® iD™ “are my ‘go to’ lenses,” she said, “and they seem to work for everybody, not just high cylinders and strong Rx’s. I initially used them for difficult prescriptions, but now I use the entire family for any Rx. I find it easier to go with one brand. I get my lenses from the HOYA lab in Seattle, and it does a great job. I am dedicated to using the best lens technology, along with the best frames, so using these lenses was an easy decision. My patients are very satisfied, and I am too!”
HOYA approaches free-form based on the concept that no two eyes are the same. The patented Integrated Double Surface Design considers individual eye measurements, including ocular rotation. Then, free-form fabrication takes over. HOYA uses diamond-point tools to shape both the front and back. The vertical component, affecting distance vision and magnification, is placed on the front
The Autograph II is customized for each patient using Shamir’s proprietary FreeFrame, Direct Lens, and As-Worn Technologies.
surface. The horizontal component, affecting lateral power changes, goes on the back. Both surfaces are then integrated using Balanced View Control, which corrects any skew deformation.
AUTOGRAPH II Barry Santini, president of Long Island Opticians in Seaford, NY, likes all varieties of Autograph II® from Shamir. “These lenses offer minimal distortion and have a well corrected design in the periphery,” he said. Santini uses these lenses specifically for new presbyopes instead of those who have had good experience with other progressive addition lenses (PALs). “The Autograph II family lets me tailor the lens’ design to the exact needs of my patients.”
The Autograph II can be manufactured to within 0.01D and provides up to 20% wider fields of vision than conventional designs. The lens is customized and personalized for each patient. All of the
DON’T FORGET ABOUT SINGLE-VISION FREE-FORM Manufacturers are now providing single vision versions of their premium free-form designs, providing the same optimized advantages of their progressive counterparts. Available free-form single-vision lenses include the Autograph II® Single Vision™ and Single Vision Attitude™ from Shamir Insight, Inc.; ZEISS Individual™ SV and the ZEISS 3DSV from Carl Zeiss Vision, Inc.; the Super MV 1.67 from Seiko Optical Products of America, Inc.; iZon® ML and SL High Resolution Single Vision Lenses from Ophthonix, Inc.; Augen HD Single Vision Lenses from Augen Optics; the Optixx upgrade® from Pro Fit Optix; and the Nulux ep® from HOYA VISION CARE, North America. Labs such as Expert Optics Inc. and Luzerne Optical Laboratories, Ltd. that offer free-form PALs also now provide single-vision free-form lenses.
patient’s measurements are transferred using Direct Lens Technology®, the design is adapted to the frame with FreeFrame Tech-nology™, and As-Worn Technol-ogy™ incorporates pantoscopic tilt, face form, and fitting vertex.
VARILUX PHYSIO 360 Chris Foreit is an optician at d/Vision, a Chicago optical shop featuring high-fashion frames and the best lenses available, in the heart of the Wicker Park neighborhood. “I use the Varilux Physio 360°® as my lens of choice for older patients who are first-time PAL wearers.” Foreit said. “They are usually coming out of readers or conventional bifocals. The design makes adaptation easier, even when the reading additions are in the +2.75D range.”
The Varilux Physio 360º from Essilor of America, Inc. uses W.A.V.E. Technology: Wavefront Advanced Vision Enhancement™ applied to both lens surfaces in order to eliminate higher order lens aberrations. Essilor has also introduced the Varilux Physio Short 360°™, a short-corridor lens that accommodates smaller frames (even kids can use them), and the new Varilux Physio Enhanced™ that uses W.A.V.E. Technology 2, which accounts for pupil size due to age, patient prescription, light conditions, and viewing distance.
ZEISS INDIVIDUAL Tiffany McKinney, an optician at Eyecare of CNY in Syracuse, NY, is a fan of Zeiss Individual™ lenses from Carl Zeiss Vision Inc. “The peripheral vision is better, and the swim effect is controlled,” she said. “I have virtually no non-adapts with these. At first, I used them for high astigmats and patients who didn’t do well with older PAL technology. Now I recognize that just about all my patients can benefit. Not only is there no compromise in optics, but the optics are actually better.”
Individual lenses are available in both long and short corridor versions. They account for position-of-wear measurements, in-cluding tilt, frame wrap, and fitting vertex. The lenses are “smart” and automatically adjust their corridor length, width, and overall design based on the supplied frame
Zeiss Individual lenses account for each patient’s unique position-of-wear measurements.
dimensions. You no longer have to worry about ordering a long corridor or short corridor lens. The frame’s dimensions help the lab’s software automatically produce the ideal configuration. However, you can specify these dimensions if you want. You can also personalize the lenses with three letters or numbers on the front. Most patients use their initials.
SUCCEED INTERNAL The Succeed Internal Free-Form™ and Succeed WS from Seiko Optical Products of America, Inc. use advanced software to create a 3-D map of the eventual optics. Both account for all aspects of the Rx and then process it onto the back surface. What’s the difference between the two? The Succeed features a “soft” design—first-time wearers and emerging presbyopes benefit from the aspheric compensation in the progressive channel. It gives them a wider
The Seiko Suceed provides a wider field of view to reduce the “swim” effect.
field of view and reduces the “swim” effect. The minimum fitting height is 17mm. Succeed WS is designed for long-time PAL wearers with higher add powers and tougher prescriptions. The minimum fitting height is 15mm and can accommodate small B frames.
All of these ECPs have found success fitting their patients with free-form lenses, and everyone has their favorite. If you haven’t already done so, it might be time to find yours as well.
Sharon Leonard is a licensed optician and contact lens practitioner in the Syracuse, NY, area.
WHERE TO FIND IT Carl Zeiss Vision Inc. 800-358-8258 • zeiss.com/lenses
Essilor of America, Inc.
PRIVATE LABEL FREE-FORM Ronald L. Fiegel, OD, owner of Healthy Eyes For Life in Wichita, KS, has had great success with Acuity private label lenses from Pro Fit Optix. “These lenses come in at a better price point and include oleophobic and hydrophobic AR,” he said. “I use them across the board for my presbyopic patients.” Kevin Brown, the optician who works with Dr. Fiegel, said, “I find them easy to fit, and the lab always gets back to me with answers and solutions.”
800-542-5668 • essilorusa.com varilux.com
Expert Optics Inc. 800-892-0097 • expertoptics.net
HOYA VISION CARE, North America 877-528-1939 • hoyavision.com
