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New developments in polarized lenses
By Joseph L. Bruneni

The January issue of Eyecare Business discussed advancements in modern polarized lenses but, in the short time since that story was written, there have been more additions and improvements for this fast-growing sunglass category. Here are some examples of recent additions to the popular polarized lens market.

Bolle (plano sunwear). This well-known sunwear company is introducing three new colors in its polarized plano collection--Cobaltz, Inx, and Midas--each featuring high-tech flash coatings in specific colors for specific objectives. Midas is a burnt gray lens with a fire gold flash coating to reduce bright light and infrared transmission, and is ideal for high glare and outdoor sporting activities. Inx is a steel gray lens with a deep blue flash coating that reduces blue blur and adds definition to shadows. Cobaltz is a granite gray lens with a blue/silver flash coating that provides contrast enhancement and offers high performance on water, slopes, or the road.

KBco (Rx sunwear). KBco has added Apple Green and Sky Blue to the variety of polarized colors it currently offers. In the 3rd quarter of 2002, it will introduce an aspheric polycarbonate FT28 in brown and gray polarized form.

Melibrad Corporation (Rx sunwear). Its top-of-the-line polarized lens is a blue-blocking polarized lens called Eagle, a true brown amber color. The lens is ideal for skiers, shooters, and fishing folks.

Serengeti (plano sunwear). This sister company to Bolle has produced a major advancement with its Strata 400 polarized photochromic sunglass. Like Serengeti lenses, Strata 400 lenses are made from photochromic glass that has been "hydrogen fired." The result is a lens that lets more yellow and green through in the lightened state and in bright light optimizes to 8 percent neutral transmission. Strata 400 claims to be the darkest available sunglass. The lenses are enhanced with backside AR coating.

Specialty Lens Corporation (plano and Rx lenses). This company recently added five new colors to its polarized line: orange, red, violet, green, and blue. The colors are available in CR 39, high index, and glass lenses.

Vision-Ease Lens (Rx lenses). Vision-Ease is seeing greater interest in mirror coatings. Its SunRx polarized polycarbonate line is now available in three mirror colors: blue, gold, and silver. The company also has the only polarized polycarbonate flat top 28.

Younger Optics (Rx lenses). Younger will be introducing a new process for polarizing polycarbonate lenses. The film is placed on the front of the lens and, unlike conventional polycarbonate polarized lenses, requires no encapsulation. Its new polarizing film is environmentally stable and only requires a scratch resistant coating over the top surface. It will be introduced in progressive, single vision, and flat top bifocals in various colors.

In addition, a number of sunglass manufacturers are promoting polarized sunwear for specific sport applications, such as fishing, shooting, and golfing. These advancements in polarized technology indicate the industry can expect the growth of polarized performance lenses to continue.