What's new in Photochromics?

What's new in Photochromics?
A comprehensive guide to what may well be the most frequently dispensed premium lens product
By Joseph L. Bruneni

Comfortone photochromics are created from Optical Dynamics' in-office lens casting system

In the brief 12-year period the eyecare professions had effective photochromic lenses to offer patients, these scientific marvels have become the industry's most dynamic lens category. Adding to their attraction is the fact that photochromic lenses are profitable and appeal to eyewear consumers. Convincing patients to order photochromics has proven to be relatively easy for practitioners. As a result, photochromics are now probably the most dispensed premium lens.

From the time that glass changeable lenses first became available in the 1960s, these sophisticated lenses have always been a specialty or premium type of lens. As their popularity swells, however, that specialty status may be changing. The past two years have seen significant improvements and innovative variations added to the photochromic category. As a result, lenses that darken in the sun are rapidly becoming a mainstream lens choice for eyewear consumers. In this article, we'll take a detailed look at recent developments in plastic photochromic lenses and predict how these changes may influence eyewear in the future.

IN THE BEGINNING

It all began when the announcement 40 years ago of an ophthalmic lens that would darken repeatedly when exposed to sunlight impacted the eyecare professions in a major way. For the first time, the optical professions had an attractive and profitable add-on feature that appealed to almost everyone wearing eyeglasses.

Solera lenses by Invicta change by deepening from light hue to a darker shade of the same color

The timing of this scientific development, however, was unfortunate. Shortly after glass lenses that darkened in the sun became available, sales of glass lenses in the U.S. began a long, gradual decline. Consumers began rejecting heavy glass lenses in favor of lighter, thinner lenses made of plastic.

Until 12 years ago, attempts to develop an effective plastic photo-chromic lens were disappointing. In 1990, however, an effective plastic photochromic technology was developed by PPG scientists. PPG was the company that developed CR 39 resin, used to produce most of the world's conventional plastic lenses.

To take advantage of its new technology, PPG partnered with Essilor, a leading lens manufacturer, and formed a new manufacturing company called Transitions Optical. Transitions offered this new technology to lens manufacturers, many of whom added Transitions lenses to their product line.

Hoya's Phoenix is the first photochromic in the new Trivex material

Light-sensitive plastic lenses rapidly became bestsellers around the world. During the next few years, Transitions technology evolved through three generations, with each variation improving the darkening characteristics. The lenses were highly profitable for everyone--from lens caster to eyecare professional.

Consequently, there was considerable unease in the late 1990s when lens manufacturers began to notice sales of these highly popular lenses were flattening. Patients wearing plastic photochromic lenses were not always reordering photo-chromic lenses for new glasses.

REVERSING A TREND

Major changes that would change that trend were about to take place. The first step was when Corning, the company that originated glass photochromics, announced a new plastic photochromic resin. Transitions lenses have their photochromic chemicals imbibed or saturated into the front surface of a lens after it is manufactured by a lens caster. Corning chose a totally different process called "in-mass."

Rodenstock offers photochromics produced with a proprietary in-mass process

With this process, plastic resins have photochromic chemicals mixed throughout the body of the lens. Lens manufacturers using the in-mass process claim it's less fatiguing as the lens ages. When photochromic molecules on the surface age from UV exposure, they are replaced by molecules underneath, providing longer life for the lenses.

Corning's SunSensors plastic lenses are made with in-mass photochromic resin

Corning called this new process SunSensor™. Lenses produced with Corning's SunSensor resin darkened fast and performed well, even in warm climates. During this period, several other companies, including Hoya and Rodenstock, introduced different versions of in-mass photochromic lenses. These in-mass advancements were a shot in the arm for photochromic sales and substantially increased consumer interest in lenses that darkened in the sun.

The category was re-energized again when, early in 2002, Transitions invited eyecare professionals to a national series of events to launch a totally new photochromic technology, called Next Generation. Lens manufacturers using the Transitions technology quickly converted their entire photochromic standard index to Next Generation from Transitions III.

Earlier Transitions lenses had a slight color tint indoors, and the lenses were recommended to doctors and dispensers as a viable alternative to indoor tints. The newest Transitions lenses are virtually clear indoors, and the company now recommends Next Generation as an alternative for anyone wearing prescription eyewear. That change in philosophy emphasizes the magnitude of the improved performance of the new lenses.

With the current availability of Corning SunSensor lenses and Transitions Next Generation lenses, photochromic lenses have achieved a new performance plateau that is substantially increasing sales in this category.

Transitions' Next Generation is the latest step in the lens innovator's photochromic efforts

FASHION PHOTOCHROMICS

During the previous period when eyewear wearers seemed to lose interest in photochromic lenses, a consumer survey revealed that photochromic lenses were mostly ordered by people over 30 years of age.

To attract a younger market, Transitions decided to link its technology to the world of fashion. The result was a new changeable fashion tint called Splitz™. The lenses were not heavily promoted and the availability of fashion photochromics, while hot in some dispensaries, was scarcely noticed in many offices.

Recently, however, other fashion photochromics have been introduced, and there are now signs that the fashion photochromic category may come to equal that of conventional photochromics. The growing appeal of fashion photochromics comes from color and, in many ways, its increasing popularity echoes the cosmetic fashion tint trend that was so popular during the 1980s and 1990s.

Two years ago, another company brought out a fashion photochromic lens. Called Solera™, it is produced by Invicta, a Florida-based company. The new lenses are produced in six colors, and, unlike Splitz lenses, when Solera lenses are exposed to the sun, they darken from a club tint indoors to a darker shade of the same color outdoors. Current Solera lenses are CR 39, but Invicta has stated its process can be used with other substrates, including polycarbonate. The products are being promoted as "fun" lenses.

Recently, a third company came out with a fashion photochromic. Beloptix photochromic lenses come in six colors. Each starts virtually clear and darkens to a fashion color within seconds. Its lenses are produced in four materials and the line includes a Gray A photochromic polarized lens.

Fashion photochromics may ultimately become a major factor in photochromic sales. For example, Invicta has partnered with a number of leading frame companies that feature Solera lenses in designer sunglass collections. This increased consumer exposure should help increase awareness of fashion color lenses that darken when exposed to sunlight.

LENS CASTING OF PHOTOCHROMICS

There have been substantial advances with in-office lens casting. A number of retail chains and individual practitioners have invested in lens casting equipment, and laboratories are also displaying increased interest in this alternative way of producing lenses.

As photochromic lenses have become more popular, producers of lens casting equipment have developed photochromic monomers for use with their systems. With a considerably lower cost for producing photochromic lenses, some retailers who cast lenses in-office report they are selling more photochromic lenses because of the favorable pricing. The ability to cast photochromic lenses should help increase market share for the changeable lens category.

So, what's ahead? The future for plastic photochromic lenses is bright. Most prescriptions are now available in photochromic form. Added to this positive note is the fact that there are variations of photochromic lenses to answer almost any need.

When dispensers find patients who were disappointed in the past, they can be assured that the new photochromics are a substantial improvement over anything available in the past. It's a comforting feeling to know that photo-chromic lenses dispensed today will meet or exceed the expectations of most eyewear consumers.

Plastic Photochromic Portfolio

Eyecare professionals now have a wide variety of photochromic lenses to offer their patients. The following information will help doctors and dispensers determine what's available in this popular category so lenses can be selected that best meet each patient's needs and expectations.

The analysis of what's available follows, and it is divided into three sections: First, everyday lenses; second, fashion photochromics; and, third, photochromics available in lens casting systems.

The two major players in photochromics continue to be Transitions and Corning.

Corning's SunSensors™: Four manufacturers currently produce plastic lenses made with Corning's in-mass photochromic resin. These are: Augen Opticos, Polycore Optical USA, Signet Armorlite, and Vision-Ease Lens. Lenses made from SunSensor material darken uniformly to 1.5mm across the lens surface, so strong plus or minus lenses have no uneven darkening. Without an AR coating, SunSensor lenses transmit 86 percent light indoors. With an AR coating, they transmit 90 percent light indoors.

Transitions' Next Generation and XTRActive™: Companies producing Transitions lenses include: SOLA/AO, Essilor, Hoya, Vision-Ease, X-Cel, Younger Optics, Shamir, Varilux, Carl Zeiss. The newest Transitions technology is called "Next Generation" and comes in 1.50 index. Indoors the new lenses are virtually clear, transmitting 89 percent of light (CR 39 transmits 92 percent). Outdoors, they transmit 15 percent light, the same as most sunglass lenses. XTRActive lenses in gray and green have an indoor tint but get very dark in sunlight.

Here's a look at the various lens companies, and what plastic photochromics they carry.

Carl Zeiss (Transitions): In standard index gray and brown, Zeiss has Gradal^®Top. Gradal Top is also available in polycarbonate gray.

Essilor (Transitions): In standard index, Essilor produces SF single vision gray and brown, FT28 gray and brown, and Essilor Natural^® and Ovation^® in gray. In 1.56 index gray, it has SF single vision, FT28, and Adaptar and Natural progressives. In polycarbonate gray, it has SF single vision and Natural and Ovation progressives. In XTRActive gray, it produces SF single vision, FT28, and Adaptar and Natural progressives. See Varilux listing on p. 50.

Hoya Lens of America (SunGray, Transitions): Hoya currently offers two types of photochromic lenses in this country: SunGray IV uses a Hoya proprietary plastic in-mass process in 1.55 index. These lenses include single vision, bifocal, and Progressive Wide designs. Hoya uses the Transitions technology for its Phoenix photochromic lens, made from PPG's new Trivex material. Phoenix photo-chromic lenses are currently available from Hoya laboratories and selected distributors in single vision and two progressives: Hoyalux GP Wide and Summit ECP.

Polycore (SunSensors): Utilizing Corning technology, Polycore offers SunSensors lenses in finished single vision, with or without AR, SF single vision, and Polycore Progressive. The company is expected to add a FT 28 this month. All Polycore SunSensor products are available in gray and brown.

Rodenstock (ColorMatic^® Extra): ColorMatic Extra is Rodenstock's proprietary in-mass process. Its lenses are 1.52 index in Grey and Brown Cosmolit. These include single vision, FT28, Progressiv life^® C, Progressiv life^® 2, and Multigressiv^® 2. Rodenstock also produces 1.56 grey in Cosmolit single vision and Progressiv life C.

Seiko (Transitions): The Transitions lenses with the highest index (1.67) are produced by Seiko in gray only. These include SF single vision and Proceed^® and Proceed^® II Short progressives.

Shamir Insight (Transitions): In standard index, Shamir produces Genesis in gray and brown and Piccolo in gray.

Signet/Armorlite (SunSensors™): Using Corning's technology, Signet/Armorlite produces single vision, flat tops, and progressives in its Kodak line. The firm also produces Navigator Short Corridor Progressive in SunSensors.

Sola/AO (Transitions): Sola and AO Transitions lenses are available in Splitz, Velocity, Next Gen, XTRActive, and Poly Transitions (formerly called Quantum). Sola is the only manufacturer producing Splitz and Velocity lenses. Velocity lenses have properties somewhat like Next Generation. Velocity is available in gray only in ASL^® single vision, ASL FT28, SOLAMAX™, Percepta^®, VIP^®, XL^®, and AO Compact^®. Splitz lenses are available in plano and SF single vision. Next Generation lenses are in SF single vision (gray, brown), FT28 bifocals (gray, brown), Percepta (gray, brown), VIP (gray, brown), XL (gray), AO Compact (gray), and AO Pro® (gray, brown). Poly Transitions are gray only in ASL Single Vision, Visuality, VIP Gold, and, coming soon, SOLAMAX. In XTRActive gray, SOLA produces SF single vision, FT28, and Percepta and VIP progressives. The AO b'Active progressive is made in XTRActive green.

Varilux (Transitions): Varilux progressives in standard index include Comfort^® in gray and Panamic^® in gray and brown. In 1.56 gray, it has Panamic and Comfort. In polycarbonate gray is Varilux Panamic. In XTRActive gray, it has Comfort.

Vision-Ease (Transitions, SunSensors): Vision-Ease produces two complete lines of photochromic plastic lenses, one using Transitions and one with SunSensors technology. In Transitions, it offers gray and brown 1.50 index in single vision, D-28, D-35, and trifocals. In polycarbonate, Vision-Ease produces Transitions aspheric single vision gray and brown in its Tegra line and spherical single vision in gray only. The Tegra Outlook progressive design is made in gray and brown. In SunSensors, the Vision-Ease line includes SF single vision and D-28 in gray and brown and D-35 and 7x28 trifocals in gray. It produces finished single vision lenses in gray and Outlook progressives in gray and brown.

X-Cel Optical (Transitions): X-Cel specializes in producing Transitions lenses in extended ranges not produced by other manufacturers. Extended range lenses include SF single vision in standard index gray and brown, 1.56 index gray and brown, Round 24 in gray and brown, FT28 in standard index gray and brown and 1.56 index gray and brown. Also FT35 in standard index in brown and gray and 1.56 index in gray and brown. Also 7x28 and 8x35 trifocals in standard index in gray and brown, and 1.56 in gray and brown. The Freedom 5™ is made in standard index gray and brown. In XTRActive standard index, it has SF single vision gray and green, Round 24 in gray, FT28 in gray and green, FT35 in gray, 7x28 and 8x35 trifocals in gray, and Freedom 5 progressive in gray and green.

Younger Optics (Transitions): In standard index gray and brown, Younger produces SF single vision, FT28, FT35, and 7x28. It produces 8x35 in gray only. Progressives are Image in gray and brown. In 1.56 index gray, it has SF single vision. In polycarbonate gray and brown, it has SF single vision and Image^® progressives. In XTRActive gray, it produces SF single vision, FT28, FT35, 7x28 trifocals, and Image progressive. Younger's Trilogy lenses in Transitions Gray will be released in SF single vision and Image progressive by August.

Fashion Photochromics

There are currently three players in this category.

Transitions (Splitz): Splitz lenses are available in plano and single vision and come in three variations that change color as they darken. Blue lenses darken to green, rose lenses darken to purple, and yellow lenses darken to orange. Splitz lenses are only produced by Sola.

Invicta (Solera): Solera lenses can be ordered in six colors: Yellow, orange, rose, violet, blue, and teal. When exposed to the sun, these lenses change to darker shades of the same color. The lenses are available in plano and SF single vision.

Beloptix: Beloptix lenses are produced in six colors: Blue, purple, orange, yellow, aquamarine, and gray. The lenses are available in plano and SF single vision in 1.50, 1.56, 1.60 index, polycarbonate, and a polarized version in gray only.

	Photochromic Casting Resin

The final category is one that is expected to grow substantially.

Optical Dynamics: Because it manufactures the photochromic monomer used in its systems, Optical Dynamics can produce its Comfortones photochromic lenses in custom colors. In addition to basic gray and brown, custom indoor colors for Comfortones lenses can be selected by the customer. The lenses can be cast in any of the company's molds, including atorics. All its cast lenses are 1.56 index, and have indoor transmittance of 85.5 to 90 percent. Activated transmittance averages 8.9 percent. The company claims its lenses lighten indoors faster than others.

Opticast: This system produces single vision and aspheric, progressives, and FT29 bifocals. Its photochromic lenses are called OptiShades™ and are available in gray, brown, yellow, purple, blue, green, and orange. To compete with Splitz, the company produces FireFleyes™ that darken from pink to purple, yellow to green, and yellow to orange.

Rodenstock: The company produces cast-to-prescription lenses using APT technology. This line includes a photochromic cast-to-prescription lens featuring ColorMatic Extra technology, available in Cosmolit single vision and Progressiv Life C. This summer, the firm will launch the APT line in semi-finished form in clear and ColorMatic Extra for laboratory use