first person

five Questions for…

A founder and chairman of the Egg Factory, LLC, and president, CEO and chairman of PixelOptics, Ronald Blum, OD, is co-inventor of electro-active lens technology and is named on over 250 patents and patent applications. Here, Blum offers insights on the optical industry.

Q What's the technology behind PixelOptics' start?

A PixelOptics began as an electronic eyeglass development company, with glasses that change focus by way of chemistry, electricity, and optics, with no moving parts.

Our composite lenses are comprised of two or more dissimilar materials that are optically combined. Each PixelOptics lens can be better visualized as a lens within a lens, forming a highly proprietary optical lens system.

Q How will AtLast! lenses help patients visually?

A AtLast! was developed to provide improved visual performance for multifocal wearers. AtLast! was not developed to compete with PALs.

There are approximately 45 million pairs of lined multifocals sold each year in the world, of which 17 million pairs are sold in the U.S. PixelOptics believes this is a category of lenses that has been overlooked for many decades as manufacturers have attempted to cannibalize this category by switching lined multifocal wearers to PALs. However, lined multifocals continue to be a viable category. AtLast! isn't a lined bifocal or a blended bifocal, not a SmartSeg and not today's PAL. AtLast! is an enhanced multifocal lens.

Q What's in store for PixelOptics technology?

A PixelOptics will continue to build on its composite lens technology. This includes new static (fixed focus) and dynamic (changeable focus) composite lenses. These lenses switch their focus faster than the blink of an eye and without moving parts.

Q How can ECPs best differentiate their practices today?

A Today, being perceived by your patients and your community as a leader and a professional who is forward thinking and who is always trying to offer his or her patients the latest and best vision care possible carry the day.

Q What can ECPs do to stay proactive and productive?

A Today's economic environment offers an opportune time to focus on all expenses associated with one's practice. In my experience, those practices that take advantage of economic downturns and offer new products, procedures, and improvements to their patients come out of an economic downturn faster and with more success than others who sit back and ride out the storm. EB