Rx SUN LENSES
Sun Lens Solution Guide
A roundup of highly salable products to fuel your Rx business
BY STEPHANIE K. DE LONG
According to The Vision Council, the U.S. added almost 1.5 million new Rx sunglass wearers for the year ending June 2015—most of them over age 55 and from higher-income households. In addition, according to the Eyecare Business Market Trends Study 2015, ECPs predict sun lenses (82%) will increase in sales the most of any optical product category over the next two years. Plus, 69% of ECPs surveyed said they offer Rx sunwear as a second-pair option to patients who purchase eyewear.
Thus, Rx sun lenses are clearly an important part of every growing practice today. Here, we present 13 key Rx sun lens products that may just help you when making decisions about which sun lens products to select—and recommend to patients.
ZEISS VISION CARE
PRODUCT: 1.67 High Index Polarized
DESCRIPTION: All of ZEISS’ customized free-form designs are now available in 1.67 high index polarized sun lenses. Available in both gray and brown, ZEISS’ high index polarized lenses enhance vision by increasing clarity and improving color perception. They also provide 100% UVA/UVB protection and eliminate glare.
DETAILS: Available in the following ZEISS free-form designs: Individual, Precision, Choice, and DriveSafe.
INFO: zeiss.com/lenses
EGMA LLC
Product: ColorMatic IQ Sun
DESCRIPTION: Rodenstock’s intelligent ColorMatic IQ Sun lenses protect patients’ eyes with a dark tint in strong sunlight while fading down to 40% or 55% in the shade. This ensures visual comfort with 100% UV protection in every situation. Wearers can set the trend with the fashionable colors Fashion Grey and Fashion Brown, or enjoy crisp vision during sports and outdoor activities with the contrast-enhancing tints Contrast Green and Contrast Brown. Mirror coatings are available upon request.
DETAILS: ColorMatic IQ Sun contrast lenses provide natural colors and detail recognition in the patient’s prescription.
INFO: egmallc.com
ESSILOR USA
PRODUCT: Essilor Sunwear Colors
DESCRIPTION: Essilor Sunwear Colors, a new range of colors and gradients available in standard tints and polarized lenses, are available as an Xperio UV polarized sun lens, Crizal Sunshield no-glare coating on tinted lenses, Xperio UV Mirrors, or Crizal Sunshield Mirrors in gold, silver, and blue for consumers to create their own custom color combination. Essilor Sunwear Colors lenses are available in a wide range of single vision and full backside designs.
DETAILS: Essilor Sunwear Colors lenses are produced with a specialized lab process and machinery to provide less fading and more consistent color and gradients than are found in existing tinted lenses. ECPs can customize the lenses with more than 48 different color and mirror combinations.
INFO: xperiouvusa.com/products.html
HOYA VISION CARE
PRODUCT: HOYA Diamond Tint
DESCRIPTION: Quality, consistency, and fashion come together in HOYA’s new Diamond Tint Technology, which offers crisp, consistent color that is engineered not to fade.
DETAILS: HOYA’s Diamond Tint Technology features 100% UVA/UVB protection for all outdoor activities. Available in 30 color options, it delivers color consistency with HOYA anti-reflective treatments. Available in a broad range of HOYA designs.
INFO: ecpALLY.com
PFO GLOBAL
PRODUCT: VITARIS
DESCRIPTION: The newest generation of UVA/UVB/HEV protection technology from PFO Global is VITARIS, a lens that works to protect eyes against cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. VITARIS provides a wide range of protection from harmful UV rays to maximize eye health. The radiation blocker is in the lens material; it is not a coating.
DETAILS: Available in uncut free-form PAL Identity and free-form single vision upgrade, or as semi-finished single vision, all in 1.60 or 1.74 index. Color: Clear, but can be combined with any tint to maximize eye protection.
INFO: pfoglobal.com
PPG
PRODUCT: Trivex Lens Material
DESCRIPTION: Combining the “clear-light-strong-safe” benefits of Trivex lens material with the visual comfort and glare-blocking protection of polarized lenses is a good solution for nearly every sunwear patient. Trivex lens material features sharp, clear vision (Abbe value 43-45); ultra-light comfort, thanks to the lightest prescription lens material available (specific gravity 1.11 g/cm3); high impact resistance (ANSI Z87.1-capable); and 100% protection from UV rays. Sun lenses made with Trivex material are available in high base curves and “wrap-ready” digital lens designs, and are compatible with virtually every frame style.
DETAILS: Sun lenses made with Trivex lens material are available from leading lens manufacturers and sunglass brands, including Younger Optics, HOYA, ZEISS, Smith Optics, Serengeti Eyewear, Bollé, Rudy Project, and Julbo USA.
INFO: ppgtrivex.com
SEIKO OPTICAL PRODUCTS OF AMERICA
PRODUCT: 1.67 PolarThin True Gray and Brown SFSV
DESCRIPTION: Seiko’s Precise Film Position is a proprietary process with the polarization film located 0.4mm from surface center to edge (patent pending), which easily surfaces to 1.3mm center thickness—unlike other polarized blanks, which can achieve only a 1.8mm to 2.0mm center thickness. PolarThin has been tested to show it exceeds ANSI Z80.1 at 1.3CT by more than nine times and is ideal for all free-form and conventional single-vision designs.
DETAILS: PolarThin is available in 1.67 spherical semi-finished blanks, in True Gray or brown, and 11 base curves from 0.50 to 11.00, MR-10 resin.
INFO: seikoeyewear.com/media/wysiwyg/PolarThin.pdf
SHAMIR INSIGHT
PRODUCT: Attitude III – Fashion
DESCRIPTION: Designed to provide expanded vision zones and enhanced peripheral vision, this progressive sun lens fits in even the biggest fashion sunglass frames. With balanced far, intermediate, and near vision, Attitude III – Fashion is a great fit for day-to-day outdoor activities.
DETAILS: Created to suit any frame size and shape, Attitude III - Fashion progressive lenses are designed with EyePoint Technology III and feature near, intermediate, far, and peripheral vision zones precisely suited to modern outdoor lifestyles.
INFO: shamirlens.com (at products/performance tab)
SIGNET ARMORLITE
PRODUCT: KODAK Sun Lenses in Polarized 1.67 and 1.74
DESCRIPTION: KODAK sun lenses are ideal for any season and are available in indices from 1.50 to 1.74. I-Sync Technology expands the viewing fields to the lens edge, making these lenses an excellent option for fashion and sport-wrap frames.
DETAILS: Available in KODAK Unique and Unique HD Progressive Lenses and KODAK Digital Single Vision. Both polarized 1.67 and 1.74 options are available in gray, brown, and green. The Rx range is -12.00 to +10.00, with an uncut diameter of 70/75mm. The lenses have an Abbe value of 32.
INFO: signetarmorlite.com
TRANSITIONS OPTICAL, INC.
PRODUCT: Transitions Drivewear Sun Lenses
DESCRIPTION: Transitions Drivewear sun lenses provide a safer, more comfortable driving experience by combining polarization, color optimization, and photochromic technology to enhance a driver’s vision by adapting to and managing the ever-changing daytime light and weather conditions faced by drivers.
DETAILS: Transitions Drivewear sun lenses are available in a range of polycarbonate, 1.50, and Trilogy Trivex materials and in single-vision, FT-28, and some progressive addition lenses. A full product availability guide can be found at TransitionsPRO.com.
INFO: transitions.com/sunwear
VISION EASE
PRODUCT: Coppertone Polarized Lenses in Green
DESCRIPTION: Green lenses offer vivid color definition, which is great for activities like tennis, driving, and golf. Pairing these benefits with Coppertone Polarized Lenses’ glare elimination offers wearers additional comfort for sports as well as for everyday activities.
DETAILS: The polarized polycarbonate lenses are available in 75mm and 80mm SFSV, D28 bifocal, and decentered Novel progressive styles. In addition to prescription lenses, Coppertone Polarized Lenses are also available in gray and brown plano.
INFO: visionease.com
VSP OPTICS GROUP
PRODUCT: sunsync
DESCRIPTION: sunsync photochromics quickly darken in UV light and return to clear indoors, delivering guaranteed indoor-outdoor comfort, clarity, and protection on a wide variety of lens options.
DETAILS: Available in gray and brown on UNITY single vision, progressive, and computer vision lenses, as well as on FSV stock lenses and Flat Top 28.
INFO: vspopticsgroup.com/sunsync
YOUNGER OPTICS
PRODUCT: Transitions Signature VII Polycarbonate Composite FT28
DESCRIPTION: There is still a significant demand in the market for segmented lenses, despite growing demand for progressive and digital designs. Now eyecare professionals don’t have to find another option when consumers request a Transitions brand photochromic lens. ECPs can dispense authentic Transitions Signature lenses in a polycarbonate composite material and a Flat Top 28 design.
DETAILS: This polycarbonate composite lens is available in gray in a broad Rx range, from -9.00D to +7.00D.
INFO: youngeroptics.com (under Products/Transitions tab)
Look for our coverage of sports and sunwear brands’ proprietary sun lens programs in the March issue of Eyecare Business.
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