GLASS

MEET THE NEW GLASS

Manufacturing advances have made glass lenses thinner, stronger, and lighter—and deserving of a second look

Corning’s ion-exchange process—where potassium ions replace sodium ions—results in a much tougher lens surface

Glass lenses are making a comeback. But, it’s not the glass of yore. Packed with covetable, new features, today’s high-tech glass lenses are defining themselves as a premium lens choice for patients with a passion for pristine optics.

At the forefront of this exciting movement, Corning, Inc. has introduced a groundbreaking new glass lens product that is thinner, lighter, more durable, and more scratch-resistant.

CORNING^® CLEAR 15

Earlier this year, Corning introduced its newest material—Corning^® Clear 15, a revolutionary, features-packed lens that has many eyecare professionals and patients taking a second look at glass. This standard-index glass lens, which is available as thin as 1.5mm, has a notably high Abbe value (57.1) and, thus, excellent optical clarity.

Corning Clear 15 glass has a proprietary molecular structure that is realized via a special, patented ion-exchange process.

Ion exchange is Corning’s scientific treatment of the glass surface to dramatically increase its toughness. During the ion-exchange process, the glass is immersed in a molten salt solution. Potassium ions (electronically charged particles) in the solution migrate into the glass surface, replacing the smaller sodium ions originally in the glass.

As the glass cools, the larger potassium ions compress the glass together, creating a compressive stress layer that forms a tough surface. This process takes up to 16 hours to complete.

In the end, the ion-exchange process delivers a glass lens material that is even more resistant to scratching. This process, along with the composition of the glass, serves up a very special lens—one that is able to be ground 25% thinner than normal glass.

PLUS CORNING™ SPECIALTY GLASS

Corning’s ion-exchange glass is now available from select wholesale labs that utilize state-of-the-art, free-form equipment. These labs have invested in the specialized equipment necessary to produce proprietary lenses using Corning’s new glass ingredient blend in the newest-style lens designs, including dual-sided progressive addition lens (PAL) designs.

The list of labs includes Vision Dynamics, FEA Industries, Luzerne Optical Laboratories, MH Optical Supplies, New Hampshire Optical, and Pelican Optical. Look for the Plus Corning™ Specialty Glass logo on their glass lens products.

—Susan Tarrant