The UK’s leading optical trade show returned to the London Excel on March 1-3 and included several product launches within the ophthalmic lens sector.
Hoya presented two new products at the show: Sensity Colours, a new range within the Sensity lens family of photochromics that will be launched in the UK during April, and VisuPro, a pair of pre-presbyopic lenses that are expected to reach the UK market in the latter half of 2025.
‘The Sensity Colours range consists of six high fashion-friendly tints, which darken to a sunglass state when activated thanks to an applied grey layer,’ said Dale Hughes, head of marketing at Hoya Lens UK. ‘The shades are really aiming to be more of a fashion item rather than just a functional photochromic product.’
The featured colours comprised Energising Orange, Aqua Blue, Lovely Pink, Green Zen, Dynamic Yellow and Orange Splash. Hughes noted that the orange and yellow shades were designed to enhance visual contrast and would work well for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts.
The company is also in the process of setting up a new ophthalmic lens category for pre-presbyopes.
‘We’ve got single vision lenses and then we have progressive lenses for presbyopes, but actually there’s quite a gap in between,’ said Martin Batho, managing director at Hoya Lens UK.
‘There’s a 35 to 40-year-old patient bracket that are not quite ready for a progressive but need more than a single vision. So, we are launching a new category called Advanced Focus and within it will be two VisuPro lenses.’
Batho explained that VisuPro All Day offers versatile vision correction across all distances, while VisuPro Flex also provides exceptional support for near vision tasks and the use of digital devices.
‘These products help eye care professionals with patients that have the mindset that they still are a single vision wearer, or haven’t worn spectacles previously at all,’ said Bathos. ‘It is a much easier conversation to introduce the VisuPro lenses than to get such a patient to convert to progressives. The lenses serve as a stepping stone and ultimately lead to progressive lenses.’
Optiswiss
Optiswiss had one of the most striking propositions among the ophthalmic lens companies at the show with the launch of a new set of vibrant tints as well as promoting its myopia management product.
‘We have launched a new set of really vibrant tints called Lollipop (pictured left),’ said Roland Allen, managing director at DeepCove, UK distributor of Optiswiss. ‘It consists of six light pastel colours available in fixed tints and graded. We supply it in a beautiful light box that is really eye-catching and is particularly effective when placed towards the rear of stores to draw customers in.
‘Optiswiss offers 50% off for a second to fifth pair for the same patient within nine months of the previous pair. It is a great way to upsell and achieve a higher dispensing value per patient.’
Allen noted that the poppy, sugar-sweet colours play well with the current fashion zeitgeist.
‘They definitely fit the trends that we are currently observing,’ said Allen. ‘The green is proving very popular in other national markets and the amber colour too.’
Optiswiss was also promoting Smyle, a myopia management lens that benefits from Smyle FreeForm Technology developed in conjunction with Indizen Optical Technologies.
‘The reason why the product is called Smyle is that the design of the defocus zones looks like a smile,’ said Allen. ‘In a pair of frames, the lens has the aesthetic qualities of a single vision lens, so there’s no little holes or dots that you can see on the lens.
‘It is available in multiple indexes – 1.5 and 1.6 – in polycarbonate and Trivex, and offers UV protection as well. We’re also offering a 12-month guarantee in terms of dioptre change. Basically, if the patient moves more than half a dioptre in six months, we will replace the lens for free.’
Nikon
Nikon had its usual impressive footprint at the event, with a vast sponsored seating area adjacent to its customarily elegant stand. The company presented its new Z Series progressive lens to attendees, with the official UK launch taking place on March 3.
‘The Z Series launch is our new progressive lens range,’ said Amy Baig, head of marketing, education and professional services at Nikon Optical UK. ‘The Z Series lens focuses on the power of contrast by improving the detail in the close zones for the wearer.’
The development of the new lens was heavily informed by consumer research.
‘We asked our successful progressive lens wearers where we could improve,’ said Baig. ‘The insights gained showed wearers were most interested in improvements relating to close proximity tasks. So, then we looked at why perhaps the nearer tasks weren’t so comfortable for progressive lens wearers.’
Baig explained the company found it was because of the reduction of contrast that happens due to the power and the aberration on the lens surface.
‘With the Z Series, we now have a methodology that allows us to measure the contrast through a lens,’ said Baig. ‘Then, if the contrast isn’t as good as it potentially could be, we fine-tune the surface of the lens to bring the contrast back.’
Baig noted that the lens takes its name from the Z Series category of Nikon cameras and will be easily recognised by many consumers.
Optimum Rx Group
Optimum Rx Group made its photochromic lens Optichromic available in 1.74 index for the first time at 100% Optical.
‘We put Optichromic in 1.67 a couple of years ago and now have managed to get a 1.74 version in grey and brown colours,’ said Mark Marland, sales director at Optimum Rx Group. ‘The power range is up to -13.00 with cyls to 10.0 with additions 1.00-3.50.’
On the stand, Optimum displayed a selection of the challenging lenses that the lab is well known in the industry for providing to hospital patients.
‘We have high power lenses, high concave lenses, a minus 24 blended lenticular lens,’ said Marland. ‘It’s quite unusual that people need these sorts of lenses but, when they do, it’s essential. We supply the hospitals, and we are very proud to do so as it changes people’s lives. Seeing the emotion and passion that the people working in hospitals have for helping patients see and being part of it have been a privilege.’
Optimum Rx Group’s photochromic lens Optichromic
Optimum transitioned to an employee ownership trust in 2024, and at the time of 100% Optical, Marland and managing director Paul Bailey were about to step back from their day-to-day roles.
‘I’ve had a great career,’ said Marland. ‘Forty years in the industry, so it is a good time to step back. I started off at 15 years old in manufacturing and the laboratories back then were rough and ready places.
‘Since then, I’ve worked in all manner of roles across the lens sector, including in practice, and in more recent years, I’ve come full circle back to manufacturing with Optimum. Seeing the evolution of technology and lens designs over the years has been amazing.’
Incoming managing director Andrew Evans was impressed by his first optical trade show and a side visit made to Great Ormond Street Hospital to see the lab’s challenging prescriptions in action.
‘I’m thrilled to be here,’ said Evans. ‘I’m new to the optical world, so I’m burying myself in learning and training. We have a fantastic team at Optimum of technically competent and motivated people. Visiting Great Ormond Street was a really special moment for me, and a great introduction to the difference our lab and the wider industry can make.’
