When optician introduced the Optical Product of the Year category into its annual awards it knew the competition would be tough. But it could never have imaged just how tough.
The range and quality of optical products being launched into the market is staggering and many can rightly claim to be groundbreaking. After the initial shortlisting, our panel of judges were left with a clutch of products that broadly fell into two camps.
Those camps were the latest generation of individualised, free-formed progressive spectacle lenses and the latest generation of silicone hydrogel contact lenses.
Perhaps the biggest accolade the eventual winner, Essilor's Ipseo lens, can now boast is beating such a quality field.
As with other modern progressives, Ipseo has been possible because of the advances in manufacturing enabled by computer power. But where the judges felt Ipseo had stolen a march on its competitors was through the use of interactive equipment to measure the physiological habits of the wearer.
The embodiment of this is Essilor's Vision Print system. This system consists of a desk-mounted base unit and a head-mounted sensor. The Vision Print system enables the practitioner to measure the head/eye movement habits of the wearer and create a ratio that is used alongside the patient's prescription to generate the lens.
The science and theory behind this idea was heavily promoted to the profession through seminars, meetings and publicity, which generated a high level of interest. Throughout the whole launch process Essilor provided Ipseo with strong promotion, descriptions and branding. The final launch saw Essilor specialists invited to London's Tate Modern to see a formal presentation of Ipseo's optical benefits and business rationale.
Following the Tate Modern meeting the Vision Print system was rolled out to Essilor's Gold Varilux Specialists.
Essilor's professional relations manager, Andy Hepworth, says: 'Since the introduction of Varilux 1 in 1959, a physiological approach to vision has been the core principle that has underpinned the development of Varilux designs. Once a physiological requirement has been identified a lens design which meets these requirement has been developed.'
In the case of Varilux Ipseo, the physiological importance of head/eye strategy in relation to Varifocal lens design had been known for many years, he adds. Harder to realise was the product. Patients had to wait until a surfacing solution along with practical head/eye strategy measuring techniques were in place.
Personalised product
'The introduction of free-form surfacing solved the manufacturing issue, as we no longer needed to rely on the production of semi-finished lens blanks,' says Hepworth. 'We could personalise the lens based on the wearer's specific physiological strategy and the development of the Vision Print system allowed practitioners to easily identify each patient's specific behaviour.'
These advances allowed Essilor to use the physiological knowledge base built up over many years to develop the best Varifocal design based on a specific physiological parameter. Hepworth also stresses the personalisation of the lens, not just with the visual parameters but also with the patient's initials.
'Our strategy was to initially promote Ipseo lenses through accounts that strongly supported the Varilux brand. This allows each of the Vision Print systems to be hand delivered and one-to-one training provided,' Hepworth adds.
The quality of the lens was also taken through to dispensing, says Hepworth. 'It was felt that the design should be offered in a premium lens material, Stylis, along with the premium lens coating Crizal Alize as standard, with the option of the latest Transitions V technology.
'The quality ethos was carried through in the design of the VPS and in making the patient feel special at collection. The development of a specific wooden presentation box which included a range of branded accessories is the final technique used to present the product in an appropriate manner.
'To guarantee our belief in the Ipseo design, we offer a 90-day guarantee, which has no limit on the number of lenses returned,' Hepworth adds.