Optical leaders welcome new lens standard

A new international standard for mounted lenses, which comes into effect in February next year has been widely welcomed by leaders of the optical industry and profession.

BS EN ISO 21987: 2009 – Ophthalmic Optics – Mounted Lenses replaces the 1989 British Standard BS2738 Spectacles Lenses – Part 1 and was produced by a collaboration between the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, USA, Japan, Australia and China. It brings three changes relating to cylinder axis and centration tolerances.

Ronald Rabbetts, chairman of the British Standards Spectacle Committee, explained: ‘It’s important that opticians are aware of the details of the new standard as this will be the benchmark to which labs and glazing facilities will be producing spectacles from February. We have had a British standard for this aspect of optics since 1956 and it has been modified many times since then. Many countries have not had such a standard and as part of the European Community it was agreed that an international standard was needed.’

The standard is available from British Standards on 020 8996 7000 or from the FMO on 020 7298 5123, with a discount for members.