UV-protecting lens is introduced to market

Lens firm Essilor launched its Crizal Forte UV lens at an event in Chester attended by delegates from throughout the UK last week.

Speaking at the launch, Essilor vice-president of global marketing Alain Riveline described both the lens and a new index for describing the ultraviolet protection properties of lenses in general.

The new lens has a back surface coating preventing reflected UV from impacting on ocular structures, something that current lenses suffer from even with front surface UV filters in place.

The Eye-Sun Protection Factor (E-SPF) is an index analogous to the sun protection factor (SPF) familiar to users of sunscreen products and was calculated from measurements of UV radiation transmitted through a lens and reflected from the back and sides of a lens in specific conditions.