Comment: Innovations for invigoration

As a snapshot of the optical industry, two new product launches last week reveal that innovation is alive and well. The first of these, a new line of one-piece sheet titanium frames, designed by an Icelandic optician, are lightweight yet modern, with a simple lens change method. The launch was hosted by the Ambassador of Iceland who said he was optimistic about getting out of the current economic situation and described Reykjavic Eyes as a very interesting product for people who sell spectacles.

These patent-pending designs are recommended with high-index lenses, which brings us on to the second launch, 'atLast' a 1.6 'enhanced multifocal' with embedded power segment for wider vision from PixelOptics. Although this is a niche product to target bifocal wearers, Frank Norville, of distributor Norville, described it as a very clever piece of optics. This is nothing compared to another of PixelOptics' developments, electronic focusing eyewear, but that's one for the future with an anticipated launch in 2010.