Amid the hustle and bustle or retro frames and sunglasses, the contact lens and ophthalmic lens companies quietly plugged their new products from award-winning torics to anti-fatigue lens designs. Emma White reports
Amid the hustle and bustle or retro frames and sunglasses, the contact lens and ophthalmic lens companies quietly plugged their new products from award-winning torics to anti-fatigue lens designs. Emma White reports
Silmo is traditionally a low-key event for contact lens companies, so it came as no surprise that Bausch & Lomb again did not exhibit, or that CIBA Vision, which last year launched O2Optix, this year kept a low profile.
CooperVision also didn't launch any new products, choosing instead to focus on its integration with Ocular Sciences. A spokesman said the integration between the companies is 'proceeding smoothly' as it continued to promote its Biomedics and Proclear family of products.
Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, meanwhile, picked up the Silmo d'Or award for best contact lens for Acuvue Advance for Astigmatism, due for release in the UK early next year.
'This product breaks new ground in the fitting of astigmatic patients and we have received incredible feedback from eye care professionals and their patients who are using Acuvue Advance for Astigmatism in those markets where it has already been launched, such as France,' said director of professional affairs David Ruston.
The UV-protected lens features the proprietory technology Hydraclear that combines a moisture-rich wetting agent with quality base materials for comfort that J&J said is as good at the end of the day as when lenses are first put in. The company added that Acuvue Advance for Astigmatism was the most prescribed lens for new toric wearers in the US and it hoped this enthusiasm will be replicated in the UK in 2006.
Provis launched its new daysoftuv daily disposable lens (58 per cent water) and took orders for over 1.6 million lenses.
'The decision to widen our product range to include both a high water content (72 per cent) and mid-water content (58 per cent) daily disposable contact lens has clearly propelled Provis into a unique position,' said managing director Dr Mark Hegarty.
'It has been clear to us for some time that our daysoftuv 72 per cent lens gave us equivalence with other high water content lens fitting and handling characteristics. And following extensive trials it is clear that our new lens gives similar equivalence to the other major one-day lens brands. Silmo provided an excellent venue to finalise negotiations for the supply of significant volumes of new lenses.'
Clearlab's product range will be extended next year with the Clear 1-day T daily disposable toric, Clear all-day T frequent replacement lens and Clear 1-day will extend its power range from +4.00 to -10.00. Clearlab's premium products are based on its biocompatible material ClearGMA and the existing family of lenses consists of Clear 1-day daily disposable range and Clear all-day frequent replacement biocompatible product.
'In addition to our biocompatible materials, we have a broad range of conventional contact lens materials,' said product development and compliance director Mike Read. 'The Clear55A is conventional methafilcon material and the A signifies an aspheric lens design. This is a very popular material combination used throughout the world. We also have etafilcon and polymacon products which are used in various markets.'
Lenses at Silmo
French lens giant Essilor led the ophthalmic lens companies at the show with a sneak preview of its award-winning anti-fatigue lens, due to be launched in the UK next autumn. The company picked up the award at the exhibition's Silmo d'Or ceremony. The monofocal lens with high-index single vision is designed to eliminate symptoms of ocular fatigue, including headache, eye irritation and blurred vision, hence improving the visual field.
Essilor's Jacques Desallais said the lens was due to arrive in the UK next autumn and would rest the eyes and restore micro variations.
When fatigued, the level of accommodation microfluctuations increases and accommodation is more difficult.
With the anti-fatigue lens and its slight power variation of 0.6D, the accommodation system regains a state close to balance where low frequency amplitudes decrease and high frequency amplitudes increase simultaneously with compensation of accommodation difficulties, said Essilor. 'The accommodation system is therefore brought back to fatigue-free functioning,' the company added.
Also recently launched from Essilor is the Varilux Computer progressive lens. A recent survey commissioned by the Eyecare Trust concluded that some people may spend as long as 35 hours a week at their computer screens. Available in two lens forms, the Varilux Computer 2 Visions (2V) provides full coverage for the keyboard and the screen, while Varilux Computer 3V is designed for presbyopes who interact more with their environment.
This lens features a small upper area for semi-distance vision. The lens is supplied in Orma 1.5 and is available with a choice of a Supra hardcoat, Trio Green or premium Crizal Alize coating. There is also an option for a PhysioGrey tint with 82 per cent transmission.
Carl Zeiss introduced a new lens at Silmo, its first since the merger with Sola, targeting the growing trend for curved prescription lenses. The Clarlet Loop has a higher base curve for the glazing of wraparound frames, but is also available with a flatter base curve.
Customised optimisation of the lens values by incorporating the real wearing situation enables the plastic lenses to give the wearer the best possible visual acuity, said the company. The Clarlet Loop is available in the refractive indices of 1.5 and 1.6 and a range of colours and coatings.
Furthermore, the automatic individual pre-decentration of Clarlet Loop enables glazing of frames with a large temporal area.
Existing products promoted at Silmo included the Clarlet 1.67 Gradal Top, 1.6 Gradal Top and 1.6 Gradal Brevis progressive lenses. And the discreet binocular magnifying glasses Concept Bino with 'extremely thin lenses' as a result of micro-structured aspheres. The lightweight plastic lenses are available in 6D, 8D, 10D and 12D. Zeiss also discussed its Vision RV Terminal, designed to make frame selection easier for the customer.
Sports dispensing
Elsewhere at the show, Rupp & Hubrach introduced an addition to its Sports wrap-around lens range. Sports Free is a freeform, individualised progressive lens designed specifically for glazing to sports frames. Rupp & Hubrach said the lens offered point-for-point optimised vision right out to the periphery for the progressive lens wearer.
Available in a sphere power range -4.00 to +4.00D, cyls to 2.00D, with adds from +0.75 to +2.50D, the customised lens is also offered in CR39 Hellaplast clear. Sports Free is also available in a wide range of tints with up to 92 per cent absorption. Silver and silver shade mirror finishes are also planned. And the lens is supplied ready hard coated with the company's GHnc coating as standard.
Following what it described as extensive research at its laboratories in south Germany to determine the best approach to Sports progressive lens dispensing, Rupp & Hubrach also launched the Sports Selectal Top progressive lens. The wrap-round sports spectacles provide wide-field vision in a high base curve and are available in a range of clear and tinted lens options including the Brilliant contrast-enhancing tint.
Speciality lenses
Hoya promoted its Super Hi Vision lens coating, due for release in Europe in May 2006. 'You simply cannot scratch the plastic,' said a representative. Full details for this product will be available in a forthcoming issue of optician.
Also on show was the Hoyalux ID progressive lens, launched this April. The progressive is personalised and entirely manufactured on both sides of the lens.
Seiko Pentax's Bi-Aspheric lens is '1.6 index -10 per cent thinner than the usual 1.74-1.77 lens,' said international sales manager David Nicoll.
The company also launched P-1 indoor 1.67 and 1.60 progressive design for an indoor environment such as the office or shopping centre. The lens boosts 'better, wider, intermediate vision with a distance focus at four metres'. The P1 computer 1.56 index lens is designed for wide intermediate vision. While the Super P1 progressive lens 1.74 and 1.67 is an 'individualised internal progressive lens'.
Rodenstock's ProAct 2 sports sunglass frame launched at Silmo comprises three models featuring extra curved lenses with UV protection. The Solitaire anti-reflection coated lenses come in a variety of tints including Savanna Brown and Indian Summer. ColorMatic Extra and ColorMatic Contrast photochromic options are also available.
Other recently launched products from Rodenstock include the Impression Mono aspheric fully customised single-vision lens, which the company said provided optimum vision irrespective of the prescription. And also the Impression 40 and Impression 80 lenses for the 40+ age group, designed for all close work tasks. These tailor-made lenses promise the wearer individual optimisation for all demands at near and intermediate distances, relaxed and fatigue-free vision and quick and easy adaptation.
Dutch safety eyewear company Proteye plugged the ProLite L&T lens, which stands for light and thin. Created in cooperation with Hoya Lens, ProLite said the organic lens could be up to 50 per cent thinner and up to 50 per cent lighter, had better chemical and scratch-resistant properties, had optimal optical qualities, very good colour-shifting properties and a 100 per cent UV-filter from 395nm.
'When we had the lenses figured out we still had the frame to think about. It should emphasise the benefits of ProLite lenses,' said Dik Hulshof of Proteye. 'So we developed a titanium frame that is both light and strong and fashionable. Then we had the frame and lenses certified by Inspec UK to the highest safety standard EN166-F.'
Intercast Europe promoted its APX lenses in NXT which 'guarantee superior performance and are compatible with polarised and photochromic treatments'. Intercast said the lens, launched in 1997, was characterised by insensibility to stress-cracking and impact resistance. The lens has overcome polycarbonate lens deficiency, such as cracking, said the company.
'Intercast's belief in innovation and research has allowed it to always anticipate the times and to achieve a successful business based on the development of new products to meet the needs of functionality and quality required by the ultimate design concepts in fashion and sports performance eyewear,' said a spokesperson.
PPG Industries presented its optical monomers and coatings at Silmo this year. The company said its lenses, made from Trivex tri-performance, had been selling at a rate of one million pieces per year in Europe. Available in Europe for two years, the material accounted for approximately 3 per cent of the world lens market. Trivex is an optical monomer used by five lens casters, including Hoya Vision Care, Younger Optics, Thai Optical Group, Augen Optics and X-CEL Optical Company. The material is capable of 'delivering the unprecedented combination of excellent optics, impact resistance and thin and ultra-lightweight qualities,' said the company.
Julbo Cameleon scratch-resistant photochromic and polarised lenses provide an 87-93 per cent visible light reduction, and eliminate 'dazzle, redefine contrasts and restore colours'. The lenses provide protection category 3 to 4, 100 per cent UV filter and progressive adaptation to visible light. NXT polymer ensures the lenses are 'unbreakable, scratch-resistant, plus resistant to chemicals and airborne particles'. Light and transparent, the company said they guaranteed clear vision and excellent protection.
Indo, distributed in the UK by Lenstec, launched its patented new Visual Map technology for Eyemade progressive lenses. The technology was created after Indo's R&D and Innovation Department found that all people have a unique visual strategy. The Visual Map system uses a stereoscopic pair of CCD cameras to record the movement of the eyes and head while the patient is performing a three-dimensional visual task.
The path of the eye is charted on a representative map of the significant vision areas and frequency of movement to determine the specific lens design the patient needs. The system calculates the design of the Eyemade lens for each patient in real time based on his visual map prescription and glasses shape. The lens is then made using Indo's free-form technology.
German equipment manufacturer Satisloh has completed its free-form line with the CO2 laser Lens-Engraver-LC, which engraves logos, other geometric signs and characters on organic progressive convex or concave lenses. The company said that low investment and low operating costs led to low costs per lens and that the operator could optimise the engraving process by using material-specific parameters.
The Auto-Flex fully automated polishing system is based on Satisloh's soft tool polishing technology and processes for all-format lens surfaces of all organic materials. It comprises one polishing station, a lens washing station and two loading arms to handle lenses and tools with increased speed. Satisloh said the tool management system automatically picked appropriate tools and discarded them when they had reached the end of their life.
The new VFT generator, the VFT-ultra-S, generates up to 140 lenses per hour in ready to soft polish quality. The generator, which is equipped with a fully automatic triple-action robotic loading system and offers operator-free processing of all format lenses, processes two lenses at a time, 140 per hour, and features a fully automated axis and tool adjustment calibration routine.
Also launched was the Rx server software RX-Server-AF, which provides an open platform to interface with third-party free-form lens design calculation programs. It is the latest module of a full range of modular Rx software products which manages the complete data flow for manufacturing prescription labs, said Satisloh.