Younger Optics has done it. It's a new product called DriveWear and it's available in S.V. only for the time being. It features NuPolar technology and Transitions lenses that work while inside the car. Here is what Younger says about this product. "Drivewear is the only lens developed to specifically address the Driving Task. Polarized at all times and designed to shift between a lighter and darker color as visual conditions change, it is the ultimate driving eyewear." You can learn more about this product at Vision Expo, or wait until it is released next month.

 

I participated in a webinar today with Shamir Lenses. The presentation was to introduce us to a new Shamir lens called Shamir Creation. this is being marketed as a Freeform Optics(TM) product. What makes this product so special is that ceramic molds are not ulilized the formation of the lens blank removing some of the error that occurs in the development of a regular PAL. In addition, the product will have more base curves for selection. Shamir says these factors will allow the end product to be closer to the actual design of the lens and therefore more precise. Shamir will formally introduce this lens a Vision Expo East and then will ship product to labs beginning on April 17th. We'll have more on this lens in April.

 

Here are a couple of faxes we have received from accounts during the last few days.

"We gave you an impossible Rx and you made it look easy! Rx is exact and mounted well. Thanks"

"Hey Guys! Groove jobs look wonderful!Grooves are deeper; edges finished. Thanks so much."

 

The Crizal Coating Center has added the shamir Genesis, Piccolo, and Office to the list of products that now qualify for Crizal and Alize'AR coating. The only exception to this is the Genesis in polycarbonate which does not qualify for Crizal coat products.

 

The Panorama PAL is no more. This was a private label product that Shamir made for our lens group, Global Optics. It was a high quality lens at a low price and it came in a multitude of materials. We have removed it from our availability list.

 

Zeiss has added poly Transitions Gray to its line of Gradal Brevity. This lens blank features a factory applied, scratch-resistant hard coating that is specifically optimized for photochromic lenses. The power range for this lens is +5.00 to -10.00 with cylinders up to -4.00 (total power not to exceed -10.00D)and adds from 1.00 to 3.00D. Minimum fitting height is 16mm.

 

The Transitions Lenses 2006 Dispensing Guide is now available.This is an excellent product availability chart of all the product that is available with Transitions.
You can download a copy by clicking here.

 

A while back we informed you through our Newsletter that glass execs are being phased out. Currently, there is only one vendor left making these lenses and that is X-cel.
I was told this morning that most of the smaller 60mm are gone. In the 65mm clear the 4base 275, 6 base 200 add and 250 add are gone. In PGX the 4 base 250 add, 6 base 225 and 250 add and 8 base 300 add are gone.

 

Mark the date, April 3rd, for the release of the Varilux Physio 1.50 in clear and Transitions Gray and Brown. These lenses will have a full range of base curves, and the add power range will be from .75 to 3.50 & 4.00. CR-39 joins polycarbonate Airwear and 1.67 index for a full material range of product.

 

Joe Duffy and his wife Samantha have been on vacation this past week enjoying a carribean cruise. Joe will be back in the office on Monday, March 6th. Joe's birthday was Friday, March 3rd.

 

The results are in for the month of February for our top 10 selling PAL lenses.

1) Varilux Comfort

2) Varilux Panamic

3) Varilux Ellipse

4) Shamir Piccolo

5) Younger Image

6) Varilux Physio

7) Sola VIP

8) Shamir Genesis

9) AO Compact

10) Essilor Ovation

11) Varilux Physio 360

12) Sola Solamax

The results are almost the same as last month with the exception of VX Physio which made its first appearance in the top ten moving Solamax to the number 12 slot. VX Physio came in at the #11 spot in its first month.

 

We have obtained a copy of the OLA newsletter Tech Topic describing the changes in the new ANSI standard. Click here to link into a copy of that pdf file for viewing.