ESSILOR INTRODUCES VARILUX LIBERTY™ WITH INSTANT READING POWER™

VISION EXPO WEST, LAS VEGAS – (September 10, 2004) – Essilor of America, Inc. once again revolutionizes the progressive lens industry with the introduction of a new Varilux® product line. To meet the unique needs of bifocal wearers desiring better lens options, Essilor is introducing Varilux Liberty™, the first and only progressive lens designed for bifocal conversion. Varilux Liberty™ meets the needs of bifocal wearers by providing a wide, soft and well-positioned ‘near vision’.

Now available to ECPs, Varilux Liberty™ features Varilux’s exclusive Instant Reading Power™ – a balanced combination of near vision width, near vision softness and near vision binocularity. Varilux Liberty™ boasts up to two times more Instant Reading Power™ with this unique combination of variables, than other PALs.

“Research shows that more than 62-percent of bifocal wearers are wearing bifocals because it was the original solution recommended to them by their ECP,” said Mike Daley, president of Essilor Lenses. “Yet, of the bifocal wearers we’ve surveyed that are open to other eye correction options, 50-percent tell us they’d switch to a progressive. Our new Varilux Liberty™ is an ideal progressive for those transitioning off bifocals because of the instant reading satisfaction. There may be an adaptation time of up to one week for some patients switching from bifocals to Varilux Liberty™ which is completely natural and well worth it for their overall benefit.”

The near-vision field of Varilux Liberty™ is very wide with powerful binocularity and offers a smooth intermediate vision that is not obtainable with bifocals. With no bifocal lines, Varilux Liberty™ helps today’s age-defying presbyopes see and look better. Couple that with Varilux Liberty’s™ exclusive “Instant Reading Power” technology, and bifocal wearers have a perfectly balanced progressive to switch to for optimal reading performance.

Varilux Liberty™ is available in 1.50 Index and Airwear® and will be available in 1.50 Transitions in the Fall, 2004. Varilux Liberty™ is also available with the outstanding AR properties of Crizal® and the unmatched hydrophobic performance of Crizal® Alizé™ creating the ultimate progressive lens experience for former bifocal wearers.

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Varilux®, Airwear®, and Crizal® are registered trademarks of Essilor International, S.A.
Varilux Liberty™ and Alize™ are trademarks of Essilor International, S.A.
Instant Reading Power ™ is a trademark of Essilor of America, Inc.