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Thread: New Varilux Lens

  1. #1
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    New Varilux Lens

    No one was more surprised than me to hear that Varilux will be fazing out Panamic and Comfort first of the year and replacing they with a newly designed PAL. The new lens’s name will be kept secret until the launch in January.

    John Zimmerman
    Sales Manager
    Tri-City Optical Laboratory

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by johntricity
    No one was more surprised than me to hear that Varilux will be fazing out Panamic and Comfort first of the year and replacing they with a newly designed PAL. The new lens’s name will be kept secret until the launch in January.

    Source?

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    The information came from my lab owner who just returned from a Varilux meeting for lab owners in Dallas last week.
    John Zimmerman
    Sales Manager
    Tri-City Optical Laboratory

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    It was surprised.

    Panamic is the lens currently evaluated by the consumer also in Japan.
    Is after follow of the measure against a consumer perfect since ESSILOR is the lens company of No1?

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    Big Smile All Hype..........................

    Dont you guy's think that the market is flooded with that type of lenses?

    All they want is to keep theire market share up. Technology on that type of lenses seems to be all but exhausted.

    A little larger...............a little smaller.................a little elss corridor and little more corridor.

  6. #6
    What's up? drk's Avatar
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    Of course, Chris is essentially correct.

    I do think Varilux is getting punched around a little bit.

    Good marketing move, IMO.

    But please, Essilor, if this new lens is astronomically priced, I'm not buying.

    Where does that Definity fit in? Are they going to scrap that, too?

    I'm a little fatigued by Essilor: Comfort, Ovation, Panamic, Liberty, Ellipse...

    I think the simpler "Sola One" concept, or the 1-2 punch Shamir approach is the better idea. Develop a lens brand, and keep refining it. Quit introducing so many new lenses.

  7. #7
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    Ditto DRK...why not just make the existing lenses better rather then bringing in any more additional lenses. It's getting tiresome.

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    Pomposity! Spexvet's Avatar
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    If there's not a significant difference from the Panamic, comfort, or ellipse, I don't see the point. Could it merely be the definity, marketed by Varilux? I'm still waiting for the PAL with a clear (edge to edge) distance, wide intermediate, really wide near, and no distortion. Do you think this new lens will be it? ;)
    ...Just ask me...

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    Big Smile At end of rope...............

    Quote Originally Posted by shellrob
    Ditto DRK...why not just make the existing lenses better rather then bringing in any more additional lenses. It's getting tiresome.
    In my humble opinion............I don't think they can make them any better........and they know it too..............that's why new names, new packaging, new pricing, new advertising and new HYPE.

    You have 20 other brands out there which are basically all the same and everybody wants a newer and larger share of an existing market for the same idea product..............

    Sounds like the old Hetz.Avis advertising.............I am no1 and.......I am no2

  10. #10
    Master OptiBoarder Jedi's Avatar
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    Can't see it happening. Comfort is "the" go-to lens. As far as I know it's still the #1 PAL dispensed in North America.
    "It's not impossible. I used to bull's-eye womp rats in my T-16 back home."


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    Now that I do remember it I think Varilux is finally ready to release its Openview which is basically a PAL that works well in a wrap.

    Do not see it as a replacement though. Oh ya, Chris is right.

    We have the Super Noline, Adapter, Natural, Ovation, Ellipse, Liberty, Varilux II, Panamic, and Comfort.

    How much difference is actually between these lenses to justify 9 different lenses.

    However, this is the company that has such AR as RF-99, RF-NP, RF-Endura, Trio, Trio EC, Crizal, Crizal Alize, and Crizal D Alize.

    So you get a lot of choices with slight modifications. Pretty much useless in my opinion, but hey, I am not the CEO.

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    Bad address email on file QDO1's Avatar
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    It seems we get new Essilor lenses in the UK before you guys in the US, so here is a link to the UK website http://www.essilor.co.uk/lensinfo/varilux/openview.html

    One might bemaon all the different lens options, but, other manufacturers have many options too... Rodenstock for example has AT, PL2 MG2 ILT, ILT XS, ImpresionsS, Nexyma 40/80, Impresions 40/80, ProgStart, SI, PL2XS Have I forgotten 1? THey all have different performances/qualities, and if one cares to understand the differences, patients will benefit from a better lens dispensing

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    More than 50 choices.....................

    Quote Originally Posted by QDO1
    Rodenstock for example has AT, PL2 MG2 ILT, ILT XS, ImpresionsS, Nexyma 40/80, Impresions 40/80, ProgStart, SI, PL2XS Have I forgotten 1? THey all have different performances/qualities, and if one cares to understand the differences, patients will benefit from a better lens dispensing
    And then you have Zeiss............Sola............Shamir..........and others including the chinese have recently come on the market.

    That means you must have a choice of about 50 different progressives and you want to tell me that this is better for the patients ?

    Or would you know or even care which one would be the perfect lens for a specific patient ?

    I bet you not even the opticians will know them all.....................and then look at one very profitable chain like COSTCO who manages very well by selling one type only.

    n the UK you have a large chain that has a lot of happy customers with their one type of progressives at much lower prices. They might float a few more expensive ones.

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    OptiBoard Professional culland's Avatar
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    Where's Pete? Maybe he can shed some light on whether this rumor is true!

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    Bad address email on file QDO1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Ryser
    And then you have Zeiss............Sola............Shamir..........and others including the chinese have recently come on the market.

    That means you must have a choice of about 50 different progressives and you want to tell me that this is better for the patients ?

    Or would you know or even care which one would be the perfect lens for a specific patient ?

    I bet you not even the opticians will know them all.....................and then look at one very profitable chain like COSTCO who manages very well by selling one type only.

    n the UK you have a large chain that has a lot of happy customers with their one type of progressives at much lower prices. They might float a few more expensive ones.
    There are well more than 50, literally hundreds. No professional would care to know about all of them, but your philosophy flies in the face of patient care. We do have a duty to be educated enought to make the correct choices in our offerings to patients. Most dispensers in Multiples in the UK dont know squat about the 2 lenses they do dispense

    I, and most other good independant dispensers offer a educated lens choice to our patients. Not based on profits, but whats best for the patients vision, Ive only worked 1 day this week, and so far im on my 5th diferent type of progressive, over 4 manufacturers. I can say exactly why each lens was dispensed, and justify the three or so options presented to each patient

    As we seem to do car analogies - what you are saying is why does ford, GM, Volvo, Porche, and Lexus all offer a mini, medum, large, and SUV, and why do some suit some people and not others?

    I choose a car based on how much it hurts my back, and how flexible the front seats are for the two of us (being very different sizes), my neibour choses a car because he can swing his sore leg in easy da da da. the two respective choices are perfect for both of us, and are both good cars, but each would be the wrong choice for everone

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    Quote Originally Posted by johntricity
    No one was more surprised than me to hear that Varilux will be fazing out Panamic and Comfort first of the year and replacing they with a newly designed PAL. The new lens’s name will be kept secret until the launch in January.
    Lens launch will be at national sales meeting in Jan. My understanding is that the lens will be avialable both in a Freeform and Standard design. Initial rollout will be in 1.67 and Polycarbonate (big surprise). Something I have wondered about Varilux lenses, Essilor Lenses, and ELOA is if the Varilux brand name is being drowned. Too many products, too many logos, too many distrubitors and too many 'certified' dispensers makes for a brand name that may not have the clout that it once had. I think Varilux products are great, but I get scared about the *******ization of the brand name.

    I can not speak upon the benefits of the lens, as I have absolutely no idea. I can however say that they are going to share the 'data-points' so that folks that have invested in a Freeform generator will be able to manuf. this lens on their own.

    Speaking Definity, rumor has it they are looking to do 150-200 Definity jobs per day in the US. That is only 2-4 per day, per state... the way I figure it, Cherry Optical will be able to carry the whole midwest.

    Adam

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    Even if they come out with new designs that doesn't mean they are going to phase out Panamic and Comfort, at least not for awhile.

    I noticed on the UK Varilux website some lenses I hadn't seen before. Is the Expert avalible in the States? I have heard of the Comfort Small but is it out here?

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    re-vive............................

    Quote Originally Posted by Happylady
    I noticed on the UK Varilux website some lenses I hadn't seen before. Is the Expert avalible in the States? I have heard of the Comfort Small but is it out here?
    Have you ever looked into the age old practice by manufacturers to re-pak, re-vive, re-use products under other names, other markets...............just to have something new.

  19. #19
    Master OptiBoarder karen's Avatar
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    I was told there is a new lens coming but not that they are phasing out the others. Curious to see what it is.
    Let the refining and improving of your own life keep you so busy that you have little time to criticize others. -H. Jackson Brown Jr.

    If the only tool you have is a hammer you will approach every problem as though it were a nail

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