Lens Generations

[OPTIDONN]

Can some one explain the difference between 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc. generations of progressive lens designs.

[chip anderson]

First ones seldom worked. Second ones worked sometimes. Third ones work most of the time.

[rsandr]

First ones seldom worked. Second ones worked sometimes. Third ones work most of the time.

Theres a forth generation coming soon, guess what its called.

[For-Life]

It is just the version. In some cases, like Chip said, it can be because the first one did not work. In others it can just be using updated technology to make it better. For instance, the Ipseo now has added the WAVE technology, and is a second generation version. If you look at Alize, now it has an anti-static, so that would be a second generation.

[rsandr]

Theres a forth generation coming soon, guess what its called.

The answer was bifocal.

[Chris Ryser]

If you look at Alize, now it has an anti-static, so that would be a second generation.

Besides ant-static ..........my equivalent stuff has anti-fog......that would make me the inventor of the third and final generation.

:hammer:

[fjpod]

First ones seldom worked. Second ones worked sometimes. Third ones work most of the time.

Chip, Sounds pretty liberal coming from you. Good for you! lol

[hipoptical]

Can some one explain the difference between 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc. generations of progressive lens designs.

Often the differences are small changes to a design the R&D department found would slightly improve their product. Sometimes it is a complete redesign (Ford Escort to Focus). You know there are differences, but the kicker is this:
Generations have to do with what THAT manufacturer did with THEIR lens. There is no industry standard to say what a "generation" is. A company that comes out with a PAL for the first time, actually has a 1st gen. lens for them. However, it may be patterned after a 6th gen. that Shamir designed for someone else. So, is it 1st or 6th? The market likes the sound of 6th, so it's a 6th. BUT... is that 6th the same 6th as Essilor's 6th? or Zeiss' 4th? or Rottenstock's 5th? or Armorlite's whatever...

So, to answer your question:
No, probably not.

[loncoa]

1st gen progressives were super-hard designs which had fairly large areas and extreme error (or unwanted cylinder, distortion whatever you want to call it) immediately lateral to those areas. 2nd gen means softer designs which had smaller areas of true optics but the error came on more gently as you moved the eye laterally. 3rd gen is up for debate but some feel it refers to short-corridor, and some feel it refers to position of wear technology, what does it matter as long as you're both on the same page. 4th gen is going to be wavefront technology applied to optics on one or both sides of the lens, I would say. Please let 5th gen be liquid crystal display technology applied to all lenses to they can automatically focus for any power or distance just like the magic lenses all progressive lens companies claim to be selling...LOL

[Judy Canty]

I suppose it depends on when you started counting. If it's your company's 1st progressive, it's your 1st generation lens.