Comfort Availability

**Mike Fretto** · 01-10-2002, 12:36 PM

Has anyone out there heard anything about Essilor releasing their Comfort blanks to non-Essilor labs. I understand those of us who havent climbed aboard the ELOA bus arent allowed to touch the sacred product, but I've heard something about Panamic possibly opening the door for the Comfort to be released, sort of like the Natural. Any input would be appreciated, (I think):D

**Jeff Trail** · 01-10-2002, 03:23 PM

Mike,

You do not have to be an "Essilor lab" to get the Varilux line BUT you do have to be an approved Varilux lab.. I checked on it a number of years ago and the hoops you had to go through was incrediable, that is "if" they would approve you..the have territories and such.. you had to have a certian number of accounts, which I didn't mind seeing or showing BUT you also had to show your books to them..YIKES.. they may have changed that policy, I would hope so. You also had to have a min. order to get started..I think it was around 150 pair and than required around a 100 a month or so as well...
If you think they will move the panamic over into the general use areana keep dreaming...as long as it is in the Varilux family of lens than it will only be available to Varilux approved labs.. Why else do you think they can keep those prices so propped up for them wholesale.. you have a limited distribution point and high demand :-)
What you were probably getting confused about Essilor owned labs and such was after Hoya started buying up labs they had this big "I'm bigger than you" shoving match.. so any Essilor lab out there got all it's Hoya products yanked.. and any lab that got bought up by Hoya lost it's Varilux Lic. :-) I knew a few lab guys that got caught up in that battle and it was pretty funny hearing their stories about it all....
You want Varilux and not boot leg stuff than you can only get it by becoming a Lic. Varilux lab.. and I don't think they are giving any out right now.. I know one other lab owner that got one in the last year or so and he kinda lucked into it.

Jeff "keep wishing...you'll have a better chance winning the lottery than getting Varilux blanks" Trail

**John R** · 01-10-2002, 03:42 PM

Originally posted by Mike Fretto
Has anyone out there heard anything about Essilor releasing their Comfort blanks to non-Essilor labs.

Mike even Essilor approved labs don't get Comfort blanks to surface, They are avaiable as a finished lens only.
But you never know now the old V2 is dead, and with nothing to replace it unless you count the Natural they might just be thinking about letting it out. Mind you it would save them a lot of bother, we have to return quite a few for being wrong power etc.....

**Mike Fretto** · 01-10-2002, 09:18 PM

Jeff what I was looking into was the potential availability of Comfort blanks not Panamic. What I was hearing was now that Panamic was established the potential was there to make Comfort available to non approved labs just like the Natural, which I'm told is similar in design to the Comfort.

John not sure I understand your reply, are you saying Comfort blanks arent available to Varilux approved labs? Or is it that there arent any Varilux approved labs in the U.K. They are very available here to those willing and in a position to jump through the hoops Jeff has mentioned above.

What actually brought this on is we are pretty fed up with the service were getting (or not getting) from our current so called Varilux approved lab. There are other labs in our area capable of doing better work but the price is, I feel outrageous. When I expressed my concern to those that make the decisions here I was told to look into the Comfort thing before we jump ship.

**John R** · 01-11-2002, 01:13 AM

Originally posted by Mike Fretto

John not sure I understand your reply, are you saying Comfort blanks arent available to Varilux approved labs? Or is it that there arent any Varilux approved labs in the U.K.

There are approved labs in the UK of which we are one, but the only way we can get comfort is to buy finished lenses from Essilor...
They will not supply Semi-finished blanks to the approved labs to surface. This could be diffrent in the states, though i would doub't it.
As i said in my other post there seems to be a bit of a problem reguarding quality control at present (UK anyway) with comforts, so maybe they are looking to stop production and save on costs

**Jeff Trail** · 01-11-2002, 01:38 PM

John,

It is different here in the ole US, Varilux gives out the Lic. to a certian amount of labs that they approve and they can get the blanks. Essilor owning labs here is sort of a new thing..hmm last 3 or 4 years and before that they were strictly distribution and manufacture of blanks.
Varilux is owned by Essilor which also ownes Silor but they kind of have this competition for same market place when it comes to PAL's.
The guidelines are pretty strict based on volume and location and availibilty on becomeing an official Varilux distribution lab...but once approved you get the blanks, grind away and send them out.:-)

Jeff "shoulda went for it when I had the chance...I guess" Trail