Since I have recovered... mostly, I thought I would ask everyone about new products, frames and ideas. (I made the mistake of wearing shoes that were not fully broken in and turned my feet to pizza).
What new products and frames did you find at Vision Expo West?
V-Max PSF is a new refraction system that has great potential. The intent is to be able to refract patients down to .05 diopters, and it does so using point spreads. In all it was very fast, and accurate. It was only a matter of time that someone did this, after all, we can make lenses now down to .03 D in accuracy and it doesn't make sense to RX's that are only 1/8 as accurate as our eyewear.
PhotoFusion by Zeiss. Zeiss has developed a new photochromic technology that could challenge the dominance of Transitions (Jointly owned by PPG and Essilor).
I fortunately had my Transitions lenses with me, and the new Zeiss test lenses were really slightly faster and darker than Transitions. A real comparision can't be made until we see actual production lenses.
The change for Zeiss will be significant. It will no longer have to license Transitions from its competitor, Essilor. Zeiss almost went bankrupt last Spring, but received substantial financing from the German Government. Part of the reason for this could the research and developement costs of PhotoFusion. Now that its almost launched it could have a huge positive impact on Zeiss cash flow over the next few years. If Zeiss licenses the technology to other manufactures, there could be a substantial gain over time. It could be a game changing product if Zeiss manages it well, or destroy the company if it doesn't.
My wife and I spent a good deal of time talking with the Zeiss guys on Fri and Sat this year, and in particular asked a lot of questions regarding their new photochromic. Compared against a pair of Trans IV we had handy, we really couldn't tell much difference at all from a speed perspective. I agree that production lenses may be a slightly different breed though. All in all, I doubt very much that the slight differences between this and Trans product for example would be enough for the general lens purchasing public to get jazzed about. It's a slight evolutionary change, and not a massive, game changing, revolutionary jump after all. Now if you could get a lens to truly change as quickly, and become perfectly clear, and 15% trans dark like whats in the TV ads...you might have something that people would truly throw dollars behind. Wish Zeiss well in this new venture for them...time will tell of course how successful it is in the markets.
Or a significantly lower price point...Originally Posted by Uilleann
-Tony
I don't believe price is anywhere near as huge a factor as the way the lens actually performs. It would be for some obviously, but I have a feeling if you could get a water clear lens to hit 15% transmission and back to perfectly clear again in under a minute, you could quite possibly double the price and people would still go nuts for it. Doubly so for the day some genius invents lenses that self-polarize behind the windshield of a car!Where's Mr W.E. Coyote when we need him?!
I had my Transitions with me, and the new Zeiss Photochromic was slightly faster... in a test lens. If it at equals Transitions it will at least introduce competition into the market place. In the end if Zeiss licenses the product, it will drive Photochromic prices down for everyone. Essilor will stay Transitions (as will Shamir), but other companies could switch without impacting perceived performance. Transitions is a great product but in needs some competition. The Zeiss Photochromic will give it that.
Has anyone actually used or prescribed production Photofusion lenses?
i just dispensed my first few pair today... we compared them side by side to the patients transitions, and the transition demos.... the zeiss lenses did change faster, and seemed a little darker.
the biggest difference the patient noticed was the color difference, his transitions that were about a year old had changed color as compared to the transitions demos, where as the zeiss grey was a nice real grey lens.
we will see how those do in the long run though.
over all i was happy to sign the form to change to photofusion when available over trans.
Hoya got their version of "office Lenses" out. Also, the non-drill total rimless (frame+lenses) package.
Essilor got their Optifog lenses
Pixel Optics emPower! electronic lenses/eyeglasses still a disappointment to me
They also rearrange the zoning in the exhibitionism, made it hard to find certain exhibitors.
I'm hoping the Zeiss photochromic will have a more stable substrate than Transitions, which warps very easily.
DragonlensmanWV N.A.O.L.
"There is nothing patriotic about hating your government or pretending you can hate your government but love your country."
we are also bringing in the kit for the hoya totally rimless.
they look interesting, i will let you know how they do.
Saw one of them the other day. I think it will be a disaster until they replace the current hinge.
DragonlensmanWV N.A.O.L.
"There is nothing patriotic about hating your government or pretending you can hate your government but love your country."
Am I confused but aren't all polarized lenses polarized behind the windshield of a car, or anywhere else all the time?
Chip
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