Blu-Tech Lenses ??? Anyone heard of them?

[sharpstick777]

http://www.blutechlenses.com/

They claim they block more blue light. Ok, any yellow lens will.

They also claim that blue light causes AMD? Anyone else heard of that? I know that AMD is still a mystery to some degree, but is there a study that substantiates that claim that blocking blue light we can prevent AMD?

No real information on the technology. HOW does it block blue? Revo used oxides in the day, to block short wave blue.

They are distrubuted by Signet Armorlite (which means Essilor).

[finefocus]

The harmful effects of EM are now said to extend to 500 or 550 nm. I can't quote the study. This is one risk factor, but eliminating blue light won't "prevent" AMD; there are the other familiar factors.

[toddchaney]

Well, I had never heard of them before but the concept sounds interesting. Thanks

[Wes]

The harmful effects of EM are now said to extend to 500 or 550 nm. I can't quote the study. This is one risk factor, but eliminating blue light won't "prevent" AMD; there are the other familiar factors.

I first heard about this in a CE several years ago. The discussion was on brown vs gray sunlenses, and the conclusion was that brown was better at filtering out more High Energy Visible light. I now exclusively wear brown sunlenses, and recommend them to patients. It was discussed here a while back: http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...r+degeneration . Another: http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...r+degeneration . Further reading: http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...r+degeneration http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-energy_visible_light http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-hev-sunglasses.htm http://www.pingueculae.com/uv-light/...-light-effects http://www.allaboutvision.com/sunglasses/spf.htm http://www.2020mag.com/ce/TTViewTest.aspx?LessonId=3127

[rinselberg]

Florida-based company.. patented Ocular Lens Pigment.. filters UV and blue wavelengths.. maintains normal color vision and enhances contrast sensitivity.

Blu-Tech lenses are available in standard plastic in an indoor design. Israel said he expects to soon offer a proprietary high-impact material that meets the ANSI Z87.1-2003 safety standards in both the indoor and outdoor polarized lens designs.

Currently, Blu-Tech lenses are available exclusively through Signet Armorlite’s Signatek lab in Signet Armorlite’s backside digital lens designs.

http://www.visionmonday.com/ViewContent/tabid/211/content_id/37652/catId/90/Default.aspx

[sharpstick777]

Patented pigment? That simply means yellow/orange. Its not hard to fabricate a new yellow in a slightly different molecular structure. Any tint color simply blocks its opposite on the color wheel and its quite easy to target specific spectrums, its what Revo did in the 1980's.

We have been able to do this with both tints and non-metallic oxides for a very long time in both reflective and absorbative technologies. What is really new?

Is there anything really that seperates this from Blue-Blockers ?

[finefocus]

I first heard about this in a CE several years ago. The discussion was on brown vs gray sunlenses, and the conclusion was that brown was better at filtering out more High Energy Visible light. I now exclusively wear brown sunlenses, and recommend them to patients. It was discussed here a while back: http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...r+degeneration . Another: http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...r+degeneration . Further reading: http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...r+degeneration http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-energy_visible_light http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-hev-sunglasses.htm http://www.pingueculae.com/uv-light/...-light-effects http://www.allaboutvision.com/sunglasses/spf.htm http://www.2020mag.com/ce/TTViewTest.aspx?LessonId=3127

I'd like to repeat what I said in your first link above; why are brown lenses credited with filtering more blue light? Gray lenses filter those wavelengths (500-550nm) just as much. It's just that brown filters less of the red end, not more of the blue.

Discussion?

[Wes]

I'd like to repeat what I said in your first link above; why are brown lenses credited with filtering more blue light? Gray lenses filter those wavelengths (500-550nm) just as much. It's just that brown filters less of the red end, not more of the blue.

Discussion?

You could very well be correct. I'm not claiming expertise in the area, just sharing links.
Speaking of which, kcount had an interesting post on one of those.
http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...l=1#post371266.
Thoughts?

[finefocus]

You could very well be correct. I'm not claiming expertise in the area, just sharing links.
Speaking of which, kcount had an interesting post on one of those.
http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...l=1#post371266.
Thoughts?

Very interesting from kcount. He mentions rare earth elements. I'm unsure whether they constitute simple pigments (limited to absorbing their complimentary colors), or as filters/destructors of wavelengths unrelated to their visible color. I'm thinking of Safilo's old "589" sunglasses or Carrera Excede where the transmission curve has severe dropouts at specific wavelengths. I know that glass lenses can contain specific elements to tailor the transmission curve, but how can that be done in resin lenses?

[Uilleann]

Very interesting from kcount. He mentions rare earth elements. I'm unsure whether they constitute simple pigments (limited to absorbing their complimentary colors), or as filters/destructors of wavelengths unrelated to their visible color. I'm thinking of Safilo's old "589" sunglasses or Carrera Excede where the transmission curve has severe dropouts at specific wavelengths. I know that glass lenses can contain specific elements to tailor the transmission curve, but how can that be done in resin lenses?

This frequency isolation stuff has been done for decades in astronomical filters such as Hα's and Na-D's. It sounds to me like this particular company has found a new method of marketing yellow lenses though, and not really anything else.

It's interesting the company put out a press release stating that their filters "maintain normal color vision and enhances contrast sensitivity". Those are some pretty bold claims. Of course, if you're altering the incoming waveform by attenuating and boosting selective frequencies in any way, a kindergartner will tell you that you are not "maintaining normal color vision"...you are in fact altering it. Further, to make the blanket claim of enhanced contrast sensitivity seems to stretch into the realm of medical quackery. While there might be certain individuals that would see some measurable contrast change (for better or worse) with this tint, I would like to see all the studies and data to support the same.

Color me skeptical in the extreme...

[sharpstick777]

Inherantly colors are filtered by their opposites on the color wheel. So Yellow pigment (tint) inherantaly allows more yellow through by blocking Violet. Red tint would block green, green tint would block red. etc.

Brown inherantly is an orange base, so it blocks more blue light. Yellow-Orange blocks the most Shortwave Blue (the lower end of the blue EM Spectrum) but we can't get Yellow dark on its own, so we can add other colors to make it darker.

IF you look through lenses with a blue mirror, they look slightly yellow. They are blocking more blue so the light passing through is no longer neutral.

Think Vaurnet, they were great for skiing because they were Amber, and shortwave blue is murder to skiiers (who call it "flat" light). Vaurnet simply blocked blue light. Same with Shooting glasses, being Yellow. Block blue and you get more detail. The Aussies did a study a few years ago demonstrating that DVA resolution increased on a blue lettering and yellow lenses, even at night.

As we know, short wave blue light behaves detrimentally in many conditions (there is a theory blue light aids in our night vision) as it comes to a different focal point than other colors. In clear conditions this is detrimental to clarity and DVA. Filter out the blue and things simply get sharper.

I'd like to repeat what I said in your first link above; why are brown lenses credited with filtering more blue light? Gray lenses filter those wavelengths (500-550nm) just as much. It's just that brown filters less of the red end, not more of the blue.

Discussion?

[Vision Ease Lens]

Great thread,

Indeed, scientific studies have shown that HEV (high energy visible light in the violet and blue end of the spectrum) light may contribute to development of macular degeneration. A synopsis of recent research can be found on the white paper just posted to the articles page(link below), Considerations in the Prescription and Use of Photoprotective Eyewear by Dr Gary Heiting.

http://www.optiboard.com/forums/content.php/149-Considerations-in-the-Prescription-and-Use-of-Photoprotective-Eyewear

HEV light is the highest energy thus most penetrating form of visible light. Since it is visible we know that it reaches the retina. In adults UV light generally does not. Studies have shown that when epithelia cells, the kind of cells that make up both our skin and our retina, are exposed to HEV light they are effected in much the same way as when they are exposed to UV light. The cellular wall is broken down and DNA is damaged so that it can no longer accurately replicate. The two best ways to prevent this damage is by blocking harmful HEV (and UV) light and eating foods rich in antioxidants which the body can use to repair very early damage at the molecular level.

With regards to color, brown or amber colored lenses are inherently better equipped to protect from violet and Blue (HEV) rays because amber and blue colors are opposites, think of where these colors appear on a color wheel. Opposite colors neutralize each other, in other words they cancel each other out. Thus amber / gold blocks blue / violet. Old fashioned “Blue Blockers”, which were yellow in appearance, blocked all HEV light. This was uncomfortable for wearers because they dramatically changed colors viewed through the lens. Newer HEV protective lenses are designed to filter most HEV light while still allowing enough to passes through to allow for good color perception.

You will find many other resources on our website for Coppertone lenses, coppertonelenses.com.

Thank you, Vision-Ease Lens

[sharpstick777]

This frequency isolation stuff has been done for decades in astronomical filters such as Hα's and Na-D's. It sounds to me like this particular company has found a new method of marketing yellow lenses though, and not really anything else.

So we have 2 issues Uilleann, and I am leaning toward your postion on the 2nd.

The first is 1) is short-wave blue light bad? The answer is: YES. both optically and very probably one contributor to AMD.
The second is whether Blu-Tech lenses offer anything that simple yellow-orange tint does not? I would agree that this sounds like fluff so far.

[sharpstick777]

Maui Jim reduces short wave blue in resing through their backside AR, but since the base lens is tinted the "yellowish" AR is hidden. But they have that patented.

As well, Finefocus, Revo used to offer lenses with drop-outs at specific wavelengths to enhance primary colors through their "Traveller" lens, among others. I

t would be possible to layer resin lenses using a hard coat with spectral absorbing material since they already contain silica, its possible to bond either rare earth element or oxides to the silica and then put it in the mix. It would be unlikely to have a negative effect on durability but it would not be clear, it would turn the lens "yellowish".

Very interesting from kcount. He mentions rare earth elements. I'm unsure whether they constitute simple pigments (limited to absorbing their complimentary colors), or as filters/destructors of wavelengths unrelated to their visible color. I'm thinking of Safilo's old "589" sunglasses or Carrera Excede where the transmission curve has severe dropouts at specific wavelengths. I know that glass lenses can contain specific elements to tailor the transmission curve, but how can that be done in resin lenses?

[finefocus]

Maui Jim reduces short wave blue in resing through their backside AR, but since the base lens is tinted the "yellowish" AR is hidden. But they have that patented.

As well, Finefocus, Revo used to offer lenses with drop-outs at specific wavelengths to enhance primary colors through their "Traveller" lens, among others. I

t would be possible to layer resin lenses using a hard coat with spectral absorbing material since they already contain silica, its possible to bond either rare earth element or oxides to the silica and then put it in the mix. It would be unlikely to have a negative effect on durability but it would not be clear, it would turn the lens "yellowish".

Revo lenses, originally, were glass with some pigment augmented by a destructive-interference coating system. Those were the ones with highly visible, mirror-like, reflex colors; blue, orange, and another (purple?). The lenses were either brown or gray to look through.
I still say that gray lenses filter 500nm as well as brown lenses do, they just filter the rest of visible spectrum about as well. This flat filtration curve means no contrast bump like brown lenses produce, but just as much protection from tissue damage (disregarding the effect of greater pupil dilation).