J&J Definety Lens

**JSBell** · 06-02-2003, 06:50 AM

Does anyone have anything to say about the new J & J progressive lens, I think they call it Definety?
Thanks!
JB

**Pete Hanlin** · 06-02-2003, 07:15 AM

Does anyone have anything to say about the new J & J progressive lens, I think they call it Definety?
Actually, Definity is- and isn't- a "new" lens.

For the past three years, J&J has been launching and relaunching Definity2. Originally, the lenses were designed to be comprised of two "wafers," a polycarbonate wafer and a resin wafer. The selling point was a "dual add" idea where progressive addition was "split" between the front and rear surfaces.

For various reasons, J&J had to abandon the wafer system, so the lens went back into development several times...

Today, J&J is preparing to "re-launch" the lens under the name Definity. The lens will now come in either polycarbonate or CR-39 and will be launched in specific areas of the country, since J&J can purportedly only manufacture quantities sufficient to support a limited launch (their production facility is in Roanoke, VA).

The "dual-add" is still there, but now the lenses are purportedly being ground and then polished using a "soft lap" process that allows a non-spherical surface to be polished on the reverse of the lens. From what I understand, Definity will also have a different color AR stack that creates a green rather than purplish hue on the lens.

Depending upon where you live, you can expect a visit from a rep sooner or later- as J&J makes a new attempt to enter the PAL market.

(Note: as you can see, I'm an Essilor- not a J&J- employee. Therefore, while I believe this information to be accurate, it should not be viewed as any kind of representation by J&J.)

**Steve Machol** · 06-02-2003, 09:17 AM

There's a press release in the Optical Industry News forum about this:

http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=7291

**Rich** · 06-02-2003, 08:17 PM

Hi:

We've been using these lenses for about 6 months now. They were just made available in CR-39 (within the last 2 weeks) and I'm told to expect Transitions and 1.6 Index within the next few weeks.

All come ONLY with their AR coating, no tinting possible, and the prices are fairly steep. The other drawback is the somewhat limited Rx range (-5.00 to +4.00, 2.00 Cyl).

Those are the negatives.

The positive is that for the 20 to 30 patients who have opened their walllets for J&J consistently have said that they don't know they are even wearing progressives. These seem to be the best progressives we've used.

Varilux is still our number 1 lens: Rx range, materials available, cost, etc. We do some Zeiss and Hoya too as "premium" lenses. But I'm becoming more of a fan of the "band-aid" lenses as they expand their line.

And no... I don't work for them. I'm an independent in private practice.

Best regards to all:
Rich

**karen** · 06-03-2003, 09:10 AM

Is it correct that these guys are going straight to the owners (optician, OD, or MD) and bypassing the labs?? I apologize if that info is in the site Steve posted, I didn't read it :p

**varmint** · 06-04-2003, 09:08 AM

Any product from J&J makes me wary. Anyone remember the Innotech scandal?

**Robert Martellaro** · 06-04-2003, 02:13 PM

I tried this lens a couple months ago. It had the hideous looking purple AR. It now comes in an acceptable looking green. I have tried most of the current PALs (same frame, material, -4.50 add 2.00). The JJ lens is a very good lens but not better than other lenses per se. The two year unconditional warranty is a big plus (especially if JJ is in the ophthalmic lens biz in two years). Not available without the AR coat. JJ does the surfacing and the finishing. Supposedly atoric but my lens was essentially the same edge thickness as my other trial lenses. If you need an atoric PAL for your astigmats I would pass on the definity and use the multigressiv instead.

Robert