When was the last time you had a 40-something new presbyope walk into your office asking for Flat-Top bifocals? Its probably been a while. Over the past decade, PAL sales have steadily- if slowly- risen as more and more Baby Boomers slipped into middle age. However, with most of the "Boomers" already in their 40s, you will be finding less and less "new" presbyopes in your practice over the next few years.
Which brings our attention to another question... When was the last time you seriously tried to convert a segmented bifocal wearer into a PAL wearer? This has also probably been a rare occurance if your office is like most... Surveys of eye care practitioners have indicated that 80% of segmented multifocal sales are made to people already wearing this type of correction.
This indicates that- although the industry has done a good job at reliably capturing emerging presbyopes- established segmented multifocal wearers have been pretty much overlooked. Since only 51% of America's presbyopes are wearing PAL designs (that's right- about 1/2 of the presbyopes in a typical practice are still wearing segmented bifocals), the "growth market" for PALs is going to shift from emerging presbyopes to established/non-converted presbyopes. You can "write these patients off" and accept stagnation in revenue growth (average # of units sold continues to hold steady and even decline for the private practice), or you can choose to invest in your practice and promote quality products which produce better vision for your patients and better returns for your practice!
Ah yes, but most of these patients have already tried PALs without success, you may say. To that, Essilor and Varilux offer a new solution- Varilux Liberty. Varilux Liberty is not a replacement for the world leading Varilux Comfort or advanced design Varilux Panamic. Instead, it has been specifically designed to meet the needs of segmented multi-focal wearers. Featuring Instant Reading PowerTM, Varilux Liberty offers the segmented bifocal wearer a visual experience that is similar to their current correction- without the negative performance and cosmetic effects of the segment line.
Instant Reading PowerTM means the focus of this design is a reading zone that is easily and quickly aquired by the wearer. Instant Reading Power is a perfectly balanced coefficient measuring key lens design features for optimal reading. Instant Reading Power measures near vision width, near vision softness, and near vision binocularity. The result is a PAL lens that is particularly suited to the visual needs and habits of segmented bifocal wearers.
Your local authorized Varilux distributor should have Varilux Liberty around August 9th, and the original materials will be CR-39 and Airwear (polycarbonate). If your PAL sales have begun to flatten out, its time to quit ignoring the 50% of your presbyope base that is still wearing segmented lenses (that's right- only 51% of American presbyopes wear PALs). For those patients who have "tried PALs before," give them another chance at better vision and better cosmetics and fit Varilux Liberty.
Just to clarify, this information is coming from someone who is definitely (and proudly) associated with Essilor/Varilux, and I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have about the technical aspects of the product.
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