Empower update

[J.P.]

..

[J.P.]

It would be great if someone could provide an unbiased, insightful and thorough review of the emPower lens by PixelOptics. Few appear to have used it for any great length of time. And if you search Google for reviews it appears (due likely to Pixel's preset search hierarchy) all meaningful review responses are squashed. I'm gonna guess we've all been faked out by the low power progressive aspheric surface (standard fare) combined with their low power pea-size Victrola record Fresnel embedded in the lens, which according to one or another of the reviews I've been able to stumble on, is grossly visible and full of flare. Once and for all, please someone step forward and give an honest and comprehensive review. This would be a service to the community as the lens cannot be thoroughly tested until orders are placed, and all you can find on a google search is technology hype.

At VEE Pixel held a press conference, they had consumers there to give their unbiased, non optical experience, experience with the emPower. They have a 98% satisfaction and only a 4% non adapt rate. More details and interviews will be coming out in Vision media sources soon.

One of my patients was actually one of the few that got to be a part of it and the media has been asking for a big time response from consumers, they get their wish granted. Non of my patients have had any problems with emPower. they's all enjoyed it and say they would have paid more for it, or would buy another pair tomorrow if they were lost.

I have been working with Pixel and Aspex on selling them for almost a year now, and granted it's not flying off the shelf like we would hope, but for those who do have it say they would never wear a regular pair of glasses again. I'd be glad to answer any other question you may have about it sense I'm sure it won't reach the Islands until next year most likely

[J.P.]

The story of the week is that they are a total disaster! They are supposedly waiting on new blanks after they figured out what went wrong for the past few years. (They are only 3 years behind schedule)
All will be well and perfect in another 60-90 days; I heard that last year at this time as well.
They have a new boss and maybe he can save the Titanic!

I love Superfocus!

Don't know who told you this, I've had no such reports and I'm in contact with Pixel daily and I've not had any such delays or problems with their lenses to date.

I think you're 3 years behind in your information.

Yes they have had a SMALL number of lenses that have had issues, but not to the "disaster" in which you speak of. And the new CEO, yeah he's a cool guy, but nothing is really changing in the manufacturing process of the lenses that he can change. He's driving a new sense of energy in the company to make changes, but even he disagrees that this was ever a "Titanic" type of operation.

[J.P.]

Not exactly true.. A few big labs do the edging and assembling for the product. Order the EmPower frame from Pixel, have it drop shipped to Luzurne, get the final product in 4-6 weeks. (Your eMpower board stays full of all styles, never removed, always ordered complete)

Actually, You order the Frame for Aspex, not Pixel, and the lenses are cut at 6 different labs, the lab of your choosing. By 2012 year end they plan to have 12+ labs cutting emPower lenses

[J.P.]

I attended VEE in New York, Pixel is taking some new routs with emPower. By years end there will be 12+ labs cutting emPower lenses (Adding to the 6 already), there's a new charging base that should be coming onto the market after VEW (They are getting votes on the 2 main designs), Frame designs are staying the same for now, but they will be adding new sizes to the mix, New York and California will have emPower by years end, and then by 2013 it will spread inward through out the country.

They held a press conference while there, they had 3 consumers give their story of wearing emPower which the Optical Media has been begging for for the past year and soon they will publish the releases in Vision media sources and on Pixel's "lifeactivated.com" website.

It's just like any new product release, you have to work out the bugs a little first, but the only bugs I have seen is just Labs (Other then US Optical) not knowing what they are doing, just wanting to be on the band wagon, and Opticians not fitting and or educating wearers properly. I have had 100% success with all patients and only 1 lens issue which had to do with the charging base not making proper contact. Other then that, no issues in my dispensary or with my patients wearing emPower

[cmarx]

I am wearing the Empower and my observations : I find that for the time I sit at the computer the intermediate is not as high as I would like as all the screens I use are set at eye level. ( I normally wear an Office lens) Rarely do I need the add, occassionally I find that I switch it on when some of those frame stampings are faint. I find that when watching TV in my Recliner I am not sliding them down to the tip of my nose. When I do 22 count cross stitch I find the add useful. I would NEVER put them on automatic. The .75 add is what I think is set at a flat top height and I think I experience image jump. ( I've never worn a lined seg so I can only assume) That is plain annoying.

I have noticed that all their POP shows lap tops, the screens can be tipped. My POP computer does not allow for that. Yes, My segs are set properly and should not be higher.

Just my impression.

[Barry Santini]

There is a standard for defining/describing screen height: Sheedy defines "eye level" to mean the *top* of the computer screen is at *eye* level.

FWIW

B

[ottomaddox]

I have been wearing an Empower for about two months, it works great. I only use mine in Manual mode, and I'm able to get about two weeks in between charges. It's my first multi-focal lens and its a dream. I'm a new presbyope and haven't ever worn a "static" progressive, but why would I want to after wearing an Empower. My add is +1.25On and +0.50Off, I have no swim or ground blur either. I really enjoy being in control of my eyewear and not having my eyewear control me. I have also sold about 10 pairs of Empowers too, I've had 2 defective peices so far, ie I dispensed the glasses and they both had problems with the lens "fogging up." The first one took 3 weeks to get it fixed and the second is out now. I had one initial problem with my glasses, but sent them back to the lab, Pech, and it was fixed in one day and returned. My overall experience with Empowers has been good, I always reccommend them to all my patients who are candidates.

[Johns]

I am trying to think of any other product that had a 20% "defective" rate, and ECPs continued to sell them.

[J.P.]

I am trying to think of any other product that had a 20% "defective" rate, and ECPs continued to sell them.

I can think of about 4 frame lines that I still sell that had that before fixing their issues, I can think of another 6 frame lines that also had that issue, and I can even think of 6 PAL's that had MAJOR defective issues and OD's STILL Sell them.

And I think you're numbers are off, Now their defective rate is 7% and they STILL have a 98% Satification rating with their wearers with a 4% non-adapts. Tell me another progeressive that has a 4% non-adapt or better? Yes in the beginning they had a higher defective rate, but not like that anymore.

[Barry Santini]

I am trying to think of any other product that had a 20% "defective" rate, and ECPs continued to sell them.

That's Easy, Johns:

1.Crizal and other AR from the early 2000s
2. CFG frames
3. Early Silhouette SPX
4. Anything made of Grilamid
5. ANY cast ophthalmic lens.

B

[Johns]

That's Easy, Johns:

1.Crizal and other AR from the early 2000s
2. CFG frames
3. Early Silhouette SPX
4. Anything made of Grilamid
5. ANY cast ophthalmic lens.

B

20% ? Really?

[Barry Santini]

Easily....

[Johns]

Easily....

If so, I guess that makes my point (with the exception of Crizal, and even then, I stopped using that for a period of years)

- CFG's extinct.
-Is SPX still around?
- I steer clear of Grilamid
-Opticast?

[Golfnorth]

I can think of about 4 frame lines that I still sell that had that before fixing their issues, I can think of another 6 frame lines that also had that issue, and I can even think of 6 PAL's that had MAJOR defective issues and OD's STILL Sell them.

And I think you're numbers are off, Now their defective rate is 7% and they STILL have a 98% Satification rating with their wearers with a 4% non-adapts. Tell me another progeressive that has a 4% non-adapt or better? Yes in the beginning they had a higher defective rate, but not like that anymore.

Ok how about Rodenstock Progressive XS? One lab owner told me that it was at a 2% non-adapt rate.
I also spoke to the owner of a lab in Toronto who is a Seiko partner. He told me when his free-form Seiko lenses were relatively new that he had sold 20,000 and got something like 12 back......less than .1 percent. I will stay any free-form progressive.

Regards,
Golfnorth