Opinions on Comfort Max by Essilor?

[surfer96815]

So what would be an alternative to the Comfort Max?

My patient is a presbyope with amblyopia was fine in the DS for 9 years but reacted instantly that he can’t wear the Max.

Since we put single vision in his fingers only eye, he is willing to spend a bit more to get better vision in his good eye.

Any suggestions for those with Lazy Eye?

[DanLiv]

So what would be an alternative to the Comfort Max? My patient is a presbyope with amblyopia was fine in the DS for 9 years but reacted instantly that he can’t wear the Max.

Stick with the DRx or traditional Comfort 2. Despite the Max being positioned to replace those, they're not going anywhere for a while. The DRx need never disappear, since it's a full backside software-only design. The rest of the Varilux portfolio requires dedicated blanks, so those may eventually be phased out. Although we can still get traditional Natural and Adaptar blanks, so I bet Comfort 2 will hang around a long time.

Just got my Max today.

Update on my Comfort Max experience. Not as thrilled anymore. All my previous clear progressive experience is Varilux X, so I'm spoiled without having a basic progressive experience. At first everything seemed fine and reading zones were more relaxed, but more and more I think I'm noticing the limitations of "20/happy". There's very little area where everything is just ON. Peripheral blur is pretty significant, more noticeable head turning, especially noticeable in low light. I thought this was all acceptable until I went back to my favorite pair of X's, and BAM everything snapped into place with sharper distance, less peripheral blur, clearer reading (though still probably "tighter" than the Max, but once you find it it's SHARP). However, everything I experience with the Max is by design, so there is no flaw, it's just not the most advanced design, nor is it intended to be.

So while I still have 100% patient satisfaction with the Max (I've dispensed 20 now), I think it serves best those who are not super finicky about their vision. Those real precise complainers, myself included, still derive benefit from the most advanced designs.

[Uncle Fester]

Fester's Rule;

"The success of changing a happy Comfort patient to a more advanced design Comfort is directly proportional to the pressure the optician is under to sell a more expensive progressive."

This was true for me when the DRX came out.

So yes- I''ll upgrade every time, and usually with positive results (and not to a Comfort MAX but X), but that doesn't mean I won't hesitate to go back to the old design. I'd say this happens less than 5% of the time I upgrade (any design), but that's still one in twenty upgraded patients.

[threeblindmice]

Essilor just launched the "Discovery" tool which is essentially Plano Comfort Max lenses with various adds that you clip into a frame for a patient to try. Essilor has designed it to be worn alone (for emmetropes) or over SVD glasses/contacts (myopes and hyperopes).
My question is, if the Comfort Max uses different design principles for myopes, hyperopes, and emmetropes, how would this Discovery tool provide a realistic taste of what the patient's lenses would be like? Isn't this just having everyone try the design for emmetropes, which may not actually represent what their experience would be like in a Comfort Max?
Or am I overthinking it and the point of the Discovery tool is to take away the "scare factor" of PALs, not provide a realistic expectation of what their vision will be in progressives?

[Uncle Fester]

"Essilor just launched the "Discovery" tool which is essentially Plano Comfort Max lenses with various adds that you clip into a frame for a patient to try. Essilor has designed it to be worn alone (for emmetropes) or over SVD glasses/contacts (myopes and hyperopes)."

This should come packaged to us in a can of worms.

I look forward to hearing how well this works out by others before I try it.

[DanLiv]

Essilor just launched the "Discovery" tool...

I have that tool! Albeit the 20yo version of it. Those are some lovely Panamic lenses in there. It's an inspired concept and a clever simply designed device. But many years ago when I first used it it caused more problems than it solved. No matter how carefully you position the device and lenses, the progressive experience is going to be awful. Maybe 20 years ago the difference between the demo and final ground lenses wasn't too far off, but today no generic fitting set is going to give anyone a decent impression of what the customized digital progressive experience is like.

For the very few people these days with progressive anxiety that don't just take my word for it, I recommend the top tier lens with full custom measurements to give them every advantage. If they take me up on it I tell them if this doesn't work for you, nothing will, and I'll give a complete refund of redo into something else and refund the difference. Almost all take me up on the offer, none have ever taken me up on the refund. I think a very well fit great lens design is 100% effective for any motivated wearer. Gimmicks like the fitting set might help inexperienced opticians appear to be technical, but it can't improve upon an optician that knows their stuff and conveys that sureness to customers.

[Optical Roy]

I have worn everything from, Kodak Precise, to Hoya Wide, to Comfort, Physio, X, and just now trying the Max. I have to say it was an easy transition and is very comfortable in the various zones to adjust too.
I will try it on a few patients that I know will give honest feedback and see what they have to say.
But overall it seems well designed.

[KrystleClear]

Our docs are out of office today so I am getting caught up on webinars. Just watched the Comfort Max webinar. It has me considering upgrading all my Comfort Drx wearers to Comfort Max.

Now that it's been about a year since the launch, does anyone have any more opinions on the Max? Is it working well? I would like to start offering the X to more patients who seem like they are good fit but our patients have mostly all been fit with the various iterations of the Comfort for years and years, so I hesitate to try to shake things up.

[NAICITPO]

Our docs are out of office today so I am getting caught up on webinars. Just watched the Comfort Max webinar. It has me considering upgrading all my Comfort Drx wearers to Comfort Max.

Now that it's been about a year since the launch, does anyone have any more opinions on the Max? Is it working well? I would like to start offering the X to more patients who seem like they are good fit but our patients have mostly all been fit with the various iterations of the Comfort for years and years, so I hesitate to try to shake things up.

I have not tried it to downgrade a patient from the X to the max. We tend to not overthink it and keep people in what has worked. But I have successfully put former W2+ wearers in the max and they have reported liking it. I have also tried putting the max on emerging presbyopes/1st time wearers with success too. I have not tried it with bifocal wearers wanting to try a no-line/older presbyopes, again we just normally don't do that because its a remake waiting to happen.

[DanLiv]

I've switched all my Comfort DRx/W2/Physio DRx wearers (26 pairs dispensed so far) to the Max with no issues. It's a fine replacement for all those (I still use DRx designs occasionally just for the fixed corridor). I would not switch anyone to it who wasn't already wearing an equivalent or more basic design lens. The Max is not intended as a top-tier design and will not perform for those expecting "HD" vision.

[AngeHamm]

I've switched all my Comfort DRx/W2/Physio DRx wearers (26 pairs dispensed so far) to the Max with no issues. It's a fine replacement for all those (I still use DRx designs occasionally just for the fixed corridor). I would not switch anyone to it who wasn't already wearing an equivalent or more basic design lens. The Max is not intended as a top-tier design and will not perform for those expecting "HD" vision.

Is it similarly priced to the DRx lenses?

[DanLiv]

Just a tiny bit more than the Comfort W2 and the same as Physio DRx.

[threeblindmice]

Our docs are out of office today so I am getting caught up on webinars. Just watched the Comfort Max webinar. It has me considering upgrading all my Comfort Drx wearers to Comfort Max.

Now that it's been about a year since the launch, does anyone have any more opinions on the Max? Is it working well? I would like to start offering the X to more patients who seem like they are good fit but our patients have mostly all been fit with the various iterations of the Comfort for years and years, so I hesitate to try to shake things up.

Fairly high acceptance rate- first time PAL wearers seem to really like it for the ease of positioning. I've gotten pickier about who I put in the Max, because Pete is definitely right, this is a 20/happy lens. Not for the perfectionist patients, or those who are sensitive to swim and distortion. Going from a Comfort DS to the Max I have had no issues.

[KrystleClear]

Fairly high acceptance rate- first time PAL wearers seem to really like it for the ease of positioning. I've gotten pickier about who I put in the Max, because Pete is definitely right, this is a 20/happy lens. Not for the perfectionist patients, or those who are sensitive to swim and distortion. Going from a Comfort DS to the Max I have had no issues.

Good to know! I have fitted about three first time PAL wearers in it so far. So far so good but with first time PALs it can sometimes be hit or miss.