AUSTRAILIAN-BASED STUDY CONCLUDES CHILDREN
AND PARENTS PREFER PHOTOCHROMIC LENSES
Nine Out of Ten Children Wanted to Keep Their
Airwear® Transitions® Lenses at Study’s Conclusion
DALLAS – (November 13, 2006) – According to a recent study evaluating children’s overall visual experience with different lens types, a vast majority of children preferred Airwear® Transitions® Lenses over regular, clear Airwear lenses, with 9 out of 10 participants desiring to keep the lenses after the conclusion of the wearing periods.

The study, conducted by Carol Lakkis, O.D., Ph.D., at Clinical Vision Research Australia, the University of Melbourne, and made possible by support from Essilor International and Transitions Optical, Inc. confirmed the high performance level of Airwear Transitions Lenses for younger patients. The results, published in the July issue of Clinical and Experimental Optometry in Australia, are similar to the findings of a separate study conducted in the United States by Madeline L. Romeu, O.D., and Susan M. Stenson, M.D., in the spring of 2003.

“More than any other patient group, children and adolescents need eye protection,” said Dr. Lakkis. “They potentially spend more time outdoors than adults, so may have greater exposure to the detrimental effects of UV radiation and glare. The fact that young patients in the study actually preferred photochromic lenses should be welcome news for both parents and eye care professionals.”

Forty-nine children, between the ages of 10 and 15, participated in this study, each wearing Airwear Transitions Lenses for one two-week period and regular, clear Airwear lenses for another. Upon completion of the test periods, the children were asked to complete an evaluation of the lenses and how they performed in different settings, such as outdoor and indoor use, computer use, and when playing sports.

The Airwear Transitions Lenses were rated equally with the regular, clear Airwear lenses for all indoor activities, and better in several categories outdoors, including seeing well in bright sunlight and playing sports.

Parents’ Preference Explored
Parents also participated in both entrance and exit surveys for this study. Similar to the children’s findings, parents expressed a preference for photochromic lenses.

“Nearly 90 percent of the parents rated the children’s overall experience with photochromic lenses to be favorable,” said Dr. Lakkis. “They recognized that their children liked their Transitions Lenses, and understood the lenses would provide a reduction of glare symptoms while protecting their children’s eyes from harmful UV radiation.”

Beyond providing protection for their children’s eyes, noted Dr. Lakkis, the parents welcomed the convenience offered by photochromic lenses. Since it is hard enough to encourage young patients to remember to wear one pair of glasses, let alone a second pair, photochromic lenses offer a complete, everyday eyewear solution both children and their parents can appreciate.

Essilor of America always recommends Crizal®, the industry-leading, anti-reflective (AR) lenses that reduce glare and protect against scratches, smudges, dust and dirt, in combination with Transitions Lenses. Three products make up the Crizal family: Crizal, Crizal Alizé® and the newest addition, Crizal Alizé with Clear Guard™. Crizal Alizé with Clear Guard has unparalleled durability, superior cleanability and smudge resistance that provides wearers the clearest vision possible. With an unmatched hydrophobic coating, Crizal Alizé with Clear Guard allows water and oil to simply roll off, minimizing the need for cleaning. The result is that Crizal Alizé with Clear Guard is not only the most durable and easy to clean AR lens, but the one that stays cleaner longer than any other AR lens available. With less frequent cleaning, the lenses are much less likely to scratch and with the proprietary Pad Control System™, Crizal lenses are also the easiest premium AR to edge.

For a reprint of the article reporting the results of the study in Clinical and Experimental Optometry, eye care professionals should contact Transitions Optical Customer Service at (800) 848-1506.
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Varilux, Crizal and Airwear are registered trademarks and DEFINITY is a trademark of Essilor International. Thin&Lite is a registered trademark of Essilor of America, Inc. Transitions is a registered trademark of Transitions Optical, Inc.