New Online Lens Availability Database

[keithbenjamin]

Over the past year we have been developing a lens availability tool that imports data directly from lens manufacturers and summarizes the data into five categories, including PALs, multifocals, SF SV, and finished stock, to provide the most current (sometimes too current*) and complete picture of lens availability in one place.

*Manufacturers typically add lens data to their files before their release dates, so you may find a few lenses that are not actually available yet. We do not currently have a way to identify these lenses.

The database includes PAL identifiers within the details of each progressive lens as well as tool for matching identifiers to a particular lens.

We now have lens data for HOYA, AO, Sola, Zeiss, Younger, X-Cel, Essilor, Varilux, Signet Armorlite, Pentax, Seiko, and VisionEase.

You can access the tool here:
http://www.laramyk.com/tools/lad/index.html

We are considering the application an alpha release, which is to say a very early version. We are still adding new features, data, and improving useabilty, so your feedback is important. Let me know what you think, particularly, if you have any suggestions, feature requests, bug reports, or would like us to add your lens data.

On the way:

Data cleanup and additions
Definity, Rodenstock, Tokai, and additional VX
Improvements to the PAL Identifier interface
Quick search filters for polarized, photochromic, and glass
Computer lens section

Hope you find it useful,

-Keith

[Andrew Weiss]

Keith,

I just checked the tool out briefly. It's good enough that I bookmarked it on my bookmark bar, so it's right there when I need it. I especially like the magnifier-triggered screens that give detailed lens information, including lens markings on the progressives, and being able to type in a lens family like "Zeiss" and get all their progressives listed.

I have one suggestion: perhaps having the keyword "all" for searching within each category; so, for example, if I want a listing of all bifocals, I can just type "all bifocals" and get a list; or even more precisely, "all FT".

For an alpha release, it's very slick. :cheers: Bravo!

[HarryChiling]

It looks great, it would be awesome if you had sag@50 and other VCA lens data available.

[keithbenjamin]

Thanks for your comments guys. Good stuff.

Andrew,

To get all the bifocals, you can search for "bi" or "bifocal" and likewise "tri" or "trifocal" works for all trifocals.

Harry,

I had been considered adding more under details. Anything else besides sag?

-Keith

[HarryChiling]

Thanks for your comments guys. Good stuff.

Andrew,

To get all the bifocals, you can search for "bi" or "bifocal" and likewise "tri" or "trifocal" works for all trifocals.

Harry,

I had been considered adding more under details. Anything else besides sag?

-Keith

Back curve of the blanks, blank thickness, sku numbers..... you could go on and on right. I would say the sag and maybe the blank thickness, the sag is used to surface and the thickness would be needed to determine if the blank was thick enough especially when doing wraps and high powers. The rest can be calipered or clocked.

[RT]

Sag @ 50 mm is not actually called out in the VCA Lens Description Standard (LDS). The LDS has a mechanism for describing sag, which includes being able to specify the sag at various angles and diameters. That much data would probably exceed Keith's ability to present it in concise table form.

If your blocking system doesn't happen to use 50mm blocks, the sag @ 50 is essentially useless. For example, if you happen to use Gerber Step One blocks, you'd really want to know the sag @ 60 mm (which is the diameter of Step One blocks). That's why the LDS has a more robust method of indicating sag.

Keith, nice job, and thanks for listing HOYA.

[keithbenjamin]

I knew I could count on you to want "EVERYTHING," Harry.

Also, some of the manufacturers are a little sensitive about having ALL the VCA data available to the world. In fact, we're having a difficult time getting ANY data from Shamir... and we're a distributor! Go figure.

We'll see what we can do.

Thanks Rick.

-Keith

[Andrew Weiss]

Andrew,

To get all the bifocals, you can search for "bi" or "bifocal" and likewise "tri" or "trifocal" works for all trifocals.

-Keith

Bingo! :cheers:

[RT]

Also, some of the manufacturers are a little sensitive about having ALL the VCA data available to the world.

Please bear in mind that the data that Keith has compiled is really only valid for the U.S. There may be different configurations or branded names for products in different countries. There are differences in base curve offerings, add power ranges, thicknesses, etc. Even Canada has different offerings than the U.S. So, for our international Optiboard friends, please be aware that the data may not be accurate for your country.

Also, without a base curve chart specific to your brand of progressive, you may not be creating the lens that the designer intended. As such, although this is an incredibly informative web-site, it is not a replacement for keeping your lens data up-to-date through your Lens Manufacturing System software vendor.

[keithbenjamin]

Good points, Rick. Although, I really meant "world" more figuratively than literaly.

That reminds me... power ranges are on the way for progressives.

sph/cyl matrices for finished stock are a planned feature as well.

-Keith

[Framebender]

Keith, you're the man!! I booked marked it. Working the floor it does everything I need it to do and I like that its very streamlined. Minimum & maximum base and adds are about the only thing I need. Anything more than that I'm going to want to talk to the lab doing the job.

Great job! Very nice!!

:cheers::cheers:

[keithbenjamin]

Thanks, Framebender. Glad you like it!

Missing Lenses:

You may notice, as some folks have pointed out, a lens missing here or there in a particular material or treatment. Pointing these out is helpful, however I just wanted to explain why this may be the case:

First, the data is not entered by hand, but imported from manufacturer data files. So, its not always a simple matter of adding a missing lens. This does not necessarily mean the lens is missing from manufacturer data. However, for some manufacturers the data does not always correspond 100% to VCA standards. This can pose problems when underlying code depends on it. So, sometimes it means going back to the manufacturer to get the problem fixed.

Also, since this is still considered an alpha release and there are likely some bugs left in the code. Summarizing over 100,000 lenses from disparate files, in not-so-standard format, into what you see, and in an automated fashion, is not as easy as it may sound. We are currently working on better way of identifying the lenses that fall through the cracks so problems (whatever they may be) can be addressed.

Finally, portions of the VX and HOYA data still need to be loaded, so there will obviously be some missing lenses here.

Long and short... we want to provide the most accurate and complete picture of lens availability possible. So, letting us know about any discrepancies you find is appreciated and will help us identify and correct any remaining problems. I hope you can bear with us until we get them all addressed.


One more thing... please, don't be shy about posting any problems you find here for everyone too see. No need to PM me. I prefer to keep it open so everyone can know the status of the project, problems and all.

Thanks,

-Keith

[keithbenjamin]

Rodenstock is now loaded and available.

The powers are still a bit wonky at this point because they didn't use decimals in their data.

-Keith

[HarryChiling]

I knew I could count on you to want "EVERYTHING," Harry.

Also, some of the manufacturers are a little sensitive about having ALL the VCA data available to the world. In fact, we're having a difficult time getting ANY data from Shamir... and we're a distributor! Go figure.

We'll see what we can do.

Thanks Rick.

-Keith

And if you could throw in a trip to the moon that would be great uuumK. :cheers: Hey I could want it but it doesn't mean I'm gonna get it right. The sag @ 50 is what's on many box tops right now and is still useful, heck they keep the nominal curve around why not the sag@050 great job it's definately a bookmark and keep kinda site.

[Cathy R]

Took a look, it appears to be very helpful. Will bookmark on my work comoputer. Thank you

[keithbenjamin]

Thanks Cathy!

Hey I could want it but it doesn't mean I'm gonna get it right.

Nah, I wouldn't ask if didn't have any intention of listening to requests. We put a heck of a lot of work into getting it to where it is now. So, we're not striving for mediocrity here. My hope is that this will be an extremely valuable free resource for the optical community. So, whatever we can do to make it better, we want to know about it.

-K

[keithbenjamin]

Update:

We had been having some difficulty getting all of the SOLA data loaded and then consequently problems with SOLA searching because of an issue with their OPCs. This has been resolved, so you can now enter SOLA in the search field and get a complete listing.

We are currently working on search. There is still some wonkiness remaining. For example, photo returns a smaller subset of photochromic and glass returns a smaller subset of Glass. Hopefully, we'll get these resolved today. If anyone else runs into any other search oddities, please let me know.

Oh, and FYI here is some basic search info we will be adding to the help page:

You can search on any term you see in the data fields including lens details. Specific examples include: transitions, photochromic, polarized, Younger, poly, plastic, brown, glass, etc. In the multifocal section, FT or flat top will return all flat tops, BI or bifocal will return all bifocals, and TRI or trifocal will return all trifocals.

Numerical searches (e.g. 1.7) are not very effective because a large number of fields containing numerical values. If you are looking for a particular add value or material index, the most effective method is to start with a basic text or empty search; sort by the add, material, or index field by clicking on the column header; then scan through the sorted rows to find your search value.

Thanks,

-Keith

[keithbenjamin]

Update:

The search algorithm has been improved. Search terms are now completely case insensitve so Glass returns the same as glass and Younger returns the same as youNger. Also, other changes have been made so photo returns the same as photochromic and polar returns the same as polarized.

-Keith

[Jacqui]

Thank you !! The competition still loves it :D

[wmcdonald]

Keith,
This is great information, and I hope all appreciate it as much as I do.

Best,
Warren

[keithbenjamin]

Thanks, Warren!

Glad to be of service, Jacqui.

-Keith

[keithbenjamin]

Update:

KBco lens data has been added and the Computer Lens section has been activated (although not yet fully populated).

-Keith

[keithbenjamin]

Update:

We've made a significant number of changes with this latest release which we are now finally calling a beta. Many of the changes made were on the backend improving the data handling and uploads. These changes should be evident through increased accuracy and number of lenses displayed.

A few asthetic changes were also made including row numbering and contrasting row shading. We are also making headway on cleaning up and standardizing multifocal naming.

Perhaps, most notably, names and terms in the search results are now linked to wiki pages on openoptix.org. This allows optical community members to add and maintain related information beyond what is available in the application for the benefit of themselves and others. While I've started creating skeleton wiki pages and populating others, not all terms are linked to active pages. However, creating a page is simple enough, so feel free to create your own or add information to an existing page. In fact, please do, this is what it is there for. To simplify creating a new page, you can and edit and copy the code behind existing pages to start with a basic format and add your own information. Wiki help is availiable on openoptix.org or on wikipedia.org.

One more thing on editing wiki pages: while you are allowed to edit pages without registering and logging in, I would ask that you consider doing so. This will facilitate future communication and collaboration among people interested in participating and building the wiki.

I truly hope you can use and enjoy the new features. Still more to come.

Let me know, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions.

Happy Holidays!

-Keith

[keithbenjamin]

Update:

In addition to fixing several bugs and updating data, we've added radio button search filters to the left of the search field. The filters now allow you to quickly limit you search results to just glass, just photochromic, or just polarized.

Please, let me know whether or not you find this feature useful.

More lens updates and a slider that will allow you to select the range of indexes (or indicies) returned in the search results are coming soon.

-Keith

[66Mustang]

Great, thanks for taking the time. Quick and easy!:D