Carl Zeiss Vision Expands Nike Max Rx™ Program
SAN DIEGO, CA – (May 28, 2009) Carl Zeiss Vision announced that it has expanded its exclusive Max Rx sunlens program with Nike Vision to now offer direct orders through all 17 Carl Zeiss Vision labs. VSP benefits will now apply to these orders.

The exclusive agreement allows both Carl Zeiss Vision and Nike to offer premium prescription sunwear to U.S. eye care professionals. This is an extension of an existing relationship between the companies for plano and single vision Rx sunwear, which was previously available only through Marchon. By expanding the program, Carl Zeiss Vision and Nike will provide better customer service, quality control, pricing, and turnaround time. Max Rx™ combines a unique 8-base optical design with prescription compensation and proprietary fabrication technologies, which creates expanded fields of view for wrap frames. The expanded program also includes a wider range of prescription sun products, including free-form progressive lenses featuring enhanced wrap-frame optics.

“Max Rx lenses duplicate Nike’s original and proprietary plano lenses and tint technologies, such as Nike Max Speed and Max Golf tints,” said Claude Labeeuw, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for Carl Zeiss Vision. “Carl Zeiss Vision’s exclusive processing technology also allows the wearer to purchase multiple interchangeable lenses to use in the same frame.”

In addition, MaxRx free-form progressives feature full optimization for the patient’s complete prescription, as well as a continuously variable corridor that maximizes optical performance in any frame size. As with Nike’s Max Rx single vision lenses, Max Rx progressives employ proprietary Carl Zeiss Vision wrap technology, providing superior visual acuity in a wrap frame compared to conventional lenses. This design offers precise prism and Rx compensation and delivers wider fields of clear vision. Max Rx atoric design and position of wear compensation also correct unwanted aberrations, delivering maximum optical performance. Polarized Max Rx lenses come in four colors, and in Transitions®.

“The Nike sunwear brand is all about peak performance and helping athletes see sport better”, said Andy Skitmore, Senior Vice President - Nike Brand, at Marchon. “By combining Nike’s expertise in working with elite athletes to develop patented lens technologies and superior sunglass designs with Zeiss’s capabilities to offer Nike Max Optics, customization capabilities, and an extensive lab network we are able to further offer an unbeatable performance package to Rx sunlens wearers.”