Ultex lenses

**Blake** · 01-23-2002, 10:41 PM

Had a lady come in this evening with the following Rx:

OD: -0.75 sph, 0.5 BD
OS: -0.75 -0.50 x 180, 0.5 BU
add: +1.75
"Ultex bifocal"

She has never worn bifocals of any style before, and apparently the doc didn't discuss it with her.
What is an Ultex bifocal, and why might it be prescribed?

Blake

**Joann Raytar** · 01-23-2002, 11:01 PM

Blake,

Here is a sketch of X-Cel's Ultex A. I think X-Cel also makes these in Cr-39.

X-Cel Optical Company: Exec & Ultex

Wow, I haven't seen an Ultex seg in about six years.

**Steve Machol** · 01-23-2002, 11:53 PM

I wonder what on earth possessed that Doc to prescribe Ultex! I haven't even seen an Ultex lens in over 15 years.

**John R** · 01-24-2002, 02:08 AM

Ultex or Solid bifocals are still quite widely used here in the UK. I have some info about them on my siteHERE . As you can see there are various sizes 22, 30, 38, 45. Some of which are avaiable in photocromic. I do know that the company that supplies them does ship to the states. If you need any contact info for this company please mail me for details. As far as i am aware they are the only makers of this type of lenses in glass.
I am in regular contact with a couple of the directors of this company.
Hope this helps.

**Joann Raytar** · 01-24-2002, 09:11 AM

Blake,

Younger makes an Round 40 Ultex Style. I am wondering if this isn't the lens the Doctor was thinking of. He may just be going with it to get rid of the line but keep the patient in a wide seg. If he went with a FT 45, you end up with a serious ledge on top of the bifocal and executives well, they never were the best looking.

Younger Optics, Specialty Lenses

**Judy Canty** · 01-24-2002, 09:15 AM

Now that you know what an ultex is, it's time to call the prescribing doc and verify the rx, prism and suggested bifocal. It may have beeen written out of habit rather than necessity.

Just a thought,
Judy

**Blake** · 01-24-2002, 10:12 AM

Thanks everyone for the info. I had to wait until this morning to call the doc since the lady came in last night after his office had closed. I just wanted to know what he was talking about before I called - always seeking to expand my knowledge!

Blake

**Sean** · 01-24-2002, 09:14 PM

Jo,
I'm just trying to refresh my memory.......so please correct me if im wrong. At some point was there not a Ultex B(where the seg was mounted on the back as opposed to the front which would be the Ultex A) ?

**Joann Raytar** · 01-24-2002, 09:27 PM

Sean,

You are correct. Actually, I believe the company on John R's website still makes them but they don't call them that. X-Cel still makes custom bifocals so you probably could get one from them, if you wanted one.

It has been a long time since I have had to make up an Ultex seg; even back then they were rare. I just remember a lens with a big, ugly upside down U on it.

**harry a saake** · 01-24-2002, 09:57 PM

blake and sean, i suspect that this is either a very old doc, or as someone else pointed out hes getting it mixed up with a round seg 40. If you really want to find out call him and ask him if he would prefer ultex a, b or AA. Sean to answer your question yes both were made and used quite heavily in glass in the 60,s and eatrly 70,s. There is an outside possibility that this could be a very old patient who has worn these for years, but not probable.

**LENNY** · 01-24-2002, 10:33 PM

We still use it for children!

**Joann Raytar** · 01-24-2002, 10:59 PM

Lenny,

Our Doc's gotten on a "kryptok" kick lately, so I'm sure his asking about a Round 40 isn't too far off. He ran into a friend of his who was wearing Round Segs. The guy told him that he didn't need Progressives to get rid of the line and Round Segs work just fine. The only problem is, I will get to deal with the folks who come in asking why they can't see their computers when their friends can through their glasses.

**Blake** · 01-24-2002, 11:05 PM

I called the doc's office today and was told that she could get whatever style bifocal she wanted. I wish I had read Harry's post earlier - I would have liked to hear their response to the A, B, or AA question :-)

Don't know the age of the OD, but the patient is late 30's/early 40's, going into her first bifocal.

Blake

**John R** · 01-25-2002, 02:06 AM

Originally posted by Sean
Jo,
At some point was there not a Ultex B(where the seg was mounted on the back as opposed to the front which would be the Ultex A) ?

Sean, You can get the 30 & 38 with the seg on either side in both white and photocromic, If you want a round 22 then its on the back but a fused (Kryptok) would put the seg on front. The 45 is back side only. We just call them Plus base when the seg is on the front.
Remember i'm talking Glass her though.

**lguess** · 01-25-2002, 11:26 AM

The original glass Ultex A lens we surfaced when I was a kid was a "minus" base- that is, you blocked the lens on the back side and surfaced the front. When the industry switched to grinding minus cylinders most labs got rid of their "plus" tools/laps (that is, a concave tool/lap), and that was pretty much the end of the glass Ultex A or AA.

Larry

**Texas Ranger** · 01-25-2002, 12:07 PM

Blake, that seems a bit of a strong 'add' for a newbie, but i'd tell her that her best overall vision would be a Varilux Panamic with a Crizal AR. Her biggest problem with that Rx is usually the mid range, like at the computer, which she can probably see better without her glasses. She'd be a candidate for a special pair of spex for the computer, if she uses one!
John, We don't many back side ultex's any more, no one grinds plus-cyl.'s any more, though many MD's still refract in plus cyl's. We still do an Ultex 38 cr-39 now and then, someone even made an ultex 7x38 trifocal, haven't seen one of those in a while.

**Chris1** · 01-25-2002, 12:13 PM

Possibly, the Dr. is as old as the ultex lenses are. I want to know the Dr's recipe of mortality vitamins.

**John R** · 01-25-2002, 04:03 PM

Here in the UK we used to call the seg sizes by C=22, H=38 & M=45. The 30 seg is a later addition which diddnt have a letter as far as we can tell...

**Joann Raytar** · 01-25-2002, 06:33 PM

Originally posted by Al
Her biggest problem with that Rx is usually the mid range, like at the computer

I can vouch for this personally!

**Wes Trayner** · 02-04-2002, 06:51 PM

The ultex lens had an optical center of the seg way down at or below the bottom of the frame. This was very useful in fitting hyperopic presbyopes where the base down prism created in the seg ofset the base up prism that occurred as the patient dropped their eyes down into the seg to read. In years past I have seen them used in one eye with a flat top on the other to avoid a slab off.

**Michele Gray** · 03-05-2015, 12:41 PM

So a great alternative to the ultex lens would be the Three Rivers Optical Lab's TRO O seg...it is the only freeform lined bifocal in the country, because you can tell them how wide you want the segment, choose between 15mm wide to 45mm. Minimal image jump, much less than ultex, kryptok or round bifocals. It comes in lots of materials and is virtually invisible. Great for non-adpats, flat top upgrades, and pediatric multifocals.