Costa Del Mar RX Program

[kdavenport]

About a year ago Costa went to having 2 "authorized" labs for rx work, Pesch and Optiks. At the time they continued to sell frame only's so we could send them on to our normal lab. They will now only send frames to the authorized labs. I undersand their reasons...being contol control and ensuring the customer is getting a Costa KBCO lens and not a cheaper imitation. Costa is als promoting the "Costa Rx genuine authenticity card"
My lab of choice uses kbco lens, gives us a one time no questions asked remake and a year scratch warranty at very good prices. The heartburn I have is with the "authorized" labs. I've seen Pesch's work and was not pleased with it. Optiks is has good work but is more expensive, provides no scratch warranty and charges 50% on any remakes.

So the question becomes from a customer perspective how important is the "card" versus a lower price and scratch warranty?

Thanks for all input
Kdavenport

[Craig]

About a year ago Costa went to having 2 "authorized" labs for rx work, Pesch and Optiks. At the time they continued to sell frame only's so we could send them on to our normal lab. They will now only send frames to the authorized labs. I undersand their reasons...being contol control and ensuring the customer is getting a Costa KBCO lens and not a cheaper imitation. Costa is als promoting the "Costa Rx genuine authenticity card"
My lab of choice uses kbco lens, gives us a one time no questions asked remake and a year scratch warranty at very good prices. The heartburn I have is with the "authorized" labs. I've seen Pesch's work and was not pleased with it. Optiks is has good work but is more expensive, provides no scratch warranty and charges 50% on any remakes.

So the question becomes from a customer perspective how important is the "card" versus a lower price and scratch warranty?

Thanks for all input
Kdavenport

The program only offers poly from KBCO and does not include digital lenses or does the program provide for any wrap compensation!
I met with them and they do not have a clue about the RX world; the proof is in the lenses and technology they do not embrace.

Craig

[Jacqui]

The card is almost worthless, go with your lab of choice.

[Judy Canty]

Preferably an independent! ;)

[Barry Santini]

The program only offers poly from KBCO and does not include digital lenses or does the program provide for any wrap compensation!
I met with them and they do not have a clue about the RX world; the proof is in the lenses and technology they do not embrace.

Craig

Craig,

Based on Pech Optical's experience with wrap, please note the following:

1. Wrap eyewear is almost always for sun use, and "far" DV priority
2. Most "general use" Rxs, through a combination of exam room distance, Dr,'s discretion and that most eyewear is used in an indoor environment, are biased in their focus to be less corrected/focussed for full infinity (i.e., outdoor) distances.
3. Most wrap compensations affect sphere powers by adding "plus power", thereby compensating for the closer vertex distances found in wraps.

Therefore, with most Rxs under 3-4D, wrap compensating an Rx may just take its utility for full distance correction outside of the sweet-spot for patient satisfaction.

Don't believe this? Just ask Maui Jim how many of their non-Passport (non-FF wrap compensated) Rx eyewear comes back as unsatisfactory under 3 D. You'd be surprised.

Peripheral optics - well that's another problem altogether. But in my experience, central/axial acuity is the *ne plus ultra* for clients with SV wrap Rxs.

FWIW

Barry

[DC Optix]

The program only offers poly from KBCO and does not include digital lenses or does the program provide for any wrap compensation!
I met with them and they do not have a clue about the RX world; the proof is in the lenses and technology they do not embrace.

Craig

It's my understanding that the KBCO SV Wrap lens and the KBCO EOS Wrap Progressive are both wrap compensated.

[AWTECH]

It's my understanding that the KBCO SV Wrap lens and the KBCO EOS Wrap Progressive are both wrap compensated.

Yes the KBCO lenses are wrap compensated but the optical range and optical quality in a wrap around can be much improved by other technologies. The KBco lenses were designed to work on existing non-digital surfacing and therefore can not offer some of the advantages that a digitally surfaced excellent design can offer.

I am sure with time they will catch on and offer a better quality product.

[Craig]

This is from Pech Optical, one of 2 authorized Costa Del Mar RX providers...

Depends on how the account is set up- we treat Costa like all the other wrap frames- if the account is set up to optimize- yes- if they aren’t we call

Lynette Shever
Solutions and Technical Assistants Team
Pech Optical
1-800-831-2352 ext 525
lynette@pech.com

But they are still using poly for some reason with non-digital processing; atLast they are promoting the compensation at Pech....

[Judy Canty]

As an alternative, Luzerne is processing the Kaenon SV and PAL lenses in-house.

[KStraker]

The lens that comes as Costa's wave 400 is a KBCO Mirrapol glass blank. Just ask your lab to use this semifinished lens if you want to match the original equipment.