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Thread: Switch to Trivex??

  1. #1
    OptiWizard anthonyf1509's Avatar
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    Switch to Trivex??

    Our office does alot of drill mount, mostly silhouette. We are high % Poly, the rest Hi Index when needed.

    Is Trivex better all around for the added cost and will it provide something extra that the wearer will notice (justify) the cost?

    Some help please from those that use more regularly. What situations provide more an opportunity than others? (ie RXs, lens sizes, etc. )

  2. #2
    Master OptiBoarder
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    Trivex is better, but not in a way that the patient will be aware of on a concious basis. The so-called "Abbe Patrol" (I'm one of them) says that vision will be sharper, with all wavelengths of light refracted more nearly the same, less chromatic abberation. The lenses will be lighter (although not as thin). The patient isn't likely to be able to see/feel this, as the differences are small.

    There is something you hope isn't seen: Trivex is less prone to cracking around drill holes, with or without Chris' Drill Seal.

    Trivex is a nicer material, but your patient will have to believe you when you say so, they won't see it. Other OB members will right along to disagree with this statement, as an honest difference of opinion exists on this subject.

  3. #3
    Optician Extraordinaire
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    I like Trivex for several reasons but a big one is how light it is. I made the mistake of making my husband's last glasses in 1.6 high index and he complains about the weight. Of course, he didn't tell me until a year was up. Trivex is noticeably lighter.

    It's also works very well in rimless and drills.

    I use it for prescriptions under 3 diopters mainly.

  4. #4
    OptiWizard OptiBoard Bronze Supporter pezfaerie's Avatar
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    Is Trivex tougher on the edging wheels? I heard that using Trivex means replacing my wheels more frequently. I have cut a few and the edger sounds like its really stressed when cutting through them.
    Pez:D

  5. #5
    Master OptiBoarder
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    Everything said above is true.

    Trivex is way more expensive than poly.

    And in the high rx's where it is likely to save some weight, it will be substantially thicker than poly or hi-index.

    So, in my mind it is not a home run, unless you are having poly cracking problems, and even then, you have to be in the right prescription range.

  6. #6
    Master OptiBoarder mshimp's Avatar
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    No more stress cracks! Yes even lighter than poly. Did anyone mention better chemical resistance. Pour acetone on it all day long, its OK. I agree up to -3.00, and sometimes a little higher. Charge more and make more money. We sell more trivex than poly in drill mounts. Our patients appreciate our knowledge and expertise when it comes to drill mounts. Above -3.00 use 1.67 or 1.70. And yes the "abbe" debate, it has one of the highest abbe values. Tighten as much as you can on a bolt and nut drill mount. No problem.

  7. #7
    Bad address email on file
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    In many applications, due to it's higher tensile strength a Trivex lens can be manufactured to a thinner center thickness or edge thickness in a plus lens. Younger has a lot of information available comparing thickness with poly and high index. You'd be surprised how well it turns out in even higher prescriptions. Optiboard has a thickness calculator I'd suggest trying out if your curious what to expect from a final product. Trivex is lighter, more scratch resistant, chemical resistant, has less internal stress, (check it out on a polarascope compared to your favorite poly stock) is resistant to stress cracking and has better optics. I recently made an drilled rimless Rx insert for an Adidas sunglass in my high minus prescription. I'd used 1.70 in my last one. The Trivex, well about 1.5 to 2mm thicker, is substantial lighter weight and I see almost no chromatic aberration. Some value optics over cosmetics. The private lab we use tracked scratch remakes with different materials and has shown dramatically less remakes in Trivex than poly. I highly recommend it for drill mounts, grooved rimless, flatmetal frames, high astigmatism, moderately high plus and minus in any application where edge thickness can be covered by temples.

  8. #8
    Doh! braheem24's Avatar
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    Hivex is 1.56, 46 abbe. It is easier to edge and drill the poly, trivex, 1.60, 1.67 and does not kill my generator or edger wheels and motors.

  9. #9
    Master OptiBoarder Crazy-bout-Optics's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by anthonyf1509 View Post

    Is Trivex better all around for the added cost and will it provide something extra that the wearer will notice (justify) the cost?
    So the office I just started working at used to drill in Poly all day long. Our Doctors see anywhere from 60-100 patients a day, not everyone buys, but just to give an idea of the # of orders we have. What they noticed was all the people coming back with cracks, chips, and star bursts on their beautiful glasses.

    Wanna guess how may times we heard "I paid $700 for these glasses, there shouldn't be anything wrong with them, what are you going to do to fix this"
    Wanna guess how much time we spent looking up files, explaining warranties, re ordering lenses, shipping out glasses to the lab, verifying glasses when they come back, calling the patient back, re dispensing to the patient, apologizing for the inconvenience, explaining this won't happen again Etc, Etc.

    So now we have a "No Drill Mount in Poly" rule. We simply don't do it.

    So to answer your question the only thing you will notice is that lack of patients coming back to complain about their poly lenses cracking, and what you have to gain is the reputation of being the place that always gets it right and where patients gladly come back to.

    The sheer drop in warranty work alone tells us it is worth it.
    Last edited by Crazy-bout-Optics; 09-11-2011 at 02:04 AM. Reason: Speling ;)

  10. #10
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    There is a hidden, yet substantial cost to a practice when a patient returns with a concern or remake. One's time (patient, Doc, dispenser, lab) is valuable.

    Within the desired Rx range, 95% of all the drill mounts and nylon jobs I process are Trivex. I'm so confident in the material that I include a 2 year warranty against chipping, cracking and starbursts. Not one return yet...

    Placing any patient in Poly (esp. children) when Trivex is available is a huge injustice to them.

  11. #11
    Master OptiBoarder
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    I prefered 1.60 for drills over Trivex. If you dry edge 1.60 finishes cleaner than Trivex. I also had a lot of patients with Trivex who were dissappointed that the lenses were not thinner. In a drill you usually have to add thickness to the lens, so in low power drill Trivex came out thicker than the CR-39 they came from. 1.60 is often LESS than Trivex price-wise now if you shop around (its lower in price on the wholesale side).

    1.60 is great on drills, and the patients feel like the lens is really thinner. Its why many frame companies list 1.60 as their first choice for materials.

  12. #12
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter
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    I like Trivex...BUT it does turn yellow and Trivex Transitions with or without AR tends to craze, and is very sensitive (craze) to heat....

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