(San Diego, 3/5/13) Carl Zeiss Vision announces the launch of a new customized progressive lens series designed for the competitive market environment that eye care professionals face today. The Choice series consists of three new progressive lenses: ZEISS Progressive Choice, ZEISS Progressive Choice Plus, and ZEISS Progressive Choice Plus V.

“While customized progressives were strictly a top-tier product a few years ago, they are now 30% of the market for independent practices,” said Lisa Lorenz, Senior Manager – Products. “Eye Care Professionals need products with a range of capabilities and price points to address this rapidly growing market. The Choice series meets this need with ZEISS technology and quality.”

ZEISS Progressive Choice lenses are optically optimized for up to 30%* larger fields of clear vision. Four corridor options, sized for 13, 15, 17 and 19mm fitting heights, are available. No compensated powers are required for verification of the lenses.

“Some patients are reluctant to make the leap in price to a freeform progressive lens,” said Roya Graily, Product Marketing Manager. “At the same time, many practices are concerned that freeform lenses will make dispensing more complex. ZEISS Progressive Choice addresses both concerns: it is priced and dispensed like a semi-finished lens, but the wearer will enjoy significantly better visual performance.”
ZEISS Progressive Choice Plus and ZEISS Progressive Choice Plus V are fully customized for the wearer’s combination of sphere, cylinder, axis and add for up to 40%* larger fields of clear vision compared to ordinary progressives. Both employ newly improved ZEISS Center of Rotation Evaluation (CORE) technology, which uses a highly accurate calculation of the wearer’s center of rotation distance to sharpen vision throughout the lens. They differ only in the way the corridor is determined:

- ZEISS Progressive Choice Plus offers the five corridor options for fitting heights of 13, 15, 17, 19 and 21mm
- ZEISS Progressive Choice Plus V employs a corridor sized automatically in 0.1mm increments to the fitting height of the patient’s frame.
“With the advent of customized progressives, two distinct approaches have emerged,” said Graily. “Some dispensers prefer to specify the corridor length; others like it to be sized automatically. Choice Plus and Choice Plus V allow dispensers to choose the approach they prefer.”

With ZEISS Progressive Individual® 2, the Choice series creates a complete ZEISS customized lens portfolio with multiple levels of customization and price points, to meet more patients’ vision and affordability needs.