Designing progressive ophthalmic lenses to maximize visual comfort is the foremost objective of lens manufacturers. With over 600 progressive lens designs in the marketplace, there are large disparities in visual quality between lens designs.
In such a saturated market, how should you narrow down your options to the best progressive lens technology for your patients? Choose based on how the lenses are made.
Using both lens surfaces makes all the difference
When creating a progressive lens, most manufactures will surface the reading addition on the front or back surface of the lens. This forces all the calculations to be made on only one surface.
HOYA approaches progressives lens design a bit differently.
HOYA’s patented Integrated Dual Surface™ (iD) design takes into account both surfaces of the lens. This allows for twice the surface area to place the reading addition, allowing for large, comfortable viewing areas that reduce distortions and greatly improve adaptation.
How iD distributes progressive powers for maximum visual quality
HOYA’s iD technology is not just about using twice the surface area of the lens to improve viewing comfort; it’s about distributing the progressive powers on each surface to maximize visual quality.
iD technology enhances the wearing experience by placing the vertical components of the progressive on the front surface of the lens and the horizontal components of the progressive on the back surface.
Why does positioning the progressive addition in this manner make a difference? Let’s start with each side of the lens.
Vertical components on the front surface
Placing the vertical components of the near addition on the front surface of the lens allows for shorter rotation of the eye to get into the reading power.
Test it:
1. Hold your hand out at arm’s length and hold up your index finger. This represents the front of the lens.
2. Look at the top of your finger and rotate your eyes to the bottom of your finger. Your eye will move less distance from the top to the bottom.
3. Now, holding your hand in the same position, move your hand closer to your face, representing the back of the lens. Rotating your eyes from the top of your finger to the bottom now takes much more distance to cover.
The result: When wearing a progressive lens, it’s easier to get into the reading addition the more comfortable the design.
Horizontal components on the back surface
By utilizing the back surface of the lens for the horizontal components of the progressive addition, we can create a larger viewing area.
Test it:
1. Create a hole with your index finger and thumb.
2. Hold your hand out at arm’s length, representing the front of the lens. Looking through the hole, you will notice how little area you can see.
3. Now, move your hand closer to your face, representing the back of the lens. Looking through the hole reveals much more area to be seen.
The result: By adding the horizontal components of the progressive on the back surface of the lens, we expand the reading zone, increasing comfort and adaptation.
Get our comprehensive guide on the latest progressive lens technology.