Exploring new options in ophthalmic lenses

Philadelphia-With new products coming onto the market all the time, Joy Gibb, ABOC, highlighted some of the latest options in ophthalmic lenses at the American Optometric Association’s Optometry’s Meeting.

When you’re looking to add new lenses, Gibb first recommended that you do your homework and be open minded about the options. There are some great lenses coming from smaller companies, but you have to educate yourself. She also recommended “test driving” the lenses on some of your patients and staff to get honest feedback and personal testimonies.

With patients spending more and more time on electronic devices, Gibb offered information about new computer lenses that will make patients more comfortable while using their devices, but also keep them safe from harmful blue light.

Related: CES left me feeling blue, The Vision Council promotes digital eye strain precaution at CES

“The blue light products I have been selling in my office have been enormously successful,” she says.

BluTech lenses by Eye Solutions Technology offer:

• Ocular lens pigment combined with melanin

• Mimics the natural yellow-brown coloration of the human crystalline lens

• Wide variety of lens designs and materials

Recharge anti-reflective coating by Hoya offers:

• Reflects the harmful blue light

• Provides contrast

• Allows the good blue light

Crizal Prevencia lenses by Essilor offer:

• Deflects 20 percent of harmful blue-violet light

• Allows blue-turquoise light to pass through

• Provides UV protection on the back side of the lens

For Crizal Prevencia lenses, Gibb highly recommended having a demo lenses in the office.

“It’s going to look purple. Forewarn patients that when they look through it, it’s going to have a little yellow perception to it,” she says. “This, to me, is a product that if patients doesn’t put it in front of their eyes, it’s going to sounds like you’re selling them something and blowing smoke."

Next: Shamir Duo, Camberlens, Transitions Signature 7, Smart Gold

Other products she highlighted included Shamir Duo, which offers a traditional bifocal experience without the line. This product is ideal for a patient who did not succeed with traditional progressive lenses, someone who uses multifocal lenses, or someone who often uses a computer. 

Related: Shamir introduces Attitude III line, Shamir Duo

Camberlens by Younger Optics offers a continuously increasing base curve, faster adaptation, and a flatter lens.

“It’s an option for people who have had a hard time with progressive lenses because of a base curve issue,” Gibb says. “It’s really new, but people who have been using it have said really good things about it.”

Gibb says Transitions Signature 7 is more reactive to UV light than the brand’s previous lenses, while also adapting to indirect light and blocking 100 percent of UVA and UVB light. Practices would benefit from having a sample lens to take outside and show the patient the photochromic effects, she says

“It changes a lot darker than the older versions. They really tested this technology-it’s less temperature sensitive, less altitude sensitive, and very effective in the way they change,” she says.

For practices fitting patients for Google Glass and other smart eyewear, Gibb says Rochester Optical’s Smart Gold lenses  are ideal because they offer multiple focal points and lengths-which makes wearing the devices much more comfortable. It is available in a wide variety of lens materials and is digitally designed and surfaced. 

Related: Google Glass may cause eye discomfort