They`re Not your Father`s Single Vision Lenses

They’re Not your Father’s Single
Vision Lenses
1 hour ABO credit
© 2008 Carl Zeiss vision International GmbH. Individual, GT2 and Precise-Form are trademarks of Carl Zeiss International GmbH.
Produ9t designed and manufactured using Carl Zeiss Vision technology. US patent 6,089,713. Other patents pending. V1.0 11/08
Pre-Seminar Quiz
True or False
Like progressive lens designs, single vision lens
designs have continually improved in recent
years.
Answer
l 
False!
l 
Most single vision lenses on the market today are
based on technology developed before 1950
l 
Since that time, PALs have gone through
successive generations, improving visual
performance each time
l 
Single vision? Not so much.
True or False
Just like PALs, premium single vision lens designs
deliver better vision than inexpensive ones.
Answer
l 
False!
l 
With the exception of atoric lenses (a niche category), all
single vision lenses deliver about the same performance
from a design standpoint
l 
Single vision lenses become premium when they are made
in high-index materials, given a premium AR coating, or are
sold in a photochromic version
•  There is nothing inherently premium about the design
True or False
Most wearers get edge-to-edge clarity from their
single vision lenses.
Answer
l 
False!
l 
In fact, only wearers with certain prescriptions
get edge-to-edge clarity, or close to it. Everyone
else will have unwanted blur away from the
center of the lens.
True or False
Like PALs, the visual performance of single vision
designs has improved since the product first hit
the market.
Answer
l 
True!
l 
Let’s keep in mind, though, that single vision
lenses first hit the market in the late 13th century.
True or False
If single vision lenses could be improved, they
would have been by now.
Answer
l 
Let me answer this one with another question:
l 
True or false:
l 
If we didn’t have new technology that can deliver edge-toedge clarity in single vision lenses, this seminar would
already be over.
Answer
l 
True!
l 
Fortunately, the new technology is here, the
improvements are real, and we have lots to talk
about!
Topics
l 
What’s wrong with current single vision lenses?
l 
Free-form technology and its implications for
lens design
l 
Customized single-vision lenses
l 
l 
How we create them
l 
Why they’re better
Business implications for your practice
Standard single vision lenses – how
do they measure up?
Single Vision Lens Design: from the dawn of the
Italian Renaissance to the end of the 19th century
1284 Salvino degl’ Armati invents the first frame-mounted
“spectacle” lenses; early spectacle lenses suffered from a
limited field of clear vision
1690 Christiaan Huygens experiments with the form—or
relationship between front and back curves—of spectacle
lenses in order to reduce optical aberrations
1804 William Wollaston invents a series of steeply curved spectacle
lenses that improves peripheral vision by minimizing oblique
astigmatism
1885 First availability of toric lenses with cylinder power
1898 Franz Ostwalt invents a series of curved spectacle lenses that
also minimize oblique astigmatism using flatter curves,
forming the basis for modern lenses
Single Vision Lens Design: the 20th Century
1908 Scientists at Carl Zeiss invent a series of lenses with an
aspheric surface that minimizes optical aberrations in minus
and high-plus spectacle lenses
1910 Moritz von Rohr at Carl Zeiss invents the first series of
“corrected curve” or “best form” spectacle lenses suitable for
mass production
1924 Edgar Tillyer at American Optical invents a series of best form
lenses with a smaller number of base curves that reduces
inventory requirements and costs
1976 John Davis at American Optical invents a series of lenses with
at least one aspheric or atoric surface that improves cosmetics
as well as peripheral vision
1986 Gerhard Fuerter at Carl Zeiss invents a series of lenses with a
complex, free-form surface that also minimizes aberrations
produced by the position of wear
Level of Optical Correction
Single vision designs have evolved from flat,
spherical lenses to customized, free-form lenses
Customized
Free-Form
Flat
Atoric
Flat
Aspheric
Curved
Best Form
Flat
Spherical
Complexity of Lens Designs
Single vision lenses have improved in
optics and cosmetics over time
l 
Flat lenses suffered from a reduced field of clear vision due to the
presence of optical aberrations like oblique astigmatism
l 
Best form lenses use a curved lens shape that reduces
aberrations for sphere Rx powers at the expense of cosmetics
l 
Aspheric lenses use an aspheric surface that reduces aberrations
for sphere powers with a thinner, flatter lens form
l 
Atoric lenses use an atoric surface that reduces oblique
astigmatism for both sphere and cylinder Rx powers
After 7 centuries of development,
single vision lenses must be perfect;
right?
Traditional single vision lenses are good,
but not that good
l 
Semi-finished single vision lenses are factory-molded in
mass quantity and require over a thousand unique lens
blanks
l 
Because of massive product development and inventory
costs, these lenses are designed for an “average” wearer
The Rx defines central vision
l 
The spectacle prescription defines the optics
through the center of the lens when it is
positioned perpendicularly to the line of sight,
resulting in clear straight-ahead vision
The alignment of the design with the
patient’s Rx defines peripheral vision
l 
Without proper optical design, “off-axis” vision in
the periphery of the lens becomes blurred,
limiting the field of clear vision due to aberrations
such as oblique astigmatism
Power ranges are grouped upon a few common
base curves to reduce costs with traditional lenses
l 
According to corrected curve or best form optical
principles, each prescription power should be made with a
unique lens design or base curve in order to eliminate
aberrations
As the prescription deviates from the ideal
power, optical performance deteriorates
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss Individual™ SV
As the prescription deviates from the ideal
power, optical performance deteriorates
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss Individual™ SV
As the prescription deviates from the ideal
power, optical performance deteriorates
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss Individual™ SV
As the prescription deviates from the ideal
power, optical performance deteriorates
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss Individual™ SV
As the prescription deviates from the ideal
power, optical performance deteriorates
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss Individual™ SV
As the prescription deviates from the ideal
power, optical performance deteriorates
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss Individual™ SV
As the prescription deviates from the ideal
power, optical performance deteriorates
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss Individual™ SV
As the prescription deviates from the ideal
power, optical performance deteriorates
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss Individual™ SV
Lens tilt creates oblique astigmatism
l 
When a lens is tilted relative to the line of sight
with either pantoscopic tilt, face-form wrap, or a
combination of both, vision becomes blurred
through the center of the lens
As the position of wear changes, optical
performance deteriorates
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
+3.00 Sphere
As the position of wear changes, optical
performance deteriorates
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
+3.00 Sphere
As the position of wear changes, optical
performance deteriorates
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
+3.00 Sphere +3.00 Sphere
As the position of wear changes, optical
performance deteriorates
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
+3.00 Sphere
As the position of wear changes, optical
performance deteriorates
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
+3.00 Sphere
As the position of wear changes, optical
performance deteriorates
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
-2.00 -2.00 × 045
As the position of wear changes, optical
performance deteriorates
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
-2.00 -2.00 × 045
As the position of wear changes, optical
performance deteriorates
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
-2.00 -2.00 × 045
As the position of wear changes, optical
performance deteriorates
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
-2.00 -2.00 × 045
As the position of wear changes, optical
performance deteriorates
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
-2.00 -2.00 × 045
Okay, so they’re not as good as they could be.
But what can we do about it?
Two basic problems
l 
The standard lens manufacturing/fabrication
process is limited by the number or Rx’s it can
be optimized for
l 
Plus, standard designs can only be optimized for sphere or
cylinder; not both
l 
Standard lenses can’t account for individual
variations in the position of wear
l 
Fortunately, two breakthroughs address these
problems
Breakthrough 1: fabrication technology
l 
l 
The old way:
l 
Lenses were mass-produced in a small number of base curves
l 
They could be optimized for sphere or cylinder power; not both
The new way
l 
Lenses are individually manufactured on demand using freeform technology
l 
Free-form generators can put a complex curve on a lens,
optimizing it for both sphere and cylinder
Breakthrough 2: customization
l 
l 
The old way
l 
Lenses were made in a small number of base curves covering a
range of Rx’s
l 
Each base curve was designed for the “average” Rx in that range
l 
The closer your Rx was to the average, the better you’d see. The
farther away, the worse.
l 
Even if sphere was close to the average, the lens could be
optimized for cylinder
The new way
l 
A unique design for every Rx
l 
No compromises resulting from “average” designs
l 
Fully personalized for the wearing position
Traditional Lens Model
Manufacturer
Design
Practice
Design
Lab
Personalized Lens Model
Designer
Base Design and
Customization
Approach
Real-Time
Customization Engine
Personalized
Lenses
Practice
Free-Form
Enabled Lab
Single vision customization
approaches
l 
Customization by Rx
l 
Customization by wearing
position
Rx Customization
Fully Optimized for
Full prescription
(sph, cyl, ax, prism)
Problem: traditional lenses can perform optimally
only for a limited number of Rx powers.
Solution: remove the limitation
Customization
allows a unique
design for each
patient’s exact
combination of
sphere, cylinder,
axis and add.
Rx Customization
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Customized Single Vision
Rx Customization
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Customized Single Vision
Rx Customization
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Customized Single Vision
Rx Customization
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Customized Single Vision
Rx Customization
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Customized Single Vision
Rx Customization
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Customized Single Vision
Rx Customization
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Customized Single Vision
Rx Customization
+6.00
Sphere Power
+3.00
+2.00
+1.00
Plano
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00
-6.00
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
Sph
Cylinder Power
Standard Single Vision
Customized Single Vision
Position of Wear Customization
Back Vertex Distance
(BVD)
Frame Fit
(Fit Height)
Monocular PD’s
(PD)
Frame Wrap Angle
(WR)
Pantoscopic Angle / Tilt
(PA)
Traditional progressive lenses are often
designed for a focimeter, not the patient.
l 
The position of wear represents the position of the fitted
spectacle lens on the patient, including tilt, wrap, and vertex
l 
Traditional progressive lenses must assume a fixed position of
wear, often replicating how a focimeter measures optics
Vertex
Tilt
How a Focimeter
Measures Optics
How the Patient
Experiences Optics
Position-of-wear customization
l 
Customization for the position of wear fine-tunes the optics of the
lens design using the wearer’s exact fitting geometry
l 
Ensures every wearer experiences the “ideal” performance as
designed.
Position-of-wear customization
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss
Individual™
SVVision
Customized
Single
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
+3.00 Sphere
Position-of-wear customization
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss
Individual™
SVVision
Customized
Single
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
+3.00 Sphere
Position-of-wear customization
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss
Individual™
SVVision
Customized
Single
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
+3.00 Sphere
Position-of-wear customization
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss
Individual™
SVVision
Customized
Single
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
+3.00 Sphere
Position-of-wear customization
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss
Individual™
SVVision
Customized
Single
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
+3.00 Sphere
Position-of-wear customization
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss
Individual™
SVVision
Customized
Single
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
-2.00 -2.00 × 045
Position-of-wear customization
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss
Individual™
SVVision
Customized
Single
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
-2.00 -2.00 × 045
Position-of-wear customization
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss
Individual™
SVVision
Customized
Single
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
-2.00 -2.00 × 045
Position-of-wear customization
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss
Individual™
SVVision
Customized
Single
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
-2.00 -2.00 × 045
Position-of-wear customization
20°
15°
10°
5°
0°
Face-Form Wrap
Standard Single Vision
Zeiss
Individual™
SVVision
Customized
Single
Pantoscopic Tilt
-10°
-5°
0°
5°
10°
15°
20°
-2.00 -2.00 × 045
Working with Customized
Single Vision
Additional requirements for customized
lenses
l 
l 
Rx customization: none. Customization is
derived solely from patient’s Rx
Position-of-wear customization: additional
measurements required
l 
l 
l 
l 
l 
Back vertex distance
Pantoscopic tilt
Frame wrap
Center of rotation (in some cases)
Lens powers will differ from prescribed powers
because they are compensated for wearing
position
Fitting Measurements
Manual Fitting Tools
Default values
(population
averages)
Centration
device (several
types available_
Lenses compensated for position of wear will
have compensated powers
Implications for Your Practice
l 
l 
Standard single vision lenses are a very mature
product category. This means:
l 
Very little difference in performance from one brand to the
next
l 
Lack of technology development means they are priced low
Up to now, single vision lenses have not helped
you to
l 
Differentiate your practice
l 
Increase your premium lens sales
Customized Single Vision Differentiates
Your Practice
l 
You can offer a higher level of performance
l 
l 
The best visual experience your single vision patients have
ever had
Build customer loyalty
l 
Create customized lens wearers for life!
Customization is Important to
Profitability
l 
81% of consumers are willing to pay for
customized products
l 
41% have household incomes of at least $75,000
l 
54% of custom product buyers consider
themselves leaders
l 
As a group they are more likely to tell others
about products that interest them
Increased Revenue Example
Average selling price for a single vision lens
$95
Avg. % AR coated single vision
20%
Avg add-on for premium AR
$100
Avg selling price for customized SV with premium AR
$250
If you dispense…
And you upgrade
to customized SV
with premium AR
Your practice can
increase
revenues by
10 SV pairs/week
10% of patients
20%
30%
$7,000/yr
$14,000/yr
$21,000/yr
20 SV pairs/week
10% of patients
20%
30%
$14,000/yr
$28,000/yr
$42,000/yr
What Patients Need to Know
About Customized Single
Vision
• 
• 
• 
• 
It’s the best vision possible for you
Better than standard single vision
Delivers true edge-to-edge clarity
Precisely personalized just for you –
your prescription, face and frame
•  Above all, that you recommend the
lens.
What to Tell Your Patients
“I recommend
a new type of lens that
can be customized to
give you your best
vision possible with
outstanding edge-toedge clarity.”
l 
Wear them yourself!
Explosive Growth is Projected for
the Customized Lens Category
2010
2009
2008
2007
Are You Ready?
Thank you!