Being a qualified dispensing Optician I am fully aware of how challenging the course is and the fantastic feeling of successful completion I felt in the late 90’s. However since then, the ophthalmic industry has evolved with medical advances and technical innovation paving the way for a better understanding of correcting sight. The somewhat excessive use of digital devices in day to day life has given rise for new development in the single vision sector in order to support pre presbyopic members of the public.
A classic single vision lens was completely acceptable 15-20 years ago. However they simply do not fit all the needs of the modern pre presbyopic wearers. Screen usage in society is at an all-time high, increasing the amount of visual fatigue patients are experiencing as they go through the day.
Taking a step back I realise we should be asking every patient:
a) Do they have a smartphone?
b) How do they hold their phones? (In particular the working distance away from their
eyes, research has shown the vast majority will hold closer than printed copy text)
c) How has their posture changed when handling a digital device?
d) How often, if at all, they experience eye strain within a day?
The penny dropped for me when I was afforded time to consider the visual impact on a spectacle wearer looking at their phone through a standard single vision lens. Studies have uncovered most people hold a phone closer than 40cm with more eye declination than when reading a printed copy.
These combining factors lead to a standard SV design delivering aberrations in the form of aberrational astigmatism as well as power error when viewing a mobile device.
ENTER THE EYEZEN…
Using DualOptim technology Essilor’s latest design Eyezen Start is an International
first as the only lens design that is optimised across the whole lens surface.
This design gives improved visual performance for distance and near vision which delivers decreased visual fatigue for the wearer. Eyezen Start should become the go-to lens for single vision patients below the age of 40.