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lens marketing |
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Partnershiping — Essilor Lenses has expanded its branding program with Satis Vacuum of America, Inc., enabling Satis lab customers to now license RF Endura as well as Reflection Free NP technology directly from Essilor. RF Endura combines AR performance with an in-lab applied back-side hard coat for improved scratch resistance and durability.
In an effort to provide laboratories with the best resources for growing their AR business, Satis has assigned the rights to the Endura brand name to Essilor. By licensing the RF Endura brand, laboratories will have access to all Essilor Reflection Free brands and product enhancements, including a new hydrophobic topcoat soon to be introduced for RF Endura lenses.
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Sail Item — Diane Nielsen, OD, of Meriden, Conn. won a Hobie catamaran and trailer by participating in Essilor’s Vision Paradise Raffle during International Vision Expo East. |
20/20 Notes 20 — Twenty years ago, Optima opened its doors determined to fill a void in the optical industry. Founder Nick Niejelow had a vision to use technology to revolutionize eyewear for the millions of people wearing thick, heavy eyeglasses. While working with frames and plastic lenses, he came to realize that plastics held the key to radical improvements in lenses, and so his mission began. In just a few years, in a joint partnership with Asahi the fruits of Optima’s R&D efforts were realized with the introduction of the first 1.60 finished lenses. The lenses called HyperIndex 1.60 set a new standard with their 1.3mm center thickness.
A year later Optima introduced a scratch-resistant coating for its 1.60 lens. Soon to follow was the first 1.60 flat top bifocal. In 1990 the company introduced the first factory-applied hyrdrophobic AR coating to the finished lens and the first finished minus aspheric design on a 1.60. This was followed by the HyperIndex 1.66 with a 1.0 center thickness in 1992.
Optima is now developing an AR coating that promises equal impact. The company will soon be doubling its polycarbonate lens manufacturing capabilities a new plant in the near future.
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Partnershiping Too — SOLA and Transitions Optical, Inc. have announced, “All You Need is One” as a national promotion featuring SOLAOne progressives and Transitions lenses. “All You Need is One” runs through December 31. ECPs receive a game ticket with every pair of SOLAOne progressive lenses, either with Transitions or clear, ordered. Every ticket is worth cash and provides a chance to win a grand prize of $10,000. |
Four AR Anew — The AR Council has added four new members: Diversified Ophthalmics, Cincinnati; Lens-Coat, North Little Rock, Ark.; the Pentax division of Seiko Optical Products of America, Hopkins, Minn.; and Signet Armorlite, San Marcos, Calif.
Specialty Landing — Polaroid Eyewear has entered into a licensing agreement with Specialty Lens Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Essilor of America, for Polaroid branded Rx lenses for the Americas. The agreement offers Specialty Lens the use of the Polaroid brand to expand its product offerings and support its advanced polarized lens technology.
Market research surveys conducted throughout the U.S. confirm that general Polaroid brand awareness ranges from 86 percent to as high as 95 percent among consumers, according to Polaroid. —Andrew Karp
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