Superior Design Of Varilux Lenses Unmatched In The Marketplace

01/06/2011

DALLAS – (Jan. 6, 2011) – Essilor of America, Inc., the nation‟s leading manufacturer of optical lenses, today reaffirms the continued momentum and success of Varilux® lenses.  The world‟s first progressive addition lenses (PALs) continue to lead the industry through superior design, digital surfacing and a customized product offering.

As proof of the lens brand‟s superiority, Varilux products are continually recognized for innovative design and technology. In fact, Varilux lenses were recently honored with a scientific poster recognition from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) for the Varilux
Physio Enhanced™ lenses with W.A.VE. Technology 2™. Essilor is the only spectacle lens company to have received this special honor from the distinguished AAO audience, and this is the second time Varilux Physio® lenses have been recognized for superior technological innovations.

Varilux is also the only lens brand to offer W.A.V.E. Technology™: Wavefront Advanced Vision Enhancement and W.A.V.E Technology 2™, both of which have a powerful impact on patients‟ overall quality of vision. By analyzing the entire wavefront, lens designers can calculate targeted optical functions for each point and each gaze direction. The result of these complex analyses is a lens design that reduces or eliminates higher order aberrations, resulting in unsurpassed visual performance.

In addition to its design and robust portfolio of products that meet the various needs of today‟s presbyopes, Varilux requires all of its digital lenses to go through a rigorous quality control process known as Digital Surfacing Process Control (DSPC). This allows every authorized Varilux distributor to deliver performance and quality on every Varilux lens it produces.

Customization Leadership:

Varilux offers the most customized lenses available. Varilux Physio Enhanced™ eyecode™ and Varilux Ipseo IV™ eyecode™ lenses are the only lenses that take the patient‟s unique eye rotation center (ERC) into account and also measure the patient‟s natural head posture, visual behaviors, and position of wear. These measurements take Varilux Physio Enhanced eyecode and Varilux Ipseo IV eyecode lenses to the highest level of customization possible to meet patients‟ unique needs.

Varilux offers a wide range of customized products through additional fitting parameters (wrap angle, vertex distance and pantoscopic tilt) and patients‟ physiology. These lenses include Varilux Physio Enhanced Fit™, Varilux Ipseo IV, Varilux Physio Enhanced Azio™ and Varilux Physio Enhanced India™.

Essilor places great value on input from its customers, and ECPs and their patients continue to praise Varilux lenses through positive feedback.

“The Varilux Physio Enhanced Fit lens causes our patients to say „wow,‟” said Dr. Randall Yumori, O.D., F.A.A.O, Pacific EyeCare Center. “It is the clearest and most user-friendly lens our practice has ever used. Our patients report it is similar to the difference between regular TV and the new high-definition flat screens.”

Digital Leadership:

Varilux is the only lens offered in all three formats: traditional, back side digital (Varilux DRx™) and DualOptix™. Varilux DRx products are the only back side digital lenses that require a specific Essilor SFSV blank, which ensures consistency and accuracy. These lenses include Varilux Comfort DRx™, Varilux Comfort Short DRx™, Varilux Physio DRx™ and Varilux Physio Short DRx™.

DualOptix lenses use both sides of the lens, allowing for greater precision and accuracy, an unlimited ability to customize to patients‟ visual demands, and an infinite ability to improve lens design. These lenses include Varilux Physio Enhanced, New Varilux Comfort Enhanced™ and Varilux Ipseo IV.

“Through our ground-breaking research and real wearer testing, Essilor continuously strives to ensure that Varilux is the superior PAL on the market in order to best help ECPs serve their patients,” said Carl Bracy, senior vice president of marketing for Essilor of America. “Because
of its design around patients‟ needs, Varilux remains the highest quality PAL on the marketplace

today.”

For more information, contact your Varilux sales representative or visit variluxusa.com.

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About Essilor
Essilor is the leading manufacturer of optical lenses in the United States and is the market leader in progressive, high-index and anti-reflective coated lenses. A pioneer in the development and production of ophthalmic lenses,
Essilor employs more than 9,000 people throughout North America. Essilor manufactures optical lenses under the Varilux®, Crizal®, Thin&Lite®, Xperio® and DEFINITY® and other Essilor brand names. Essilor Laboratories of America (ELOA) is the largest, and most trusted, optical lab network in the U.S. and offers a wide choice of services and lens brands, including Essilor premium lenses, to eyecare professionals across the nation. Essilor of America, Inc. (Essilor) is a subsidiary of Paris-based Essilor International, S.A., a publicly held company traded on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (Reuters: ESSI.PA).

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Essilor, Varilux, Crizal, Xperio and DEFINITY are registered trademarks of Essilor International. Unless indicated otherwise, all trademarks are the property of Essilor International and/or its subsidiaries.