Essilor
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Originally, all lenses were made of glass. Today, glass lenses still
represent half of global sales, with a large percentage marketed in the
emerging economies. In a major innovation for the corrective lens
industry, Essilor developed an organic (or plastic) lens from US-based
PPG’s CR-39 monomer in the 1960s. Plastic lenses have become extremely popular in the industrialized world, accounting for 90% of all lens sales in the US and Japan, for example. The emergence of higher-index materials over the last few years has led to the development of even thinner and lighter lenses. Because they have a naturally high index and are unbreakable, polycarbonate lenses have gained market share around the world, especially since Essilor developed a hardening varnish that made them scratch resistant. Polycarbonate lenses already account for 25% of the North American market, and they are enjoying growth of around 15% a year. Essilor has a strong position in polycarbonate lenses in North America and in Europe thanks to Airwear, which offers the best combination in the market for thinness, light weight, sturdiness and scratch resistance. |
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Traditionally, most vision problems have been corrected with unifocal
lenses or, for presbyopia, bifocals and trifocals. In the 1960s, Essilor
developed the Varilux progressive lens, which provides clear vision at
all distances. Essilor is far and away the world leader in progressive
lenses and has focused heavily on developing them for presbyopia. With
Essilor’s latest progressive lens, the Varilux Panamic, patients benefit
from a panoramic field of vision. They also adapt to their new lenses
extremely quickly, a factor that may prompt more and more people to
shift from unifocals and bifocals to progressive lenses. |
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Coatings were added to lenses later on. Today, a corrective lens is a
highly developed and complex product that combines a variety of
materials and numerous coatings with specific functions. Thanks to
Essilor, and especially Crizal lenses, coatings are now one of the
fastest growing segments in the market. For the Group, they represent
substantial growth potential in the years ahead. |
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A
lens that changes color depending on the light is called a photochromic
lens. While the process may look easy, it relies on extremely complex
technology. To be effective, a variable-tint lens must react quickly to
changing light conditions both indoors and outdoors while providing
maximum comfort for the wearer in all circumstances. Essilor and US-based PPG, one of the world’s leading chemicals firms, developed a particularly sophisticated technology for the Transitions lens. The "Next Generation Transition®" benefits from the latest innovations in photochromic pigments, providing faster changes in color and full protection against UVA and UVB rays. |