Advance Optical

A Surprise Testimonial for Physio 360

2008-02-25T17:02:00.002-05:00

Steve is a 63 year old optician locally who has been dispensing for 35 + years.Steve is hyperoptic; his Rx is about +3.25-75 ou.
In his presbyoptic years he has never been able to wear a progressive add lens. It's not for lack of trying, as he has tried often but will immediately discard these lenses for a lined trifocal. Until last week.
Steve and I have been talking about digitally surface lenses over the last month or so, and Steve consented to try a pair. After selecting a frame which would give him good horizontal and vertical eye movement he sent me the frame and his request for yet another PAL this time digitally surface. One more try.
Steve measured his fitting height at 20 which gave us room to work with a few lens choices.
I decided to put him into the Varilux Physio 360 which would work well in his selected frame. The Physio is new design technology with Wave Front and the 360 is digitally surfaced. A good choice for his Rx.
We delivered the job last week, on 2/20.
Here is Steve's note that followed the next day.
"What an astounding difference (in my Rx range) with these digitally surfaced lenses !! I put them on for the first time about 90 minutes ago and, yes, they're different from the trifocals, naturally, but it seems that all of what I couldn't tolerate in previous pairs is GONE. Image swim is almost eliminated. Walking is no problem (well....it was with the other PAL's). No queasiness. So far I'm encouraged. I think I can wear these. Thank you for your help, thank you all for the lenses!!!
Steve"

Edging Guidelines for Crizal Avance'

2008-01-16T12:36:00.000-05:00

Crizal%20Edging%20Guidelines_2008.pdf

Crizal Avance' with Scotchgard Protector Availability

2008-01-16T12:25:00.000-05:00

Crizal Avance' with Scotchgard Protector lenses provide unmatched cleanability and durability and when combined with Varilux 360 and Essilor's other digitally surfaced progressive lens designs, patients will receive the best vision solution available.

Crizal of Choice
The following digitally surfaced Progressive lenses are available with the ECP's Crizal of choice. This includes Crizal, Crizal Alize', Crizal Alize' with Clearguard, and Crizal Avance' with Scotchgard Protector.

Varilux 360 Lenses:
Varilux Physio 360 lens
Varilux Comfort 360 lens
Varilux Ellipse 360 lens

Essilor Progressive Lenses:
Accolade Freedom lens

Systematic Crizal Avance' with Scotchgard Protector
Crizal Avance' with Scotchgard Protector is systematic on the following lens designs and materials:
Varilux Ipseo lens
Thin&Lite 1.74 lens materials

Definity Lenses
Definity and Definity Short lenses are available with or without a Crizal of choice.

TRANSITIONS VI IS COMING SOON

2008-01-13T17:36:00.000-05:00

Beginning February 1st, Advance Optical will begin processing the new Transitions VI products where available. Most Transitions products in CR-39, polycarbonate, high-indes, and Trivex will eventually be made in the new Transitions VI technology. While many styles of progressive lenses will be available immediately some of the most popular styles will not be available until March, and some of the infrequently used styles will not be replaced until current inventories are reduced.

Varilux/Essilor will delay launch of The Comfort, Panamic, Natural, Adaptar, and Accolade until March 14th. Physio, Ellipse, Ovation and Definity will be part of the February 1st release.

Carl Zeiss Vision will not be converting these products to Gen VI: Sola XL, AO Pro, and Percepta. These products will be supported in Gen V until 12/31/2008. None of the 1.54 index Velocity product will be converted as the current Velocity products already have comparable performance to Trans.VI. All other product will be available February 1st.

Core products such as single vision, ST28,ST35,and 7x28 trifocal in CR39 will be available immediately, as well as single vision in polycarbonate, and all styles in Trilogy.

This Transitions upgrade is world wide, and will enable all Transitions VI product to perform the same. This means changing a bit faster both indoors and outdoors, and not being as temperature dependent as previous lenses.

Image Wrap

2008-01-12T16:03:00.000-05:00

Younger Optics announces the launch of the Image Wrap lens in polycarbonate NuPolar Gray. What's useful about this product is that it is available as a decentered blank effectively making it the same as an 83mm blank, permitting cut out where normally there might be difficulty due to large frame/narrow PD syndrome.

The blank is available only in an 8 B.C. which limits its usefulness for myopic patients. Available adds are 1.00-3.00.

Introducing Crizal Avance' with Scotchgard

2008-01-12T15:53:00.000-05:00

The Big news is finally here!

Introducing Crizal Avance' with Scotchgard Protector lenses:
The first lens that is made to stay clean - Essilor delivers uncompromised Anti-Reflective (AR) performance!

Effective Tuesday, January 15, 2008, Essilor is pleased to introduce our most advanced technology from Crizal lenses, the new Crizal Avance' with Scotchgard Protector lenses.

Nothing can get in the way of the clarity of new Crizal Avance' with Scotchgard Protector - the lenses that combine the superior performance of Crizal with the unmatched cleanability of Scotchgard Protector. Consumers know and associate Scotchgard Protector with protection and reliability. With 95% US consumer brand awareness, patients will ask your ECPs for Crizal with Scotchgard Protector lenses by name, and you are assured in providing the ultimate benefit - uncompromised clarity of vision.

Key Benefits
The new Crizal Avance' with Scotchgard Protector lens technology delivers:
- Lenses that are the easiest to clean AR lens on the market and stay cleaner even longer with an improved contact angle of 116 degrees
- Lenses start out and stay the easiest to clean even after 20,000 cleanings, defending the integrity of the AR efficiency and protecting the lens from scratches that can result from regular cleanings
 Lenses that combine the anti-static technology of Crizal Alize' with Clearguard and the improved cleanability of Scotchgard Protector to repel dust, dirt, fingerprints, oil and grease better than ever

It's a Girl

2007-11-02T19:20:00.000-04:00

Giada Isabella DeMarco born on November 2, 2007 to our Lisa and Guiseppe DeMarco.

Vision Monday Article about Advance Optical

2007-10-27T12:26:00.000-04:00

A Closer Look at Lenses...

Advance Optical Sales Company

Arthur Kolko from Advance Optical Sales Company, in Rochester, N.Y. is an acknowledged lens guru. Over 30 years of experience in the optical industry has given him the knowledge and ability to provide as much product information as possible without discrimination to his customers. One of the most impressive communication tools Advance uses to provide information to their customers is its online blog. The online blog was designed to provide customers with the latest information in the lens industry. Kolko noted that the blog was also designed to "...promote individual brands that work. When you find something that works, it is easy to promote it and sell it."

Advance Optical's online blog provides their existing and prospective customers with information about the various product releases, alerts users to product problems or backorders and provides a general place for users to comment about what is going on in the industry.

Advance Optical's experience with various lens types is also seen in the service it provides to customers. "Although Varilux is our lens of choice, we do our best to have access to every lens product so that we may be a 'supermarket' of lenses to best handle all of our customers needs," Kolko said. In addition to providing a wide range of lenses, Advance Optical also strives to educate their customers and prospective customers about what lens technologies are available and help them select the best lens for each job. In addition to their online blog, they are achieving this by providing seminars, lab tours and working one-on-one with their customers.

According to Advance Optical, their customers regularly call them to provide lens expertise for difficult patient prescriptions. "We have earned the trust of our customers through our lens recommendations," Kolko noted. By sharing their lens experience and knowledge with eyecare professionals, Advance is directly involved in increasing patient satisfaction with their eyewear, their greatest goal. --Samantha Toth

Order Online with VisionWeb

2007-10-18T14:54:00.000-04:00

Advance Optical is now a part of the VisionWeb supplier network. Using VisionWeb's online eyecare product ordering service, accounts will be able to order spectacle lenses from Advance Optical through the VisionWeb website and practice management systems that are integrated with VisionWeb, including OfficeMate, Compulink, and OD Professional. A complete list of practice management systems integrated with VisionWeb is available at www.visionweb.com, under the Technology Partners heading.

There are many benefits to ordering online through VisionWeb, including faster receipt by suppliers, fewer order errors, online order tracking, and quicker fulfillment. Best of all, VisionWeb's online ordering service is free! Visit www.visionweb.com or call (800) 874-6601 to register your practice and add Advance Optical as a supplier on your VisionWeb account.

ADVANCE OPTICAL FEATURED IN LABTALK MAGAZINE

2007-09-16T10:04:00.000-04:00

Here is a part of the article featuring Advance Optical which appeared in the September, 2007 issued of LabTalk Magazine.

The Often Overlooked Shipping Department
Posted:
By Linda Little

When lab owners and managers talk about their lab it seems to center around a new generator or adding in-house AR, increasing through-put or decreasing breakage. But all the machinery has one purpose, to produce a lens for a customer and deliver it to them as quickly as possible. Without an efficient shipping department, all the time and effort put into moving a job quickly through the lab can come to a screeching halt if your shipping department isn't running like a well-oiled machine.

So let's talk about your shipping department, that group of people that try to ship as much product as they can daily, working to send the right product to the right customer using the correct shipping supplier. At the end of every day, it could be the most chaotic area in a lab as shipments are organized and shipping vendors arrive for their shipments.

What if we consider the shipping department as the final step in processing any order, as a point of customer service and as a possible profit center? There are opportunities that exist when the shipping department is considered in a new light. A combination of lab management systems and a re-thinking of shipping as a key step in the process will reap tremendous efficiencies and cost savings for any size laboratory operation.

Arthur Kolko, vice president for Advance Optical in Rochester, NY, didn't think anything had been done recently to improve shipping efficiencies. However, in discussing changes Advance has made due to their laboratory management software, it was clear that the shipping department had become more efficient in many ways. "We have not implemented all the software tools DVI offers for shipping efficiencies," commented Kolko. "However, utilizing a bin system for both our static and inconsistent customers has made it easy to reduce errors significantly."

Advance Optical utilizes a colored bin system, which starts by designating the shipper, for example blue bins are DHL, red are UPS and clear are for courier services. They also have two drivers that work local routes, which have separate bins, designated by driver and route. When asked how the shipping personnel know what goes where and who's who, Kolko explained that their DVI system offers the ability to set up a 'master' account for each customer that orders regularly, which allows them to identify the preferred shipping vendor or, if local, the driver and route. The information then appears on every piece of paper, including the invoice, which codes the bin designation. Static customers also have their names on their bins for a second verification and for the visual comfort of the personnel. Offering a numeric verification and a visual verification has reduced errors in shipping significantly, according to Kolko.

DVI's Dynamic Bin system delivers the capability to establish a range of numbers on a daily basis that can be assigned to bins for customers that are inconsistent in ordering. The assigned numbers follow the job through the lab and carry the numeric assignment on all paperwork and invoices. The shipping personnel no longer have to treat these jobs as special; they are processed as though they were regular customers. The use of data and information on preferred shipping vendors, combining shipments to include all of a customer's jobs in the lab, and having a bin allocation established, allows the shipping personnel to handle the products efficiently and increase the number of jobs that are shipped on a daily basis.

Considering that they used to stack job trays to be shipped with little information for shipping, Kolko added his belief, that in utilizing the DVI Bin System, "we have reduced costs through reducing errors as well as increased efficiency in shipping." He also added that eliminating the frustration of trying to find a customer's job was a great benefit of implementing the lab management tools.

Many businesses, both large and small, have difficulty assessing how poor shipping or fulfillment practices impact their business. Inefficiencies in the shipping department can eat away at the bottom line and have an adverse effect on customer service. The optical laboratory is no different. Fortunately, optical lab management systems offer many opportunities to improve shipping operations for those who would like to take advantage of them.

DVI offers two distinct shipping tools, according to Bill Ball, vice president, DVI. "The Dynamic Bin Allocation enables a lab to assign bin numbers to customers daily, eliminating the need to have 300 or 500 bins in a shipping area," explained Ball. "Our program allows the lab to dynamically assign a bin each day. The bins can also be organized by carrier."

The other tool is Shipping Room Logging, which validates the shipping information by scanning the label. With the data in the lab management system, the label information is verified to make sure the right product is going to the right place. "Many of our customers will use this as an audit tool," Ball added. "It takes a very on time, dynamic system to do this." The DVI software can also produce packing lists for the jobs that will be boxed together or packing lists for individual jobs.

When discussing shipping improvements with lab management software vendors, they clearly knew the benefits for the shipping department that many customers didn't realize. Steve Dombey of CC Systems explained that once a job goes through inspection and into shipping, CC Systems' software accepts the scan of the tray number in shipping and within a few seconds updates the job and automatically knows it is ready to ship. The final scan also serves as a quality control step. If a job has to be AR coated or tinted, the program will identify these steps and not allow the job to be shipped without going through these steps. Dombrey indicates that this alone has reduced many shipping errors and confusion in shipping departments.

CC Systems offers customized solutions for their customers. "We can interface with the shippers' software so the customer’s data is pushed automatically to the carrier’s software to eliminate additional data entry," Dombey added.

Eye care professionals can now track jobs on the Internet where available. A significant benefit of this technology is customer service—letting customers know what is being shipping and when, so in return they can service their patients better by letting them know when their glasses will be ready. Although not immediately thought of as a shipping department benefit, the ability to offer this service to customers would indicate a fairly dynamic software system that reduces the errors in shipping.

Outside of technology, labs are addressing workspace and utilizing shipping suppliers' software. Advance Optical addressed the space their personnel had to work in. "There is a lot of traffic going on in shipping," commented Kolko. "In one area we ship to customers, we receive the jobs that are outsourced for specialty processing and the order is completely wrapped and packed." Advance set up their shipping department to have the counters placed back-to-back, creating an independent work area for each employee, complete with computer and printing system.

"People have to work next to each other without running into each other," he added. "Lots of counter space is necessary, and work flow should be considered allowing for more aisle space."

Working with shipping vendors to make improvements has also been a good step towards efficiency. Advance Optical is constantly updating their hardware to enable the timely and accurate shipment with DHL and UPS utilizing their software or Internet site to enter shipments.

Looking at the shipping department differently, may offer an opportunity for improvement that will affect the bottom line. From inventory control, customer service and overall efficiency (i.e. get more products shipped daily); there is always an improvement that can be made that will ensure the right product goes to the right customer when they expect it. And great customer service makes a difference.

VX COMFORT 360 TO BE RELEASED SOON

2007-09-15T18:29:00.000-04:00

On October 2, 2007 Advance Optical will be able to offer Varilux Comfort 360 lenses. Varilux Comfort 360 lenses optimize the Varilux Comfort lens design for each individual prescription through patented 360 Digital Surfacing technology. Varilux Comfort 360 lenses deliver:

1. the gold standard patient adaptation of the Varilux Comfort lens design
2. the unparalleled ease-of-fitting of traditional Varilux Comfort lenses
3. wider fields of vision and less peripheral distortion of 360 Digital Surfacing technology

Product Specifications
Varilux Comfort 360 lenses will launch in the following materials:

Airwear(Clear and Transitions V Gray)
- Rx Range: +6.00D to -9.00D up to -4.00D Cylinder
- Add Power: 0.75 to 3.00
- Base Curves: 2.00, 4.00. 5.50, 7.501.50 Index plastic (Clear, Transitions Next Gen Gray, and Transitions Next Gen Brown).
- Rx Range: +7.00D to -9.00D up to -4.00D Cylinder
- Add Power: 0.75 to 3.50
- Base Curves Clear: 2.00, 4.00. 5.50, 6.50, 7.50, 8.50
- Base Curves Transitions: 2.00, 4.00. 5.50, 6.50, 7.25, 8.50
Varilux Comfort 360 lenses will launch with Thin & Lite 1.60 and Thin & Lite 1.67 high-index materials in Q1 2008. Varilux Comfort 360 1.50 polarized lenses will be available later in 2008.

Note that the minimum fitting height requirement for Varilux Comfort 360 lenses is 18 mm.

Systematic with Crizal Anti-Reflective Technology
To provide even better vision for every patient, Varilux Comfort 360 lenses come systematic with the Crizal anti-reflective technology of choice, including Crizal, Crizal Alizé, Crizal Alizé with ClearGuard, or Crizal Sun. All Crizal anti-reflective technologies reduce glare and resist scratches; and, Crizal Alizé, Crizal Sun and Crizal Alizé with ClearGuard repel smudges, are extremely easy to clean, and possess Essilor’s patented Pad Control System making edging easy while at the same time reducing breakage in the lab.

New Transitions Version Coming in 2008

2007-08-08T16:51:00.000-04:00

BIG NEWS!-Transitions VI is just around the corner. This new Version will be in all materials and all lens styles.We are told that this new formulation will be faster in darkening and faster in fading. Expected release date is about February 1, 2008.
We'll pass along more news about this as we get it.

Varilux Adds to Physio Polarized Availability

2007-08-03T17:04:00.000-04:00

On September 4th Varilux will make available the VX Physio 1.5 Polarized Gray and Brown. Previously, the Physio had been available only in Airwear Polarized.

ICoat Announces Topit AR Coating

2007-08-02T16:53:00.000-04:00

ICoat has added Topit to it's family of AR Coatings. Using the Fusion XTO AR in combination with an ultra slick super oleophobic topcoat, ICoat has created the smoothest, silkiest, easy to clean AR product ICoat has ever introduced.
-Topit AR can be applied to any lens style or substrate.
-All jobs requesting Topit AR Coating must be edged and drilled (if required) prior to sending in for coating.
-Topit AR can be used with any lab in-house backside hard coating.
-Topit Ar coating is warranted against cracking, peeling or crazing for a period of 1 year.

Essilor Adds to SmallFit Availability on September 4th

2007-08-02T16:40:00.000-04:00

We received a press release from Essilor as follows:
"Essilor is pleased to announce the introduction of Essilor SmallFit lenses now available in plastic 1.50, NT1 Hard Coat. This new material extends our SmallFit lens material offering,in addition to our current Airwear and Airwear Transitions(Gray & Brown) materials. SmallFit lenses are perfect for presbyopes who prefer a smaller frame utilizing Essilor's advanced design and technology."
Add Power is .75-3.00, and is available with all of the Crizal Family of A/R coatings.

Kodak Precise Short Now Available

2007-08-02T16:26:00.000-04:00

Signet Armorlite announces the release of the Kodak Precise Short. The Company says this lens is of the same "Vision First Design" as Kodak Unique. "Direct Digital Surfacing ensures that pinpoint accuracy is delivered directly from the designer's specs right into the mold."
This lens has a very low 13mm for minimum seg height, making it a good choice for small fashion frames.
Presently this lens is available in CR-39 with adds of 1.00-3.00.
Other materials will be released soon as follows:
polycarbonate-August, 2007
1.67 high index-September, 2007
InstaShades poly Gray & Brown-October, 2007

Shamir Office Poly 5/175 on Long Back Order Status

2007-05-27T17:12:00.000-04:00

Shamir sent us a notice advising us that "due to a technical problem in the supply chain they have run into a backorder situation with The Office in polycarbonate 5/175 with no foreseeable date of resolution."

Essilor Launches Ellipse 360

2007-05-25T16:46:00.000-04:00

Essilor is pleased to introduce the most advanced short corridor lens technology-
The new Varilux Ellipse 360.

Varilux Ellipse lenses revolutionized short corridor lens designs by providing maximum vision potential at all ranges. In recognition of this innovative design, Varilux Ellipse lenses received the prestigious Award of Excellence from the OLA in 2006. Varilux Ellipse 360 lenses take the award winning Varilux Ellipse lens design even further by using 360 Digital Surfacing to optimize vision for each individual prescription.

Benefits of the new Varilux Ellipse 360 lens include:
* Reduced peripheral distortion especially oblique astigmatism
* Improved acuity
* Wider vision fields
* Preserved integrity of the Varilux Ellipse lens design with Point-by-Point Prescription Mapping.

On May 30, 2007, Varilux Ellipse 360 was launched in the following materials:
* Thin&Lite 1.67 (clear and Transitions V Gray)
* Thin&Lite 1.60 (clear and Transitions V Gray)
* Airwear (clear and Transitions V Gray and Brown)
* 1.50 Index plastic (clear and Transitions V Gray)

Product Specifications:

Varilux Ellipse 360 in Thin&Lite 1.67 clear and Transitions V Gray
* Rx Range: +8.00D to -12.00D up to -4.00D Cylinder
* Add Power: +0.75 to +3.00
* Base Curves: 1.75, 2.75, 3.75, 5.25, 6.50, 8.00

Varilux Ellipse 360 in Thin&Lite 1.60 clear and Transitions V Gray
* Rx Range: +8.00D to -12.00D up to -4.00D Cylinder
* Add Power: +0.75 to +3.00
* Base Curves: 1.75, 3.00, 4.00, 5.75, 7.25, 8.00

Varilux Ellipse 360 in Airwear clear and Transitions V Gray and Brown
* Rx Range: +6.00D to -10.00D up to -4.00D Cylinder
* Add Power: +0.75 to +3.00
* Base Curves: 1.75, 3.00, 4.00, 5.75, 7.25

Varilux Ellipse 360 in 1.50 index plastic clear and Transitions V Gray
* Rx Range: +6.00D to -10.00D up to -4.00D Cylinder
* Add Power: +0.75 to +3.00
* Base Curves: 2.00, 3.50, 5.00, 6.00, 7.25

NOTE: The minimum fitting height for Varilux Ellipse 360 is 13mm. Varilux Ellipse 360 is systematically available with your Crizal anti-reflective treatment of choice.

Sincerely,

Robert M. Colucci
President
Independent Distribution

Carl Zeiss Vision Files Patent Infringement Suit Against Signet Armorlite

2007-05-22T12:41:00.001-04:00

SAN DIEGO, Calif.--Carl Zeiss Vision International and San Diego-based Carl Zeiss Vision have filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Signet Armorlite. The move spotlights the increasing competition in the emerging field of digital surfacing technology also known as free-form lens technology.

In the suit, filed May 17 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, Carl Zeiss Vision alleges that Signet's line of Kodak Unique spectacle lenses and/or the process used to make the lenses infringes U.S. Patent No. 6,089,713, which covers a "spectacle lens with spherical lens with spherical front side and multifocal back side and process for its production."

"Technology innovation has always been a key to Carl Zeiss Vision’s success," said Fred Howard, president and general manager, Americas, Carl Zeiss Vision. "Our freeform lens technology covered by the '713 patent is an essential part of our cutting-edge approach to progressive lens customization. Carl Zeiss Vision is one of the world's leading creators of intellectual property in the field of ophthalmic lenses, and we intend to protect that property against unauthorized exploitation."

Responding to the suit, Bruno Salvadori, president and chief executive officer of Signet Armorlite, said, "Signet Armorlite, Inc., vigorously protects its intellectual property rights against unwarranted interference from others, including protection of its line of ophthalmic lens products licensed in cooperation with the Eastman Kodak Company, such as Signet Armorlite’s new Kodak Unique progressive lens product line.

"Signet Armorlite is disappointed that it was not provided the courtesy of any advance notice by Carl Zeiss Vision of its alleged patent infringement claims prior to the filing of those claims," continued Salvadori in a statement provided to VMail. "In view of Zeiss’s institution of formal legal action in federal court, Signet Armorlite will take the Zeiss claims under advisement, when received, and respond appropriately according to the court's permitted procedures."

"As presently advised, Signet Armorlite strongly believes that its accused progressive lens technology is not the same as that allegedly claimed by Zeiss, et al, in its asserted patent and, therefore, does not infringe the patent. This belief is reinforced by Signet Armorlite’s pre-existing license with a third party whose patent predates the Zeiss patent. Signet Armorlite will investigate the Zeiss claims when received and will respond with its defenses, which may also include counterclaims concerning the validity and/or enforceability of the ‘713 patent and related claims of unfair competition by Carl Zeiss Vision," Salvadori said.

Essilor Introduces New 1.60 Material

2007-05-16T17:24:00.000-04:00

This announcement came from Essilor last month.
"As Essilor continues to drive innovation in progressive lenses and high-index materials we are pleased to introduce new material improvements with our cutting-edge designs. We have made available our new improved 1.60 Thin&Lite MR8 resin both in Single Vision and with our leading Varilux Thin&Lite 1.60 designs – Varilux Physio, Varilux Ellipse and Varilux Comfort lenses (Please note the current version of 1.6 Thin&Lite is referred to as MR6).

The new Thin&Lite 1.60 MR8 has improved in several ways:
 Higher ABBE value for improved optics
 Lower density than previous Thin&Lite 1.60 lenses for lighter weight
 Improved tensile strength for easier edging, drilling, and mounting into rimless frames

Concurrent with the introduction of the new 1.6 Thin&Lite MR8, it will be necessary to discontinue the 1.60 Thin&Lite MR6 lenses listed below:

 Varilux Panamic Thin&Lite 1.60 will no longer be available to order as a hard coated semi-finished lens as of June 19, 2007, but will remain available as a full job with your choice of Crizal technologies through your Essilor Processing Center.

 Adaptar Thin&Lite 1.60 will be completely discontinued as of June 19, 2007, so will no longer be available to order as either a semi-finished lens or as a full job.

 Essilor Natural Thin&Lite 1.60 will no longer be available to order as a hard coated semi-finished lens as of June 19, 2007, but will remain available as a full job with your choice of AR from your Essilor Processing Center.

Essilor remains committed to providing the most advanced lens products in the industry today. For accounts currently ordering Varilux Panamic Thin&Lite 1.60, we suggest that they try Varilux Physio Thin&Lite 1.60, Varilux Comfort Thin&Lite 1.60, or Varilux Panamic Thin&Lite 1.67. Varilux Physio lenses are ideal for patients wanting the most advanced and accurate progressive vision. The patented W.A.V.E. Technology utilized in Varilux Physio lenses reduces or eliminates many higher order aberrations, delivering unsurpassed visual acuity and increased contrast sensitivity in all fields of vision."

Update on Digital Surfacing Technology

2007-03-19T11:08:00.001-04:00

Digital Surfacing, or Freeform Technology continues to outperform conventional progressive add lenses as more of our accounts are using these new products.
Due to better design resolution and superior optics there is an increased ease of adaptation by patients using these products.

VX Physio 360 continues to be among our top ten in progressive lens sales for the first three months of 2007, with zero non-adapts and less that 1% in drs' changes. In the 2nd quarter of 2007 Essilor will release the VX Ellipse 360, and later in the year we will have Comfort 360.

Kodak Unique has been very impressive with zero non-adapts, drs. changes,and scratch warranties. Unique is available in many lens material choices.

Shamir Creation has been a pleasant surprise with increasing usage and zero redos. This product is processed entirely by Advance and is available with or without AR. Creation has just been release in 1.67 Transitions Gray. Shamir has been overwhelmed by the success of this product. This would be an excellent upgrade from Genesis.

New Products from Essilor

2007-03-19T11:05:00.000-04:00

Essilor continues to drive innovation in progressive and high index lenses.
the new and improved Thin & Lite 1.60 has improved in several ways:
-higher ABBE value for improved optics
-lower density for lighter weight
-improved UV protection to 400 nm
-improved tensile strength for drill mounts

Essilor is releasing two Varilux products in this new 1.60 material.
As of March 20th, VX Ellipse will be available in clear and Transitions Gray.
Rx range is +8.00 to -12.00D, and add powers of .75-3.00.

Starting April 3rd, VX Comfort will be available in the new and improved 1.60 in both clear and Transitions (Gray + Brown.)
Rx rand is +8.00 to -12.00D, and add powers of .75-3.50.

VSP Signature Choice Plan

2007-03-18T15:00:00.000-04:00

On March 1st VSP rolled out the Signature Choice Plan which is a new plan for federal employees. This plan differs from other plans in the way that Eyefinity orders are directed to the labs for processing. In effect, you have little control where the order goes.

Where the Rx goes is determined by what you order. Most likely, if you order a lens vendor's AR coating it will go to that lens vendor's lab. For example, Crizal coating will automatically go the the Essilor lab in Dallas, TX.

There are six Labs listed for VSP Signature Choice work in New York state. Advance Optical is the only local lab listed and is the only independent lab listed. all the others are lens vendor labs or a VSP lab.

If you want to direct your work to Advance Optical then we recommend you select "lab choice" for regular AR coating or select Vivix or Vivix Stainless for premium AR coating. That way or lab, Advance Optical, should appear as the lab choice. Being "specific" about how you order may help eliminate the need to open accounts with other labs with whom you do not wish to do business.

Hopefully, this will allow you to remain in control of where your lab work is done.

Top 10 Progressive Lens Sales for 1st Quarter, 2007

2007-03-18T14:15:00.000-04:00

Our top 10 list of PAL lenses remains close to what it has been in previous months.
Howver, Digital Surfacing Technology products are making their way up the chart as more accounts use this new technology which offers superior optics and better design resolution.
1)VX Comfort
2)VX Ellipse
3)VX Panamic
4)VX Physio
5)Piccolo
6)Image
7)VIP
8)VX Physio 360
9)Ovation
10)AO Compact
20)Kodak Unique
22)Shamir Creation

Rx Price Increase

2007-03-18T10:59:00.000-04:00

Effective immediately the cost of each Rx will be increased by $1.00 to help cover the ever increasing costs of doing business. We appreciate your understanding.