
Working in the optical industry requires an understanding of the diverse lifestyles of customers and the ability to recommend solutions tailored to individual needs.
With demand for digitally skilled workers higher than ever in Australia,1 the task of providing the best optical care possible often comes back to how we can cater for a range of closer focal zones.
SPECTACLE LENS OPTIONS FOR OFFICE-BASED LIFESTYLES
Unlike progressive lenses, degressive lenses (occupational, extended focus, or enhanced readers) shift in power, being at their strongest at the bottom of the lens and at their weakest at the top. Due to this, degressive designs are ideal for individuals working with multiple screens or in small office spaces; they provide a wider field of view for near and intermediate distances compared to traditional progressive lenses. Occasionally, they are also used for developmental purposes, including myopia control or vision therapy.
Degressive lenses have come a long way since SOLA launched the first successful office lens with a product called Access in 1996.2 Today, ZEISS’s Office lenses, for example, provide working distances of 100 cm, 200 cm, or 400 cm for ‘Room’3 type work, being an ideal custom-made solution to individual needs.
Shamir promotes its modern occupational lens design as offering “a greater depth of field, up to 3 m,”4 tackling common problems associated with progressive or single vision designs with an ergonomic option for natural sitting postures or varying desktop heights.
Consideration for lens material is crucial when dispensing this lens design, especially for those using degressive lenses in abrasive environments, such as tradespeople in factories. Bollé addresses this demand with the Degressive Manhattan,5 an extended near lens available in Trivex or polycarbonate lens material with various power options. The impact resistant lens materials allow those working in hazardous environments to meet safety standards while adapting to evolving performance requirements.
WHAT ABOUT PRE-PRESBYOPES?
Anti-fatigue or Digital Assistance Lenses (DAL) are primarily reading lenses with a small positive shift in the bottom section (e.g., +0.40D). They are good for clients who tend to experience eye strain due to high amounts of reading or computer work, and therefore are marketed towards reducing digital eye strain. EssilorLuxottica’s Eyezen Boost is promoted as relieving visual fatigue symptoms (such as blurred vision, headaches, and eye strain), allowing the user to manage intermediate to near vision tasks more comfortably.6
Specsavers’ Superboost,7 which has a slight addition increase as the wearer looks down from their distance vision, acts as an anti-fatigue lens. Jennifer Comrie, an employee at Specsavers, wears these lenses herself and said “I wear a Superboost 0.5 at work… what it means is that I can see completely into the distance, and then for me, because of my prescription, it’s a bit weaker at the bottom so I can read and use my laptop a bit easier. You don’t even notice the difference going from one script to the other! And there’s no blur or soft focus at the edges.”
Lenses with a boost can be helpful for prepresbyopes who will need to wear progressive glasses in the future but currently need assistance with near visual acuity; with no peripheral distortion they are easy to adapt to.
SPECTACLE DISPENSING CONSIDERATIONS
Interpreting a prescription provides information about ocular conditions, but understanding how customers use corrective devices requires adept questioning and conversation. Dispensers must inquire about customers’ lifestyles, working environments, and preferences to accurately recommend suitable lens and frame options.
Considering office lens designs may be worn for much of the day; the feel and functionality of the chosen frames are essential. Ensuring accuracy of the boxing measurement will aid in eliminating frames that may be too narrow or too wide. Cellulose propionate or titanium frame materials offer lightweight options with adjustability and are hypoallergenic, making these materials a versatile recommendation.
Using our adept questioning to uncover colour and style preferences will customise our frame recommendations, ensuring clients feel acknowledged in the selection process.
When dispensing degressive and anti-fatigue spectacle lenses, referring to the manufacturer for required facial measurements is crucial. Some lenses may be considered ‘as worn’, necessitating measurements of pantoscopic tilt, back vertex distance, monocular pupil centre height, and mono near centration distance (NCDs) or pupillary distances. Measurements required will depend on the guidelines for individual lens designs chosen and may require vertical decentration.
Common complaints for these lens designs can be resolved with simple frame adjustments, such as increasing the pantoscopic tilt and adjusting the face form angle.
BLUE LIGHT FILTERS
Degressive and anti-fatigue lens designs are often paired with a blue light filter, with the aim of reducing eye strain. Reports have discussed blue light and how it activates photoreceptors in the retina, which send signals to suppress melatonin and shift circadian rhythms (while affecting sleep cycles).8 However, there is no current research that suggests blue blocking filters protect eye health. Therefore, practise caution when discussing the features of this lens filter. It is advised to use analogies when highlighting the benefits, and accurately brief your customer on the current status of blue blocking filters, to ensure they can make an informed decision on this purchase. (Personally, I love my blue light specs!)
CONTACT LENSES
Contact lenses provide numerous advantages, such as correcting refractive errors, increasing field of view, offering a more natural visual experience, promoting epithelial healing, and corneal protection.
Ongoing innovations have expanded the application of contact lenses to address dry eyes, especially those related to office environments or extended computer usage.
A research article, published in the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, discusses the use of contact lenses as a form of dry eye management and states that silicone hydrogel lenses have “low water content and high oxygen transmissibility, thus having a lesser degree of lens dehydration. Also, they were reported to have reduced symptoms of dryness and discomfort.”9 Oxygen permeability is a crucial factor when selecting contact lenses for customers prone to dry eyes. Options such as Dailies Total110 and Precision111 have high oxygen permeability, which will help with better oxygen transmission to the cornea and, therefore, comfort throughout the day.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Artificial intelligence and augmented reality have entered the space, becoming viable mainstream tools for life. With augmented realty spectacles and contact lenses on the horizon, patients will need tools to manage more viewing distances than ever before. Mojo Vision, for example, has already dedicated many years to this form of technology, and in 2023 announced progress on its micro-LED contact lens design.12
Regardless of the manufacturer that finally enables us to remove cumbersome screens from the desk and alters the mobile reality of our world, optical experts must be at the forefront, ready to assist with the best individual recommendations and solutions for our customers.
Olivia Dorn is a qualified optical dispenser and a trainer and assessor at the Australasian College of Optical Dispensing. She is a locum dispenser specialising in prescription safety glasses and provides volunteer dispensing services.
References
- Kidd, P., quoted in National Skills Week 2022, 87% of all jobs needed by business today require digital skills (media release, 24 August 2022) available at: nationalskillsweek. com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/87-percent-of-jobsrequire-digital-skills.pdf [accessed 19 December 2023].
- Sothman, B., Making the mold and breaking the mold: The rise and fall and rise of Sola Optical, Chapter 4.2 New product development, available at: solahistory.com/ chapter-4-02.html [accessed 19 December 2023].
- ZEISS Office lenses (webpage), available at zeiss.com. au/vision-care/eye-care-professionals/lenses/lenses-forevery-need/lenses-for-the-office-and-more.html [accessed 19 December 2023].
- Shamir Workspace (webpage) available at: shamir.com/ au/lenses_and_more/shamir-workspace [accessed 19 December 2023].
- Bollé Safety, Our types of prescription lenses (webpage) available at bolle-safety.com/us/articles/ typesofprescriptionlenses.html [accessed 19 December 2023].
- OPSM, Eyes at work lenses (webpage) available at opsm. com.au/glasses-advice/prescription-lenses/anti-fatiguelenses [accessed 19 December 2023].
- Specsavers, Specialist glasses lenses (webpage) available at specsavers.ca/glasses/lens-guide/specialistlenses [accessed 19 December 2023].
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The color of the light affects circadian rhythms, NIOSH Training for Nurses on Shift Work and Long Work Hours, Part 1, Module 2, available at: cdc.gov/niosh/work-hour-trainingfor-nurses/longhours/mod2/20.html [accessed 19 December 2023].
- Chaudhary, S., Ghimire, D., Basu, S., et al., Contact lenses in dry eye disease and associated ocular surface disorders. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2023 Apr;71(4):1142–1153. DOI: 10.4103/IJO.IJO_2778_22.
- MyAlcon, Switch to the contact lens that feels like nothing (webpage) available at: total.myalcon.com/au/ [accessed 19 December 2023].
- MyAlcon, Try Precision1 and see what happens (webpage), available at: precision.myalcon.com/au/ [accessed 19 December 2023].
- Perkins, D., A new direction for Mojo Vision’s groundbreaking technology, The Mojo Blog. Available at www.mojo.vision/news/a-new-direction [accessed 19 December 2023].
Frames for Professionals
Cocoa Mint Studio
Cocoa Mint Studio is a new concept from the award-winning Cocoa Mint brand. A collection inspired by bold ‘must have’ shapes and the colours of the season, these frames are designed to be seen. Featuring an oversized silhouette and a rejuvenated colour palette, Cocoa Mint infuses its signature style to deliver high fashion yet ultimately wearable pieces that will elevate women’s wardrobes.
Contact: Aaron’s Eyewear (AUS) 07 3367 8447
Paul Taylor
The Australian designed collection by Paul Taylor is renowned for its impeccable quality and comfort, encompassing the colours of life that excite.
For Paul, the compliments that wearers receive from family, friends, and complete strangers are “like receiving a shot of endorphins… Being a unique creative designer, I am always thinking of new ways to help people express who they are”.
Contact: Paul Taylor Eyewear (AUS) 0458 777 125
Porsche Design
The design and colour of the striking cut-out element on the temples of Porsche Design P8745 reflect the brake calliper of a Porsche sports car.
A combination of high-quality stainless steel and the high-performance plastic RXP guarantees lightness and stability for excellent wearing comfort. Temples with a metal core make these frames ergonomically adjustable.
Contact: De Rigo (AUS) 02 9428 1500
Lindberg
Lindberg, the renowned Danish eyewear brand, has unveiled the latest evolution of its esteemed Thintanium collection. Building on the success of its award-winning ultra-thin titanium plate eyewear, this new collection adds acetate rims for next level personalisation and lightweight comfort. Additionally, by integrating acetate rims into the frame, Lindberg enables individuals with high prescriptions to experience the joy of lightweight eyewear while maintaining visual clarity. The result is comfortable and visually appealing eyewear that combines style and improved functionality.
Visit: Lindberg.com
Moleskine
Artists and thinkers over the past two centuries – among them Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, and Ernest Hemingway – have used the legendary Moleskine notebook to record their thoughts and experiences.
The Moleskine eyewear collection is elegant, lightweight, and available in a range of colours and models to fit your patients’ mobile lifestyle. Designed to enable them to work, connect, and create on the move, Moleskine optical frames are made more portable thanks to handy click-in temples that allow them to lay almost flat when folded.
Contact: Mondottica (AUS) 02 8436 6666
Longchamp
Inspired by the iconic details of Roseau line bags, this chic, cats eye style by Longchamp brings sophistication to the office and beyond. Style LO2726 in black brings a more understated, classic look, while red horn or gradient blue rose can be worn for a modern, standout look.
Contact: Marchon (AUS) 1800 251 025
Silhouette
Silhouette’s new Titan Minimal Art collection offers modern and classic models for ladies and gents with technical refinements. The colour palette ranges from galaxy-inspired green, blue, and violet to timeless tones such as gold, rose gold, and silver.
Contact: VMD Eyewear (AUS) 1800 449 845 or (NZ) 09 525 6601
Pucci
Pucci’s acetate model EP5237-066 is characterised by a geometric shape with a lightweight structure.
The front of this elegant frame is multifaceted to add depth and presence, and available in vibrant colours in line with the Pucci DNA. The thin temple has the coloured lettering logo.
Contact: Marcolin (AUS) 02 8456 0946
Rialto
Rialto frames match the beauty and quality of designer brands but at a fraction of the cost. Manufactured using the finest materials including Italian acetate, and German and Japanese components, these timeless frames can be customised with your own brand. All Rialto acetate frames are available with nose pad arms.
Rialto eyewear is not available direct to consumers online. Rialto also distributes Laibach and York from Slovenia and TC Charlton from North America.
Contact: Rialto Eyewear (AUS) 0416 952 291
Camilla
Designed in Australia, Masquerade by Camilla is brought to life with luxurious stone detailing on the fronts and polished, metal temples. Designed for a small face size, this lightweight metal frame is finished with acetate nose pads for comfort, and premium quality screws and hinges for longevity. The signature Camilla tip shape adds a pop of playful colour. Pictured is model 2430601 in black/glitter leopard.
Contact: Sunshades Eyewear (AUS) 02 8303 7300
Frank Seed
Elevate your presence in eyewear with the Frank Seed Collection, where customisation meets craftsmanship. Uniquely handcrafted in Sydney, Frank Seed brings confidence in every profession. Individually handcrafted from Italian acetates and with German hinges, Frank Seed adds a touch of elegance to any style. Pictured is Mone in BB tort with solid blue.
Visit: frankseed.com
Carolina Herrera
The Carolina Herrera eyewear range features feminine designs that are expressive and sophisticated. Chic to wear and easy to style, the 0211 frames from the Essential eyewear collection bring a playful appeal to a timeless silhouette, with the elegant checkerboard motif adorning the temples and flashes of signature red at the tips.
Contact: Safilo (AUS) 1800 252 016
Max Classic
Max Classic by VYCOZ focusses on pure aesthetics. This brand’s signature minimal look is achieved by crafting frames from sheer acetate with simple, straight temples and unique screwless hinges.
Weighing just 12g, these sophisticated frames are both glamorous and practical. Pictured is Mara in Midnight.
Contact: sales@greeninfinityeyewear.com.au
Instyle
Instyle Plus luxury eyewear is modern, elegant, and made from high-quality materials to appeal to your professional patients. Frames from this affordable collection can be ordered on consignment.
Contact: Opticare (AUS) 1800 251 852
Jack De Ross
At Jack De Ross, Jonathan Ross Sceats crafts eyewear for men from an extreme quality, lightweight, double strength, hi-tech acetate called HDCA. This enables each fabulously modern frame to be large, yet not heavy.
In his usual mischievous style Sceats quips, “As my father, optometrist Filmer Sceats used to say, ‘It is not who you are that’s important, it’s how good you look’”.
Visit: jackdeross.com
BOSS
BOSS is a globally recognised luxury fashion brand with a reputation for sophistication, modernity, and quality; perfectly suited to customers who desire high quality eyewear with modern classic styling. The pictured BOSS 1614/F stainless steel acetate frame brings together style and comfort with their classic design, Asian-fit, and adjustable nose pads.
Contact: Safilo (AUS) 1800 252 016
Spectacle Lenses for Professionals
Australis I-Tech
The Australis i-Tech lens range provides an ideal solution for office and multi-screen environments, offering personalised lenses that ensure superb sharpness and precision in every gaze direction.
Hyper thin technology optimises vision while minimising lens thickness and weight for an appealing aesthetic and all-day wearer comfort; Optigaze enables natural vision; Digital Enhancement enables a seamless transition between near and far vision; and Eyeharmony improves lateral image fusion, providing sharper peripheral vision for an all-encompassing visual experience.
Contact: CR Surfacing Laboratories (AUS) 1800 334 867
Opticare
Opticare has a wide range of computer lenses and lens coating options that help protect against digital stress and eye strain while improving visual performance.
Blue Guardian lenses protect the eye and provide more comfortable vision by blocking high-energy blue light from entering the eye, including all harmful UVA and UVB energies.
Skye multicoat increases light transmission by at least 7%, giving the wearer crisper and clearer vision. This is achieved by reducing front, internal, and back surface reflections, which allows almost all available light to pass through the lens and enter the eye.
Contact: Opticare (AUS) 1800 251 852
B.I.G. Exact by Rodenstock
B.I.G. Exact is the first high-precision lens made from an exact biometric eye model, based on individual measurements with the DNEye Scanner.
The DNEye Scanner measures over 7,000 data points and more than 80 eye parameters. Combined with standard prescription values, the result is the sharpest vision possible at any angle and in every direction of gaze, both in the lenses’ peripheral zones and at distances from mid, near, and far. The benefits include quick adaptation due to sharper vision and increased visual comfort, as well as improved contrast. Improved contrast leads to better vision in low light levels, especially for driving at dusk.
Visit: rodenstock.com
Shamir
Shamir’s occupational lenses provide focus flexibility for a range of visual needs in the workplace, allowing patients to achieve optimum vision regardless of the task at hand.
Specifically designed for office environments, Shamir Vocational Digital, Shamir Computer, Shamir Workspace, and Shamir Smart Office provide crystal-clear solutions for near, intermediate, distance, and everything in between. Add a Shamir Blue Zero coating to filter blue-violet light and provide 100% protection against UV400.
Visit: shamir.com/au
Unity Via Office
Unity Via Office is a tailored, indoor lens solution designed to significantly enhance visual acuity in the near-to-intermediate visual zones. Easy to select, fit, and dispense, you can choose from a streamlined portfolio of three designs optimised for the most common workplace viewing distances (1 m, 1.5 m, and 3 m), making it easy to meet every patient’s needs.
Fast adaptation offers your patients immediate benefits, including reduced visual strain and fatigue, improved clarity on screens, easy intermediate-near zone shift, and improved ergonomic comfort.
Contact: VSP Optics (AUS) 1800 251 025 or (NZ) 0800 141 444
ZEISS Office
The ZEISS Office lens portfolio provides a solution for almost all near and intermediate tasks. The lens design of this portfolio is optimised for a dynamic, multitasking digital lifestyle, ensuring a more natural body posture and relief from digital eye strain.
The ZEISS Office Superb design is available with three maximum intermediate distances: the Book design provides clear vision from reading distance to 100 cm, the Near design increases to 200 cm, and the Room to 400 cm. With the ZEISS Office Individual, you can customise the lens to the wearer’s needs at any distance between 100 cm and 400 cm.
Contact: ZEISS Account Manager
Nikon’s new E-Life Pro Series
Nikon’s new E-Life Pro Series is a portfolio of highly effective vision solutions for presbyopes. The E-Life Pro Home and Office are synonymous with simple and effortless dispensing. They allow wearers to own their workspace like an expert by maximising vision and comfort for activities within a dedicated distance. The E-Life Pro Read allows wearers to focus on details by expanding immediate vision and bringing finer focus. This enables multitasking while maintaining a natural posture.
Contact: Nikon Account Manager
Contact Lenses for Professionals
Ultra by Bausch and Lomb
Bausch and Lomb’s Ultra One Day contact lens with ComfortFeel technology provides the eye with health ingredients required to maintain ocular homeostasis. The Ultra One Day’s high definition optics feature delivers clearer vision, eliminating spherical aberrations during long hours on digital devices. A recent survey showed that 86% of wearers agreed that the Ultra One Day lenses provided clear vision when working for long hours at a computer.
Contact: Bausch and Lomb (AUS) 1800 251 150
Biofinity Energys
Contact lens wearers need innovative lenses that help their eyes feel less tired, while seamlessly shifting focus from their digital devices to their everyday activities and back.
Biofinity Energys is the world’s only contact lens with a digital zone optics lens design.
This innovative contact lens is ideal for all existing and potential wearers of spherical monthly and two-weekly lenses, patients who are highly connected to their smartphone, and patients who spend a large part of their day looking at a computer screen.
Contact: CooperVision Account Manager
Acuvue Oasys 1-Day
For those who demand high performance, use digital screens frequently, or work in challenging environments, Acuvue Oasys 1-Day is a daily contact lens that provides sharper, brighter, clearer vision with exceptional comfort.1
Patients experience all-day comfort, vision, and handling thanks to Johnson and Johnson’s exclusive hydra luxe technology.^ With a unique tear-infused design, this highly breathable silicone integrates with the wearer’s tear film each day.2
Contact: Johnson and Johnson Account Manager
References
^JJV Data on File 2016. Statistical superiority on comfort, vision, and handling composite scores achieved using the contact lens user experience (CLUE) questionnaire, a validated patient-reported outcomes (PRO) tool. In two randomised, single (patient) masked, crossover clinical studies (2015, n=119 (vision and handling), and 2016, n=276 (comfort)) patients were randomly assigned Acuvue Oasys 1-Day with hydra luxe technology or Dailies Total1 the first week and switched to wearing the other lens the second week. Lenses were worn as daily disposable on both eyes.
1. JJV Data on File 2017. Visual performance of Acuvue Oasys 1-Day contact lenses with hydra luxe technology, consumer use claims.
2. JJV Data on File 2016. Acuvue Oasys brand products comparison.
Gelflex CTE Fenestrated Mini Scleral Lens
Gelflex’s CTE fenestrated mini scleral lens is the next evolution in scleral lens design. With a simple ‘chase the bubble’ fitting process, this lens is easy to insert and remove, just like a regular rigid gas permeable lens. By enabling a continuous exchange of tears, it improves ocular health and enables patients to enjoy an extended wearing time, without the need to replace the solution during the day.
A 20-lens fitting set is available for loan or purchase.
Contact: orders@gelflex.com