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Contents v.1 updated (December2019).qxp_Layout 1 15/11/2019 12:16 Page 1

December 2019 · Volume 48 · Number 413

contents

COMMENT 2

OUTLOOK 3 · Optimal Technologies’ expansion plans

4 · Vision Expo West 2019 5 · New Zeiss CEO 6 · Silmo International Optician of the Year 8 · Preparing for Mido’s 50th Anniversary

BUSINESS MATTERS 10 · Considerations when outsourcing your debt recovery Phil Wilding, Head of Debt Recovery, Wright Hassall, UK

FEATURES 12 · CIOF 2019, Beijing, China 14 · Opti 2020 Preview Some of the highlights of next month’s Munich show

20 · Survey: Ophthalmic Free-Form Generators OW technical consultant Peter Wilkinson

OPTIPRODUCTS 24 · Ocular surface analyser

MARKETPLACE 27 · A to Z of optical websites 28 · International Suppliers Guide

December 2019

pp2 Comment (December 2019).qxp_Layout 1 15/11/2019 12:19 Page 1

ince Brexit failed to happen by the October 31 Do or Die deadline set by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, we’re parking the topic for now and returning to sight checks for motorists, which has been a hobbyhorse for OPTICAL WORLD, where we’ve long been campaigning for tougher rules governing sight checks for road users. In comparison with many other jurisdictions, the United Kingdom’s rules on sight tests for drivers are slack. It’s a minimal requirement of the driving test that candidates can read a car number plate at 20.5 metres but it’s only for those over the age of 70 that any further confirmation of eyesight is currently demanded. Given that driving licences are typically first acquired by people in their teens or early twenties, this means that a person can go 50 years without a further test of their vision! Earlier this year, the UK government’s Department of Transport published statistics showing the number of road accidents in 2018 where defective eyesight had been found to be a contributory factor. Though 196 may seem a relatively small number, it does mean that 53 people were seriously injured and three lost their lives as a direct result of the poor vision of drivers. Just how many people have to die before governments are chivvied into action? Regular sight tests are a routine requirement in many jurisdictions, including several US states. In Finland, drivers have to have their sight retested from the age of 45 rather than 70. In France, drivers who wear glasses are required to have a spare pair in the car. These all seem like sensible basic demands on those who get behind the wheel. If the UK’s accident figures have given legislators any cause for complacency, there is sobering evidence that the number of people driving with poor eyesight is worryingly high. Although there is no legal requirement for regular sight tests, the police do have powers to conduct basic roadside vision tests, both randomly and where they have reason to stop a driver. Since 2017, 800 drivers have been referred by police to the UK’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for failing roadside eyesight checks. Since 2012, more than 60,000 car and motorcycle licences have been revoked due to poor vision. Over the same period, nearly 10,000 bus and lorry licences have also been revoked due to poor vision. Many of these licence revocations will have followed as a result of discovering another medical condition but the figures do hint at the scale of an issue that cannot be ignored. The general guidance for sight tests is that we should all have our vision tested by an optician every two years (more frequently if you have a medical condition like diabetes that could affect your sight). This guidance, however, is not specifically related to motorists. We want to see biannual sight checks made mandatory for all drivers. It’s already illegal in Britain to drive without insurance. We’d like to see further enforcement by requiring that insurance companies demand confirmation from all clients of the date of their last sight test.

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(9) Outlook December 2019.qxp_Layout 1 15/11/2019 12:21 Page 1

UNITED KINGDOM

Optimal Technologies plan era of expansion Optimal Technolgies have recently benefited from a Eu-

lighted to open Optimal Technologies’ new site, and see

ropean grant to part-fund and design new branding to

their new logo. This is a good local success story. The

help it stand out in a global market.

company has a clear vision and is continuing to go from

Managing director of Optimal Technologies Dean

strength to strength.’

Thompson recently showed European Member of Parliment Alex Mayer around the new premises and explained how the company, which employs 30 skilled engineers, is now able to build more, and larger machines and plans to take on additional staff. ‘The site also allows continued growth in the recruitment of skilled people in the engineering design and technical assembly areas, and supports our recent move to both sponsor from abroad and train local talent in apprenticeship courses.’ Alex Mayer MEP said: ‘I am de-

Optimal Technogies MD Dean Thompson pictured with MEP Alex Mayer

December 2019

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UNITED STATES

Vision Expo West 2019 spotlight innovation and inspiration Vision Expo West 2019, held in the Las Vegas Sands Con-

enabled attendees to engage with top professionals as

vention Centre, once again brought eyewear and eyecare

they learned the latest in myopia care,prevention and

providers, buyers, industry media and influencers in the

patient education.

vision community together for a successful show. Across

Vision Expo West also provided the backdrop for two in-

social media, the optical industry generated a buzz sur-

dustry leaders to be recognised this year. The Vision

rounding various events in-

Choice Award winner was

cluding OptiCon @ Vision

Carl Zeiss Vision Inc., who

Expo, engaging education

were honoured for their C-

courses, the new EYE2EYE

UV Protect Tablet that

Series and more.

demonstrates whether eye-

OptiCon @ Vision Expo

wear has full ultraviolet

provided attendees with un-

protection. Additionally, the

matched education offerings

new TopVEW leaderboard

and inspirational content

program offered attendees

from Rebecca Alexander,

the opportunity to vote for

psychotherapist, extreme

their favorite products and

athlete, activist and author

services on the show floor

OptiCon Hub at Vision Expo

of the memoir ‘Not Fade Away’. Attendees had the oppor-

using the Vision Expo mobile app to scan unique QR codes

tunity to listen to Alexander’s personal story of ‘senses lost

displayed at each exhibitor booth. Safilo Group was an-

and found’ before a book signing event in the OptiCon Hub.

nounced as the first-ever ‘Best Product’ award winner for

Attendees also had the opportunity to explore a variety

the Kate Spade New York collection.

of topics from the Show’s diverse education offerings in-

Dates for Vision Expo East next year will be March 26–

cluding the new myopia track with an interactive session

29, 2020 and Vision Expo West, September 23–26, 2020.

curated by the Brien Holden Vision Institute. Each session

For further details visit: www.visionexpo.com.

UNITED STATES

New Maui Jim Ambassador The Hawaii-based sunglass brand Maui Jim has signed an

the year in a sound “Friend of the brand” relationship.’

agreement with racing icon Jan Lammers.

said Jan Lammers.

‘My relationship with Maui Jim started when I entered my first Dakar Rally in 2010, they handed me my first Maui Jim sunglasses just as a present. From that moment I never drove a

ExpoÓptica 2020

Dakar Rally with-

ExpoÓptica will take place from April 24-26, 2020 at the

out

Madrid Trade Fair Centre.

Maui

Jim’s, I was in-

www.optical-world.co.uk

At the 2018 edition of this event 8300 visitors were

im-

recorded visiting the 159 brands represented at the show

pressed with the

which was considered to be a resounding success by ex-

quality of the

hibitors, as the sector continues to grow. ExpoÓptica In-

glasses and the

ternational Show for Optics, Optometry and Audiology, is

credibly

Jan Lammers

SPAIN

kindness of all

the leading trade fair of the sector in the Iberian Peninsula

the employees.

and a commercial meeting point for all the leading players

This evolved over

in Spain and Portugal.

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GERMANY

Zeiss opts for continuity with new CEO At its meeting on September 24, 2019, the Supervisory Board of Carl Zeiss AG unanimously voted in favour of changes to the Executive Board: Dr. Karl Lamprecht, currently a member of the Executive Board, will become the new president and CEO effective April 1, 2020. With this appointment, the top position at the company has once again been filled from within the organisation. Dr. Karl Lamprecht will succeed Prof. Dr. Michael Kaschke, the long-serving president and CEO of Carl Zeiss AG. As planned, after holding this office for 10 years, Prof. Dr. Kaschke will not seek another reappointment when the term of his contract expires in 2020. Dr. Markus Weber has been appointed the new member of the Executive Board and Head of the Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology segment effective October 1, 2019. He currently heads the Research Microscopy Solutions strategic business unit at Zeiss. The Supervisory Board expressly thanked Michael Kaschke for his extremely successful contribution over many years on behalf of the Zeiss Group.

Karl Lamprecht

UNITED KINGDOM

ABDO deputy chief resigns Barry Duncan who has been on the staff of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians since 2011 and is a former President of the Association has resigned. Commenting on Barry’s resignation, ABDO general secretary, Sir Anthony Garrett, said: ‘Barry has played a major part in the development of the Association in recent years – particularly the reorganisation of our structure into regions with Regional Leads – and developing a network of Local Leads

December 2019

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FRANCE

Silmo International Optician of the Year Award The International Opticians Association has announced the

to instigate and develop courses in ophthalmic dispensing,

winner of the Silmo IOA International Optician of the Year

establishing a brand new department within the Faculty

Award. This innovative award, first given at the 2018 Silmo

of Applied Sciences. Andrew then turned his attention to a

d’OR Ceremony, recognises

full time programme for stu-

the importance of the optician

dent dispensing ppticians. In

in the optical business and

1995 he launched the very

their role in the choice of

first Honours Degree pro-

optimum products for their

gramme for Dispensing Op-

clientele.

ticians, a BSc (Hons) in Op-

The winner was Andrew

tical Management. An under-

Keirl, FBDO, of the United

graduate programme in op-

Kingdom. Andrew started in

tometry was also launched

optics in 1979 as a student

and during his last four years

dispensing optician with Dol-

at Anglia Ruskin University

lond & Aitchison. In 1984, he

Andrew joined the pro-

was appointed training officer

gramme as a part-time stu-

for the Dollond & Aitchision

dent while retaining a full-

Group, based at its Birming-

time teaching and adminis-

ham headquarters.

During

this period Andrew lectured

Amelie Morel, President of Silmo, Fiona Anderson, IOA President, Andrew Keirl, Elaine Grisdale, IOA Director of Development and Isabel Beuzen, Silmo

trative role. At the conclusion of the

to students taking examinations of the Association of British

Professional Qualifying Examinations Andrew was awarded

Dispensing Opticians in Singapore, Malaysia and Kenya.

prizes for the highest mark in investigative techniques

In 1989, Andrew was asked to join the Anglia Higher Education College (now Anglia Ruskin University) in Cambridge

and the highest overall mark obtained for a dispensing optician.

Luneau Technology acquire Next Sight Luneau Technology group have acquired Next Sight, an Italian company specialised in retinal screening and telehealth. This acquisition brings to Luneau increased capabilities – covering both back and front of the eye – to propose a comprehensive eye exam, which is a key customer need. It supports and brings a set of experience and technology which will help to drive forward a focus on a range of telehealth solutions for Luneau Technology group. Marc Abitbol, president and CEO Luneau Technology said ‘It is a great opportunity for Luneau Technology to expand our offer. We are very excited to enter the telehealth space and welcome Paola among our management team to lead this new capability for the group.’ Paola Griggio, CEO of Next Sight, will continue to manage future initiatives around retinal topics, but she will also take up a key leadership role as she is appointed VP Telehealth for Luneau Technology group.

SPAIN

Copenhagen Specs expands to Barcelona!

Since the very first Copenhagen Specs, the eyewear fair has established itself as an important part of the eyewear business. With its partnership with Silmo, its ambition is to bring the unique fair concept of Copenhagen Specs to other cities than Copenhagen and Berlin. The next city will be Barcelona, and the dates for the first Barcelona Specs will be May 9-10, 2020. The eyewear fair will take place in the middle of Barcelona city in the Italian Pavilion, Fira Montjuic at Plaça d'Espanya.

www.optical-world.co.uk

www.pigment-creative.com

Automation & Robotics • Rue Jean Koch 11, 4800 Verviers, Belgium • +32(0)87 322 323 • aut-rob@ar.be • www.ar.be

(9) Outlook December 2019.qxp_Layout 1 15/11/2019 12:26 Page 5

ITALY

Mido: sustainability in progress Preparations for the 50th Mido anniversary, the Mido

of sustainable events to reduce their harmful social

Golden Edition (Milan February 29 – March 2, 2020),

and environmental impacts while contributing to

are underway to make it a memorable edition.

strengthening relations with stakeholders.

Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability

Mido continues its journey on the road to sustain-

have become almost synonymous. If, up until a few

ability with Stand up for Green, the competition

years ago, sustainability was understood only as a

that recognises those who plan and create their own

commitment to the environment, like CSR, it now has

stand by adopting eco-friendly criteria, inviting all

three dimensions: economic, social and environmental.

exhibitors at the 2020 edition to take part. The

Mido, the leading global eyewear show and its asso-

winner will receive an award at the Mido fair during

ciated services company have begun a journey aimed

an evening event organised to celebrate the event’s

at sustainability and corporate transparency.

50th anniversary, and will star in a major communi-

‘Integrity, fairness, cooperation, professionalism

cation project and website space, where a new ded-

and sustainability are the core values of our code of

icated area can be viewed on www.mido.com/sosteni-

ethics. It is a document that formalises the concern

bilita.

Mido has consistently held for the wellbeing of its

The jury panel will consider the following criteria

staff and the environment. A key step to actively

when awarding the prize: general sustainability of

engage everyone, transforming their habits and im-

the stand, the level of innovation, originality, and

pacting their way of life,’ comments Mido president

the ability to convey a positive message to the

Giovanni Vitaloni.

public about the importance of environmentally-

The Code of Conduct, along with a simpler document — Sustainability, instructions for use — translates the principles expressed in the Code of Ethics into concrete terms and daily life.

friendly choices for the future of humankind and the planet. To register, exhibitors are asked to fill in and send the application form (available also on the website)

At the same time, the Mido exhibition has embarked

with a description of the stand, the materials used,

on a sustainability plan that aims, over the next

the approaches taken, the reasons behind the

three years, to obtain ISO 20121 certification: a stan-

sustainable choices, and the goals for improvement

dard which defines requirements for the management

in 2021.

FRANCE

Bollé Brands acquire Spy Optic Following the acquisition of Bollé Brands by A&M Capital Europe in August 2018, comes the acquisition of the Spy Optic brand. With this new acquisition, Spy Optic joins the existing brand portfolio of Bollé, Bollé Safety, Serengeti, Cébé and H2Optix and signals a strong commitment to playing a leading role in the premium performance sports and sports lifestyle eyewear and helmets markets. Founded in 1994 and based in Southern California, SPY Optic designs, markets and distributes premium sunglasses, goggles, helmets and prescription eyewear. Peter Smith, CEO of Bollé Brands comments: ‘We are excited to have acquired such an amazing brand. Spy Optic has its own unique and irreverent identity with huge growth potential in North America, its home market, and internationally where Spy Optic will leverage our Bollé Brands international distribution network.

W Peter Smith

www.optical-world.co.uk

(9) BusinessMatters (December2019).qxp_Layout 1 15/11/2019 12:28 Page 1

BusinessMATTERS

Considera!ons when outsourcing your debt recovery Phil Wilding Head of Debt Recovery, Wright Hassall, Warwickshire, UK*

t is hoped when the powers of the Small Business Commissioner are strengthened, it will address the culture of late paying here in the UK. But it’s unlikely to be in time to save the many smaller businesses that fail due to the resultant cashflow issues. Chasing unpaid invoices can be a drain on resources and professional help is usually a better option for most SME but choosing the right debt collection specialist is key to a successful outcome, as not every debt re covery partner will be right for your busi ness. It’s now easier to undertake action yourself to pursue debts up to £10,000 through the small claims process, but with debts above £10,000 it is highly recommended you seek professional legal advice before pursuing the claim. 10

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Different debt collection services Businesses will typically consider a debt re covery agency (DRA) to help pursue their debts when any attempts they have made themselves to ‘encourage’ the customer to pay, have failed. It’s important to find a service provider that offers an end to end debt recovery so lution, from prelegal through litigation to enforcement. This allows the level of activity or tone of recovery message to be escalated, to ensure more is collected, ultimately sav ing you money. It’s also worth considering not just the firm’s expertise, but their location and the basis of their charges. Londonbased DRA *Wright Hassall is a topranked firm of solicitors based in Warwickshire, providing legal services including: corporate law; commercial law; li"ga"on and dispute reso lu"on; employment law and property law. The firm also advises on conten"ous pro bate, business immigra"on, debt recovery, employee incen"ves, informa"on governance, professional negligence and private client ma#ers.

(9) BusinessMatters (December2019).qxp_Layout 1 15/11/2019 12:29 Page 2

BusinessMATTERS are likely to charge more than those located elsewhere, so shop around for good rates. Firms will often specialise in what debts they recover, whether it’s loans, rent arrears, unpaid invoices, etc., which ensures they understand the situation more quickly and apply tactics learned through experience of addressing similar challenges before. Understanding the likely costs It’s important to work with a business that understands each debt to recover requires a different approach; if it is offering a ‘one sizefitsall’ solution, look elsewhere as they will rarely offer flexible pricing or look to work closely with you to deliver a bespoke solution. When the cost for the first letter or call is very low, it tends to indicate a system pred icated on bulk processing, rather than a service tailored to each debt. Before in structing the DRA to act for you, ensure you have a quote for the cost of recovery. If they do not negotiate, look elsewhere. Any reputable DRA must outline their com mission rates during the engagement process; there’s little point chasing debts unless you are guaranteed to receive the majority of any recovered monies. Look for a DRA regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, which offers you protec tion if they fail to act in an appropriate man ner. And for a double layer of quality assur ance, work with a law firm regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Pursuing debts is stressful and if you de cide to take action in court, a lot of evidence will need to be gathered, such as copy in voices, contracts and copies of correspon dence exchanged between the parties, all of which you have to do while continuing to run your business. It is also worth remembering your cus tomers are likely to discuss you and any

weakness or mistakes you make while pur suing debts could see more of your cus tomers willing test your patience over un paid invoices. Outsourced debt recovery can help protect client relationships, with law firms in par ticular experienced in handling all commu nication with clients, who will understand it’s just the way you protect your business. Law firms have the necessary teeth if the action needs to be escalated. However, they also understand the commercial real ities of the supplier/customer relationship and will offer pragmatic advice over which debts are worth pursuing and which are not, in consideration of all the relevant circumstances. Court is a last resort Ideally, you should try to settle disputes and exhaust all reasonable options before com mencing court action. However, if court ac tion is necessary, seek legal advice as this is now beyond the scope of DRA with no legal aspect to their service. Once you engage in the court process, understand there are rules to follow and any mistakes could re duce your opportunity to recover a debt. court is only really a sensible option if the customer not only refuses to engage in the debt recovery process, but has the funds to cover the unpaid debt. Why pursue cus tomers who can’t pay? Unless it is for per sonal satisfaction and recognition of what they are trying to do. Finally, remember that choosing the right debt collection agency could well affect the ultimate success of your money being re covered. Do your research and choose wisely.Then consider engaging the firm on a regular basis to act as your outsourced credit control department to ensure a seam less service that also takes the pressure off your inhouse team. W

December 2019

CIOF article dec 2019.qxp_Layout 1 15/11/2019 12:30 Page 1

Chinese International Optics Fair Blending of fashion and technology

IOF 2019, the 32nd China International Optics Fair, was held on September 911, 2019 at China International Exhibition Centre, Beijing. There were 807 exhibitors, including 185 international compa nies and 245 global brands from 21 countries and regions, including Denmark, France, Hong Kong SAR, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Taiwan province and the USA. CIOF 2019 again showed off a mega gross exhibition area of 55,000 square metres and the Procurement Zones were at the International Hall in CIEC, the adjacent Beijing Royal Grand Hotel and Grand Metropark Hotel. Brand promo tion and the advocation of high technologies deployment were the themes of the show. In Halls 2, 4 and 5 was the Chinese Brand Gallery, and in Hall 3 was a special zone of Designer Brands. The sec ond level of Halls 2, 3, 4 and 5 was utilised as a stylish bou tique area for exhibitors and procurement professionals to exchange ideas and finalise deals. Hall 1B was the dedicated area for displaying the most advanced optical equipment and the list of wellknown international ex 12

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hibitors in attendance included Cerium, Luneau Technologies/Briot, Charops, Dia, Essilor, Haag Streit, Huvitz, Nidek, Reichert, Satisloh, Schneider, Tomey, Topcon and Visionix. Seminars, which were held during the course of the show, included: Notions behind the design of myopia controlling lenses, moderated by China Optometric and Op tical Association, Standards for lens prescription for teenagers, moderated by Beijing Jiayu Shixin Digital Medical Technology Co Ltd, Prevention of LED blue lights impairing vi sion, moderated by Ampro Film, and Introducing the focal switches and associated ad vantages of Smart Life Lenses, moderated by Carl Zeiss (Guangzhou). There were 25 Korean ex hibitors, including members of the Korea Optical Indus try Agency and individual Korean companies. The next show is scheduled to take place on September 911, 2020. Further details can be obtained from www.ciof.cn

Milano Eyewear Show February 29, March 1 - 2 | 2020

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International Trade Show for Optics and Design On January 10 – 12, 2020, experts and creatives in the optical industry will display their newest products at the Fairground Munich. As an international trade show for optics and design, opti represents the whole visual-optical spectrum from frames to lenses, contact lenses, low vision, shop fittings, IT, marketing and sales, instruments/tools/spectacle elements, accessories as well as machinery, technical equipment and professional education. Previewed here is a small selection of exhibits which will be on display.

Showing for the second time, Automation & Robotics will be exhibiting the ProMapper range table top solution of Rx inspection. This unit combines lens positioning with accurate and meaningful inspection (with Dual LensMapper technology). A&R’s digital inking (wax technology) and finish blocking (before edging) may also be implemented into the ProMapper. The A&R team will be ProMapper from Automation & Robotics on hand to present all the other A&R products, i.e. automatic machines for the control, mapping, inking, engraving and packaging of ophthalmic 14

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lenses. A&R’s goal is to provide the most accurate and relevant inspection solutions for any profile of Rx labs, which will help achieve increased quality results in the market. The mapping devices provide pertinent data (i.e. Global Mapping Criterion, based on the Error Map) for statistical process control. Cotec will exhibit their latest product developments in the field of hydrophobic top coats. This year they will be introducing a new top coat product line called DURALON ASF, which focus especially on the needs of ophthalmic lens manufacturers, to give the end customer outstanding easy-to-clean and anti- Lens top coats from Cotec smudge performance of their lenses.

THE INAUGURAL OPTRAFAIR

LECTURE HAS BEEN AWARDED TO: NIHR Clinician Scientist, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London Consultant Ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London

Hear from this world-class ophthalmic researcher on: “AI AND ITS LIKELY IMPACT ON OPTOMETRY & OPHTHALMOLOGY”

: Cutting-edge ophthalmology research projects Collaboration with Google AI How ophthalmology could be transformed via deep learning

Opti Preview.qxp_Layout 1 15/11/2019 12:32 Page 2

Together with the improved top coat durability over the complete product lifetime, Cotec says that this offers their customers new ways to get a step ahead of their competitors. Fisa will be exhibiting the inline CS, a new fully automated ultrasonic cleaning line, used for cleaning lenses after surfacing. The line is highly innovative as it consists of a Fisa CS machine managed

Fisa say this system is really innovative as it transforms a batch process into an inline process, reducing the amount of manpower needed for these operations and is a fully automated system. MAX Eyewear, optical wholesalers based in South West London, UK, will be displaying their range of optical frames, reading glasses, sunglasses, clip-on’s, cases, prescription swimming goggles, cleaning cloths, lens spray and glasses cords. OptoTech will focus on machine solutions for smaller labs and will demonstrate an awarded new production technology. On display will be the cost- effective smartLAB store system, consisting of OptoTech’s well known FLASH store digital surfacing/ turning machine and polisher Torilab store. On a very small footprint, the company will demonstrate liveproduction of high-tech free-form lenses without the need of blocking material. Compared to other Fisa inline CS fully automated ultrasonic cleaning line alloy-free concepts, the OptoTech conby a Fisa MCU (HMI) but with the inte- cept is claimed to be the only true gration of two new six axe robots to load ‘green’ production concept available on and unload the basket. The first robot re- the market. No tape, no UV glue, no wax ceives the job tray directly from loading, and no special blocking material are picks up the lenses one by needed, resulting in a tremendous reduction one and puts them in the basket on the line. At the of the production cost, together with a end of the cleaning prosignificant increase of cess, the second robot will the surfacing producthen remove each lens tion time, as in fact one by one. there s no cool down The Rfid system is able time required anyto recognise the lenses more. Moreover the and the process in order amount of plastic to ensure that the job waste caused by the tray with the correct production process, lenses goes through the compared to other correct process. The six alloy-free concepts, axe robots are already inis reduced to a minitegrated and managed mum. by HMI, the Fisa MCU. OptoTech’s FLASH Store 16

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Satisloh Metro Lab

tirely new lens protection technology for tape replacement, live in action. It optimally covers and protects even extreme lenses utilising UV-curable liquid protection layers. Tape-related problems like wrinkles, bubbles, and detaching are a thing of the past. The revolutionary all-in-one surfacing centre Modulo Center 80 will be on display. At only seven square metres, it features all the technology required to surface 80 lenses/hour: individual stations for milling and lathe turning, two double spindle polishing units, a high-performance laser and a dedicated Control Centre. In cleaning, Schneider will show the semi-automated brush cleaner LCU 80, preparing all different kinds of lenses for

The OptoTech team will also be on hand to inform visitors about their fullyautomated machine range such as the smartLAB ultraline for high-end mass production of Rx lenses. Satisloh, a global leader in manufacturing solutions for both ophthalmic and precision optics markets, invites customers to their booth to learn about the Metro Lab, which allows laboratories to produce at unmatched speed, with low investment and reduced amount of operators. The concept is based on ART (Alloy ReModulo Centre 80 all-in-one placement Technology) and single sided surfacing centre from Schneider AR coating. This ensures maximum speed and coating subsequent coating process quality and allows processes. Specifically labs to offer three to five designed for hour service, delivering digsmall and miditally surfaced lenses with sized labs, LCU hard and AR coating. 80 allows for best cleaning From the start of the year Schneider plan to results and is now available hit the ground running with magazine loading. with new technologies In coating, the costand the latest product ineffective and energynovations at OPTI 2020. saving midsized elecVisitors will experience tron beam coater EBC the SPP Modulo, the en- Schneiderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s SSP Modulo lens protection technology

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Opti Preview.qxp_Layout 1 15/11/2019 12:34 Page 4

900 will be onsite. Designed for medium-sized and larger Rx labs, its innovative design enables 70 per cent energy savings while offering a high throughput of up to 114 lenses/ batch at a time. The Schneider team will also be happy to inform visitors of all the new technologies and products in the company portfolio â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for startups, partner labs and large lens producing labs. The Teco team will be available to discuss the features of the X-Cube lens digital printer, which is already in use in many laboratories. An ergonomic desktop machine, the X-Cube offers unlimited designs, and its eco-friendly ink gives the best adhesion on the super hydrophobic. The X-Cube includes a very fast and proven printing engine, and also Teco patented optical system with exclusive three steps

Tecoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s X-Cube lens printer

vision algorithm. An existing X-Cube can become a fully automated machine by adding the Teco RM module.

December 2019

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Ophthalmic Free-Form Generators Peter Wilkinson, OW Technical Consultant The technology of lens generators has undergone a revolu!on during recent years. The main reason for this is that digital technology has advanced to a point where a generator can produce a surface that is good enough to be polished directly without the need for a separate smoothing stage.

his allows flexible polishers to be used so that laboratories no longer need to stock a wide range of surfacing tools because the design surface shape is only changed very li!le by the polishing surface (previously the smoothing stage did change the lens design shape). However, the biggest change that has resulted from this new technol ogy is that (by using single point cu#ng) it is possible to generate a complex surface shape (e.g. a varifocal) and then polish it with a flexible polishing pad. Prior to this technological advance the ‘normal’ way to produce a prescrip$on lens was to use a semifinished blank, with the mass produced cast varifocal surface on the front side, and then to use spherical and toroidal tools to produce the distance prescrip$on onto the back side of the lens. Now, it is possible to mathema$cally combine the distance pre scrip$on and the varifocal designs and to use a digital cu#ng machine to cut the complex combined surface onto the back side of the lens. This is called freeform. Hence there are now two types of generators available. The ‘old technology’ generators that s$ll produce a generated surface that requires smoothing and polishing and the ‘new technology’ generators where the surface only needs polishing. These new technology freeform generators mean that it is possible to produce individually personalised pre scrip$ons easily. In prac$cal terms the new technology generators could surface on either the front or the rear (or even both) sides of the lens but this is normally carried out on the back surface of a low cost semifinished lens with a spherical surface. 20

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Suppliers of FreeForm Generators The following companies have kindly submitted details of their products for this survey. Further details can be found on their websites.

Coburn Technologies

www.coburntechnologies.com Coburn, who oﬀer a number of generators, have provided details of their Cobalt NXT and NXT+. The quality of the lenses produced with the Cobalt NXT is claimed to be far superior to that of previous generators. Cobalt NXT is designed for processing all indexes of lenses (1.498 to 1.74). Manual calibra"on is s"ll available for those cus tomers wan"ng to s"ll control this process, but for those who want an automated machine, Cobalt NXT comes built with automa"c calibra"on for faster and more eﬃcient lens processing. Cu%er height adjustment remains manual. Cobalt NXT now in cludes on board engraving, Cobalt NXT automated lens generator with capabili"es to pro from Coburn Technologies duce simple shapes and alphanumeric using the secondary axis. The need to purchase addi"onal equipment is eliminated. Interrupted cut brings a new feature to Coburn’s lens generators, which will be available on both the x and vaxis, thus elimina"ng the need for a granulator. With onboard cold mist/dry cut, the need for expensive waste management is re moved. Cobalt NXT has the capability to be upgraded to the NXT+, a fully automated machine for labs looking to completely automate their freeform processes. Equipped with increased speeds and higher throughput than the Cobalt NX, the NXT+ allows labs to process jobs faster.

Comes

www.comes.it Comes range of generators for prescrip"on lenses includes three models. Small Impact is the classic

Rx generator, and can process all organic materi als, glass and even aluminium to make custom hard tools. Medium Impact is the complete solu"on for freeform produc"on, and includes a milling tool for fast roughing and preshaping, a fast tool for high precision cut to polish and can be equipped with a mechanical engraver and the Side Automa"on Module (SAM), this can be installed as an a&ermarket op"onal to upgrade from manual loading. HDG is the entry level for freeform, with the same cut to polish quality of the Impact Medium generator MediumImpact at a more from Comes cost eﬀec"ve price, a pre shaping milling tool and a mechanical engraver are op"onal. The Labor2 is a classic toric generator. The new Evo delivers higher precision with automa"c com pensa"on of ellip"cal error. All the generators can be equipped with Comes accessories, spanning from lens design system so&ware to coolant filtering.

OptoTech

www.optotec.de OptoTech now offer five generators, the Flash Store, Flash Plus, Flash TwinA, ESM TwinA, and the very latest FlashA NG machine. The Flash Store is a low cost digital surfacing turning machine that has been designed to offer even small laboratories an entrance into free form technology. It can produce freeform sur faces, including edging for lenses made of CR39, polycarbonate and Trivex at different speeds de pending on the surface specification. For a cut tosmooth surface it can produce 50 surfaces per hour. For spherical and toroidal cuttopolish

December 2019

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surfaces it can produce about 35 surfaces per hour. For freeform cuttopolish surfaces it can produce about 25 surfaces per hour. Flash Plus is an enhancement of the Flash se ries of machines with considerably higher sur facing speed than the Flash Store machine. For a cuttosmooth surface it can produce 130 surfaces per hour. For spherical and toroidal cuttopolish surfaces it can produce about 55 surfaces per hour. For freeform cuttopolish surfaces it can produce about 40 surfaces per hour. The Flash TwinA machine is a further en hancement of OptoTech’s Flash series which by using two fast tools is able to simultaneously process two freeform lenses. OptoTech’s ESM TwinA machine is an ideal complement to the Flash TwinA for which it is an ideal precutter. The FlashA NG is a new ma chine that offers a considerable increased speed of the work piece spindle which is combined with an optimised FastTool and a new design of autoloader which they claim leads to significant improvements in quality OptoTech’s Flash-A NG digital-surfacing-turning machine and quantity. This digi talsurfacingturning machine for the production of freeform surfaces including edging (elliptical and chamfer) for progressive, spherical, toric and atoric lenses with prismatic, concave or con vex surfaces made of plastic (CR 39, polycar bonate and Trivex), is equipped with a powerful CAxis with 6000 rpm and a fast spindle ex change system, optimised fasttool with min imised mass for highest dynamics, a new de signed auto loader for fastest loading and unloading, cribbing spindle (option) for lenses with a very small diameter and highest precision due to optimised machine base. Accessories and options include: cribbing spin dle, coolant tanks, coolant finest filter, barcode hand scanner, remote diagnostic, LAN connec tion. OptoTech claim that the optimised ultra 22

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fast tool spindle and high performance con troller make the FlashA NG one of the most ef ficient digital surfacingturning machines on the market.

Satisloh

www.satisloh.com The VFT range of Satisloh generators is available in different footprints and throughputs but all include the VFT fast tool technology. This is a patented voice coil technology that produces high accuracy and surface smoothness. The VFT range cover all processes including cribbing blanks to the final lens diameter, milling and turning even complex designs and mechanical engraving semiinvisible marks. VFTmacro, VFTmacroE and the VFTorbit 2 machines are suitable for plastic materials and the VFTmacroM is suitable for glass. Satisloh’s VFTmacro range of machines, as claimed in their brochure, are a good fit for any laboratory: as a primary surfacing unit for lower volume operations or as a backup generator for fully automated laboratories. The main fea tures are an easy to setup system, a working chamber designed to eliminate calibration changes, a multitooth cutter that generates the lens in a single action, a fast tool enabling short cuttopolish processes, protection from swarf buildup, an integrated engraving interface and autocalibration of tools. An economically priced, manual load generator the VFTmacro features proven VFT tech nology and meets all requirements for high quality digital lens production. The VFTmacroE pro vides outstanding value and VFT-orbit 2 from Satisloh is the perfect machine for entering the world of digital generating. Fea tures include VFT fast tool for ultimate surface accuracy and smoothness enables short ‘cutto polish’ processes, no milling spindle, large R6 PCD cutter for precut and cribbing, uniform production quality and yield with inherently sta

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ble working chamber design, and with a capacity of up to 25 lenses per hour, it’s the perfect so lution for small labs. The VFT orbit2 generator is a high volume machine featuring high performance, quality and reliability. The main features are a new ul trafast milling spindle for cribbing and rough surfacing, a 14 tooth cutter enabling a higher revolution speed and extended life, high surface accuracy allowing for a cuttopolish surface, autocalibration to save time, a user friendly in terface and a power save mode that automati cally turns off when the machine is idle. VFTor bit 2E is the new economically priced lens generator based on the proven VFTorbit 2 tech nology. The machine is capable of generating all lens formats including free form surfaces. VFTorbit 2E is available in a manual and an au tomated version.

sized and large labs, supporting manual and au tomated production environments. Schneider’s most recent innovations include the HSC Modulo XTS and the Modulo Center 80. With the HSC Modulo XTS, Schneider claim to have has accomplished a quantum leap in highspeed cutting, creating the fastest gener ator in the market. The heart of the machine is the new and extremely powerful XSmotor, re defining acceleration in ophthalmics. The gen erator’s machine base has been designed to be extra rigid to withstand the extreme forces ex erted. Combined with highfrequency drive technology, a new milling spindle, and intelli gent algorithms, an ingenious generator is formed. A sophisticated swarf management sys tem efficiently keeps the work space clean, Schneider claim, resulting in the best lens in the shortest time. The Modulo Center 80 is an allinone surfac Schneider ing centre which Schneider claim is a fullfledged www.schneider-om.com production line without limitations: with indi Schneider offer a complete range of surfacing vidual stations for milling and lathe turning, two equipment full details of which can be found on double spindle polishing units, and a highper their website. formance laser. To ensure it delivers on its The HSC Nano X was developed to promise, the Modulo Cen create a machine that pro ter 80 features highly ad vides everything that is vanced process technology needed to start an inde as well as robust and reli pendent freeform busi able components proven ness with all essential fea in hundreds of installa tures at a low cost. The machine tions across the globe. can be equipped with a fully laser An inner ring forms the based engraving system The op basis for the smart automa tional cribbing spindle and twin tion featuring multiple han tool allow for fast machining of dling systems that swiftly noncircular shapes. feed the stations. Substantial HSC Nano XP is designed for people time savings are achieved who wish to start an independent free HSC Modulo XTS from Schneider through the machine’s tight in form production in a very small space. tegration and by running all pro The HSC Nano XP offers a higher performance cesses simultaneously – even milling and lathe than the basic version. turning. Schneider claim that there is no faster The HSC Sprint can bring digital surfacing to way to surface a lens endtoend. Its own dedi any laboratory. It is a small design which is us cated Control Centre informs the lab manager able for the central surfacing unit in a smaller at a glance about the current status of the lab or as a backup machine in larger labs. It has machine, production parameters, and efficiency. a fast rough cutting process contained within With Modulo Center 80 the jobs are processed the milling chamber, leading to controlled swarf in a fully automated environment without any channelling to keep the machine clean. HSC need for operator intervention along the Smart X is a compact digital generator for mid process chain. W

December 2019

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Maui Jim Manchester collection Maui Jim have announced the launch of the oﬃcial Manchester

All Maui Jim lenses block 100 per cent of harmful UV rays, pro

United Club Collec#on in collabora#on with Manchester United.

tec#ng eyes from damage and longterm health risks. Addi#onally,

The collec#on will feature four styles and a new red mirror treat

they eliminate glare while enhancing colour,

ment inspired by one of the world’s most famous football clubs.

defini#on and depth percep#on.

‘We are thrilled to bring the spirit of two

Maui Jim sunglasses have earned

passionate brands together to create a

the Skin Cancer Founda#on Seal

collec#on to reflect the spirit of the

of Recommenda#on as an eﬀec

Manchester United fans that also allows

#ve UV filter for the eyes and sur

them to see the world with more color,

rounding skin.

clarity and detail,’ says Jay Black, Maui Jim’s

For further details visit:

VP of Global Marke#ng.

www.mauijim.com

Blackfin One collection

Style, elegance and personality define the new Fall 2019 Blackfin

bold depth of the frame are emphasised by black outlined in

One op#cal frame collec#on. Colour is the common thread that

lime green, dark blue outlined in bright red, midnight blue, olive

runs through all the styles, crea#ng interplays of hues on the #

green or black.

tanium material. The collec#on encompasses men’s frames, uni

The range of styles with basrelief front includes Lynn Haven,

sex and feminine styles.

whose rounded rims and contras#ng,

Among the innova#ons is the

slightly elongated top rim create a

pantoinspired Bayou, with its gen

graceful feminine shape, played

erous almostround frame and ul

up by the colour op#ons: ma%e

traflexible beta #tanium bridge and

mocha/ magenta, polished sil

temples. The colour pale%e ranges from the more masculine dark blue paired with bright red, black or midnight blue, to the more fem inine shades of blush pink or midnight blue combined with magenta.

ver/champagne

All of the Blackfin One frames are fi%ed with the new #l#ng nose pads and latestgen ergonomically designed Swordfish

The same technical detail appears on the #tanium welded

temple #ps. For further details visit: www.blackfin.eu

Coburn Technologies ocular surface analyser Coburn Technologies, Inc. have introduced the addition of their first ocular surface analyser to their line of diagnostic products. The IDRA ocular surface analyser by SBM Sistemi is a fully automated. Comprehensive dry eye diagnostic system that performs four noninvasive tests in just five minutes. IDRA’s noninvasive tests produce values that are displayed in a user friendly grading scale. Testing includes autointerferometry, tear meniscus height measurement, autoNIBUT, meibography and 3D meibomian gland imaging. Other possible examinations include bulbar redness classification, measurement of the pupil diameter, whitetowhite measurement and blepharitis and cylindrical dandruff testing. For further details visit: www.coburntechnologies.com

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pink

gundy red.

bridge of the men’s Winter Harbor, where the sculpted lines and

gold,

blush/bluegreen, polished silver/black or dark blue/bur

House Ad V.2 (dec2019).qxp_Layout 1 01/11/2019 16:42 Page 1

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contact: + (44) 1702 345443 email: info@optical-world.co.uk

(9) A to Z for December 2019.qxp_Layout 1 15/11/2019 12:46 Page 1

AtoZ of OPTICAL websites All the companies listed in our A to Z guide are featured on our own Website along with a Hyperlink. Log onto www.optical-world.co.uk and select the company you are looking for, then simply click on their URL which is highlighted and you’ll be automatically re-directed. Remember to bookmark the Optical World Website so you can easily locate it for future use. If your company’s Website is not shown below, contact us immediately, via our email address info@optical-world.co.uk – The annual cost of an entry in this guide is £90 (£180 with logo)

www.100percentoptical.com

www.europtica.co.uk

Acreas www.acreascoatings.com

Fair & Cheer Inc www.fnc.com.tw

OptoTech www.optotech.de

www.optrafair.co.uk

www.agp-abrasifs.com

AIM Specialty Materia www.aimspecialty.com Arch Crown www.archcrown.com

Automation & Robotics www.ar.be

Federation of Manufacturing Opticians www.fmo.co.uk

www.pads4labs.com

PBG Piezoelettrica Business General Srl www.pbg.it

Groupe Couget Optical www.groupecouget.com Hong Kong Optical Fair www.hkopticalfair.com

www.isucl.co.kr

Phantom Research Labs Inc www.phantomresearch.com

POMDI-Herramientas De Diamante S.A. www.pomdi.com

Bühler Alzenau GmbH Business Area Leybold Optics www.buhlergroup.com

Fil-Tech Inc www.filtech.com

Cerium Optical Products www.ceriumoptical.com

Comes Fratelli Colombo S.r.l. www.comes.it

www.kepets.com

Schneider GmbH & Co. KG www.schneider-om.com

www.laser2000ophthalmic.com

www.scl-intl.com

Comexpo – Silmo www.silmoparis.com

SEIKO Optical UK www.seikovision.com

www.laserop.com

Contact Lens Manufacturers Association www.clma.net

Stratox Ltd www.stratox.com

www.ml-oc.com

www.contamac.com

COTEC Gmbh www.cotec-gmbh.com .

www.tecofrance.com

www.mido.it – www.mido.com

Norville Autoflow www.norville.co.uk

OLA (Optical Laboratories Association) www.ola-labs.org

Reed Exhibition Companies www.reedexpo.com

Wenzhou Int’l Optics Fair, China www.donnor.com

December 2019

(9) ISG December 2019.qxp_Layout 1 15/11/2019 12:50 Page 1

Do you receive your own copy of

OPTICAL WORLD? Email us at: info@op!calÂworld.co.uk To be included on our distribu!on list

JOIN US ON

www.facebook.com/OpticalWorldLtd 28

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December 2019

(9) ISG December 2019.qxp_Layout 1 15/11/2019 12:51 Page 3

Do you receive your own copy of

OPTICAL WORLD? Email us at: info@op!calÂworld.co.uk To be included on our distribu!on list

www.optical-world.co.uk

(9) ISG December 2019.qxp_Layout 1 15/11/2019 12:52 Page 4

December 2019

(9) ISG December 2019.qxp_Layout 1 18/11/2019 12:35 Page 5

2020 EXHIBITION DIARY 10-12 January

Opti 2020 Munich, Germany

25-27 January

100% Optical Excel, London, UK

11-13 February

29 February 2 March 7-8 March 27-29 March 4-6 April 8-10 April 24-26 April 9-10 May

10-12 June 5-6 September 9-11 September

24-26 September

2-5 October 19-22 November

20th China (Shanghai) International Optics Fair Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Centre, P.R. China MIDO Fiera Milano-Rho, Milan, Italy Copenhagen Specs Denmark International Vision Expo East Javits Centre, New York, USA Optrafair 20/20 Birmingham NEC, UK DIOPS – 19th Daegu International Optical Show EXCO, Daegu, South Korea ExpoÓptica Madrid Fair Centre, Spain Barcelona Specs Italian Pavillion, Fira Montjuic Plaça d’Espanya, Barcelona, Spain Silmo Bangkok IMPACT Exhibition Centre, Bangkok, Thailand Copenhagen Specs – In Berlin, Germany 33rd China International Optics Fair China International Exhibition Centre Beijing, PR China International Vision Expo West Sands Expo & Convention Centre Las Vegas, USA SILMO Parc des Expositions, Villepinte, Paris, France SILMO Istanbul Istanbul Fair Center, turkey

FORTHCOMING FEATURES JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 ISSUE

Special Mido Edition OPTICAL WORLD will once again be publishing a major preview of the show. Exhibitors are invited to send details of the products they will have on display to: Email: info@optical-world.co.uk

JOIN US ON

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Replacing Tape

NEW

SPP m dulo Spin Protection Technology The SPP Modulo replaces tape to optimally protect the lens during the surfacing process utilizing UV-curable liquid protection layers. Evenly distributed across the lens, the layer optimally covers it while adhering tightly to it â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even with extremely curved lenses or extreme flat top bifocals. Problems such as wrinkles, bubbles, or detaching, commonly known with tape, that cause power or cosmetic defects are prevented. The protection layer can be removed easily with SCHNEIDERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tape-stripping technology. Besides surfacing protection, this new technology can also be used for ideal protection of blanks and semi-finished goods at different stages such as storage or transportation. Tape vs. Spin Protection layer

www.schneider-om.com

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