EXCEEDING THE BOUNDARIES OF VISUAL PERCEPTION IN PROGRESSIVE LENSES - Horizons Optical

INTRODUCTION

All the progressive lenses available on the market have a main limitation, inherit peripheral astigmatism¹ that impairs users’ visual perception. Thus, unwanted astigmatism restricts the visual field width perception, produces peripheral distortion when the users look through lateral areas of the lens and likewise, users also experience swim effect when they are in motion.

Traditionally, lens designers have been focused on reducing unwanted astigmatism by reducing its maximum amount or redistributing it. This strategy has been effective for many years, obtaining lenses with a very good performance that meet users’ visual needs. However, times are changing and therefore also is doing the visual behavior, so new solutions are demanded by progressive lens users.

As a result, Horizons Optical has set a new goal to enhance visual perception in progressive lenses by considering human visual physiological data from the retina.

1. Minkwitz G. Bemerkungen uber nabelpunktslinien auf flachen-stucken. Monatsberichte der deutschen Akademie der Wissenschaften 1965;7:608–10

• Macula is an oval-shaped area near the center of the human eye, and it has a diameter of around 5.5 mm (viewing path of 18º approx.)
  
  
• Fovea is the central region in the retina, and it is described as a depression in the inner retina surface, about 1.5 mm wide, the photoreceptor layer of which is composed entirely of cones, and which is specialized far maximum visual acuity.
  
  
• Parafovea is a region in the retina that circumscribes the fovea, about 2.5 mm wide. The angle of the foveal and parafoveal vision following the eye viewing path, corresponds to 5° and 8°, respectively. Is relevant for reading and scenes perception.

Therefore, optimal lens performance is crucial for a good visual perception though the fovea and parafovea. In progressive lenses, the images that are processed in the fovea are seen though areas of the lens without unwanted astigmatism and these images are perceived sharp. Those that fall in parafovea are seen though areas of the lens with astigmatic aberrations.So according to this, Horizons Optical developed a new technique to smartly manage the unwanted astigmatism by controlling and minimizing its gradient, perceived by the parafovea.  

Gradient of unwanted astigmatism

The gradient of astigmatism represents the changes of the astigmatism until it reaches its maximum from the center to the periphery of a progressive lens. The control and/or minimization of this gradient is directly related to visual perception, comfort, and adaptability.

Horizons Optical, after launching our patented lens design ORION in 2019 designed with smart management of unwanted astigmatism gradient, has updated their catalogue following the same philosophy by introducing two revolutionary products:

For more information of this product visit our website.

ORION: ORION: A revolutionary progression philosophy | Horizons Optical,

AQUA: Aqua: A clear vision adapted to the current life of presbyopes (horizonsoptical.com)

LIQUID: Liquid: Personalization is a must | Horizons Optical

CONCLUSIONS

Horizons Optical truly believes in scientific investigations to create innovative products that enhance visual quality for all users. By considering the importance of retinal function on visual perception, we have applied a method to do a smart management of the unwanted astigmatism gradient on progressive lenses. Thanks to this, we have achieved exceed the boundaries of visual perception in progressive lenses, enhancing the user visual experience: ensuring the best visual acuity possible, enhancing the comfort, and notably accelerating the adaptation period.

REFERENCES

Horizons Optical.