Reinventing near vision

FOR MEMBERS of Generation X struggling to catch up on the information overload not only in print but also online, their weakening eyesight often holds them back.
Instead of just looking at a single near-distance object such as a book or newspaper, they now find themselves having to shift their sight among multiple near-distance objects such as their phone, laptop, tablet, or more.
They not only feel the strain of constantly shifting their vision back and forth, but also the frustration of having to adjust their head and neck position to find the right angle to see properly.
That is why leading ophthalmic optics company Essilor recently launched the Varilux X series for this generation of presbyopes (people suffering from gradual loss of near-focusing ability).
The Varilux X series is Essilor’s latest innovation – a new premium progressive lens designed to improve near vision, and deliver extended near vision to those with presbyopia, or long-sightedness.
Essilor professional services and business development manager Soh Wei Zhi explained at the launch: “With Varilux X series progressive lens, presbyopes can now swap between screens comfortably, and seamlessly capture every detail within arm’s reach with high precision, [thereby] extending their sharp vision by 100%, in [both] width and length.”
This is because the Varilux X series is developed using Xtend, a new revolutionary technology that focuses on improving vision within a person’s near and intermediate zones.
This pioneer approach eliminates the need to keep adjusting a person’s head or arms to get a clear and sharp view of multiple near-distance objects.
It dramatically reduces head movement and ensures that vision is as natural as possible for everyday activities.
The revolutionary technology is reportedly able to provide an impressive 75% match with wearers’ visual needs.
This marks a significant improvement of 59% on average when compared to other premium progressive lenses in the market today.
Additionally, Varilux X series customers can also opt for further personalisation of their lens.
Personalised Varilux X series lenses can be engineered to sharpen vision, speed up lens adaptation time, significantly improve visual comfort, and ensure the Varilux X series lenses are in perfect synergy with the wearer’s eyes and frame.
A new in-store personalisation tool, called Near Vision Behaviour (NVB), is designed to take seven specific visual measurements to ensure the lenses are fully personalised to the wearer.
It takes into account the wearer’s behaviour and posture while performing a familiar activity, such as reading, and comes out with reliable and robust measurements of the person’s vision area so that the lens can be positioned and shaped according to the wearer’s needs.
Soh added that, with the Varilux X series lens, “we want to encourage presbyopes that their age and vision level does not need to hinder them from living their lifestyle. They can still see their best at any age.”
The launch was also attended by Essilor Singapore and Malaysia country manager Peter Tan, and Essilor Malaysia general manager Jean-Philippe Ho.
The Varilux X series is currently available at major optical shops nationwide.