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LAUNCHES
Essilor Launches Smart Blue Filter
Quick Take: Essilor is launching Smart Blue Filter, a proprietary light filtering technology that protects the eyes against harmful blue-violet light while allowing beneficial blue-violet light to pass through an aesthetically clear lens. “The connection between blue-light and retinal disease, such as AMD, suggests that reducing exposure to blue light would be beneficial,” noted Howard Purcell, OD, senior vice president, Essilor of America.
Wearer: All eyeglass wearers, especially those who are exposed to artificial blue light sources such as LEDs, computers and smart phones.
Specifics: Unlike most blue light and UV protection lenses, which are produced by applying a coating with an obvious color to the surface of a lens, Smart Blue Filter is embedded in the lens material and does not affect its color.
Selling Points: “Over the past several decades, in partnership with eyecare professionals, major Essilor lens innovations have improved the vision of millions of eyeglass wearers,” said Eric Leonard, president of Essilor of America. “At Essilor, we care about protecting eyes and have made a significant commitment to ensure that blue light and UV protection are available to everyone. We will offer this technology as a fundamental part of our business at no additional cost, creating a new standard for our industry.” Beginning April 2016, Essilor will offer Smart Blue Filter embedded in Varilux digital designs, Eyezen+ lenses, and Transitions lenses. For patients who want an anti-reflective lens with Smart Blue Filter, Essilor recommends Crizal lenses; for patients who want protection against harmful blue-violet and UV light, Essilor recommends Crizal Prevencia lenses.
Price Guide: Free
www.essilorusa.com
Wiley X Debuts Fashionable WorkSight Eyewear Line
Quick Take: Wiley X has unveiled its all new WorkSight eyewear line of fashionable, safety glasses for 2016.
Wearer: Each style is designed to appeal to men and women.
Specifics: The WorkSight collection features three styles available in four colors, the WX Contour, WX Marker and WX. When combined with Wiley X’s advanced Digiforce digital Rx lens technology and new WX Blue protective coating, each style delivers superior clarity and sharp vision over the widest possible viewing zones, the company said.
Selling Points: “We have taken our vast experience creating top-quality protective frames and applied it to our new WorkSight collection,” said Wiley X co-owner Myles Freeman, Jr. “The result is a premium ophthalmic line with beautiful color choices that are as fashionable and stylish as any designer frame. Yet, because these glasses have removable side shields and meet stringent ANSI Z87.1 safety standards, they also can be worn for on-the-job vision protection.” Merchandising materials include a six-pair countertop display, counter cards and other attractive POS materials. Each pair of WorkSight glasses will come with a cleaning cloth, a fold-over case that folds flat for easy storage and a small storage pouch for the side shields.
Price Guide: $$$
www.wileyx.com
SECOND LOOKS
Smith Optics Offers Fall Collection
Quick Take: Smith Optics has launched their Fall 2015 optical and sunglass collection.
Specifics: For men with an active lifestyle, Smith introduces two optical styles and two sun styles.
Selling Points: In optical, the Wanderer blends an active modern shape with a distinctive metal eye wire, while the new Vagabond meets the demands of Smith’s most active customers, the company said. With a 6-base lens curve, each frame features megol nose and temple pads, bio based Evolve frame construction and integrated wire core temples to provide a lightweight, secure fit. In sun, the Captain’s Choice has a progressive, semi-rimless frame design that provides ample field of view, while wide temples and a sun-shielding 8-base wrap provides all-day glare protection. The Captain’s Choice is available in six premium ChromaPop lens tints. Likewise, the 8-base Guide’s Choice has been reimagined to exceed the needs of the most demanding anglers, the company said. Constructed out of bio-based Evolve frame material, the frame also features large facial coverage and wide temples, Italian stainless steel spring hinges and premium lenses options, such as ChromaPop polarized lenses or Techlite glass lenses for optical. With an integrated detachable sunglass leash and hydrophilic megol nose and temple pads, both Rx compatible sun styles provide a secure fit.
Price Guide: $$$
www.smithoptics.com
Inspecs USA Expands Savile Row Collection
Quick Take: Savile Row by Inspecs USA has released The Combination Collection of luxury ophthalmic styles that combine handmade acetates with 18-karat gold.
Specifics: Ten new optical styles for men, women and youth.
Selling Points: Built on timeless originality, The Combination Collection brings together the most practical and creative of materials with the most valuable and enduring metals, the company said. Featuring handmade acetate fronts and fine18-karat rolled gold temples, the collection includes a variety of classic shapes, such as round, cat eye, square and oval. In a saturated color palette, the collection’s vintage acetates create unique patterns that exemplify textures. For example, the Sloan style is a beautiful cat eye with a light pink iridescent undertone that gleams with gold and light green hues. Likewise, the unisex Drury style boasts a round shape with a keyhole bridge in a honey and brown tort acetate.
Price Guide: $$$$$
www.inspecs.co.uk/usa
Modern Optical Intros New Modz Titanium Styles
Quick Take: In response to a growing consumer demand for affordable, lightweight, quality eyewear, Modern Optical International has expanded its Modz Titanium Collection with new optical styles.
Specifics: One men’s frame and two women’s frames expand this unisex collection to 31 styles.
Selling Points: Because of its lightweight, strong and anti-corrosive properties, titanium is used throughout the collection. In addition to titanium, TR90 and handmade zyl enhance the collection’s design elements. With acetate tips, the Aristocrat for men is a two-tone titanium frame featuring spacious rectangular contours, spring hinges and snap-in silicone nose pads. For women, accented by subtle linear temple designs, the retro-inspired, two-toned Dominate also utilizes spring hinges and silicone nose pads for maximum comfort. The rounded rectangular front of Highness bows to the two-toned geometric cutout temples. Multi-faceted gemstone embellishments provide a royal touch to this titanium frame, the company said. All styles are available in an array of matte colors.
Price Guide: $$
www.modernoptical.com
ALSO NEW
Altair Reveals New Revlon Styles with Sparkle
Revlon Eyewear from Altair has introduced the “Sparkle Series,” a two-piece collection inspired by the best-selling Revlon eyewear styles. Shiny tonal metals, glitter infused temples and elegant enamel details are wardrobe essentials, all year round. So the brand has added the RV5043 and RV5044 which offer veins of glitter shimmer under a splash of color on the feminine acetate temples. Adding a touch of sparkle, jewel-inspired enamel end pieces add a subtle break in fluidity from frame fronts to temples. The RV5043 is a semi-rimless colored metal and acetate combo, while the RV5044 is a solid acetate style. www.altaireyewear.com
ImageWear Releases Betsey Johnson 2016 Sun
ImageWear, a division of Walman Optical, has presented the Betsey Johnson 2016 sunwear collection. This season, the sunwear collection adds 15 new women’s styles to its already expansive offering. The new styles feature plastic and metal designs in square, round, rectangle, cat eye and oval shapes of which many are prescription friendly. Highlights include the style Catty, a cat eye available in black pink and tortoise with a 6-base lens. The Glitter comes in black, black tortoise and nude, with temples that are adorned with sparkle, and the Glow with thin, gold metal temples that complement the thick zyl acetate front. www.imagewear.com
Vuarnet Unveils Cable Temple Styles
Vuarnet has introduced cable temples to several styles. The cable temples come on four retro shapes – round, aviator, square and keyhole. The cable hook fits snugly around the contour of the ear for optimum comfort and hold. The full-flexible frame has a rounded end with a soft metal, silicone-covered insert. The styles are available in matte black, tortoiseshell, Tokyo tortoiseshell and crystalline blue, with an optical version also available. Hand-crafted in Vuarnet’s work shop near Paris, the mineral lenses marry precision and comfort for perfect vision and maximum sun protection. www.vuarnet.com
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