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Topics of the future

180 Years of ZEISS

Innovation and responsibility – a look into the future of vision and eye care

Since 1846, ZEISS has been a pioneer in the science of optics, continuously challenging the limits of human imagination. ZEISS Vision Care has always stood for innovation and optimal vision. Together with our sister company, ZEISS Medical Technology, we uniquely decode the eye and vision. And as a foundation owned company, responsibility is embedded in our DNA, and we strive to shape the world of vision and eye care innovatively, reliably and sustainably for the future.

Here you will learn more about our future topics such as electrochromic lenses, hyper-individual designs through personalized lens calculations, and sustainable materials for the production of prescription lenses – all for a lifetime full of visual health and for protecting and enhancing vision for consumers all around the world.

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Sustainability

The new high-performance lens made from recycled materials: NO – it's not a future fantasy

ZEISS Vision Care continuously strives to improve the quality and performance of our products while minimizing our impact on the environment. In the manufacturing of lenses, resource-saving changes have been implemented for many years, which meant that we actually exceeded our otherwise ambitious sustainability goals set for 2025. Sustainability is considered as broadly as possible, even when it comes for example to the packaging of lens wipes.

Portrait of ZEISS Vision Care CCO Jesper Wiegandt

For ZEISS, it is about showing measurable progress, taking responsibility, and basing every step we take on proper science and ethics, and acting with integrity. Sustainability is firmly anchored in our strategic ambition, and by that, we do not just mean saving energy or water. We want to do what is good for people - and the planet - because we believe that doing the right thing is also good for business. And we do not limit ourselves to lens manufacturing; we want to embed responsibility in everything we do – this is part of our DNA as a foundation-owned company.

Jesper Wiegandt CCO ZEISS Vision Care

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A missing central piece is a clear corrective lens that could play an important role in sustainability, particularly in terms of the materials used.

ZEISS Vision Care has been working for years on various approaches to reach this milestone. It is now clear to us that it is possible to manufacture high-quality lenses from recycled materials without compromising the usual ZEISS quality. In doing so, ZEISS Vision Care is shaping the optical industry sustainably for the future with innovative solutions. Although such innovations often bring many challenges in development, sustainable lenses need not fall short of today's products in terms of optical properties and quality. Additionally, the sustainability aspect can be certified and annually reviewed by independent providers. To get closer to this major goal, the topic of sustainable lenses is being advanced in several basic research projects at ZEISS Vision Care. Particularly interesting: lenses made from recycled material.

Further articles

Article Responsibility in eyeglass lens production
Press Release Recyclable lens wipe sachet
Press Release ZEISS Vision Care surpasses ambitious sustainability objectives

Electrochromic technology

Imagine you could decide by yourself when your photochromic glasses turn dark and also how dark they should become – and, of course, when they should become lighter again. That means you would have control over your lenses. This exactly is the technology behind electrochromic lenses.
ZEISS has presented this new technology at different trade fairs beginning 2026: the first prescription glasses with electrochromic ZEISS lenses as a prototype tackling a common feedback: consumers would like to decide the level of darkness on their own and not leave it up to the sun.

Dark, clear, or lightly tinted – simply with a tap of your finger

ZEISS set itself high standards for the completely new development of electrochromic glasses: suitable for the manufacturing of modern prescription lens designs, and wearable in all lighting conditions – at night or in bright sunshine. The lenses should be completely clear like normal high-quality lenses yet offer full sun protection – all with "Touch Speed". Moreover, they should be available both as prescription lenses in modern freeform lens designs and as sunglasses and be light and slim enough for daily wear.

With the current ZEISS prototype, this range of requirements becomes a surprisingly tangible reality for the first time. The ZEISS electrochromic prototype is remarkably light, like a normal plastic frame with lenses.

Until now, electrochromic glasses were rather bulky and heavy, not suitable for continuous wear - during the day as prescription lenses or for night driving - and the prescription solution at best limited to a clip-on solution or laminated lenses.

 

The ZEISS prototype shows that electrochromic technology can also be realized for everyday use: From complete clarity to full sun protection with a fingertip – with individually crafted prescription lenses in a fashionable slim frame, light and comfortable.

Andreas Nix Product Category Manager ZEISS Vision Care

Individualization

Eyeglass lenses with customized design

Eyeglass lenses aim to come as close as possible to natural vision. To achieve this, a complex calculation of the lens design is necessary. This is especially true for progressive lenses, which corrects visual errors at different distances simultaneously.

ZEISS has set itself the goal of developing a new dimension of customization for eyeglass lenses that are tailored to the individual lifestyle, specific visual tasks, distances, and individual head dynamics of the wearer.

So far, the visual behavior of the wearer has primarily been captured through subjective assessments, such as questionnaires or by determining age-dependent, aggregated visual habits. This is the case with ZEISS eyeglass lenses of the customization level 'Individual 3'. Both approaches aim to customize existing lens designs that have already been optimized in advance for specific visual tasks. For example, ZEISS SmartLife lenses are optimized for dynamic visual behavior for a digitally immersive lifestyle, and the customization level 'Individual 3' builds upon this design, so to speak. A comprehensive customization of the entire lens design, tailored to specific visual behavior, visual tasks, or viewing distances based on objective data, does not yet exist. ZEISS aims to close this gap and is developing the highest level of individualization available in a ZEISS lens.

Innovative sensor technology from ZEISS: Customized lens designs through individual vision data analysis

To achieve this, ZEISS is developing a sensor device that captures parameters of personal visual behavior and lifestyle, such as individual viewing distances, the individual head dynamics for natural patterns, as well as predominant ambient light and exposure to UV radiation. The data collected by these special sensors is used to derive parameters that directly contribute to the calculation of a unique lens design, tailored to the wearer’s lifestyle and visual behavior. Through a simple clip-on connection, the ZEISS sensor device is attached to the wearer’s current frame for data collection and accompanies them over several days. This low-threshold data collection avoids increased time expenditure at the optical store due to additional examinations or questionnaires.

Portrait Patrick Michel

Being able to offer consumers a lens that does not rely on any existing design but is individually designed according to the personal movement pattern and lifestyle of the wearer is revolutionary. Every lens becomes a unique piece.
The product gives new meaning to the individuality of vision and provides eyeglass wearers with previously unknown comfort.