ZEISS Vision Care
Company Information
Here you will find all the information prepared for your reporting on the history, products and structure of ZEISS Vision Care. The Company Portrayal explains the history of the company, while the Fact Sheet gives you a tabular overview. The milestones provide a visual account of the company's historical development. Are you a journalist and have questions? Then get in touch with us!
A New Experience in Vision
Leading the eyeglass industry for more than 100 years: portrayal of ZEISS Vision CareFacts and Figures
Headquarters |
Aalen, Germany |
Management Board |
Sven Hermann (President & CEO), Paul Bilsdorfer (CFO), Dr. Benjamin Viering (COO/CTO), Jens Boy (North America), Jesper Wiegandt (CMO), Judith Beale (HR), Martin Schiffhauer (SCM/IT) |
Structure |
The strategic business unit is fully allocated to the ZEISS Group and the ZEISS Consumer Markets segment. In fiscal year 2021/22 ZEISS generated 8.8 billion Euro revenue, the ZEISS Consumer Markets Segment 1.57 billion Euro revenue. |
Locations |
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Portfolio (selection) |
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Company News
Milestones in the Company History
1912 - 1945

1. April 1912
ZEISS launches Punktal, the market’s first precision eyeglass lens, as well as the first-ever slit lamp.
ZEISS Development Head Moritz von Rohr and Swedish ophthalmologist Allvar Gullstrand received the Nobel Prize (Medicine) for their work on the eye’s physiology.

1914
Production of bifocal lenses begins.

1924
Launch of the sun protection lens UMBRAL; the first optical sunglass lens to feature a uniform tint and defined transmittance.
1932
Introduction of PERIVIST frames which enable an anatomically optimal, secure position of the lenses in front of the eyes and a customized fitting.
1945
Division of Carl Zeiss in Jena (East Germany) and Carl Zeiss in Oberkochen (West Germany). Re-establishment of ophthalmology in Oberkochen.
1959 - 1983

1959
First anti-reflective coating, with a patent awarded to Carl Zeiss in 1935.
From 1960
Introduction of plastic lenses, also by Scientific Optical Laboratories of Australia (SOLA), which was merged with the Carl Zeiss Vision Care to form Carl Zeiss Vision in 2005.

1970
Umbramatic lenses launched; Carl Zeiss caters to the segment of self-tinting lenses for the first time. The first progressive lenses are introduced to the market; Gradal 1.
1983
Successful breakthrough into the progressive lens sector with Gradal HS. Gradal enables the same visual conditions for the two eyes regardless of the direction of view.
1987 - 1995

1987
First plastic lens from ZEISS under the brand name Clarlet Gradal HS.
1991
World's first mid-index plastic eyeglass lens: Clarlet SL by ZEISS. Today, a refractive index of up to 1.74 allows lenses that are up to 40 percent thinner and therefore lighter than traditional indices.
1995
Acquisition of American Optical (founded in 1869) by SOLA International.
2000 - 2009

2000
ZEISS presents its first individualized progressive lens in the form of Gradal Individual®. In addition to offering a customized Rx, personal parameters of the wearer are now factored into the calculation of the progressive surface.
2005
Merger of the ZEISS Vision Care division and the US eyeglass lens manufacturer SOLA International.
2006
Introduction of Gradal Individual® FrameFit®, the first progressive lens that adapts to all frames.


with i.Scription
without i.Scription
2007
Through wavefront measurement, i.Scription® allows the wearer's individual eye profile to be factored into the lens calculation. This technology considerably improves the correction of visual defects, particularly for night vision.

2009
ZEISS Experience is presented as a modular retail concept with three key elements: ZEISS analysis, marketing and consulting tools as well as a special shop design.
2010 - 2021

2010
Restructuring of the company financing: Carl Zeiss AG takes over 100 percent of the voting rights in Carl Zeiss Vision, which is integrated as ZEISS Vision Care into the Carl Zeiss Group.
MyoVision™ from ZEISS is an eyeglass lens specially developed for Asian children. Thanks to Peripheral Vision Management Technology™, this lens significantly reduces the progression of myopia and, consequently, the risk of severely limited vision later on. About half of all children between the ages of 11 and 13 living in cities and urban areas of Asia suffer from myopia – and the trend is accelerating.

2011
First ZEISS Experience Vision Center opens in Berlin with the aim of offering a brand-new shopping experience in the 21st century. All the relevant aspects of the customer experience are taken into account: shop fitting, marketing material, sales area, instruments for vision analysis, refraction and centration, as well as cutting-edge ZEISS lens solutions – all in an innovative design.

2012
With PhotoFusion®, ZEISS introduces the fastest self-tinting lenses on the market.
With technology for determining the maximum intermediate distance (M.I.D.) developed by the company, a ZEISS lens can be adapted with millimeter accuracy to the visual distance required by each individual user.
DuraVision Platinum is ZEISS’s hardest coating yet.

2013
ZEISS Vision Care operates around the globe with a new brand image focused sharply on the power of the ZEISS brand; the emphasis is on the special and fascinating moments that customers experience with ZEISS products.

2014
Global launch of the new ZEISS Digital Lens category. These lenses relieve the eyes of those who use mobile digital devices, particularly among 30–45-year-olds.

2015
ZEISS progressive lenses are refreshed in four categories – perfectly adapted to the eyes and the digital world, to frames and switches to new frames, to a wearer’s facial anatomy and adjustment to their personal lifestyle.

ZEISS offers i.Com mobile, a new, tablet-based system for controlling measuring instruments, centrally collecting data and personal consultations – the system was honored with the Red Dot Award.

ZEISS has expanded its ZEISS DuraVision coating portfolio to include ZEISS DuraVision Silver and ZEISS DuraVision BlueProtect.

Global launch of the ZEISS DriveSafe lenses; designed to maximize safety and comfort for glasses wearers while driving and offer maximum safety and comfort even when worn all day long.

2017
Global launch of the ZEISS EnergizeMe lenses for contact lens wearers.
“My Vision Profile” by ZEISS – the app for consumers offers an initial test for visual requirements and is a great way to get to know the ZEISS Vision Analysis at the optician’s – its design was honored with the reddot Award.

2018
Thanks to UVProtect, ZEISS is the world’s first manufacturer to offer sunglass-level UV protection up to 400 nm for all clear plastic lenses.

ZEISS VISUFIT 1000 is a new platform for determination of 3D centration data in just a few clicks. Its 9 cameras and 45 points mean a 180-degree facial avatar can be generated for the wearer.

2019/2020
Introduction of ZEISS SmartLife - a complete premium portfolio of eyeglass lenses for all consumers no matter their age. The ZEISS SmartLife lens design factors in our modern connected and on-the-move lifestyle, dynamic visual behavior, individual visual needs, and age.

2021
With ZEISS BlueGuard, a new generation of blue light blocking lenses is introduced to the market addressing the current technology and media use. The blue light blocking properties are incorporated into the lens material itself. As a result, ZEISS BlueGuard Lenses provide excellent lens clarity as well as the blocking of up to 40 percent of the potentially harmful and irritating blue light.
Status: January 2023
Get in Touch with Us

Joachim Kuss
Head of Communications: General topics and Sustainability
Mail: joachim .kuss @zeiss .com
Phone: +49 (0) 151 42112288

Julia Baier
International PR: Instruments, Tools and Digitalization
Mail: julia .baier @zeiss .com
Phone: +49 (0) 7361 591 400

Sarah Kopp
International PR: Eyeglass Lenses, Coatings and Materials
Mail: sarah .kopp @zeiss .com
Phone: +49 (0) 7361 591 1248