Modern lens design

^{Article first published: May 2023}

ZEISS SmartLife Individual 3 lenses offer the highest level of personalization available in a ZEISS lens. New scientific findings on visual behavior and the possibilities of digitalization form the basis for this individualization. Find out how modern lens design works.

Over the last 20 years, our lives have changed fundamentally. Digitalization became a big part of our everyday lives, smartphones have led to a complete shift in the way we work and function, and there has been a change in viewing behavior that extends across all age groups.

But just as daily life continues to change dynamically, research and development activities at ZEISS Vision Care and at the ZEISS Vision Science Lab, located at the University of Tübingen, continue to pursue the question of how to incorporate measurable changes in gaze behavior into the design and function of modern eyeglass lenses. Dynamic Gaze Study

Regardless of age, interaction with digital devices has increased. Age-dependent similarities could be identified in the usage patterns. They allow us to dive deeper into the age structure and filter out age-specific details that make a difference. For illustration purposes, these were grouped into age groups.

An important component of increasingly individualized eyeglass lenses is a deeper understanding of visual behavior and oculomotor function. The fact that scientific studies can provide increasingly diverse data and, above all, that this data is becoming usable, is also thanks to the technological progress of intelligent measurement methods. "What's important here are the special technologies that help us advance science and knowledge,” explains Lappe.

To be able to use the findings of the Global Vision Study 2020/21, more than 12 million data points were clustered and evaluated using Big Data tools. A specially developed algorithm, known as Intelligence Augmented Design (IAD) technology, now enables the information to be transferred to the design of ZEISS SmartLife Individual 3.

The known parameters for ordering a ZEISS SmartLife lens, such as prescription, wearer and frame parameters, reading distance and age, are transferred to the IAD algorithm. This defines vision requirements and then optimizes the decisive design parameters based on the calculated object model and design fingerprints.

Up to eight different technologies are combined for a ZEISS SmartLife Individual 3 lens:

2010: ZEISS IndividualFit technology

As early as 2010, the customer's visual needs, visual behavior and lifestyle were taken into account in the lens design for the first time. No eye trackers were used for the ZEISS IndividualFit technology yet. Individual data on anatomy and lifestyle through questioning, led to a specific lens design.

2014: ZEISS DriveSafe lenses

With the introduction of ZEISS DriveSafe lenses, fundamental changes in lens design occurred in 2014. The lens performance is task oriented as it supports the visual performance of the spectacle wearer while driving. Simulators were used to study eye movements during driving. Thus, for the first time, the design of eyeglass lenses was improved based on objective data.

2015: ZEISS Individual 2

With ZEISS Individual 2, the design of the progressive lens is adapted to the individuals main daily activities. The choice of three lens designs suits the wearer's needs. Optimization for the near zone and activities such as reading. Optimization for balanced vision for activities at a wide range of distances. And the optimization for dynamic vision at medium distances, such as for office work.

2018: ZEISS SmartLife lenses

ZEISS SmartLife goes beyond a specific, application-oriented approach as a portfolio for single vision, digital and progressive lenses. Based on scientific studies, the lenses are adapted to the visual needs of modern, dynamic and on- the-move lifestyles.

^Sources:

^{1 International Global Vision Study, Carl ZEISS Vision International GmbH, DE, 2020-2021. (Unpublished, data on file)}

^{2 Market consumer acceptance test on ZEISS SmartLife Individual 3 lens portfolio with n=172 study participants in DE, IT, CN by Carl Zeiss Vision International GmbH, DE 2022. (unpublished, data on file)}

^{3 In comparison with former ZEISS SmartLife Individual lenses.}