Essilor has launched the latest addition to its line of Varilux progressive lenses: Varilux Shift, designed with artificial intelligence (AI).
Nice! But first, let’s get a refresher on Varilux.
This progressive lens brand is designed for presbyopia patients aged 40+ to offer four key benefits:
- Sharp vision (for near and intermediate distances) equivalent to single-vision lenses
- Seamless transitions (near, far, and in-between)
- Wide field of vision
- Stability of vision in motion (for faster adaption with fewer distortions)
Their historical claim to fame: With their development traced back to 1959—though they didn’t make their U.S. debut until 1965—Varilux lenses were reportedly the very first progressive lenses to exist.
See here for a look at the current Varilux lens portfolio.
Now talk about this latest addition.
As Essilor noted, the visual behavior of today’s presbyope is “highly dynamic,” requiring approximately 150,000 focus shifts on a daily basis.
With that in mind: The company is debuting Varilux Shift as the “go-to entry-level” progressive lens in its Varilux portfolio, offering wearers a "smooth, natural (shift) across all viewing distances”—particularly to support an increase in digital device usage and their resulting vision needs.
Take note: This lens is not related to the Varilus XR Series, which launched in 2023 as a premium, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven, progressive lens.
Next up: its lens design.
Circling back to that AI component: This was used in the lens design to predict how gaze declination can vary across refractive errors and addition values.
Avanti Upponi, senior director of Lens Product Marketing, U.S. at Essilor, explained the reasoning:
“More than ever before, presbyopes today need a progressive lens solution that optimizes the placement of the near vision zone, provides a large far vision viewing area, and manages side effects—all while being easy to adapt to.”
Tell me more.
This design also integrates:
- Multi-Design by Ametropia: Enhances the lens design and progression length by a wearer’s ADD power and ametropia (myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism)
- Wearer Mode: Ensures wearers receive the correct optical power in real-world conditions by factoring in lens tilt, wrap angle, vertex distance, and eye position
See here for more details from the Varilux SHIFT product brochure.
And its embedded technology?
Most notably would be iComfort technology, which optimizes the position of the near vision zone to better align with a presbyope’s visual habits.
Per Essilor: “This provides wearers with easier access to the near vision zone and makes adaptation more intuitive.”
So how does this design benefit presbyopes?
For that answer, we’ll refer to some clinical data Essilor provided based on AI simulations comparing the Varilux Shift to standard progressive addition lenses (PAL).
The results from this analysis included Varilux Shift demonstrating:
- 34% improvement in design softness to minimize wearers’ “swim effect”
- Attributed to the lens’s reduction of lateral aberration peak
- 18% enlargement in far vision, resulting in a larger zone for distance vision
- Thanks to a maximized field of vision enlarged in vertical, creating a larger zone for wearer’s far vision
And from a regulatory standpoint, is this lens registered with the FDA?
Varilux SHIFT, like other progressive addition lenses, is exempt from FDA premarket review as a Class I device—so in other words: it is not an FDA-cleared or -approved product.
To note: Essilor is actually the maker of Essilor Stellest, the first eyeglass lens to receive FDA authorization.
Duly noted. So where can this be purchased?
For patients: Click here to find an eyecare provider. And for ECPs: Reach out to Essilor for information on how to add the Varilux SHIFT to your offerings.