FREE-FORM TECH offers flexibility and customized optical zones so lens designers can create what you need, says Michael Vitale, VP of technical affairs at The Vision Council. “I tell opticians and technicians you can create a task-specific lens for anyone.” Options include inverting a progressive lens for a mechanic or giving gamers a power boost single vision lens, which offers a slight additional power when looking down to help relax the eyes. Filters have a positive impact too. “True polarized filters come in different colors and block out wavelengths … that negatively impact the task you’re doing,” he says.
Costa
The angler is wearing frames from the Ocean Ridge 400 Series with Costa Clear Waypoint prescription lenses that come in single vision and progressive. The lenses have a shield to help prevent buildup of any type of moisture—sweat or saltwater.
(855) 692-6782 | costadelmar.com
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Transitions
Transitions XTRActive polarized lenses in photochromic can be used for outdoor sports activities and for protection from digital screens indoors due to their blue light filtering capabilities.
(800) 848-1506 | transitions.com
Shamir
Shamir InTouch lens is designed specifically for digital use. It’s an everyday progressive lens with a power profile optimized to a patient’s head, eye, and hand postures that can deliver visual clarity in all viewing zones.
(877) 514-8330 | shamir.com
Zeiss
ZEISS DriveSafe lenses automatically come with ZEISS BlueGuard, which effectively guards against harmful blue light and offers UV protection. Using an optimized lens design and a special coating, DriveSafe can make driving a more relaxed experience.
Maui Jim
Maui Jim’s Red Sands style, part of its PureAir collection, features a full yet lightweight nylon frame and adjustable rubber nose pad with MauiPure lens material that is ultra-lightweight and scratch- and shatter-resistant.
(888) 666-5905 | mauijim.com
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Gunnar Optiks
GUNNAR’s ESL Blade Lite gaming glasses are specifically designed for youth aged 12+. Based on the GUNNAR adult frame ESL Blade, ESL Blade Lite affords teens the same eye protection while playing and competing at any level.
(888) 486-6270 | gunnar.com
Oakley
Oakley’s new Re:SubZero is a lightweight frame designed specifically for running or training. The sunglasses come with Prizm Lens Technology to enhance color and contrast in a shield lens design. Runner Andre de Grasse wears them here.
(800) 403-7449 | oakley.com
Smart Ways to Sell Task-Specific Lenses
Kenneth DavenportJackson Davenport Vision Center, Summerville, SC
We’re located near beaches and lakes so most of our patients like to do water activities. Typically, we ask what they want to do with their glasses. Work on the computer, go golfing, boating, cycling? If they’re doing an outdoor activity, we recommend polarized sun lenses because they perform better and last longer. A mature golfer wants to be able to read a score card, so they need a lens with more distance and plenty of room to swing a club. Most of the time we recommend a progressive lens designed specifically for golfing. For a cyclist who needs more contrast we might recommend a brown polarized lens for trail riding and a gray polarized lens with a mirror for road riding. We like high wrap frames from Costa, Oakley, and Maui Jim, and lenses compensated for wraps like Oakley’s Prizm, Costa’s Waypoint, and Maui Jim’s MauiPure for progressives or MauiBrilliant in Trivex.
Daniel Brunson Hicks Brunson Eyewear, Tulsa, OK
Task lenses indoors, especially if you’re at the computer or on a digital device, need to filter out negative blue light to avoid eyestrain. Transitions XTRActive polarized lenses filter out a significant percentage of blue light indoors and outside so they’re a good all-purpose lens. They can be used for an early morning run, a bike ride, or when driving because they have windscreen activation. Colored lenses also work for specific sports; a Transitions brown lens makes the contours of the road sharper when cycling and running and a Transitions graphite green lens brings out the sharpness of the golf ball against the green. I also recommend Rudy Project for running and cycling and a Maui Jim polarized sun lens for golfing.
