-Pete Hanlin, ABOM, LDOEssilor of America Overview Progressive Lens Formats Traditional PALs Digital PALs ( ) Patient Benefits of Varilux DRx PALs Varilux Physio DRx New Varilux Comfort DRx Practice Benefits of Varilux DRx The Power of Premium Products Strategy for Sustainable Growth This presentation has been approved by the American Board of Opticianry for one hour of continuing education credit. These notes and slides are being provided to educators and speakers for use in Essilor sponsored presentations. Use of these descriptions, images, and slides in other presentations is permitted (and encouraged), but any alterations to the content of this presentation should be approved by Essilor of America. Please contact Pete Hanlin at
[email protected] if there are any questions regarding the information or use of this presentation. At the completion of this presentation, the attendee should be able to: 1.) Discriminate between traditional and digital surfacing technologies and processes. 2.) Describe the patient benefits of each Varilux DRx product. 3.) Understand the importance of brands and level of need to the recommendation of ophthalmic products. Traditional PALs have a design (D) which is molded onto the front of the lens, and a distance power (d) which is created by traditional surfacing on the back. A back side digitally surfaced PAL (such as Varilux DRx products) has a spherical front surface, with both the progressive design (D) and distance power (d) digitally generated onto the back surface. Progressive Lens Formats Traditional PAL D d Design molded on front distance power surfaced on back d D (Back Side Digital) PAL Design digitally surfaced on back distance power digitally surfaced on back Greater Precision Traditional PAL The design determines the ultimate performance of a PAL... ...delivering the design precisely ensures the patient D d experiences the design to the fullest! d D Traditional Varilux lenses are clinically proven as the best PAL designs. Varilux DRx lenses deliver designs with greater precision. The quality of the design determines the performance of a PALNOT the format. “Conventional Wisdom” has become that digitally surfaced progressives are somehow inherently better than their traditional counterparts. In many cases, this is a completely erroneous assumption. An apt analogy can be found in musical formats. The quality of music is mostly determined by quality of the actual performance and musical composition- NOT by the format upon which the music is recorded. Yes, a CD can provide better sound quality than a cassette tape- however, a CD with poor quality music (thinking “New Kids on the Block” here ☺) will not perform as well as higher quality music (Billy Joel) on a cassette tape. On the other hand, Billy Joel music sounds better on a CD than on a cassette. There are some truly forgettable back side digitally surfaced designs on the market (and with the low cost of introduction, the market should expect to see many generic so-so quality PAL designs in the next few years). Varilux designs have proven quality- so the quality of the music is there. Adding digital surfacing technology simply makes the music even clearer! What is Digital Surfacing? The polishing tool is the main difference between digital & traditional surfacing. Rigid Polishing Tool Soft Polishing Tool Traditional Surfacing This is the Traditional Surfacing process... SF Blank Blocking Taping Generating Traditional Surfacing Tool Selection = Fining / Polishing Ironically, the biggest difference between digital and traditional surfacing is NOT found in the generator- but in the polishing tools! Traditional surfacing uses a rigid tool to fine and polish a finished curve into the surface of a lens. While this method of production is well established (and is still used to create the highest-quality optical lenses used in telescopes and microscopes), it does limit the lens to spherical and simple cylindrical shapes. In digital surfacing, fining is completed in the generator itself (because the surface produced by a digital generator is already “fined”)- so polishing can be executed with a soft “sponge” (which is actually a high-tech device consisting of springs and strictly controlled spongy material). While it is more difficult to control the quality of a design when it is polished with a soft surface, it does allow for an infinite number of surface shapes and features. In traditional surfacing, a PAL starts as a molded semi-finished lens. The design has already been molded onto the front surface, and all the laboratory has to do is surface and fine/polish the appropriate distance power into the back of the lens to turn it into a finished progressive lens. The molded surface contains markings which identify and locate the design on the lens- these markings are contained on the mold itself, so if the markings say a lens is a 4.00 Base 1.75 ADD Varilux Comfort, then that is what the lens is- guaranteed. The SF blank receives a protective layer of tape before being placed in a blocker- which casts an alloy block of metal to the surface of the lens (providing a holding surface for the generator). The blocked lens is then placed in the generator, which surfaces a spherical or simple cylindrical surface into the back of the lens. At this point, the surface must be fined and polished- which is accomplished by rigid tools. These tools are inventoried in the laboratory in 0.10 diopter increments, which means the finished curve on the back surface of the lens may be off by as much as 0.05-0.06 diopters due to “rounding errors.” After the lens is polished, the result is a finished progressive lens. Traditional surfacing is a wellestablished process which can be very tightly controlled with relative ease. A back side digitally surfaced PAL starts out as a semi-finished single vision blank (usually with a spherical front surface). The first step is engraving the design location and identification marks into the lens (note that- unlike traditional surfacing, it is completely possible that an engraving can be “incorrect” if the design placed on the lens is not the correct type or location relative to the engraving). The engraved lens is then taped and blocked in a similar fashion as that used in traditional surfacing. In the digital generator, the lens is turned as a single point cutter removes material. The cutter is “free” to “form” any surface (thus the moniker “freeform”), since it can move in x,y, and z directions). The surface created in the generator can be anything from a simple sphere to a complex progressive/aspheric surface. Additionally, if the cutting surface and feed rate have been well-controlled, the surface quality of the lens will emerge from the generator already fined. At this point, a soft polishing tool (already described) is used to polish the surface without altering it. This is an important distinction- in traditional surfacing, the final quality of the surface is formed by the rigid tool (fine and polish it long enough, and the lens will end up the physical shape of the rigid tool). In digital surfacing, the final intended surface design is created in the generator and the Digital Surfacing This is the Traditional Surfacing process... SF Blank Engraving / Inspection Taping Digital Surfacing Tool Selection Blocking Polishing Generating = objective of polishing is to clarify the surface WITHOUT altering it. This requires strict control of the pressure, density, and baume of the sponge and polish. If anything is “out of spec” during polishing, the quality of the finished surface will be compromised. Once the lens is polished, it is a finished progressive lens. Note that digital surfacing itself does not add anything to the design- it is possible to make EXACTLY the same lens with traditional and digital processes. Increased Tool Capability Traditional Surfacing uses physical tools Molds for complex front surfaces Laps/Tools for simple back surfaces Digital Surfacing uses "digital" tools (files) A digital file defines the shape- not a physical tool Distance Power and/or Progressive Design Progressive Design Distance Power Traditional surfacing uses physical tools (molds and laps/tools). Therefore, the number of designs is physically limited (it is impractical to create millions of different tools to create different surfaces, so the designer is limited to 144 molds and a 1,000 or so laps). In DS, there is only one physical tool- surface designs are stored in computer files (and its relatively easy to store millions of design files). So, the designer is free to create more designs in a DS format. Digital surfacing is capable of producing very precise surfaces (but only when tightly controlled). How precise? A surface can be accurate to as close as 0.1nm (nanometer) of the surface intended by the designer. The graphic depicts 0.1mm (the large circle) to give a scale as to how small 0.1nm is… Varilux DRx lenses are created using a state of the art digital surfacing process, so they are extremely accurate (theoretically to within 0.01 diopter of the ordered power). The other advantage of digital surfacing is its inherent “flexibility.” The lack of a rigid tool means almost ANY surface can be created. This means the designer is free to specify an individual design for each patient (assuming s/he knows something specific to that individual to design to). In traditional surfacing, the designer is limited to 72 basic designs (which still allows the designer to create a design which works very well for each Rxbut does limit the amount of customization possible for each lens). Varilux DRx lenses take advantage of the flexibility of digital surfacing by individually calculating the near inset for each lens. Early progressives (and some designs today) used a standard 2.5mm inset for the near to position the near zone in front of the eyes while reading (since the eyes converge when viewing near objects). However, varying prismatic effects and reading distances produced by each Rx mean that 2.5mm is NOT the correct inset for the vast majority of wearers (the ideal inset varies from about 0.9-4.1mm per eye). Varilux lenses have long had a varied inset (actually, it was a patented feature since Varilux Comfort), but the inset variation is still limited to the 72 base curve/ADD combinations. Within each of the 72 combinations, the specific required inset can vary by as much as 0.8mm- with Varilux DRx, the inset is precisely calculated and applied for each individual Rx. Greater Precision Varilux DRx lenses are precise to within 0.1µm of the intended design. 1 µm 0.1 µm . Reference: 0.1 mm ( =100 µm ) Greater Flexibility Digital formats also give designers the flexibility to design to every Rx... Each Varilux DRx lens is designed to precisely position the near zone in the optimal position for the patient's individual Rx. Performance for the Patient There are four Varilux DRx designs Varilux Physio DRx New Varilux Comfort DRx Each design offers proven patient benefits All were created through There are four Varilux DRx designs: Varilux Physio DRx, Varilux Physio Short DRx, New Varilux Comfort DRx, and New Varilux Comfort Short DRx. Each of these designs provide clinically proven benefits to the wearer (and the design is the most important factor in determining the performance of the finished lens). The quality of the design springs from the process used to design Varilux lenses- Live Optics. Critical to the performance of every back side digital lens are three things – Design, Lens, and Process. Only Varilux DRx lenses have all three to create the best performing back side digitally surfaced lens available. Design – Superior Varilux designs Lens – High quality Essilor semi-finished single vision lenses are REQUIRED to produce and Varilux DRx lens – Without consistency in the lens, how can you have consistency in the final product? Process – Essilor Digital Surfacing Process Control (DSPC) is a total quality assurance system maintaining Varilux quality and performance in every lens. Essilor is the only manufacturer to mandate a specific SFSV lens be used for a back side digital design. This does limit the number of substrates and colors available (for example, it is not possible to order a green polarized Varilux DRx lens, because there is no approved green polarized SFSV blank). Many manufacturers place no restrictions on the SFSV blank used to create their back side digitally surfaced PALs, which is attractive from the point that laboratory and/or ECP can order virtually any type of substrate or color. However, many blanks which are fine for the creation of a single vision lens do not have the surface quality or consistency required to produce a consistently high quality progressive lens. Think of it this way- if you projected this presentation on a screen that had imperfections (bumps, slant, curvature), those imperfections would show through on the projected image. These imperfections might be acceptable for very simple images (e.g., a screen with just one color- let’s say red). However, the imperfections would disrupt complex images (text, pictures, etc.). This is why Essilor tightly controls the blanks used to create Varilux DRx lenses- because imperfections in the blank will lead to imperfections in the design quality. In statistics this is known as a “Box and Whiskers” Plot Astigmatism is just one way to probe the quality of semi-finished lenses if a semi-finished single vision was perfect astigmatism should be 0,00 DP (french use “,” instead of “.”) The lowest average value and the lowest dispersion will lead to a better product because the surface of the semi-finished will be controlled. This means that error in the design will be any DS surfacing error + semifinished inconsistencies.. Keys to Varilux DRx Performance Design Varilux Lens Essilor SFSV Process Essilor DSPC Lens Essilor SFSV Lenses High quality Essilor SFSV lenses required Exact curvature improves design accuracy maintains design integrity improves product consistency Competitive processes do not require dedicated SFSV blank: Allows for greater product range, but… Reduces precision in the finished product Lens Not all SFSV lenses are the same Different manufacturers have different levels of astigmatism in their SV lenses (lower mean is better) 95% of the lenses are represented by the box (a smaller box is better) The entire range is represented by the line (a shorter line is better) How can the end product be consistent if the beginning lens blank is not consistent? For base curves 0.50 to 8.50 Process Essilor DSPC Proprietary Essilor Digital Surfacing Process Control (DSPC) A complete quality assurance system Every laboratory required to test/calibrate processes daily The Result of DSPC: Ensures consistency in the application of design Delivers Varilux performance and quality Offers reproducibility from lab to lab If the process is not controlled, the design will not be accurate. No other manufacturer has invested more in R&D of digital surfacing processes. DSPC ensures that the surfacing equipment at every DS lab producing Varilux lenses is calibrated every day and the processes used to create the lens are capable of the highest levels of control and consistency. Process Increased Precision DS processes must be tightly controlled UNCONTROLLED TRADITIONAL SURFACING UNCONTROLLED DIGITAL SURFACING + DISTANCE POWER - DESIGN + - Design + Process variations usually affect only the distance power of traditionally surfaced lenses. When DS is used to create a PAL design, process variations will affect the design Process Increased Precision The DS process is capable of greater precision than traditional surfacing + DISTANCE POWER TRADITIONAL SURFACING +/-0.12D +/-0.06D Varilux DRx™ & DualOptix™ - DESIGN + - DESIGN + Traditional tooling creates "rounding errors" which cause up to 0.06D of distance power error Digital tooling can be accurate to within 0.01D of target powers When the surfacing process is not tightly controlled, the variations increase. This is especially problematic for digital surfacing, where even a slight lack of calibration between the surfacing file and the surfacing equipment can result in significant variation in the accuracy of the design. In traditional surfacing, a bad process will only affect distance power (represented on the target vertically)- because the design itself is molded on the front of the lens and is not generally affected by the laboratory’s surfacing process. However, in a digitally surfacing back side PAL, any error in the process will affect both the distance power AND the design itself- because the laboratory is creating everything on the back surface. In traditional surfacing, the molded nature of the lens ensures that design will be almost perfectly accurate every time. However, since traditional surfacing uses physical tools that are inventoried in 0.10 increments, "rounding" will result in up to 0.06D deviations in distance power. Since digital surfacing is accurate to within 0.01D, the control of power is tighter. But even with the tightest digital surfacing process, there is slightly greater potential for design variation. The effects of poor processing control are not simply theoretical. The left image shows a comparison of two traditionally formatted PALs created in a traditional laboratory (the top bar shows the sphere and cylinder plots of the first lens, second bar shows the sphere/cyl for the second lens, third bar shows the comparison- if they are perfectly identical, there will be a single color across the entire plot). The result is, the traditional lenses are virtually identical. On the right, we have two lenses created in a digital surfacing laboratory (same design as the traditional, same power, etc.). First of all, notice the design does NOT appear to be the samesecondly, notice the two lenses are not the same. With all the talk about individualization and accuracy, we have to stop and wonder “if they can’t make two identical lenses appear the same, how are they going to be providing these minute levels of promised customization????” Personally, I would much rather wear one of the traditionally surfaced lenses (I’ll happily deal with the 0.05 diopter error on the distance power). Process "6x more accurate" DS potentially has greater accuracy- but it is harder to control. Essilor has invested millions in DS process R&D, because an uncontrolled DS process produces unreliable product! - Before we all panic, it IS possible to tightly control digital surfacing. On the left are the same traditional lenses- on the right are digitally surfaced lenses done in a well-controlled laboratory (note the designs look much truer to the intended design and are virtually identical- just like the traditional lenses). I’ll be happy to wear the digital lenses on the right! Design Live Optics Design Process How did we discover these new visual needs? Through our proprietary LIVE OPTICS PROCESS As you all know this process begins and ends with HUMAN VISION…the true visual need of the wearer. Design Live Optics Design Process Body Head Eye Movement system (BoHEM) Designing better progressives through live research Varilux® Virtual Reality (VVR) Design New Varilux Comfort DRx provides: Fast adaptation Natural Head Posture Easy Focus Minimal Distortion Here are examples of two R&D tools that were employed in the Live Optics Process The BoHEM technology enables us to capture how people move their head, body and eyes in real world conditions Not only that, since the technology is mobile we can test the effect on the wearer’s dynamic vision We also have Varilux Virtual Reality where we can test hundreds of designs on wearers quickly and efficiently throughout the design process. New Varilux Comfort was redesigned in 2010 to better meet the visual demands of modern life. The key benefits of New Varilux Comfort are: faster adaptation, natural head posture, and easy access to near vision with low peripheral distortion. Designed to meet the visual the demands of modern life! Design Natural Head Posture Patients have a natural head posture while reading. When reading, people naturally: • Look down with the head 1 1 2 What is “natural head posture?” It is the natural posture we take while reading. First, the head tilts down to look “at” the near material- then the eyes make small movements up and down to scan the page. • Then scan with the eyes2 This is how you instinctively read if you do not wear glasses. Design Natural Head Posture Most PALs require an unnatural head position. Most progressive lenses require the wearer to: • Look down with the eyes 1 1 2 2 1 • Scan with their head 2 This is neither comfortable nor natural. Design Natural Head Posture New Varilux Comfort DRx restores natural vision. New Varilux Comfort DRx • Allows wearer to use a natural posture 2 1 • Corrects blur at far, intermediate, near • AND Minimizes distortion Unfortunately, most progressive lenses do not permit a natural head posture, because their progression length requires the wearer to hold the head upright, while looking down through the lens. This posture creates strain on the extra-ocular muscleswhich begin to strain when the eye rotates downward more than 25 degrees. Although a wearer can “adjust to” using excessive downward eye movements, the head posture required to read with most progressive lenses will never feel “natural.” This leads to increased adaptation time. New Varilux Comfort allows the wearer to come closer to the natural head posture while reading- increasing comfort while reading, and decreasing adaptation time. It accomplishes this with a short progression which has minimal peripheral distortion (the new design is both shorter than the original Varilux Comfort AND has less peripheral distortion). Design Natural Head Posture To provide natural posture, the near area must be placed as high as possible However, moving the near area higher (by shortening the progression) creates more distortion With Varilux Comfort® DRx near area is high in the lens and distortion is minimized through patented design technology How New Varilux Comfort DRx restores natural head posture. 1. 2. 3. 1 2 3 US Patents #5488442, #5270745 Design Easy Focus Visual tasks have evolved: Vision in the 1990s involved “long duration” activities: Driving Reading Watching television Field of Vision Distance Vision Intermediate Vision Near Vision driving Typical Day 1994 TV reading reading reading reading Time of Day Making the progression shorter allows the head to tilt down farther while reading- but shorter progressions lead to increased levels of unwanted distortion/astigmatism in the periphery (leading to “swim”). New Varilux Comfort maximizes the technology found in the original Varilux Comfort patents which allow Varilux to have less unwanted distortion than any other progressive having the same progression length. In other words, to match the reduction of distortion found in Varilux products, competitors must lengthen their progressions- which impairs natural head posture. Why did we need to change Vx Comfort? Not because there was anything wrong with design, but because of the environment around us In 1994, we were using our vision differently than we are today We spent more time in each distance, and switched distances less often At the bottom is an illustration of the pattern of visual behavior in 1994. These are some examples of the types of visual positions that were more common in ‘94. Design Easy Focus Visual Activities - 1994 Design Easy Focus Visual Activities - 2010 Our environment has changed, and things like modern technological devices have changed our visual needs. Even if an ECP says their older patients don’t text or use iPhones, they are still affecting by the small screens they have to use at the ATM, the gas station, or the grocery store Technology has changed our visual needs and we some times don’t even realize it! Design Easy Focus Today’s technology has changed the way we use our vision: Today, we switch between visual fields quicker, more often, and spend less time in each visual distance Quicker transitions More near activities Less time at one distance Field of Vision Distance Vision Intermediate Vision Near Vision driving GPS text Typical Day 2010 PC cell call reading remote Time of Day Design Easy Focus Live Optics has identified design solutions to the visual demands of modern life. Field of Vision Distance Vision Intermediate Vision Near Vision driving Typical Day 1994 TV reading reading reading reading Time of Day Field of Vision Distance Vision Intermediate Vision Near Vision driving GPS text Typical Day 2010 This change in our environment has happened gradually, so gradually you don’t really notice it until you stop and think about it. But when you compare the difference in visual patterns side-byside, you really see the challenge that New Varilux Comfort has been updated to meet. PC cell call reading remote Time of Day Design New Varilux Comfort DRx New, improved design easy access near zone wider distance wider near smoother periphery Measurable benefits improved adaptation easy access to near quick zone transition To summarize the benefits of New Varilux Comfort DRx, the progression length has been shortened- which promotes a more natural head posture and allows the wearer easier access to near vision. In addition, peripheral distortion has been simultaneously reduced- leading to quicker near access. Finally, the distance and near zones have been widened. Design Proven Performance New Varilux Comfort DRx provides measurably better performance! Another example of the power of Varilux Comfort is that it’s clinically proven! Here are results of tests we all know where Varilux Comfort was preferred over competitive PALs that were launched in some cases more than a decade later Varilux Comfort Tested Against: FBS #SS introduced in 2007 Varilux Comfort preferred >4:1 over FBS design New Varilux Comfort Tested Against: FBS #SS introduced in 2007 New Varilux Comfort preferred 26:0 over FBS digital design Clinical results confirm the improvements of New Varilux Comfort on real wearers. New Varilux Comfort Short DRx Specifically designed for smaller frames wider distance zone shorter progression MFH = 14mm Benefits (in smaller frames) easy adaptation natural vision We all know that the width of the distance area is the single most important factor for a short-corridor PAL. The size of the distance zone on New Varilux Comfort Short has been increased by 24% over Varilux Ellipse New Varilux Comfort Short DRx Live Optics testing has repeatedly demonstrated distance area is crucial for wearer satisfaction in small frames! New Varilux Comfort Short provides a wider distance angle compared to all non-Varilux competitors. New Varilux Comfort Short DRx provides a wider distance angle than other back side digitally surfaced PALs. New Varilux Comfort DRx- Summary New Varilux Comfort DRx provides: Natural Head Posture while reading quick adaptation natural vision Solutions for modern visual demands wider distance & near zones smooth periphery for quicker transitions New Varilux Comfort DRx provides natural head posture with wider fields of vision and greater access to near vision. These are benefits which have been repeatedly proven in clinical trials (both against the original Varilux Comfort and vs. competitive premium lenses). Delivered precisely to the wearer's needs Benefits are measurable on real wearers proven in numerous independent tests Design Varilux Physio DRx provides: Fast Adaptation Natural Head Posture Easy Focus Minimal Distortion Varilux Physio DRx provides all the benefits of New Varilux Comfort- and adds the benefits of W.A.V.E. Technology (wavefront advanced vision enhancement). Those benefits are: sharper vision, improved contrast, and wider fields of vision. Plus W.A.V.E. Technology Clearer, Sharper Vision Improved Contrast Wider Fields of Vision Design W.A.V.E. Technology Wavefront Advanced Vision Enhancement Reduced higher order aberrations (HOAs) Improved contrast sensitivity function (CSF) What is W.A.V.E. Technology, and how is it different from other “wavefront” technologies? W.A.V.E. Technology reduces the level of higher order aberrations (HOA) in the lens- which provides increased contrast sensitivity (sharpness). Design W.A.V.E. Technology Optical System of a Presbyope Ocular Structures (1) Ophthalmic Lens (2) HOAs cannot be reduced in the eye. HOAs can be reduced in the lens. Reduction of HOA in the lens reduces aberration in the system, & provides measurably sharper vision. 1 2 Design W.A.V.E. Technology How do HOAs affect vision? It is important to understand that HOAs in the eye can not be addressed with a spectacle lens (due to the vertex distance between the lens and the eye). Both Ophthonix and Zeiss iScription measure the HOAs of the eye- then provide a lower order Rx (sphere and cylinder). However, the HOAs within the Ophthonix and iScription lenses is not reduced- resulting in decreased contrast sensitivity/sharpness. W.A.V.E. Technology reduces higher order aberrations in the lens- which reduces HOAs in the visual system as a whole (with measurable increases in contrast sensitivity and sharpness for the wearer). Here’s a visual example of how W.A.V.E. Technology works… HOAs are like “tiny distortions” on the lens (just like tiny ripples on a lake). The lake still provides a relatively good reflection even with the tiny ripples- but it is not quite as sharp as it would be if the ripples were removed. This is how progressives work as well- tiny aberrations in a progressive lens diminish the crispness of the image produced by the lens. Measuring aberration of the eye is interesting- and produces a nice aberrometry image to show the patient. However, it provides little of value for the improvement of the progressive lens- especially when aberrations within the lens itself are being left unresolved. Reduction of aberrations in the progressive lens is not as “visually interesting” to the patient (there is no cool aberrometry image to hand them), but results in measurably better vision! In 2006, the American Academy of Ophthalmology reviewed independent research which demonstrated W.A.V.E. Technology provides a significant visual benefit to progressive wearers. The result was a poster presented at the AAO annual conference (which was awarded poster of the year, btw). In 2010, W.A.V.E. Technology 2 was also reviewed- and again awarded a poster (these are the only two ophthalmic products to ever earn status as a presented technology by the AAO). As stated earlier, W.A.V.E. Technology results in lower levels of HOA in the lens itself. This graphic (taken from the AAO 2010 poster) demonstrates the level of HOAs found in Varilux Physio DRx vs. numerous premium competitors (including at least two which claim to have a wavefront benefit in their lenses). reduces HOAsimage sharpness. HOAs reduce and improves sharpness. Design W.A.V.E. Technology HOAs in the lens still reduce sharpness W.A.V.E. Technology reduces HOAs Other "wavefront" lenses measure HOAs in the eye Only W.A.V.E. Technology reduces HOAs in the lens Reduced HOAs provides measurable visual improvement Measuring HOA in the eye ≠ reducing HOA in the visual system. Design W.A.V.E. Technology W.A.V.E. Technology provides proven benefits 2006 American Academy of Ophthalmology poster Design W.A.V.E. Technology W.A.V.E. Technology provides proven benefits "Clinical studies indicate the advances in progressive lens design achieved through wavefront optimization correlate to an improved visual experience for presbyopes." Lens A Lens B Lens C Lens D Design Proven Performance Numerous studies confirm the superior performance of Varilux Physio DRx. Clinical study conducted in Spain. Clinical study conducted in U.K. The design performance of Varilux Physio DRx has been independently compared to premium competitive progressives in independent clinical studies. In Spain, Varilux Physio was compared to Hoyalux iD. Not only did wearers rank Varilux Physio higher- but the range of responses was tighter (Hoyalux iD averaged 7.5, but had scores as low as 5.9- Varilux Physio was ranked between 7.9 and 10.0). Likewise, comparisons with Zeiss Individual in the UK demonstrated satisfaction levels which were higher with Varilux Physio. Design Varilux Physio Short DRx Specifically designed for smaller frames wider distance zone shorter progression MFH = 14mm Benefits (in smaller frames) sharper vision easy adaption natural vision Design Varilux Physio Short DRx Live Optics testing has repeatedly demonstrated distance area is crucial for wearer satisfaction in small frames! Once again, width of distance vision is crucial in small frames. Varilux Physio Short DRx has an even wider distance zone than New Varilux Comfort Short DRx! Varilux Physio Short DRx provides a wider distance angle than other back side digitally surfaced PALs. Design Varilux Physio Short DRx Live Optics provided crucial findings which led to a better short corridor PAL 23 Progression Length ° Comp D 22 21 20 19 18 17 (2002) Comp B (1999) Comp C (2000) (1998) Extensive R&D has demonstrated the keys to wearer satisfaction in small frames is a combination of short progression and width of distance field. This is a graphic representation of the superiority of Varilux Physio Short DRx in these key design areas. SHORTER Comp E Comp A (2007) Varilux Physio Short DRx 100 110 120 130 140 150 80 90 Width of Distance Field ° W I D E R Design Varilux Physio DRx- Summary Varilux Physio DRx provides: W.A.V.E. Technology reduced HOA levels measurably sharper vision PLUS the benefits of New Varilux Comfort DRx natural head posture quick adaptation To summarize Varilux Physio DRx- all the benefits of New Varilux Comfort DRx are provided- PLUS the sharper, wider vision provided by W.A.V.E. Technology. Most importantly, these benefits are measureable on real wearers in independent clinical trials. Delivered precisely to the wearer's needs Benefits are measurable on real wearers proven in numerous independent tests Varilux DRx- Practice Benefits All businesses live by a simple equation: Retail Price - Cost of Profit = Goods per Sale Product Service Experience All of the Above Regardless of whether the business provides a... There are a lot of back side digital products on the marketincluding many “generic” and competitive offerings. Why should the private practitioner use Varilux DRx? ALL businesses live by a simple equation- regardless of whether the business provides products, services, or a blend of the two (like an Optometric practice)… The business sells a service or product for a certain price, pays a certain price, and banks the difference. Ah, but there is one ADDITIONAL component to the equationvolume! Volume determines what the markup must be to remain a viable business. Also, volume is often represented by repeat business in the Optometric practice, so the consumer (patient) must be kept happy. For example, the Rolex business model involves high retail prices, high costs of production- but low volume (most high end sales involve lower volumes). Rolex only sells 2,000 watches per day (vs. 300,000 for Citizen), but is tremendously profitable due to the high profit per sale. Numerous optical boutiques use this model. You can also strive to reduce cost of goods and pass the savings on to the customer. Of course, this means you have to have really high volume (because the profit per sale is relatively low). Walmart has perfected this strategy (including in the optical – which is why this is a very tough model for a private optometric practice- Walmart is doing it pretty much as well as it can be done). “What if I could reduce my cost of goods- but still charge a high price?” This is an oft asked question in business, and it tempting for obvious reasons. In 1982, Cadillac decided to take the Chevy Cavalier platform, add some trim, and sell it as a Cadillac. Although the car cost about the same as a Cavalier to produce, Cadillac sold it for nearly twice the retail price of a Cavalier. 25,000 were sold the first year- with huge profits per unit sold, and the results were… DEVASTATING! The problem was the product didn’t live up to the price… in fact, in a survey of Cadillac Cimmaron buyers, 25% of those who described themselves as “Cadillac loyal” vowed to “never buy a Cadillac again.” One short term profit lost a long term customer because the performance did not match the expectations. Because of this, and other horrible business decisions, Cadillac lost nearly ½ of its market share between 1979-97. When practitioners try generic or competitive lenses, we often hear “well, it must be working well, because no one is bringing the lenses back.” Note that GM consumers did not “bring their Cadillac Cimmarons back,” they just didn’t come back. The real effect of a dissatisfied customer is only felt two years later in the Ophthalmic Retail business. High Quality Business Model Sustainability involves one additional component: Retail Price HIGH - Cost of Profit = Goods per Sale HIGH HIGH X Volume LOW The equation can be worked numerous ways... Rolex watches are: • Expensive ($6,000 avg. price) • Costly to build (>115 parts / mvmt.) • $3B annual sales • Sales volumes are relatively low (2,000/day vs. 300,000/day by Citizen) Low Price Business Model Sustainability involves one additional component: Retail Price LOW - Cost of Profit = Goods per Sale LOW LOW X Volume (RIDICULOUSLY) HIGH The equation can be worked numerous ways... The Wal-Mart business model is: • Least expensive price • Least expensive source • Modest profit per sale • Incredibly high volume Devastating Business Model Sustainability involves one additional component: Retail Price HIGH - Cost of Profit = Goods per Sale LOW HUGE X Volume (DEVASTATING)* Obviously, profit could be increased by maintaining price- while reducing COG... The 1982-88 Cadillac Cimmaron was: • $13,000 (almost 2x a Chevy Cavalier) • Built on a cheap platform • Produced huge profit per sale • Sold 25,000+ units its 1 st year* *25% of "Cadillac loyal" customers who purchased indicated they would "never buy a Cadillac again." Business Model Case Study Cutting quality/cost does not provide sustained profitability. Cadillac owned 3.8% of the market in 1979 Cimmaron was sold from 1982-1988 Cadillac owned 2.2% of the market in 1997 The big winners? Lexus, Acura, Infinity "No one is returning the product- so it must be fine..." Cadillac customers didn't return their Cimmarons They just didn't return (period) Cadillac is currently making a comeback (with higher quality cars) A Profitable Strategy Building Perception of Value is a proven strategy. Perception of Value is based upon: Quality Service Level of Need Convenience Price VALUE The best business strategy involves building perception of value. Perception of Value (POV) is the concept a consumer has of a product, and is involved in every purchase decision. Note that price (for the American consumer) is RARELY the primary driver of POV (only occurring when all other factors are considered equal- i.e., commodity products). Perception of Value Quality Quality is a perception area where the private care practitioner clearly has an advantage… …over 66% of ophthalmic consumers in the US choose a private care practitioner for examination services …your personal brand as an eye care practitioner is the cause- patients trust your brand! Perception of Value Quality Only 40% of ophthalmic consumers choose private care practitioners for eyecare products… …this indicates a consumer’s lack of perception regarding product quality …branding is a solution to this perception problem! Perception of Value Quality Brands are valuable to consumers- they assist in creating quality expectations and make choices easier… …the typical grocery store has over 35,000 items- but consumers purchase the same 80 or so over and over- due to brand preference! The branded products you provide differentiate your practice & attract repeat business- IF you use them! Perception of Value Level of Need Level of Need has a huge effect on perception of value… …consumers value things they can’t live without- resulting in far less price resistance! Brands are the single most important factor in consumer perception of quality. In fact, this is demonstrable in ophthalmic retail industry, where 67% of consumers go to private practitioners for exam services- because patients trust the brand (name) of their doctor. Rather than going to a big box, consumers prefer to go to the name brand represented by an individual doctor. Even though all doctors go to the same schools, receive the same training, and often use the same equipment, consumers value the brand represented by a doctor’s name. Unfortunately, consumers have no perception of brands when it comes to ophthalmic products- which may explain why only 40% of the eyewear sold in the US is sold by private practitioners. Consumers believe eyewear is basically a commodity, and they head to the big box where they feel they will get a cheaper price. Their perception of value is based almost solely on price, because differences in quality have not been presented. Branding is the answer to this problem. Inform consumers that there are brands, and which brands you sell, and make your brands work for you. Here’s an example of branding in your own life… The average grocery store has 35,000+ items, yet the average consumer can complete their shopping in less than an hour! Brands are the reason- if I say “spaghetti sauce,” most of you either just thought “Ragu” or “Prego.” Brands help us know what to look for… So, if you sell a patient a “progressive lens,” and they are delighted with their vision- what do they look for next time they purchase eyewear? That’s right, a progressive lens (which can be purchased for $79 from a big box). If you sell them a “Varilux lens,” and they are delighted with their vision, they look for a Varilux in the future (and they know they can find Varilux at your office). Level of Need is another HUGE driver of POV. If you need something, your perception of its value increases. For example, in the early 80s, if banks had tried to charge a $2.00 fee to use their brand new ATMs, no one would have paid the fee (because no one “needed” an ATM in 1985- people were used to going to tellers and planning cash withdrawals ahead of time). So, the banks first got us all “addicted” to ATMs at no cost… then, when we “couldn’t live without them,” they started charging us… and we pay! Perception of Value Level of Need Crizal, Xperio, and Transitions all have reorder rates of over 95%… …patients who try these products continue to buy these products! The key is to gain patient trial! Perception of Value Price Price is the lowest common denominator- it comes into play when all other perceptions fail to create differentiation… The reason AR, polarized, and Transitions sales do not reach their potential is because consumers do not NEED these products (because they’ve never tried them). However, people who do TRY these products repurchase at a rate of 95% plusobviously, patient trial results in patient need (and less resistance to price). One suggestion, find a way to give the first time wearer of these products a “trial” (maybe not free, but perhaps just above cost). Let them see the value of the product by building their level of need- then charge them the rest of their life (and they will pay, because now they “need” the product). A good example of level of need trumping price is the air pump in the middle of the desert. If you have a flat tire, and are at the only air pump for 100 miles, does it really matter what they’re going to charge you for that air??? Price is always part of the equation- differentiate and it becomes asmaller part! smaller Value to the Practice- Summary Lowering cost is a terminal strategy There is always someone cheaper Consumers do notice performance The results can be devastating Build Perception of Value as a strategy Quality Make your brands work for you – Differentiate – Drive repeat business To summarize, lowering costs is a terminal business strategybecause someone will always beat you to the basement when it comes to price. Consumers do notice performance- but may not “bring the product back.” Make your brands work for you to build perception of value in the quality area, and addict your patients to better vision! Level of Need Addict your patients to better vision! Conclusions Varilux DRx lenses deliver precision. greater Rx accuracy precise placement of the near Varilux DRx provides measurable benefits. New Varilux Comfort DRx natural reading posture natural reading posture wider visual zones, with easy transitions wider visual zones, with easy transitions Varilux Physio DRx all the benefits of New Varilux Comfort all the benefits of New Varilux Comfort plus measurably sharper vision plus measurably sharper vision Grow Perception of Value with Varilux. Varilux DRx products provide your patients with more precise eyewear that is customized to their Rx needs. Varilux DRx provide proven wearer benefits, and the Varilux brand can be used to differentiate your practice. If you are using a back side digitally surfaced product, it should be Varilux DRx. If you are using traditional products, they can be upgraded to Varilux DRx. For even greater performance, Varilux Enhanced products offer whole new levels of visual performance! Thank You!