Sola Optical HD technology: the new frontier for ophthalmic lenses
The new free-form HD technology has been developped in Italy by Sola Optical: high surface definition, high image definition.
HD Technology lenses are produced by free-form generators. Free-form technology means that all types of prescription lenses can be designed, without the need to start with specific semi-finished products (progressive or aspherical). The curves generated are not conventional and allow aspherical and progressive values to be optimized on a single, made-to-measure atoric surface for individual prescriptions by eliminating the compromises typical of traditional aspherical progressive and monofocal lenses.
'Traditional aspherical monofocal or progressive lenses are made from semi-finished products, each one of which is used to produce a more or less wide range of strengths', Fabio Vicentini, head of technical marketing at Sola, explained. 'The external surface is therefore given the average value in the range and gradually becomes more imperfect the further away it moves from that value. The result is only partially optimized vision and images that are less clear and even'.
'HD Technology produces the ideal surface for each prescription, just as if the semi-finished product had been created especially for the specific combination of sphere, cylinder axis and any additions for both the wearer's eyes', he continued. 'The optician can indicate the size and position of the frame on the face and these are also taken into account for greater calculation accuracy. Alternatively, the lens is calculated in the wearing position by respecting the average sphere values, the pantoscopic angle and the lens-corneal apex distance. Wearers of monofocal or progressive lenses have wider and clearer fields of vision and the lowest peripheral astigmatism possible'.
HD technology can also be applied to monofocal lenses: Atl HD offers monofocal lens wearers the perfection of atoric optimization also for prescription lenses, which until now have been made only with conventional aspherical technology. HD Technology also produces curves on the internal surface of the lens which are optimized for the wearing position by simplifying and perfecting optical quality in relation to the frame. Vision will be wide and clear in any direction.
HD Technology lenses are produced at Sola Optical's modern laboratory at Castiglione Olona (Varese) by using the latest free-form generating techniques.
'Sola is the only ophthalmic multinational to have this technology in Italy', commented Annalisa Marino, the company's head of marketing. 'This allows us to guarantee made in Italy quality and service, a distinctive element of Sola Optical's success and of HD products in particular. This first month's sales of Atl HD monofocals have exceeded all our greatest expectations and what we are even more pleased about is that they have met with the full satisfaction of the wearers'.
HD boasts a wide range of types (Atl HD monofocal, SolaOne HD progressive, and SolaOne Ego plus), and materials, 1.67 white and Transitions V, 1.6 white, which will soon be joined by 1.6 Transitions V.
'For progressives in particular, the fullness of the range means we can differentiate the product by price, positioning SolaOne HD 1.6 as the first proposal for a personalized, high-performance product', Marino added. 'And like a seal of quality, all HD products are available with the superior Teflon EasyCare anti-reflective coating'.
