Spectacle lenses for Digital Age

With dramatic increase in the usage of digital devices, human eyes today are exposed to harmful blue light and are experiencing much higher stress and visual strain as compared to the last decade.

Taking into account this shift, Essilor, has introduced a new range of impactful technology driven lenses offering prevention and protection for your eyes against harmful blue light, strain and fatigue.

According to a consumer quantitative study conducted in 2014 for Essilor, a whopping 82 per cent people stated that they watch TV at the same time as they use their computer; similarly 72 per cent use a tablet or smartphone whilst watching TV.

Doctors say increasing exposure to digital screens is leading to rising number of people reporting tired and weary eyes, headaches, blurred vision, itching and burning.

The effects of harmful blue violet light have also been highlighted in recent years. Emitted by the sun and also by artificial light sources such as LEDs and computers or smartphones, blue light - the range of the visible light spectrum with wavelengths between 380-500 nm - plays a beneficial role on health, in particular by regulating the internal biological clock.

However, a specific band of this light, known as the blue violet light causes damage to retinal cells. Digital devices and lighting devices such as LED lights and CFLs also emit significant amount of blue light. With progressively increasing usage of LED lighting, this exposure is only expected to increase in the coming years.

Talking on the lenses, Shiv Kumar J, CEO, Essilor India says “Rapid adoption of newer technology in this digital world presents newer challenges with respect to protection requirements. It is also essential for ophthalmic lens technology to evolve to meet the needs. Eyezen represents Essilor’s innovation, offering users the maximum protection and comfort. Eyezen is a lens specifically designed for the digital age.”

“With increasing presence of convergent devices, we are today dealing with a scenario where multiple devices are co-existing. This doesn’t just increase digital exposure of the eye, but adds extra pressure on the eyes as they continuously switch between devices and adapt their focus while sitting, standing and lying down.

The cumulative stress on the eye today is much more than it was five years back when smartphones and tablets were yet to become a norm, this has led us to introduce lenses such as Eyezen and Crizal Prevencia for use in spectacles,” says P Ramachandran, Group COO, Essilor India.