Crizal® launches first preventive lenses
for selective protection against blue light and UV rays
Essilor, the world leader in corrective lenses, is
launching the first lens to offer selective protection against harmful blue
light and UV rays. Crizal Prevencia lens lets in essential light, which your
body needs to function properly, while filtering out harmful light. It thus
helps to protect your eyes against the risk of retina damage, caused by
Blue-Violet light, and to reduce the risk of cataracts, which can result from
overexposure to UV.
Prevention is essential, especially for children & adults over 45
Prevention with Crizal Prevencia is currently the
first line of defence against the worldwide problems of Age-related Macular
Degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. These conditions affect more than 350 million
people around the world, a figure that may double in the next 30 years as the
worldwide population ages.
Dr Emelita Roleda, General Manager of Essilor
Philippines, sums up the importance of this new lens: “It is a landmark
discovery in the field of optical science and we are very proud to have
contributed, to this major step forward in the battle against one of the most
devastating eye conditions. With Crizal Prevencia, we are pioneers in
addressing the challenge of preventative innovation today. This perfectly fits
in with Essilor’s strategy of playing a predominant role in the implementation
of solutions for better visual health for everyone, all over the world.”
Children and adults over 45 are the most vulnerable
to the dangers of light. Children’s developing eyes are very transparent,
letting visible light and UV pass through the retina. This is a pressing
matter, as they tend to spend their days outdoors, accumulating high exposure
of UV. As for adults over 45, their eyes’ natural defence system is weakened
and more susceptible to the effects of Blue-Violet light and UV.
Prevention is critical in current digital times
LED-based equipment such as the environmentally
safer LED lights and LED screens of smartphones, tablets and laptops, have been
shown to emit larger proportion of blue light as compared to the old
incandescent lamps and fluorescent tubes. Out of the blue light emitted by
these devices, it is the Blue-Violet light that is raising concerns.
With more people embracing digital lifestyles,
exposure to Blue-Violet light increases. Over long hours, it can lead to
eyestrain and fatigue, thus overexposure to Blue-Violet light may increase the
likelihood of AMD.
Good and bad blue light
Emitted by the sun, as well as by artificial light
sources, such as LEDs, blue light is part of visible light and is close to UV
on the light spectrum.
A certain part of blue light, known as
Blue-Turquoise light, is a natural form of light therapy. It acts as a “natural
regulator” for our bodies, helping balance our sleep cycle and keep us
energised and alert.
However, recent research by Essilor and the Paris
Vision Institute, one of Europe’s largest eye health research centres, confirms
that a specific band of blue light is more harmful for our eyes. The joint team
developed a completely new protocol in this scientific domain: an in vitro test
on retinal cells to determine the harmfulness of different light rays. This
enabled them to identify Blue-Violet light as the portion of the visible light
spectrum that presents the biggest risk of causing gradual degeneration of
retinal cells, potentially leading to serious eye conditions.
A lens that selectively filters light to reduce the risks of AMD and
cataracts
In response to this finding, Essilor has developed
the Crizal Prevencia lens, which protects your eyes from the Blue-Violet light
that contributes to retinal cell degeneration while allowing beneficial
Blue-Turquoise light to pass through.
This is new category of preventive lenses developed
thanks to Light Scan™, an exclusive technology that filters light selectively
by letting beneficial Blue-Turquoise light pass through, filtering out harmful
Blue-Violet rays that can contribute to AMD and UV rays that are a major cause
of cataracts, while maintaining the transparency of the lens, ensuring an
optimal visual experience for prescription glasses wearers.
About Essilor
The world’s leading ophthalmic optics
company, Essilor designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of lenses to
improve and protect eyesight. Its corporate mission is to enable everyone
around the world to access lenses that meet his or her unique visual
requirements. To support this vision, the Company allocates over €160 million
to research and development every year, in a commitment to continuously bring
new, more effective products to market.
Essilor’s flagship brands are Varilux, Crizal, Xperio and Optifog.
It also develops and markets equipment,
instruments and services for eyecare professionals.
Essilor reported consolidated revenue
of €4.9 billion in 2012 and employs around 50,700 people in some 100
countries. It operates 19 plants, a total of 390 prescription laboratories and
edging facilities, as well as several research and development centers around
the world.
Essilor was classified by Forbes
magazine as being among the world’s 30 most innovative companies.
For more information, please visit www.essilor.com.ph.
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