My friend, the late Joe Bruneni, wrote a wonderful history of the American optical industry called Looking Back. The book, published by the Optical Laboratories Association in 1994, chronicles the era from the late 19th century through the 20th century when ophthalmic manufacturers and wholesale labs created much of the modern optical industry.
Joe’s richly detailed account is essential reading for anyone who is interested in learning about the people, companies and forces that have shaped our industry. As far as I know, it’s the only book that offers a comprehensive view of this bygone era. Some of the old company names from that time remain in use today, but the landscape in which they once operated has been refigured by the industry consolidation of the 21st century and the arrival of new players and new forms of competition.
Now that I’m retiring from optical after 37 years of covering the industry for 20/20 and Vision Monday, much of it in the tech sector, it’s my turn to look back. What have I observed through my lens?
The most profound change has been the shift from mechanical production to digital, a move that was already underway when I joined the industry in 1987. The introduction of patternless edgers and digital surface generators in the late ’80s had a huge impact on labs, as did the development of data protocols and networked systems to send and process Rx orders. Turnaround time and yields improved, enabling more rapid delivery of lenses to retailers and eyecare offices.
In the ’90s, we experienced a revolution in ophthalmic lenses that included the introduction of plastic photochromics, high index plastics, polycarbonate, aspherics, high performance anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coatings and advanced progressive addition designs. The development of so many new designs, materials and treatments opened new dimensions for optometrists, opticians and patients.
In the early 2000s came freeform surfacing, a technique that enables the production of more sophisticated lenses with complex curves. Lab machinery also advanced with the advent of generators that can cut lenses to 1/100th of a diopter, a level of control that ensured accuracy, thereby reducing redos.
Like Joe, who passed away in 2003, I’m not only fascinated with optical’s past, but I’m keenly interested in today’s technologies and what lies ahead. Some of the most exciting developments I see are in ophthalmic biotech and pharma, both of which are being driven in large part by the needs of an aging population suffering from sight-threatening diseases such as glaucoma and AMD. Similarly, the advances in diagnostic systems that use artificial intelligence to identify early-stage diseases represent a major step forward.
We’re living in another period of rapid change in vision care. Keep reading 20/20 and Vision Monday to learn about the latest developments. I’ll be watching too and cheering from the sidelines.
• Andrew Karp
Group Editor, Lenses and Technology
[email protected]
