ZEISS has launched a new product–ZEISS Digital Lens– to address the vision needs of the Millennial generation. The launch is accompanied by a consumer marketing program designed to raise awareness and drive demand for the product.
“Constant use of mobile digital devices places demands on vision that single vision lenses can’t meet,” says Claude Labeeuw, vice-president of Marketing for Carl Zeiss Vision – North America. “ZEISS Digital Lens bridges the gap between what the eye can comfortably do and the wearer’s digital life.”
Mobile digital devices create visual challenges in several ways. Constant effort is required from the eyes to maintain focus and alignment, eventually fatiguing the ciliary muscles. Handheld devices are typically held closer to the eye than printed material, so accommodation becomes a factor at an earlier age. Digital screens also tend to have lower contrast and resolution than printed material, which also tends to increase the eye’s focusing and accommodation burden.
As a result of these and other factors, Digital Eye Strain affects young eyes as well as old. According to a Vision Council survey, nearly 70 percent of U.S. adults experience symptoms of Digital Eye Strain resulting from digital device use. Symptoms are prevalent among adults aged 18 to 54, and most common at the younger end of the range. “Patients may not be able to identify their symptoms as Digital Eye Strain, but most adults are experiencing it,” says Labeeuw. “The data suggests that a large number of adults wearing single vision lenses will be more comfortable wearing ZEISS Digital Lens, and their eyes will feel better at the end of the day.”
ZEISS Digital Lens is a freeform customized design that integrates the wide, clear distance view single vision wearers demand with digital boost of focusing power ranging from +0.50 to +1.25. This digital viewing area is optimized for digital devices and is reached with minimal head and eye movement. Full Rx customization provides the best possible optics for each wearer. Wearer trials show that ZEISS Digital Lens reduced reported Digital Eye Strain complaints by over 50 percent.
“ZEISS Digital Lens creates a new premium product category for practices, offering far more capability than the ordinary single vision lenses consumers can purchase inexpensively from online retailers” says Labeeuw. “It gives eye care professionals the opportunity to provide a superior vision experience for Millennials, and reap the benefit in the practice’s bottom line.”
Fully realizing the potential of ZEISS Digital Lenses requires changing the way Millennials think about eyeglasses. ZEISS is taking the lead with an extensive consumer-facing program to increase demand and direct new patients toward eye care professionals who offer ZEISS Digital Lens. “We are reaching them through the channels they use every day to get information,” says Labeeuw. “We are increasing our use of Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels, and reaching out to the consumer media outlets most used by Millennials.”
“There are 86 million Millennials in the U.S. today,” said Chairman and CEO Uli Krauss. ”They are heavily involved with digital devices, their buying power is growing constantly, and they have a vision need that traditional lenses can’t address. ZEISS Digital Lens helps eye care professionals satisfy the need and create patients for life. The opportunity is huge.”
