Matthias Metz, president and CEO of Zeiss Vision Care, speaks at the 18th China (Shanghai) International Optics Fair. Provided to China Daily

"The North Star of Zeiss is the success of our customers", said Matthias Metz, president and CEO of Zeiss Vision Care.

"Zeiss has been pioneering optics for more than 170 years. Research and development teams work intensively to deliver solutions that are tailored to the needs of our customers."

As one of the world's leading eyeglass lens manufacturers, Zeiss Vision Care combines medical and ophthalmological expertise in a unique way. "Thus we serve eyeglass lens wearers with innovations that provide them with the best possible vision experience and solutions for healthy eyes," Metz said.

Zeiss opticians are equipped with state-of-the-art technology for eye exams, refraction, centration and lens consultation.

"The whole process from vision test, lens calculation and manufacturing to fitting the lens into the frame can be done with Zeiss precision technology. So we ensure that the consumer really gets his or her individually optimized vision experience," Metz said.

In 2018, Zeiss will launch a myopia management lens portfolio and Zeiss UVProtect for all clear lenses, both innovations for clear sight and healthy eyes, demonstrating the company's ability to combine medical and optical expertise in state-of-the-art products.

Myopia, especially progressive myopia, has become an epidemic, especially among young people below the age of 20 in China and across Asia, negatively affecting quality of life, education and well-being.

The causes of myopia are manifold, but modern lifestyles and the extensive use of digital devices and artificial light lead to increased prevalence of the condition.

Zeiss invests heavily in the development of myopia management solutions. Considering that children need special care for healthy eye development and the good development of their vision, Zeiss has launched a portfolio of myopia management lenses specially designed for children aged 6 to 12 years. Zeiss MyoKids and Zeiss MyoVision Pro were designed to help manage myopia and progressive myopia.

Peng Wei, managing director of Zeiss Vision Care China, said that parents need to be aware of their children's quality of vision and should have their eyes tested regularly to prevent conditions such as myopia occurring or becoming more severe.

For myopic children, the next step is to make sure that they get the right, individually optimized glasses, Peng said.

It is scientifically proven that a lack of time outdoors and exposure to natural light in combination with the long use of smartphones and other digital devices are risk factors for myopia. Therefore it is recommended for children to spend some time outdoors daily to reduce the risk of myopia progression.

One of the biggest threats to long-term eye health is ultraviolet radiation, which can cause cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and photokeratitis.

According to the company, common industry standards for UV protection do not cover the full range of exposure, extending to only 380 nanometers, when 40 percent of all exposure comes within the range of 380 to 400 nanometers. Many consumers believe that UV is only a threat during sunshine, but UV rays reach the earth and eyes also when it is cloudy or overcast.

Zeiss has integrated UVProtect technology in all of its clear organic lenses so that consumers are fully UV protected anytime they wear Zeiss lenses, be they clear or tinted lenses.

Especially remarkable about Zeiss UVProtect is the fact that the lenses are fully transparent and ensure natural vision. This sets a new standard for all clear spectacle lenses and helps millions of people to protect their eyes and to avoid the harm of UV rays on their sight and eyes.

"Our solutions focus on enabling our customers, the eye care professionals, to provide consumers with individually perfect vision,

"Our solutions include a complete set of devices and software platforms for subjective and objective refraction, for eye exam and precise positioning of lenses into the frame, which are supported by software systems so that the eye care professional has all data and consumer consultation tools at hand on his tablet," Peng said.

Zeiss develops and markets functional lenses to meet different needs and help people to see better. For instance, Zeiss DriveSafe is an all-day lens especially optimized for car drivers, Zeiss EnergizeMe is a special design for contact lens wearers and ZeissDigital Lenses are designed for the everyday digital life for the elderly with pre-presbyopic conditions.

"Along with the changing needs of customers in their daily work or entertainment, we can tailor our products into various fields such as learning, sports and fitness," Peng said.

Zeiss, founded in 1846, has long been regarded as a global technology leader and is active in semiconductor manufacturing technology, industrial measurement, microscopy, medical technology and vision care.

Since 1912, the company has been developing and manufacturing medical technology and vision care solutions. Many groundbreaking innovations have been introduced by Zeiss in this time, for instance precision lenses, anti-reflection coating, wave front technology for objective eye refraction and, in 1992, the first digital centration device for the optical store.

The Zeiss Group is 100 percent owned by the Carl Zeiss Foundation, established in 1889, which is committed to supporting and funding societal and scientific progress. Zeiss has been practicing responsibility regarding products, value chain and customers, but also fostering social and scientific development as well as preserving the environment for more than 100 years.

liyou@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/09/2018 page15)