Statistics from the National Health Commission of China show that the myopia rate in children and adolescents in the country was 53.6 percent in 2018.

Home-based learning due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in the first half of 2020 forced students to rely more heavily on electronic devices, posing a further considerable challenge to children with eyesight problems in China.

According to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Education among nearly 15,000 students in nine provinces in 2020, the myopia rate of the students increased by 11.7 percent when compared with that at the end of 2019.

"The rising number of highly myopic children, potentially facing severe retinal damage to their vision, is particularly alarming," Peng noted. "It drives us to keep on our studies."

The idea of myopia management has been gradually accepted by Chinese parents, given the fact that myopia cannot be cured, and more eyeglass manufacturers have carried out studies since Zeiss took the first step in managing myopia progression, said Peng.

Innovative reserve

Besides the studies on myopia management, Zeiss has employed a pool of talent and allocated funds to develop new individualized products, Peng said, which have been supported by its vigorous development in China.

After experiencing market fluctuations early last year caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Zeiss Vision Care China quickly recovered and led business growth around the globe for the rest of the year, according to Peng.

Peng Wei, managing director of Zeiss Vision Care China, introduces Zeiss' new products and technologies to attendees at the 20th China (Shanghai) International Optics Fair. CHINA DAILY

"China is a very important growth engine of Zeiss," Peng said.

The pandemic, which reminded people of "quality living for the moment", has created new opportunities for high-end brands including Zeiss because people are more willing to spend money on high-quality products, Peng said.

Another inspiration gained from the pandemic is the idea of merging protection and health into products, he said.

While masks provide protection for the mouth and nose, Zeiss has invented a new technology to coat all its lenses with antibacterial and antiviral properties. The technology reduces potential transmission risks caused by microbes and pathogens attaching to lens surface, and was launched for global markets at the third China International Import Expo last November.

According to the company, Zeiss has developed a process to incorporate antimicrobial silver invisibly but effectively into the anti-reflective coating package and external tests based on relevant ISO standards have confirmed the efficacy.

"Our innovation center keeps working on new technologies to solve more emerging problems," Peng said.

"What's the recipe for success of a company like Zeiss with a history of 175 years? It's the power of persistence. Persistence is vital to turning good ideas and good innovation into reality," Peng said.