Essilor Battles Younger, Indizen, and VSP Over Patent Infringement

On Feb. 22, 2013, Essilor International S.A. and Essilor of America, Inc.,  filed a patent infringement action with the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division, against Indizen Optical Technologies S.L.; Indizen Optical Technologies of America, LLC; Younger Manufactuirng Co. d/b/a/ Younger Optics; Vision Service Plan; VSP Labs, Inc.; and VSP Optical Group, Inc. This suit was filed  about a month after Essilor sent Indizen and Younger Optics letters giving notice of their reported infringement of Essilor International's 271 Patent. On February 13, 2013, Essilor sent the VSP, VSP Labs, and VSP Optical a letter giving notice of their reported infringement of Essilor's patent, which covers its progressive addition lenses. For a copy of the suit, click this link.

"On Feb. 20, Younger Optics, Indizen Optical Technologies, Indizen Optical Technologies of America, Vision Service Plan,  VSP Labs and VSP Optical Group filed suit against Essilor International and Essilor of America in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division," according to a Vision Monday post. "The companies are seeking a declaratory judgment stating that the manufacture and sale of their progressive lenses, including VSP Unity PLxpression lenses, does not infringe three Essilor International patents on digital progressive lenses, either directly or indirectly. In their suit, the companies are also seeking to invalidate all three Essilor patents because they claim the patents fail to comply with U.S. patent laws." Read more.

Hoya Presents Its New Progressive

"Berlin provided the charming backdrop of the symposium at which Hoya presented the world preview of the new addition to the Hoyalux iD family. The evolution of the proven Hoyalux iD LifeStyle integrates the most recent calculation, design and image perception technologies to increasingly meet the needs of today's farsighted patients," according to Mido 365. Read more.

VSP Optics Introduces New Digital Progressive

VSP Optics Group will add a new digital, N category progressive to its line of Unity Performance Optics. It is called Unity PLxpression with Cascade Technology.The lens will reportedly offer the wearer:

• Optimized viewing zones through variable base curve technology.
• Advanced position-of-wear customization.
• Improved cosmetics with thinner, flatter lenses.

Cascade Technology, a patented technology exclusive for the new lens, begins with a variable base curve blank. This allows for achieving what VSP says is an ideal curve at each point of the lens, which is different from standard freeform lens blanks that use a constant base curve throughout the lens. Read more.

Essilor Releases Two New Progressives

"Essilor of America...launch[ed] Definity 3 and Definity 3 Plus as the latest additions to its family of progressive lenses with DualOptix digital surfacing technology," reports Eye Surf. "With Definity 3 a dynamic split is utilized, allowing for the 'add' power to no longer be fixed. This creates more opportunities for customization as the split is optimized to the patient’s prescription and choice of frame. Adding to that, Definity 3 Plus...utilize[s] three additional measurements – panto, wrap and vertex – to further optimize the lens to the patient’s facial anatomy." Read more.

Ditto Offering Progressives

Online eyewear retailer Ditto.com now offers progressive lenses as a result of high demand from its customers, according to the company spokesperson. The Ditto site uses a patent-pending, 3D virtual video try-on software.Read more.