With the new Luminance Design® Technology, the new range of lenses by ZEISS caters to the dynamic demands of frequent drivers
While buying a car, it is a common habit to pay attention to the model and make of the automobile but the tyres often get neglected. This happens because most people don’t realise that the onus of driving the car relies majorly on the minimal contact that tyres have with the surface of the road. Similarly while buying eyewear, many customers (especially frequent drivers) need to be told to pay attention to the type of lens that goes into the frame. Since frames are a statement of fashion, lenses tend to get overshadowed by their importance. The result is poor quality vision and discomfort while driving. The DriveSafe lenses by ZEISS look to address this problem facilitating people with clear and comfortable vision while driving as well as performing other routine chores.
Optometrists can meet a broad spectrum of patient needs with these lenses. The DriveSafe lenses feature the unique Luminance Design® Technology that empowers the lens to adjust the visual acuity of the wearer in accordance to the changing lighting conditions. The unique ability of these lenses make them an ideal choice for all-day wear, particularly for frequent drivers.
DriveSafe Lenses, are an excellent option for everyday use. They have been specifically designed to meet the vision needs of people who want to feel safer and more comfortable when driving with their regular lenses. These lenses are available in two categories which are single vision lenses and progressive lenses.
Driving – many people absolutely love it, but for most, it is a necessity that provides them with a high degree of independence. However, studies have shown that many people feel insecure, tense and stressed when driving – particularly in poor visibility, like in the rain, in foggy or misty conditions, and at dawn or dusk. While driving, good visibility is an absolute must for safety and accident prevention. If visibility is poor, the driver is likely to get tired more quickly and react more slowly. This increases the risk of accidents as well. The new range of lenses by ZEISS caters to the dynamic demands of frequent drivers.
Addressing the problems
Vision problems may be encountered in bad weather, at dawn or dusk and at night. This is sometimes described as night blindness, a condition that compels many people to simply avoid driving in poor light or at night. The reason for this is that driving in the dark, twilight or in poor light conditions makes totally different demands on the eyes. The pupils are dilated, resulting in less focused vision than with contracted pupils in daylight. One typical consequence of this is that drivers are less able to judge distances, making them feel insecure and stressed.
Another challenge for frequent drivers is the glare coming from the headlights of approaching vehicles, streetlights and other similar sources. The varying light conditions often make it difficult for those who are driving to focus on the road and can often lead to disastrous accidents.
This is particularly the case when driving in twilight or at night when the pupils of our eyes are dilated. Market research and scientific evidence both indicate that perceived glare in traffic is linked to modern car lighting technology, and in particular to LED and Xenon HID light sources. ZEISS DriveSafe lenses is an innovative effort that tries to address these problems faced by frequent drivers.
ZEISS has subjected the behavior of the eyes when driving to a detailed analysis in order to understand the exact requirements and accordingly develop the DriveSafe lenses.*
Measurements conducted by the FKFS* Institute on behalf of ZEISS showed that an individual can look into the distance for an average of 97% of the overall driving time. A very high figure indeed! However, the eyes also have other tasks to perform: they have to move quickly and constantly from looking into the distance down to the dashboard or to the rear-view or side mirrors. For the young drivers, this may not be a major challenge, but as the individual ages, the frequent eye movement reduces the ability of the eye to adapt and present a concrete picture.
Ideally special lenses, e.g. progressives, are prescribed to overcome this obstacle. For driving purposes, the intermediate and distance zones of progressive lenses must be particularly large to enable the wearer to refocus quickly when the eyes move between the road ahead and the dashboard with minimal head movement.
Through the DriveSafe lenses, ZEISS addresses this requirement. The unique technology of the lenses makes it possible for the wearer to accommodate the varying distances as quickly as they could in their younger years.
The Technology
The DNA of every ZEISS lens contains 100 years of ZEISS lens innovation, enhanced by the latest design and manufacturing techniques. Customers opting for the ZEISS DriveSafe lenses will benefit from the better visual acuity as well as comfort that it provides. However, these benefits will vary depending on the profile of the wearer.
In the DriveSafe lenses, ZEISS uses the innovative Luminance Design® Technology. The technology has been developed after taking into account the varying requirements of the eye in all the different light conditions and pupil sizes. This enables the lenses to create optimal vision at all time, helping drivers to see better especially at night and in relatively poorer light conditions. The technology behind this lens allows the wearer to perceive better visual acuity in low-light conditions. This results in an improved spatial awareness and distance calculation in low-light conditions which helps in the case of frequent drivers. These lenses also feature ZEISS’s DuraVision® DriveSafe Coating, which helps to reflect and reduce glares by up to 64% when compared to the regular Anti-Reflective coating.
The design of this lens incorporates up to 43% larger mid-distance zone for easier focus switching between the dashboard and mirrors. And up to 14% larger far-distance vision zone for a wider view of the road.
Benefits
ZEISS DriveSafe lenses are all day lenses particularly suitable for frequent drivers. The lenses are specifically designed to minimise the discomfort caused due to poor vision in varying light conditions.
The DriveSafe lenses offer the following advantages:
- Better vision even in low light conditions
- Reduced glare at night
- Accurate vision of road, dashboard and mirrors
Multiple solutions in one lens
According to an analysis, 73%** of wearers would like to have spectacles that provide them with optimum vision at night, but they also want to be able to wear them all day long! ZEISS DriveSafe lenses are able to meet these demands.
The product features an optimised spectacle lens design that takes into account the size of the pupils in poor light. There is one design for single vision lenses, and one for progressives. The result: more relaxed and better vision when driving in poor light. In DriveSafe, ZEISS has used a new coating to take into account the many different situations during driving when our visual system are confronted with glare.
This offers the same hardness and cleaning properties as DuraVision® Premium coatings, but features a different kind of anti-reflective coating. The DuraVision® DriveSafe Coating by ZEISS partially reflects wavelengths in the high-energy, visible portion of the blue light spectrum, including the band around the wavelength of 450 nm. DuraVision® DriveSafe Coating by ZEISS therefore reduces discomfort glare by up to 64%** compared to premium Anti Reflection coatings.
Also, ZEISS offers a special design to make driving with progressive lenses more comfortable and safer. The optimised vision zones make it easier for the eyes to refocus when moving between the road ahead and the dashboard and the rearview or side mirrors. Horizontal movements of the head are reduced. At the same time, the near zone is designed so that the spectacles can be worn all day long – also for reading and other routine chores.
Not just for drivers
While the unique Luminance Design® Technology has been developed to meet the needs of frequent drivers, the uses and advantages of the DriveSafe lenses are not restricted to the task of driving alone. ZEISS DriveSafe Lenses are the ideal vision solution for all-day wear, not only for driving – whether the wearer is at work, watching television or enjoying one of your hobbies.
