Healthy Outlook Blog

Future Vision: New E-Glasses Could Make Bifocals Obsolete

By Lisa Collier Cool | Posted July 29 2010

Design, Eye Health, innovation, Lifestyle, Product Design, Technology

They’re not your granny’s glasses. If you’re a 40-something who struggles to read fine print, you’ll soon have an age-defying alternative to old-fashioned bifocals. A new line of electronic eyewear called emPower! has smart lenses that can toggle between near and distance focus as quickly as the blink of an eye—with no telltale dividing lines or obvious progression of power. Part of the specs’ appeal is that no one can tell that you need reading glasses.

Developed by PixelOptics, the e-glasses will be available in the US in January, 2011 in a range of colors and styles, including wire, plastic, and rimless frames. By touching a button on the side of the frames, you go into close-up mode. Tap again to look across the room, with less distortion than is typical with progressive addition lenses. Unlike traditional bifocals, which only have near and far vision, the e-glasses also have a mid-range mode.

They’re made of liquid crystal, embedded between standard plastic lenses, says Clay Musslewhite, PixelOptics’ marketing director. “When an electrical charge is applied to the liquid crystal zone, it changes the strength of the prescription, so the wearer can focus on objects at various distances.” The spectacles are powered by a rechargeable battery concealed in the frame.

Another cool feature is motion-detecting sensors, similar to those in an iPod or iPhone, that allow the glasses to change focus automatically. Look down to work on your laptop or send a text message and they turn into reading glasses. Look up and the reading zone turns off—so quickly that you don’t notice the transition. The company hasn’t set the price of the emPower! e-spectacles yet. Guess you’ll have to wait—and see.

CONNECT THE DOTS

Bifocals, trifocals, progressive addition lenses, and the new e-glasses are all solutions to the same problem: vision issues like nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, coupled with presbyopia. If your only difficulty is reading fine print (presbyopia), look into reading glasses, which come in two styles: full-frames and “half-eyes.” To find an eye doctor to check your vision and prescribe corrective lenses, if necessary, click here.

Greg Williams

These glasses look very exciting. I recently had Lasics surgery done and now only have to deal with presbyopia. As time progresses I expect my vision to deteriorate and these glasses will be a nice alternative.
Mari

Are empower glasses going to come with antireflective coating?

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