The digital revolution and new electronics have contributed to an increased demand for better vision care and enhancements to eyeglasses.

With celebrities endorsing frame lines, "I'm seeing people being more fashion-conscious this year than ever before," observes Dr. Paula Newsome, an optometrist and president of Advantage Vision Center in Charlotte, N.C. "They're interested in options like photochromics and antireflective coatings. They're interested in [ultraviolet ray] protection. People are coming in wanting bells and whistles."

Manufacturers are keeping up with that demand. Steve Wright, president of Altair Eyewear, a subsidiary of the vision benefit provider VSP, says, "Lens technology is advancing quite rapidly."

What follows is a compilation of the latest trends and innovations in eyeglasses.

Antireflective coatings

The spread of high-definition TV and the round-the-clock use of laptops, BlackBerries, iPods and text messages on cell phones have caused more people to ask for antireflective coatings on eyeglasses, Newsome notes.

"High-definition TV is changing the marketplace. People are requiring more and expecting more in terms of how they see. Seeing okay is not good enough," she adds.

Wright suggests that the demand for these coatings could grow even more as the younger generations, which are growing up with these technologies, get older. Long periods of looking at a computer screen can cause eye fatigue and blurriness. Symptoms of computer vision syndrome include blurred vision, dry eyes, eye strain and headaches. Consequently, some individuals have a pair of glasses just for seeing the computer screen well.

Some vision plans cover the extra cost of antireflective coatings. About 20% of all lenses have them, estimates Patrick Huot, a business manager at Transitions Optical, a Pinellas Park, Fla.-based firm that manufactures photochromic lenses. "They're so much better than they used to be. They don't get as dirty" with fingerprints and dust, he comments.

Wright agrees: "They're more durable, and they're less prone to smudges, so their reception in the market is growing."

VSP offers a Teflon antireflective coating designed to provide clearer, crisper vision.

Other new alternatives to minimize glare include polarized lenses, green-tinted lenses geared for golf and other sports, and brown-tinted lenses geared to help skiers clearly see the contours of the slope without too much glare.

Digital surfacing

One of the newest innovations in the vision arena is digital surfacing, which incorporates software that allows an optical lab to modify the front or back surface of the lens while cutting the prescription curves. A new type of generator uses diamond-tipped cutting tools to precisely build the lens. The companies that are using this technology say that it is more precise than the older method of traditional surfacing.

"There aren't a lot of labs that are doing it, but the ones that are doing it are noting success," Newsome says. "Patients are noticing a difference in terms of peripheral distortions in their lenses. [It's] a lot more accurate, and it helps with distortions that bifocal wearers get."

Most vision plans don't cover digital imaging because it's so new, Huot notes.

Photochromic lenses

In recent years, new chemical technology has improved the performance of photochromic lenses, which automatically adjust their level of tint to changing light conditions. The purpose is to protect the eyes against damage from the sun's ultraviolet rays, reduce glare and eliminate the need to have a separate pair of prescription sunglasses.

The technological breakthroughs have improved the clarity of the photochromic lenses and decreased the amount of time it takes for the lenses to transition from clear to dark, according to Huot.

The UV protection is important because UV exposure can lead to cataracts and macular degeneration, the gradual loss of vision typically associated with aging, experts say. "It's all cumulative" over a lifetime, and it's not reversible, Huot confirms.

About 17% of all prescription lenses are photochromic lenses, according to Transitions Optical.

There has been a recent increase in the percentage of vision plans that cover photochromic lenses, Huot observes.

"We're seeing significantly more interest in wanting to have a benefit," he says. "It's come around faster than we thought."

Looking ahead

In the future, Wright expects to see more technological advances to improve the acuity of the lens and to improve the ability to accommodate multiple distances for vision, virtually customizing the lens for the individual.

He also points to an increased globalization of products and distribution of lenses, and an increased focus on using environmentally friendly materials in eyewear.

"There will be more access to continuing to manage costs because we're sourcing from lower-cost countries. You have to be sure the quality of the materials being used is both safe and dependable," he states.

In general, vision coverage is on the rise. About 79% of employers offered vision coverage in 2007, up from 71% in 2003, according to the Society for Human Resource Management.

However, only 16% of American workers have annual physical exams, while 61% of those with vision coverage get annual eye exams, according to a recent study of combined data from VSP, the Census Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics.

Employers don't want workers to make mistakes or do their work too slowly because of ongoing vision problems or a lack of vision benefits.

"HR people need to know that you can buy more teeth, but you cannot replace your eyes," Newsome says. "We really need to be very aware about how the eyes impact performance and productivity in the workplace." -