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ZEISS FOR EYE CARE PROFESSIONALS

ZEISS UVProtect Technology

Full UV protection in clear lenses. All day. Every day. For everyone.

Offer your customers full UV protection in  clear lenses  for healthy eyes and vision. All clear ZEISS lenses come standard with full UV protection up to 400 nm, the same level of protection as premium sunglasses.  

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  • Lenses block UV rays up to 400 nm
  • Full UV protection of the eyes and surrounding skin
  • Offer the same UV protection as premium sunglasses

  • ZEISS Lenses with UVProtect Technology

    As an eyecare professional, you’re committed to providing lenses tailored to each and every customer’s needs. On top of that, it’s also important to keep their eyes healthy. With ZEISS lenses, we’ve got UV protection covered. All our clear plastic lenses block UV rays  up to 400 nm, ensuring that your customers’ eyes are protected regardless of their prescription.

  • ZEISS back surface UV protection

    An additional anti-reflective layer on the back of the lens reduces the indirect UV light reflected into the eye. Standard on all lenses with DuraVision®  coatings.

Why is UV protection in clear lenses important?

  • 400 nm

    The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and numerous health  organisations  have defined the standard for UV protection as 400 nm.1  

  • 40 %

    Approximately 40% of daylight UV radiation lies in wavelengths not fully blocked by materials that can claim “100% UV protection” but only blocks up to 380 nm.2

  • 50 %

    Up to 50% of the total UV we’re exposed to by age 60 occurs before we reach age 20.3

  • 20 %

    The World Health  Organisation  (WHO) states roughly 20% of all cataracts are caused or enhanced by UV radiation.4

  • 5 - 10 %

    Between 5 -10 % of all skin cancers occur on the eyelids specifically.5

  • 9 %

    Only 9% of consumers think that their current lenses provide 100% UV protection.6

UV radiation.

UV radiation is always present – throughout the day, all year round, during winter and summer, in sunny and even overcast conditions.  

For this reason, the demand for protection is universal. To protect the skin, your customers can wear sunscreen. But they really don’t have a lot of options when it comes to protecting their eyes against harmful UV rays.

Exposure to UV radiation is increasing.

Human exposure to UV radiation is increasing due to ozone depletion and global climate change which influences surface radiation levels. An increase in life expectancy and  an  ever-evolving lifestyle lead to more time spent on leisure activities in ultraviolet-intense environments.  This has an impact  on the eyes,  and as an eyecare professional, you have to  look  beyond regular  UV lens coatings  to get improved protection for your customers' eyes.    

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Exposure to UV radiation is increasing.
The image shows a close-up of a woman’s face, focussing on the left eye.

Your customers’ eye health is too important to risk.

Although light is an important part of our lives – depending on dose and exposure  –  invisible UV radiation may be harmful to your customers' health and vision. Considering these  health risks, it makes complete sense to protect against it every day. It’s never too late to prevent further damage.  

The image shows a close-up of an unhealthy eye, illustrating the appearance of potential eye hazards.

Health risk to the customer's eyes.

UV radiation can cause structural change and damage of the cells where it is absorbed. In particular, the crystalline lens and the cornea absorb UV radiation, but part of UV-A also reaches the retina where it contributes to oxidative stress.

Potential eye hazards:  Pterygium, keratitis,  cataracts  and macular degeneration.

The image shows a close-up of an unhealthy eye, illustrating potential ocular adnexa hazards.

Health risk to the surroundings of the eye

The tissue surrounding the eye also provides protection. This tissue absorbs a large part of UV radiation with wavelengths of up to 400 nm.  

Your customers may experience potential ocular adnexa conditions:  photo-ageing, wrinkles, sunspots, skin cancer.  

Many lenses claim to protect eyes from UV radiation.

Sadly,  not all lenses fully protect the customers' eyes and the surrounding skin. Approximately 40 % of daylight UV radiation lies in wavelengths not fully blocked by materials that claim 100 % UV protection. These materials often block only up to 380 nm.2

More information
Many lenses claim to protect eyes from UV radiation.
The image shows a chart, comparing the level of UV protection of ZEISS lenses and other market participants.

Level of UV protection

Today, the optical industry provides the market with lenses that offer different levels of UV protection,  utilizing special coatings or other substrates.  This creates  confusion about how much protection is available and necessary.  For this  reason,  ZEISS has  made UV protection standard in all their  clear lenses.

Raising the standard of eye health

The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and numerous health  organisations  have defined the standard for UV protection as 400 nm. ZEISS has aligned their lens portfolio ensuring these recommendations and premium standards of protection are met.  UVProtect  Technology is moving beyond accepted standards to a higher level of UV protection, which enables clear ZEISS plastic lenses to block harmful UV rays up to 400 nm. This is the same standard of UV protection provided by premium sunglasses.

More information
Raising the standard of eye health
The image shows a line chart, illustrating the total and relative irradiance below each wavelength.

Why is 400 nm the better standard of UV protection?

Due to the potential health risks associated with UV exposure, scientific and regulatory bodies and  organisations  researching the biomedical impact of light and radiation have clearly defined the need for UV radiation protection as 400 nm. The irradiance between 380-400 nm is much more intense and represents 40 % of the total solar irradiance as measured on earth.    

By protecting up to 400 nm, ZEISS lenses can provide your customers with the level of protection recommended by these  recognised  organisations.

Back surface UV protection – true UV protection from all sides.

A portion of UV radiation has an indirect impact on the eye from the sides and back surfaces of the lens. To prevent reflections from the back surface of the lens into the eye, ZEISS incorporates back surface UV protection as standard with ZEISS  DuraVision coatings. This combination gives the customer much-needed, full UV protection.

Proven customer satisfaction with ZEISS UVProtect Technology.

Wearer trial tests as well as feedback from our customers show high satisfaction ratings with UVProtect Technology by ZEISS:
  • 96 %

    of spectacle wearers are satisfied with the clarity and aesthetics of ZEISS UVProtect Lenses.7

  • 99 %

    of consumers agree that sunglass-level UV protection in clear lenses would be beneficial.7

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  • 1

    “ICNIRP Guidelines on limits of exposure to ultraviolet radiation of wavelengths between 180 nm and 400 nm (20 Incoherent Radiation)”.
  • 2

    NASA Technical Memorandum, A. T. Mecherikunnel and J. C. Richmond – Spectral Distribution of Solar Radiation, 1980.
    Industry Standard AS-NZS 1067 (2003) (English): Sunglasses and fashion spectacles [By Authority of Australian Consumer Protection Notices No.13 of 2003 and No. 4 of 2005].
  • 3

    Green AC, Wallingford SC, McBride, P. Childhood exposure to ultraviolet radiation and harmful skin effects: Epidemiological evidence. Prog Biophys Mol Biol. 2011 Dec: 107(3): 349-355.
  • 4

    Global data on visual impairment in the year 2002.Resnikoff S, Pascolini D, Etya'ale D, Kocur I, Pararajasegaram R, Pokharel GP, Mariotti SP Bull World Health Organ. 2004 Nov; 82(11):844-51.
  • 5

    Cook BE Jr, Bartley GB. Treatment options and future prospects for the management of eyelid malignancies: an evidence-based update. Ophthalmology2001 Nov; 108(11):2088-98.
  • 6

    Abraham J, Jabaley M, Hoopes JE. Basal cell carcinoma of the medial canthal region. Am J Surg 1973; Oct; 126(4):492-5. https://news.liverpool.ac.uk/2017/07/06/misapplication-sunscreen-leaving-people-vulnerable-skin-cancer/
  • 7

    ZEISS external wearer trial with 106 spectacle lens wearers and 7 eye care professionals in 2018, D.