At MIDO, the international eyewear show in Milan, EssilorLuxottica announced a major innovation in the field of progressive lenses: Varilux® XR series™-

For the first time, an over 1,000-square-meter stand at MIDO, one of the leading international exhibitions in the industry, showcased the many facets of EssilorLuxottica. From Feb. 4-6 in Milan, the Group presented its integrated range of frames, lenses and instruments, as well as key innovations targeting optical customers.

This year, the Group occupied a strategic space in the lens pavilion close to the area devoted to frames, symbolically positioning itself between the two worlds, while maintaining a strong focus on vision care.

This is part of its Mission to help everyone in the world see more and be more and is an integral part of what the Group wants to be: a company at the forefront of correcting, protecting and enhancing the most precious and powerful sensory organ, the eyes. EssilorLuxottica is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of ophthalmic lenses, frames and sunglasses, and, has a long history of designing and developing a range of optical instruments for opticians and eyecare professionals.

Varilux® XR series™

At MIDO and in parallel during the EssilorLuxottica Days event held in the new Tortona Experience Center in Milan, the Company took the opportunity to unveil its latest generation of Varilux® progressive lens - the Varilux® XR series™: the first eye-responsive progressive lens, enabling progressive addition lens wearers to benefit from instant sharpness, even in motion. For the first time, the power of artificial intelligence is combined with an unparalleled understanding of consumer lifestyles to create the best Varilux® progressive lens.

The power of artificial intelligence lies in the quantity and variety of data, and how it is calculated. Using technology, the Group can now establish a visual behavior profile for each individual prescription and provide the first eye-responsive lens that respects the eye’s natural behavior. In our modern lifestyle, our eyes move 100,000 times a day to process all the visual information we are exposed to. EssilorLuxottica researchers studied more than 6,500 consumers to thoroughly understand the lifestyles and visual needs of long-sighted people to create this cutting-edge lens.

MIDO 2023: a massive, combined presence for the Group

As an industry leader, being innovative means providing the market with the drive to move forward. For instance, by offering highly innovative solutions to opticians to help support their business, and by providing consumers with the latest products and product categories, which suit their lifestyles. To demonstrate this, the Group took its stand visitors this year on a journey through four themed areas: Committed to vision, Celebrating people and beauty, 360° Expert Solutions and Advancing with Technology.

In Committed to vision, the Company presented its vision on optics, with Essilor® Stellest™ – a flagship lens for controlling myopic progression – and special frames for children. EssilorLuxottica aims to be a true Vision Care company, with major innovations in refractive examination as well, such as Vision R 800 or Myopia 700, through to digital solutions for in-store consumer interaction.
The Celebrating people and beauty area illustrated how the top brands, particularly the ones that closely combine the Group’s diverse range of frames and lenses, can enshrine eyewear as a true element of humanity and beauty: for example, Ray-Ban, Oakley, Transitions and Fedon.
Digital and innovative-driven technologies to support business were key areas of focus in the 360° Expert Solutions area. For instance, in addition to Smartshopper, the infinite virtual frame catalog, and Virtual Try-on, new features have been introduced: Frame Advisor, is the new Smartshopper feature, which will help customers choose the frame that best matches the wearer’s physical traits (face, shape and eye, hair and complexion). In the field of lenses, Lens Simulator will support opticians and their staff in proposing the best ophthalmic solutions. This is facilitated with the use of new advanced features: lens comparison, interactive simulations, ‘See-through’ technology and dynamic 3D renders, which are highly beneficial for eyecare professionals, especially in terms of upselling. The spotlight was also put on Leonardo, the platform for an innovative learning experience with high-level contents and an innovative format. It can be a very powerful ally in supporting opticians in one of the crucial challenges of today’s scenario: keeping up with new developments and consistently staying updated with high-quality contents.
Finally, the Advancing with Technology area was a celebration of the Group’s latest flagship innovations where the Varilux® XR series™ lenses were put on display with the next generation of smart glasses, Ray-Ban Stories.