Varilux XR series, the progressive lens that knows how your eyes really move for instant sharpness even in motion¹,was recognized with the prestigious Silmo d’Or award in the ‘Vision’ category at the 2023 edition of Silmo. It is the new top range innovation which further reinforces Varilux’s position as the number #1 brand recommended by eyecare professionals²

For the first time, this latest generation of progressive lenses goes beyond prescription and responds to the wearer’s visual behavior predicted by artificial intelligence (AI) based on exclusive real-life data. It was recognized with a “Silmo d’Or” award in the Vision category at the 2023 edition of Silmo in Paris, the second largest trade optical fair in Europe. Every year, the SILMO d'Or awards showcase the pinnacle of creativity and innovation through the diversity and richness that characterize the optical industry.

Understanding today’s presbyopes

The Group’s researchers studied more than 6,500 consumers to enrich its understanding of presbyopes’ lifestyles and their visual challenges to create this cutting-edge lens.

Our eyes perform more than 100,000 eye movements in a single day³ to process all the visual information we are exposed to, with digital devices introducing a new level of complexity in visual navigation from near to far. This means that today’s presbyopes are switching from distance to near work more intensively. This intense environment, increasingly on the go, raises attentional efforts for our eyes to maintain sharpness at all times.

Meeting the needs of the modern presbyope, the Varilux XR series is a new generation of eye-responsive progressive lens⁴, providing instant sharpness even in motion¹.

Leveraging behavioral artificial intelligence

With 60 years of research and development and over 70 patents⁵, Varilux is relentlessly pushing the boundaries of innovation. In 2023, the Varilux XR series lens leveraged the power of artificial intelligence to take the patient’s behavior into account. Thanks to the analysis of more than 1 million exclusive real-life data, the Company can create the digital twin of the patient and predict their visual behavior profile. This means that for each prescription, the visual behavior profile is established to design a progressive lens that respects the natural eye behavior.

Outstanding visual experience

Five years of work and the contributions of 500 employees worldwide have led to the development and worldwide launch of the Varilux XR series lens, which has today seen some outstanding results. A comparative real-life wearer test was conducted by an independent institute who recruited a panel of wearers wearing mostly high-end progressive lenses. The goal was to measure the benefits perceived by this experienced panel of progressive lenses wearers in their daily life objectively without any prescription change over a span of two weeks with the Varilux XR series lenses. The results were outstanding¹ as:

9/10 experienced instant sharpness at all distances, even in motion

95% got adapted by the first day

Varilux, an environmentally conscious brand

Varilux brand is committed to making vision better for those aged 40 and above, while being environmentally conscious. Varilux XR series lens is paving the way by reducing plastic consumption, from design to delivery. A life cycle analysis was conducted by an external third party to assess the environmental impact of this innovation. Plastic consumption is reduced by 19%⁶ compared to the previous Varilux X series lens, leading to a decrease of 6% in CO2 emissions⁶.

Visit essilor.com to find out more about the Varilux XR series lenses.

1. Varilux® XR series™ – in-life consumer study - Eurosyn – 2022 – France (n=73 progressive lens wearers)

2. Survey conducted by CSA among a representative sample of 1041 independent ECPs, in 10 countries: Fr, Sp, Ger, It, UK, US, Canada, Brazil, India, China. Feb-Apr 2018

3. Peter H. Schiller, Edward J. Tehovnik, Neural mechanisms underlying target selection with saccadic eye movements, Progress in Brain Research, Elsevier, Volume 149, 2005, Pages 157-171.

4. Eye-responsive defined as the consideration of two parameters in the design of the progressive lens: prescription and visual behavior.

5. 70 inventions led to patent filings in multiple countries since 1953 (which allowance/in-force status varies over the time and country) 

6. RDC Environment Life cycle analysis - 2022 -19% plastic consumption resulting in -6% C02 emissions vs Varilux® X series™