trends now

Sunnyside Up

by Karlen McLean, ABOC, NCLC

Sunlens trends affect dispensary sales and marketing decisions now and into the near future. What will 2008 and 2009 bring? Sunny news: definitely an increase in sunlens sales and satisfied returning customers.

Detailed sunlens trends include:

SIMPLER AND EASIER: Sunlenses will become more dispensary-friendly and easier to work with for labs. For example: a wrap-style progressive lens that requires no secondary calculations, making it easier to sell and fabricate.

WRAPS: Speaking of wraps, they'll continue to be popular and gain market share with all demographics, age groups, and face sizes. Look for large styles to continue, but look for a latent, later trend to somewhat smaller, sleeker models.

RIMLESS CHOICES: In addition to rimless drilling and notching, other rimless mounting choices are emerging. One technology holds the lenses in by suspensiononly, one uses screwless technology, and another utilizes lens bonding.

SINGLE-VISION: Look for more singlevision, free-form sunlens products to emerge.

DISCONTINUING: Major manufacturers will discontinue some lens styles. Look for several materials and designs to be discontinued by 2009, including older photochromic technology.

AR: AR will take off throughout the market, but the sunlens category in particular will receive consumer recognition for effectively reducing glare in conjunction with photochromic and polarized lenses.

MIRRORS: Instead of an add-on, mirrors become part of the optical performance-and-style package so are easier than ever to sell.

BROWN: Brown hues, popular overseas for years, will boom in the U.S. In addition to traditional brown, copper will enter the comfort zone as sports-active wearers push the trend into street wear.

Sunlens trends for 2008 and 2009 include the retirement of old technology and the introduction of new and improved options. Lens images shown above provided by Carl Zeiss Vision, top, and Hoya, above

PALs: Boomers want the convenience of PALs in everything, including sunwear. As more PAL wearers enter the marketplace—both new as well as seasoned, converted presbyopes—they demand high-performance lenses for sunwear with all the bells and whistles.

POLARIZED: The new polarized mantra: "This is it!" Polarized lens' time has come. Look for more polarized, most of the time. EB