MAHWAH, N.J.—Seiko Optical Products of America is launching PolarThin, an extremely thin and light polarized sunlens.

“The 1.67 Semi-Finished PolarThin features Precise Film Positioning, a proprietary, patent pending process where the film is located 0.4mm from surface center to edge,” explained Michael J. Rybacki, Seiko’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. “The polarizing film is placed closer to the surface, resulting in lightweight and fashionable lenses that can be surfaced as thin as 1.3 mm center thickness, compared to all other manufacturers’ 1.8 to 2.0 mm center thickness.”

Seiko’s 1.67 PolarThin offers 11 base curves including a 0.50B. The accurate and consistent curvature is ideal for all free-form designs as well as conventional single-vision, Seiko said. PolarThin blanks are made with high index MR-10 resin that is less sensitive to heat and resists warping and coating deterioration.

PolarThin 1.67 is available in gray and brown and features a high index, double hard coat primer that provides increased impact resistance and reduces fringe interference. PolarThin has been tested to show it exceeds ANSI Z80.1 at a 1.3mm center thickness by over nine times, Rybacki noted. ■

akarp@jobson.com