Fall means the launch of new products and styles across all sectors of the optical industry. Whether shopping for the latest frames to carry in your office or finding the most cutting edge equipment to improve production times in your lab, now is the time to check out what’s new in optics.

In this week’s Today’s Read, we talk to industry insiders who are sharing what they see as this fall's hottest trends in design and technology. We will be highlighting these and many more new and innovative fashion and equipment trends in upcoming issues as we report on Vision Expo West, scheduled to take place September 27–30 at the Venetian Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas.

To read more about what’s in store for this year’s Vision Expo, check out our Vision Expo West Preview section in the Digital Edition of Vision Monday’s September issue.




David Friedfeld
Owner
ClearVision Optical, Hauppauge, New York

“I have just visited the Bold Show in Utrecht, Holland. I can advise you of four trends I have seen here which will come to the states: more bold and colorful eyewear, more independent brands, more reading glasses and accessories sold in optical shops, and more 3D printing used as a manufacturing process.”


 





Toni Masi
President
Ocean State Optical, Warwick, Rhode Island

“I am seeing a shift toward non-branded progressive designs. I am also seeing a greater adoption of virtual refracting.”











Suzanne Sendel
Founder
Suzanne Sendel Agency, Montreal, Canada

“We are seeing a demand for deeper, richer colors, jewel tones, and less chunky frames that are lighter and more structural. Metals are big this fall/winter, especially for men. Jewels are also back in style for women’s wear, and ornate is always in style.”



Mehran Baghaie
Owner
Spectacle Eyeworks, Vancouver, Canada

“I think optical fashion for fall is going into two different polar opposites—plastic frames are getting thicker and chunkier and metal frames are getting smaller and thinner, more like vintage 40s and 50s farmes.”







Michael Milkowich
Optical Automation Sales Engineer
NCC Automated Systems, Inc., Souderton, Pennsylvania

“Lately, labs are looking for options to use the space they already have in use. We have recently implemented vertical transportation units of the pneumatic and servo type for both short (12–18 inches) and long (5-25 feet), respectively, with cycle times as high as 300 cycles per hour.”



Alain Belair
VP Sales
Riverside Optical Group, Ottawa, Canada

“A trend I am seeing is a focus on better myopia management. Early management can help slow the progression of myopia and reduce the risk of complications in adulthood. The Essilor Stellest lenses, which is part of Riverside's lens portfolio, slow down myopia progression by 67 percent on average, compared to single vision lenses, when worn 12 hours a day.”