Rodenstock presents B.I.G. EXACT™ Sensitive

As part of its B.I.G. VISION™ FOR ALL philosophy, the mision of Rodenstock is to provide better vision to all spectacle wearers. Rodenstock recognises that every person and every eye are unique and different. That's why the lens manufacturer uses thousands of data points to measure and determine the parameters of the eye and uses this data to produce the lenses customised according to the biometric parameters of each individual eye. 

As Rodenstock always strives for improvement, the researchers at Rodenstock have now taken a further step to mark the next evolution in B.I.G. VISION™.

The next evolution in B.I.G. VISION™

Rodenstock conducted +5 years of research, analyzed millions of eyes and carried out two complex wearer trials and a scientific eye tracking study. The researchers leveraged its industry-leading dataset and applied advanced data science and AI to develop a way to determine individual sensitivity. They discovered that visual sensitivity is highly individual and linked to the individual eyes’ biometry and therefore developed the Visual Sensitivity Index as a brand-new way to illustrate the individual visual sensitivity: People with lower visual sensitivity don’t or hardly perceive small changes in vision quality while for people with high visual sensitivity even slight changes in vision quality can cause disturbances and disrupt vision flow. The Rodenstock researchers used that to further develop the state-of-the-art biometric lens calculations and design lenses that are optimised precisely for each individual. When designing spectacle lenses optimised for individual visual sensitivity, there are several factors to consider:

Two subsystems of the human vision work with the brain

The human vision consists of two subsystems: Focus vision and peripheral vision: People use the peripheral vision to orientate themselves and to detect motion in their environment. When the brain picks up on a point of interest, their focus vision moves there to give the brain information, which then determines the next action. Only when both systems work in harmony the lens wearer has the optimal vision flow.

The eyes move up to 250,000 times daily, constantly switching between subsystems. The continuous movement of the eyes requires that the lenses provide the right support to the wearer to have a harmonious interplay of the two subsystems. This constant dynamic state of the vision underscores the importance of considering visual sensitivity when selecting the right spectacle lenses.

Spectacle lenses that help the brain see more of the world

“Biometric lenses are one of the few real paradigm changes in the ophthalmic lens industry of the past two decades”, says Dr Dietmar Uttenweiler, Executive Vice President Innovation. Through the work with B.I.G. VISION™, Rodenstock got millions of eye scans using the DNEye® Scanner enabling Rodenstock to create exact biometric lenses and build up one of the industry’s most comprehensive datasets.

Applying Rodenstock’s expertise and analysing latest research, the Rodenstock experts developed an advanced AI algorithm that uncovered the correlations and connections that have allowed the lens manufacturer to get additional insights into the brain vision and determine the individual visual sensitivity.

Based on analysis of biometric data, 83%* of lenses do not fit the spectacle wearers’ individual visual sensitivity. “Knowing that each person has a unique visual sensitivity, Rodenstock can leverage that in the lens calculation of our B.I.G. EXACT™ Sensitive lenses and tailor them specifically for the person’s visual sensitivity, improving visual performance”, explains Dr Dietmar Uttenweiler.

A better match with B.I.G. EXACT™ Sensitive

Rodenstock fine-tuned its state-of-the-art biometric lens calculations and collaborated with the University of Applied Science in Munich to study and test the result. The remarkable findings confirmed that the new B.I.G. EXACT™ Sensitive lenses were more precisely optimised for each individual. Wearers experienced an improved visual performance.

Because visual sensitivity lies on a spectrum and the demands for the lenses change with different levels of visual sensitivity, the lens design with B.I.G. EXACT™ Sensitive varies with each individual: Lenses for persons with high visual sensitivity feature smaller, more concentrated aberration fields. They provide up to 42%** larger aberration-free zones, that reduces the potential for vision disruptions. The lenses optimised for persons with low visual sensitivity have more evenly distributed aberration fields. The low sensitive design offers up to 30%** reduced peripheral aberrations and softer transition zones, which provide the wearer with a more seamless vision flow.

Big Benefits for the spectacle wearer and the optician

With B.I.G. EXACT™ Sensitive Rodenstock elevates biometric individualization to the next level and defines another benchmark with unparalleled advantages:

Rodenstock conducted wearer trials and an eye tracking study to prove the efficacy and success of the new B.I.G. EXACT™ Sensitive lenses. The spectacle wearers in the trials strongly preferred the new lenses. On average, they experienced notable improvements such as 28% better reading flow, that means that the process of reading undisturbed was improved. The participants stated a 24% improvement in vision flow as the transitions between vision zones in the lenses and varying vision distances were perceived as seamless. They reported a 35% improved visual orientation from far to near and from central to peripheral vision. 83% of the spectacle wearers in the study preferred the new design that considers their sensitivity***.

With these convincing arguments and facts, the optician can explain the advantages of B.I.G. EXACT™ Sensitive to their customers in an easy and understandable way. This gives him a unique selling point as an expert in biometric progressive lenses and sets him apart from the competition.

* Based on analysis of biometric data from hundreds of spectacle wearers

** Based on a comparison of the design of B.I.G. EXACT™ Sensitive lenses with B.I.G. EXACT™ lenses with a similar prescription

*** All results of an external wearer trial conducted with the University of Applied Science in Munich, June 2024