Eyeglass World Launches First Retail Collection of Prescription Lenses for Smart Glass Devices

SAN DIEGO, June 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Eyeglass World^®, a leading retailer of affordable prescription eyewear, is the first national chain to launch a retail collection of prescription lenses for smart glass technologies in the U.S. The debut of specially designed prescription lens options for wearable brands including Glass, Recon, Vuzix and Epson coincides with Eyeglass World's retail expansion into California. On Friday, the company celebrated the grand opening of a Vista, California location – the first of eight Eyeglass World stores planned for the San Diego area by June 2016.

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Prescription smart glass solutions from Eyeglass World use Smart GOLD^™ lenses, developed by Rochester Optical, to compensate for the unique visual demands of smart glasses. Whereas normal prescription lenses are not optimized for devices using a Heads Up Display (HUD), such as Vuzix M100 or Google Glass, Smart GOLD Lenses provide specific adjustments – unique to a user's eyes – for the upper corners of a lens where a HUD is located. This greater visual clarity may help minimize eyestrain and eye fatigue for smart glass wearers.

"Making prescription lens solutions readily available at retail for smart glass wearers helps overcome a critical hurdle in the future of eyewear," said Bruce Steffey, President and COO of National Vision, Inc. "Smart glass sales, for leisure and business uses, will be a major growth driver for the eyewear category in future years. We're excited to be at the forefront of innovation in wearable technology by distributing prescription smart glass lenses and in-store hardware as a component of Eyeglass World's West Coast expansion, and expect to roll out these offerings to all of our stores."

Eyeglass World becomes the first brick-and-mortar retailer in the world to offer Recon Jet, Vuzix M100 and Epson Moverio hardware all under one roof, along with the availability of prescription lenses. This selection of smart glass devices – spanning sports, business and leisure uses – and custom prescription lens offerings give customers a one-stop shopping experience for their smart glass needs.

Tom Fowler, CMO at Recon Instruments said, "Recon Jet smart eyewear is designed for runners, cyclists and fitness enthusiasts. In those high speed, high performance environments, perfect lenses accurately tuned to the athlete's prescription, are critical."

Paul Travers, founder, president and CEO of Vuzix, said, "We're extremely excited about the launch of wearable smart glasses and prescription lenses in Eyeglass World. For Vuzix, having wider access to these products will be transformative in the workplace, leading to greater productivity and increased job satisfaction."

"There are special apps built just for the Epson Moverio smart glasses," said Eric Mizufuka, product manager at Epson America. "Through the Epson Moverio glasses and the augmented reality these apps provide, there are incredible benefits that can be gained by viewing and interacting with digital content that's intertwined into our everyday environment. For prescription eyeglass wearers, having the right lenses in these glasses is key to ensuring their viewing experience."

Eyeglass World prescription smart glass lenses are available in two styles: clear Trivex or the UV-responsive Transitions VII. All lenses come with Eyeglass World's Neverglare^® Advantage^®, which minimizes glare and helps wearers see more clearly, especially at night.

An additional San Diego County Eyeglass World location will open in late June at Santee Town Center. For more information, or to find an Eyeglass World location near you, visit eyeglassworld.com.

About Eyeglass World

Eyeglass World is an optical retail chain owned by National Vision, Inc., one of the largest optical retailers in the United States, operating over 800 retail locations in 44 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. National Vision employs over 8,000 employees, and its retail divisions include Eyeglass World, America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, Vision Centers brought to you by Walmart, and Vista Optical inside Fred Meyer and Optical Centers on select military bases. The company's vision is: We believe everyone deserves to see their best, to live their best.

SOURCE National Vision, Inc.