IOT forms progressive spectacle lenses in seconds with one light exposure

Spanish ophthalmic company IOT says it is the first to 3D print personalized progressive lenses, using a process called Light-Form that cures a whole lens in a few seconds. The company states that lenses made this way are already sold to consumers. It claims lower water, energy and waste use than conventional surfacing, for the manufacturing stage only.

Context Progressive lenses are multifocal spectacle lenses with a smooth change of power from distance to reading zones, normally produced by grinding and polishing a blank.

How does Light-Form make a lens?

Light-Form relies on stabilized frontal photopolymerization: a single exposure hardens the entire lens volume, instead of building it up layer by layer or cutting it from a blank. The forming step takes seconds, and IOT says it skips the generating and polishing stages of conventional surfacing. Afterwards the lens still needs finishing: leftover resin is recovered, the surface receives a hardening treatment and the optical result is measured.

What resource savings does IOT claim?

Against conventional lens production, IOT states that its process uses no water, needs 90% less energy and creates 76% less waste. The company stresses that these figures cover manufacturing only, not the whole life cycle.

Where could this lead?

IOT describes a change in how lens production is organized. Larger plants could fit several printing heads into little floor space, and compact machines might one day produce custom lenses inside optical stores, reducing stock. The company is also developing printing of prescription optics onto waveguides and flat substrates for smart glasses and AR headsets. Earlier efforts include Luxexcel, which used material jetting for prescription lenses and was later acquired by Meta, and a University of Waterloo system that prints contact lenses in about 20 minutes.

What it means

For European manufacturers outside optics, this is mainly a signal that single-exposure photopolymer forming is reaching regulated consumer products. The claims on energy, water and waste are supplier figures for the manufacturing stage and are not independently verified. Cost per lens, yield and optical tolerance data are not given, so a business case cannot yet be built. Small laboratories should watch whether in-store production brings new qualification and quality-control duties.

Frequently asked questions

Is Light-Form a layer-by-layer process?

No. According to IOT, a single light exposure cures the whole lens volume in seconds, with no layer-by-layer build.

Are the lenses commercially available?

IOT says its personalized progressive lenses made with Light-Form are already on sale to consumers.

Do the savings cover the whole lens life cycle?

No. IOT states that the figures of 90% less energy and 76% less waste apply to the manufacturing stage only.