Page 66 - Demo

64was not as simple as enlarging the DISC lens to the size of a spectacle lens. Facing a range of technical obstacles, the company collaborated with SO researchers and a team led by Ir Prof. Benny Chi-fai CHEUNG, Chair Professor of Ultra-precision Machining and Metrology, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Ultraprecision Machining Technology (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University) (SKL-UPMT). Producing a spectacle lens equivalent to the DISC lens presented several challenges. %u201cThe DISC lens works because it fits snugly on an eyeball and follows the eye%u2019s movements. But when used in a spectacle lens, it%u2019s difficult to achieve clear vision. Some wearers find that their eyes have trouble adjusting,%u201d explains Prof. Cheung. Also, the DISC lens cannot include correction for astigmatism. This was a key challenge that the team had to overcome when developing the spectacle lens version of the DISC lens. The aesthetics, or the look of the lens, was also important. %u201cNot many schoolchildren would be willing to wear glasses with obvious rings on them%u201d, observes Prof. Cheung. %u201cNo matter how effective a tool is, it%u2019s still useless if no one wants to use it. So, we needed to make the spectacle lens look like those in regular glasses. We also wanted to keep the cost low so that the spectacle lens version would be affordable for more parents.%u201dSMALL IS POWERFUL