Press Release: VARILUX® XR SERIES™

Essilor, the leading vision care brand of EssilorLuxottica, announces breakthrough progressive lens innovation: Varilux® XR series™

Powered by behavioral artificial intelligence, Varilux® XR series™ is the first eye-responsive progressive lens for instant sharpness in motion.


Charenton-le-Pont, France (February 6th, 2023) – In a first, EssilorLuxottica’s scientists have harnessed the power of artificial intelligence and combined it with their unmatched understanding of consumer lifestyles to create the best overall progressive lens*: Varilux® XR series™.

In today’s modern lifestyles, our eyes are moving 100,000 times a day to process all the visual information we are exposed to. Moreover, researchers from EssilorLuxottica studied over 6,500 consumers to enrich their understanding of presbyopes’ lifestyles and visual challenges. 

The Group has gathered over one million data points to develop a breakthrough behavioral modeling system that predicts how presbyope individuals will look at objects around them. 

“The power of artificial intelligence lies in the quantity, quality and variety of data and the way they’re analyzed. The insights we established from data collected from customer orders, real life wearer tests, in store measurements and physiological models are exclusive to EssilorLuxottica. Thanks to the digital twinning technology, we can now establish a visual behavior profile for every single prescription and provide the first eye-responsive lens that respects the natural behavior of the eye.”, commented Norbert Gorny, Co-chief Operating Officer at EssilorLuxottica.

Varilux® XR series™ wearers benefit from instant sharpness, even in motion, with up 49% more vision volume** compared to Varilux X series. In independent third-party tests, 87% of consumers, mostly wearing premium progressive lens, preferred Varilux XR series to their previous lenses, after trying them, with no change in their prescription***.  And 95% of wearers adapted to their new lenses on the first day.

*Based on Essilor R&D simulations – 2022 – calculation based on lenses measurements weighted by the level of importance of each criteria for progressive lenses declared by users (Quantitative Consumer study – Ipsos – Q1 2022 – BR/FR/IT/UK/US – n=4000 progressive lens wearers) – Simulations done on most relevant competitive brands : brands with good level of awareness among consumers (Consumer Lens Brand Tracking – Ipsos – Q3 2022 – BR/CA/CN/FR/IN/IT/UK – n=8000) & offering premium progressive lenses

**Internal R&D simulations – 2022 – vs Varilux® X series™ and vs average performance of competitors most-known lens brands (Consumer Lens Brand Tracking – 3rd independent party – 2022 -BR/CA/CN/FR/ IN/ IT/UK/US (n=8000)). Volume of vision considers sharpness and fluidity of vision.

***No change of prescription 
Varilux® XR series™ – in-life consumer study – Eurosyn – 2022 – France (n=73 progressive lens wearers)

Note to editors

Varilux® XR series™ will be introduced to the North American market at Vision Expo East in New York (March 17-19, 2023) where eye care professionals will be invited to experience this cutting-edge innovation.

The new progressive lenses will be available in the US this summer. More details will be released in the coming weeks.

Varilux®, invented in 1959, is the number one progressive lens brand in the world (1) and Varilux lenses lead the way with other 70 patents (2); the result of more than 60 years of research and development.

About Essilor 

Essilor, part of EssilorLuxottica’s portfolio, is a leader in eyeglass lenses worldwide (1) and the number one lens brand recommended by eye care professionals (ECP) (3). It offers a complete range of solutions dedicated to each individual’s vision and lifestyle needs throughout their life. Every Essilor lens is a combination of multiple complementary technologies thanks to its suite of leading premium vision care solutions, including innovative brands such as Stellest, Eyezen, Varilux and Crizal. These groundbreaking technologies correct vision, protect eyes from harmful rays and enhance visual clarity.

(1) Source: Euromonitor, Eyewear 2023 edition; Essilor International company; worldwide retail value sales at RSP. 

(2) 70 inventions led to patent filings in multiple countries since 1953 (which allowance/in-force status varies over the time and country).

(3) Quantitative research conducted among a representative sample of 958 independent ECPs by CSA in February 2019 – France, the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, the US, Canada, Brazil, China, India.

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