Lenses Technology

Lenses in Swoop Eyecare

Swoop Eye Care partners with many specialty and local optical labs in the upper Midwest. Given our relationships, we can serve the needs of ALL our patients and those within our community from the simplest to the most complex optical prescriptions (prism, FL-41 tint, transitions, extra active transitions, slab-off, progressives, digital lenses, computer lenses, and much more). Our certified opticians help patients from start to finish!

Some of our lab partners are:

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What should you expect from Swoop Opticians?

Your eye doctor (optometrist or ophthalmologist) prescribes a specific prescription, but does not usually specify types of lenses, and/or additional features that help in your everyday life (anti-reflective coating, blue-blocker, polished edges, photochromatic lenses, tints, etc.). Our opticians will provide an individualized experience depending on your prescription, lifestyle requirements (read below), and hobbies that you may have!

Why is it important to consider lifestyle requirements for your prescription glasses?

Swoop Eye Care partners with almost all industry leaders for ophthalmic lenses. These include:

  • IOT *
  • Essilor
  • Hoya
  • Kodak
  • Shamir
  • Seiko
  • Varilux
  • Younger


* IOT is an independent, innovative, and optical & material research scientist based company in Madrid, Spain. IOT is not affiliated with a frame, insurance, or other optical company. Their sole purpose is to improve the visual needs of their customers.

Types of Lenses

    Other Specialty Lenses

    Myopia Management Benefits

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    • What are the benefits?

      • The lens design reduces the progression of nearsightedness (myopia).

    • How does it work?

      • Optical scientists and researchers have used variable power lenses to account for asymmetries of the eye in the back of the eye, known as the retina. By doing so, light focuses on strategic points, which have been longitudinally studied to decrease the progression of nearsightedness.

    • Research Studies

      • Title: Effectiveness of a Spectacle Lens with a Specific Asymmetric Myopic Peripheral Defocus: 12-Month Results in a Spanish Population

        • Conclusion: A group of 92 children were studied from the ages of 5-12 years of age.

          • Group 1 – 46 children wore traditional single vision lenses

          • Group 2 – 46 children wore myoless free-form technology lenses

          • Results: Treatment group 2 (myoless free form) notes a 39% decrease in axial length of the eye. With a decrease in axial length, this translates into reduced nearsightedness prescription or myopia.

        • Source: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/11/2/177

    Safety Lenses

    • Safety lenses are ANSI (American National Standards Institute) approved lenses that have been tested for maximal protection for environments that are inherently more at risk for eye related injuries. There is often a marking on the lenses that indicate Z87/Z87+ or Z87.2/Z87.2+ or that the lenses adhere to protection standards regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).


    What is the difference between basic impact versus high impact?

    • Basic impact (Z87 or Z87.2) lenses are tested by involving a one-inch diameter steel ball and dropped from a height of 50 inches on the lens only. Lenses that resist cracking, chipping or breakage pass the compliance test.

    • High impact (Z87+/Z87.2+) lenses are tested with frame AND lenses together. A quarter inch diameter steel ball shorts out at a speed of 150 feet per second. If the lenses resist cracking, chipping, breakage AND the lenses stay within the frame, the test is considered a success and the product is classified as HIGH IMPACT resistant.

    Shaw Lenses

    What are the potential benefits?​​​​​

    • The design of the lenses minimizes visual distortions and reduces image size differences between each eye (right and left eyes).

      • Eliminates double vision

      • Improves headaches (especially frontal headaches)

      • Improves eye strain

      • Improves reading

      • Improves binocular vision function

      • Improves light sensitivity

      • Improves eye fatigue



    What conditions are most benefited with SHAW lenses?

    • Congenital anisometropia

    • Axial length changes secondary to retinal surgeries (retina detachment)

    • Refractive induced aniseikonia from cataracts

    • Cataract refractive surgery

    • Maculopathy (macular pucker, cystoid macular edema, epiretinal membrane, macular schisis, central serous chorioretinopathy, macular holes, and many others)

    How does it work?

    • A computer-based algorithm uses specific measurements provided by a Swoop Optician to customize lens thickness, curvature of the lenses, and varying power from center to peripheral parts of the lenses.

    Shaw Lens Example

    • This example highlights a patient with anisometropia, nearsighted (myopia) in one eye and farsighted (hypermetropia) in the other eye. When the patient looks through his or her lens, the eyes will see different images sizes. This is usually uncomfortable; therefore, a SHAW lens is recommended to change the curvature & thickness of one of the lenses to improve the visual comfort for the patient

    Types of Customized Lens Options