It has always been a problem, but once masks were mandated to help combat the spread of COVID-19, it became impossible to ignore. Ask anyone who wears glasses.

The struggle with lens fog is real, but Vernon Optometry was quick to explore new technology from Europe and bring it to Canadian soil first.

Enter Clear AF: an anti-fog lens coating made in-house at Vernon Optometry91裸聊视频檚 carbon-neutral lab.

91裸聊视频淣one of the big labs have it yet,91裸聊视频� said Dr. Meghan Ashton. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e lucky because we91裸聊视频檙e small enough 91裸聊视频� we91裸聊视频檙e nimble. We can adopt new technology quickly.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲e saw it, tested it and had it implemented in one month from beginning to end.91裸聊视频�

Dr. Tanner Udenberg demoed a pair that had one lens coated in Clear AF and the other in a regular anti-glare. With just a few breaths, the lens without the special coating fogged up and lingered for several moments while the other remained crystal clear.

The special coating, which is added in the anti-reflective chamber, starts as a square chip that is hit with an electron beam to vaporize the material which creates a uniform, thin layer on the lens.

91裸聊视频淭here are all these different crucibles with different materials and the coating is built in layers,91裸聊视频� Dr. Udenberg said. 91裸聊视频淚t vaporizes that material which spins at a really high speed and that coating goes on the lens and the new material goes on. The anti-fog material goes on in one of those steps.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭he proof is in the pudding,91裸聊视频� he said, admitting he was skeptical at first.

91裸聊视频淣othing else really does the trick,91裸聊视频� he said, noting the team had tried sprays, gels and anything else to 91裸聊视频渇ight the fog.91裸聊视频�

Since the mask mandate was ordered in November, 95 per cent of Vernon Optometry customers complained of lens fog, Dr. Udenberg said.

91裸聊视频淭his is a game-changer. This is the recipe they91裸聊视频檙e starting to use in the States for safety glasses91裸聊视频� We91裸聊视频檙e in a unique position because we have dip coaters and all the equipment to make it.91裸聊视频�

Dr. Ashton pointed to the clinic91裸聊视频檚 unique circumstances as a reason behind their ability to adapt.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e an anomaly. I still don91裸聊视频檛 know of any other optometry office in North America that does what we do,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 think it91裸聊视频檚 partly because you have two younger doctors and my husband (Tyler Underwood) is an electrical engineer. Without that combo, I don91裸聊视频檛 think we would have gotten this far with this at all.91裸聊视频�

The Clear AF coating, too, aligns with the optometrists91裸聊视频� values as it is 91裸聊视频渉ippie approved,91裸聊视频� Dr. Udenberg said.

91裸聊视频淭here is one other coating on the market and it is known to be quite harmful. This one is not. This one is safe,91裸聊视频� Dr. Ashton said, noting it passes California91裸聊视频檚 strict regulations. 91裸聊视频淲hich is a lot.91裸聊视频�

Vernon Optometry91裸聊视频檚 carbon-neutral facility boasts 100 solar panels on the roof and geothermal technology recycles heat from the lens-manufacturing process.

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Caitlin.clow@vernonmorningstar.com
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