It is never too early to wear progressive lenses, Essilor Korea said at a press conference in Seoul marking the 60th anniversary of the French lens maker Essilor, Wednesady.

Progressive lenses -- also known as multifocal or varifocal lenses -- are worn by people with presbyopia, a farsightedness often associated with old age.

But in the digital age where the increased use of smartphones, tablets and computers are changing sight habits, it’s not only the old people who show signs of presbyopia, Essilor Korea’s CEO Lisa Soh said. 

“On a daily basis, Koreans spend an average of 5.5 hours on smartphones. As a result, people as young as 37 are showing symptoms of farsighteness,” said Soh.

Essilor Korea estimates that only 11 percent of Koreans who wear corrective lenses opt for progressive lenses, while in France, the figure is much higher at 65 percent, in the US, 38 percent, and in Malaysia, 24 percent. 

The resistance against progressive lenses is due to misconception, Soh said.

“Koreans tend to put off wearing progressive lenses as long as we can, because we like to think we aren’t yet old enough to start wearing progressive lenses,” Soh said, “But progressive lenses make you appear younger -- you won‘t have to pull up your glasses every time to take a look at something nearby, or extend your arm as far away as you can to clearly see something.”

Sebastien Fricker, a senior researcher of the firm, said clear sight would lead to regained confidence. 

“People feel the first signs of aging with weakening sight. Progressive lenses can help people enjoy life to the fullest regardless of age,” Fricker said.

Essilor’s representative product, Varilax progressive lens, was first made in 1959 in France by founder Bernard Maitenaz. The lens was tested on 12,0000 people over the past 40 years. Almost 13 billion combinations are posisible with Varilux lenses. 

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)