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Patternless edging is the current standard for cutting prescription lenses to fit spectacle frames. It is a highly automated process that uses digital data from a frame tracer (instead of physical templates or patterns) to cut the lens with precise accuracy.
read more about patternless edging for lenses ...The edging machine receives the digital file from the frame tracer. The machine uses diamond-coated cutting wheels to grind the lens material down to the final size and shape. The entire process is controlled by computer software to ensure perfect alignment of the lens's optical center.
The advantages include speed and accuracy. Since the process relies on digital data, it is much faster than older methods that required manual handling of physical templates. The computer control also drastically reduces cutting errors and ensures a perfect fit into the frame.
Lens alignment is the process of making sure the center of the lens correction is positioned directly in front of the wearer's pupil. Patternless edging performs this centering automatically and accurately, which is needed to prevent eye strain and distortion in the finished glasses.
Patternless edging means your backup glasses are made with the highest degree of accuracy. This modern precision ensures that when you switch from your contacts to glasses, you experience perfect, distortion-free vision immediately.
Patternless edging is the standard for almost all modern spectacle lenses, including single vision, bifocals, and progressives.
No, the cutting wheels and water-cooling systems are controlled to avoid damage to anti-reflective or anti-scratch coatings.
The old method was called 'pattern edging,' which used a physical plastic template to guide the cutting machine.
Patternless edging allows for a more precise lens fit. If you notice a "gap" between the lens and the frame in your new glasses, the digital data for the patternless edger may have been miscalibrated. Your optician should re-scan the frame to ensure a flush, secure fit.
Optical Laboratory Association. Patternless Edging Manual (ola-labs.org). 2024.
Vision Council. Advancements in Finishing Equipment (thevisioncouncil.org). 2023.
Review of Optometry. Managing the Optical Lab (reviewofoptometry.com). 2024.
ABDO. Ophthalmic Lens Edging (abdo.org.uk). 2024.