Essilor introduces new anti-reflective coating

Essilor has introduced a new anti-reflective coating, designed to deliver transparency with “reflections that remain barely noticeable.”

The Crizal Natural Look coating uses what Essilor describes as “advanced aesthetics technology” to deliver a discreet anti-reflective effect through which the coating maintains colour neutrality and minimal reflection intensity across viewing angles.

Hélène Maury, light management technical leader at EssilorLuxottica, said: “In a world where every moment can be seen and shared, visual performance has evolved from a purely functional feature to an aesthetic expectation, and studies have shown that lens reflections are among the top four most frustrating issues for wearers.”

Maury added that the launch was in response to consumer demand for “lenses that enhance vision without compromising style.”

The technology behind the coating includes three criteria for transparency, including low light intensity, low colour intensity, and a high angular colour stability.

Maury commented: “By mastering the balance of light and colour, we deliver lenses that are not only technically superior but also aesthetically almost invisible. The result is effortless eye contact and authentic connection – empowering wearers to be seen exactly as they are.”

Controlled wearer trials found that the Crizal Natural Look was consistently rated as the least visible coating across the evaluated real-life scenarios.

The findings also showed that three times more wearers selected it for improved eye visibility through the lens, while twice as many preferred its overall aesthetic appearance compared with select Crizal coatings and competitor coatings.

Essilor shared that a panel of optical experts identified the coating’s discreet appearance – including clear eye visibility, low mirror effects, minimal skin-tone change, and a subtle and colour-neutral look across all angles.

The panel also reported a more natural colour balance, including reduced yellow colour cast and less perceived colour shift, along with fewer light-related visual distractions compared to select competitor coatings.

Crizal Natural Look also has three times higher scratch resistance than the Crizal entry range.