Sustainability is a driving force shaping global regulations and consumer preferences. It represents an important product differentiator that can help influence purchasing decisions for sustainability-minded consumers.
The eyewear industry has made significant progress toward embracing circularity, such as using bio-based and post-consumer recycled materials. While material substitutions provide valuable benefits, including potential reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, they can only advance sustainability practices so far. Transformative innovation in optical manufacturing can tackle today’s challenges while also enabling future technologies.
The next major step lies in addressing not only what optical lenses are made of but also how they are made. By transforming the manufacturing process itself, ultraviolet cure monomer technology can be a catalyst for a more sustainable, energy-efficient value chain. UV chemistry has the potential to reduce curing time, enable next-generation additive manufacturing, and support the development of smart eyewear.
Changing lens materials and production processes comes with challenges, but the outcome is worth the investment. The adoption of UV cure systems can deliver both economic and environmental advantages for eyecare professionals and prescription laboratories.
About UV-Cure Monomers
UV-cure monomers undergo a reaction when exposed to UV light. Unlike traditional thermal cure monomers, which can have an oven cycle of 10 to 20 hours at temperatures ranging from 248 to 284 degrees, UV-cure monomers can cure in less than two hours solely with UV light and do not require any additional heat.
→ For practices that rely on quick service as a competitive advantage, the substantial reduction in cure time could help reduce turnaround time and enhance the patient experience. The process has opportunities to increase productivity and throughput while leading to energy savings.
Patient Communication and Sustainability Positioning
As more brands and labs integrate energy-efficient processes into their production lines, ECPs will be expected to understand these differences and communicate them effectively. While consumers consistently express interest in sustainability, few may understand how that applies to lens production. This creates opportunities for ECPs to guide the conversation and differentiate their offerings.
→ UV-cured lenses offer a tangible sustainability story because they require shorter cure times and less heat than thermally cured lenses. When ECPs can clearly explain why a particular lens supports lower environmental impact, patients gain a reason to choose that product over alternatives.
Additive Manufacturing Innovation
UV-cure chemistry is also a key enabler for additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, which could revolutionize the way lenses are produced. Traditional lens production follows a subtractive approach. Thick lens pucks are ground and shaped into their final forms, generating high amounts of material waste. Additive manufacturing, on the other hand, uses only the material necessary to achieve the desired shape and prescription.
The ability to cure quickly makes UV-cure monomers ideally suited for the precision and speed that additive manufacturing requires. This makes it possible to print customized lenses with very little waste, enabling personalization at scale while reducing environmental impact.
→ These developments in 3D printing could also enable new business models in the future. Compact 3D printing systems may allow some practices to manufacture lenses onsite, dramatically reducing turnaround times and offering patients a level of personalization not achievable with today’s processes.
Enabling Smart Eyewear Technology
Beyond vision correction, smart eyewear is changing the way people interact with the digital world. Augmented reality devices are enhancing entertainment, job training, education, and more.
For these highly advanced wearable devices, UV-cure monomers unlock design flexibility. Because the monomers cure without high heat, components such as sensors, waveguides, and films can be embedded directly within the lens during manufacturing. Embedded components power smart eyewear, allowing users to see projected images on the lenses.
Overcoming Barriers to Adoption
As with any new technology, transitioning to UV-cure monomers requires planning and investment. Implementation requires UV lamp arrays or curing systems, modifications to process workflows, and comprehensive requalification of materials to meet optical and mechanical standards, such as those set by the International Organization for Standardization and American National Standards Institute.
UV-cure monomers contribute to long-term return on investment through reduced energy costs and shorter production cycles. They also support consumer expectations for sustainable practices. Companies that incorporate UV-cure technology early could position themselves as leaders in manufacturing efficiency for lenses.
Transitioning to UV-cure monomers will require time and adjustment. The technology represents a manufacturing transformation that paves the way for a more sustainable future in eyewear. Beyond reducing cycle time, UV curing enables new manufacturing models, including 3D printing and functional integrations.
By reimagining the process behind the product, the industry can combine sustainability, customization, and connectivity to redefine the capabilities of wearable technology. Sustainability leadership in eyewear will not be defined only by alternative materials but by reengineering the processes that make them. —Melissa MacDonald, PhD
Melissa MacDonald, PhD, has an extensive background as a research chemist and project leader. Today, she specializes in advancing sustainable solutions in the coatings and materials industries and is a PPG customer sustainability business partner.