Marketing vs. Reality -- Abbe values

Hi group,

I spent over 2 weeks researching and agonizing over my lens choice for
my new glasses. After lots of research and calling back and forth
between my optometrist's office and various places, I finally made a
decision and requested that my new glasses be made with Hoya Nulux
Single Vision Aspheric 1.6 index lenses. These have an abbe value of
41, according to their website:
http://www.hoya.com.hk/products/plsingle/003.html.
Optical quality was really important to me, hence the long decision
process. I was really swayed by the high abbe value. I thought that
they would be spectacularly better than my old glasses. I even made the
tough choice not to go with the thinner Hoya 1.7 index lenses, even
though they would be comparable in price (according the sale currently
going on) and even though they would be thinner, because of the poorer
abbe value.

After 2.5 more weeks of waiting for them to be made, I picked them up
today. With regard to chromatic aberration, I find that they are no
better than my old glasses, which I believe were polycarbonate lenses
(Lenscrafter Featherwates). They might be even worse, in the sense that
the sweet spot seems to be smaller than in my old glasses.

Shouldn't there be a strongly noticeable difference between my old and
new glasses, with respect to chromatic abberation (abbe 41 vs. 30)? My
prescription has gotten stronger, but not by that much.

What now? In my somewhat cynical, pessimistic state of mind, I wonder
if it's possible that the optometrist has simply made the glasses with
polycarbonate, which they have clearly said is *much* cheaper, and
pocketed the difference in cost. How can I figure out if I really have
Hoyas in my frames? Is that even possible? Or was I simply I fooled by
marketing?

I hate the thought of my spending so much money and so much time and
effort into research and coming out with a negligible difference in quality.

Thanks,

 

Well, some great guru here is talking about "trolls".

Now the story that this girl recounts is quite interesting. One thing
is not clear to me, where are the trolls???

It seems they are everywhere.

The girl simply has not made an attempt to understand that her
problems are clearly of mental nature.

She has an interesting webpage where there are very much interesting
pictures, and talks about art.

An artist that agonizes on lens choice...

 

They do have access to the local Hoya lab. I suppose there shouldn't be
any reason to suspect that they didn't order the Hoya lenses. I
witnessed the assistant phone them to inquire about availability, and
they have been very helpful and competent in just about all aspects.
I'm just surprised that the Hoyas weren't as good as the specs indicate!
I don't know how else to explain the discrepancy, except perhaps a
crappy product that does not live true to their specs.

This is possible. When tilting the glasses, however, what I see gets
much worse. The lenses are not close to my eyelashes, because the
nosepads seems more extended, but pushing my glasses closer doesn't
really help the chromatic abberation. The same goes for making sure the
centers are centered on my eyes.

Is there any recourse at all, I wonder? I'm thinking that I can't
complain to the optometrist, because these lenses weren't the ones that
they recommended. So, I chose my lenses at my own risk. I may,
however, write a letter to Hoya to complain about the "crappy" product
that they have made.

Thanks for your reply.

 

Robert,
Thanks again for your reply! Your help is *very* much appreciated.

I actually considered the Hoya 1.70 index lenses, but decided against
them because the abbe value was lower (36 vs. 41 on the 1.60 index
Hoya). Nevertheless, this is good information to keep in mind.

I'm not 100% sure. I got them 7 years ago, and I wasn't an informed
enough of a consumer to get my prescription or ask for the lens type.
However, I know I got Lenscrafter Featherwates (I have the receipt).
From my research, I believe these were polycarbonate. Would they
change their lens stock for "Featherwates" throughout the years? Is it
possible to find out what their Featherwates were 7 years ago?

I'll ask them to adjust the glassees so that they are closer to my eyes.

I'll ask them to check the prescription as well. I suppose that I'd get
a second opinion from another optician? Would an optician be able to
determine things that could identify the brand or various specs on the
lens (like index?)

 

Absolutely USELESS information as far as your vision is concerned.

 

I don't know much about glasses, but it appears from your web site (which
my ancient browser doesn't show very well) that you are an artist.
Sometimes artists see things that most people don't notice. It could be
that most people wouldn't see problems that you see as major.

 

A call to Lenscrafters confirmed that Featherwates are and always have
been polycarbonate.

Would using a hand edger require scratchhing/buffing/altering the lens?

This info helps.

Thanks!

 

A call to Lenscrafters confirmed that Featherwates are and always have
been polycarbonate.

Would using a hand edger require scratchhing/buffing/altering the lens?

are poly.
This info helps.

Thanks!

 

Dan,

I'm not an artist, although I sometimes try to be, and it's flattering
that you might think so. I do notice fine details. Maybe I'm more
picky than most people. Maybe the problems are minor. HOWEVER, even
*if* the problems are minor in my new glasses, I should see more more
major problems in my old glasses. I simply don't - especially with the
centers. The polycarbonates have far worse edge abberation, but the
centers of the Hoyas and polycarbonates are very similar. The sweet
spot on the Hoyas is very small. When I compare my old glasses with my
new glasses, they are too similar, given the specifications for the two
lens types. Too similar for the amount of money I paid for the Hoya lenses.

Anyway, that's why I put in my topic "marketing vs. reality." How
*much* chromatic abberation am I supposed to see? Is it a function of
prescription strength? Are the good abbe values going to be noticeable
only on lower prescriptions? How *much* better than the polycarbonate
should the Hoyas be? Was I simply fooled by the specs (marketing)?

FWIW, I spoke to someone at Hoya and was told that I *should* see a big
difference between polycarbonate and Hoya. Whether that was more
marketing, I don't know.

Thanks for your reply.