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L-R, Some of the members of the Standards Australia Committee for Spectacle Frames and Lenses (MS-024), optometrists Annette Hoskin (Optometry Australia’s representative on the committee), Mei-Ying Boon from UNSW and Professor David Atchison from QUT, Simon Pavy from ZEISS, optometrist Professor Stephen Dain from UNSW and Kevin O’Connor from Essilor.

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By Helen Carter
Journalist

Input is needed from the optical industry and optometrists to help create a spectacle lens standard that is more consistent internationally to reduce confusion in lens measurement.

As part of an ongoing review of spectacle lens standards, a survey is being conducted through the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The project is being undertaken by ISO and supported by the Standards Australia Committee for Spectacle Frames and Lenses (MS-024).

Internationally everyone who performs inspection and measurement of completed spectacles or finished lenses is being asked to fill in the short survey.

Perth optometrist Annette Hoskin is Optometry Australia’s representative on MS-024, the Standards Australia committee involved.

She told Optometry Australia: ‘This survey will help to create a standard that is more practical for manufacturing and supply chains.

‘Lens measurement methods vary internationally which can result in different pass/fail criteria.

‘Recognising the need to reduce this confusion, the ISO committee members wanted to ask the industry, including optometrists, manufacturers and supply chains, what methods they apply to create a standard that is more consistently applied internationally.

‘The ISO activities ultimately impact on what we do in Australia as we tend to adopt the ISO standards unless there is a local reason for not doing so.

‘The world-wide web-based survey/questionnaire, in the appropriate languages, will gather data relating to the power and prism measurement methods used in manufacturing facilities and optical/optometric establishments which will inform the development of proposals for possible revision of the spectacle lens standard.’

Ms Hoskin said the anonymised results would be provided to the ISO committee and used in discussions and decisions when the relevant areas of the ISO spectacle lens standards were revised, specifically methodology of measurement.

The survey opened on 1 July and will close about six weeks later. Ms Hoskin said it should take no more than 10 minutes to complete the 18 question survey.

‘It is important that the data show how we do things in Australia. This survey will help to create a standard that is more practical for manufacturing and supply chains.’ Ms Hoskin said.

‘We would like as many responses from Australia as possible so please go to the Power and Prism Verification survey to complete this short survey. The data is anonymous and there are no right or wrong answers.’

 

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