In our latest white paper Exploring key features that work together to create the ultimate coating, the authors reviewed the unique physical and performance characteristics of HOYA Vision Care’s new advanced AR surface treatment, Super HiVision® Meiryo™ EX4™.
In this blog, we explore some of the real-world benefits that make this a superior AR coating.
Real-world benefit #1: Clarity
Clarity is the most common desire for every spectacle wearer, and the primary function of an AR treatment is to reduce surface reflections and thus improve light transmissibility.
By comparison, Super HiVision Meiryo EX4 has demonstrated 56% lower reflectance than major competitor’s best coating.1
This improved light transmissibility results in exceptional clarity.
What matters more than the initial clarity of the lenses when they are first purchased is how that clarity holds up over time.
Real-world benefit #2: Holds up to daily cleaning
How the surface of a lens holds up to daily cleaning and maintenance has an impact on visual clarity over time.
How durability is measured and tested: water contact angle
One way to measure the lens surface durability is by monitoring the water contact angle after cleaning the lenses thousands of times.
The water contact angle is the angle between a droplet’s edge and the surface underneath it. If that contact angle is greater than 90 degrees, the surface is considered to be hydrophobic.
The water contact angle of a brand-new lens with a premium AR treatment ranges from 108 to 118 degrees on average. Testing the breakdown of a lens surface consists of measuring the water contact angle after every 500 cleaning wipes and ending the test when the contact angle drops below the 100-degree level. The wipes are set to ensure a consistent swipe pattern and equal pressure.
Results of the test: Easy clean features last 5X longer
Performing this test resulted in many competitors' AR treatments ‘falling out’ after the first 500 wipes. One competitor reached 1000 wipes, and another even lasted 2000 wipes. HOYA’s Super HiVision Meiryo EX4 lasted up to 10 times longer, making it to 10,000 wipes without falling below the 100-degree contact angle.
This long-life durability indicates that Super HiVision Meiryo EX4 maintains ‘easy clean’ features up to 5X longer than all competitor’s coatings tested.2
Real-world benefit #3: Durability and scratch resistance
One of the complaints that causes the most frustration for patients is when their lenses get scratched. This is not only aesthetically unappealing, but it can also affect the clarity through the lens. Durability and scratch resistance are major components required in an AR treatment heard throughout several surveys. It has been suggested that most spectacle wearers clean their lenses a couple times a day and this is typically not done with a standard cleaning cloth.
Think about the average cleaning – which includes about 10-20 wipes per cleaning, twice a day for a year is 7,300-14,600 wipes. Extending this over two to three years can amount to 21,900-43,800 wipes. Durability matters over a lifetime, even just considering the cleaning of the lenses alone!
Real-world benefit #4: Withstands environmental elements
Besides superior clarity, ease of cleaning and scratch resistance, an AR treatment should be able to hold up to the environmental elements no matter if you live in the rainforest, the desert, or the Arctic rim. Extreme weather fluctuations can damage metal, plastic and glass…so imagine what can it do to the surface of a lens.
Visually, you want a coating to hold its reliability throughout its lifetime. Putting AR treatments through accelerated exposure to humidity, high temperatures, UV light and adhesion testing is an example of how the lens will stand up in the real world.
Results of extreme weather tests: Retained over 90% of coating properties
When exposed to the extreme weather test, Super HiVision Meiryo EX4 was found to retain over 90% of its coating properties at the end of the testing.
Most competitors showed significant loss of their film structure as early as one week. Super HiVision Meiryo EX4 also showed the highest amount of heat resistance than all other AR treatments, withstanding over 200° F.
Durability of a lens treatment through the normal wear and tear of daily life and its exposure to any weather condition is an important part of a lens treatment and Super HiVision Meiryo EX4 stands above all others.
Competitive comparison summary of key features
Overall, Super HiVision Meiryo EX4 demonstrates exceptional performance in all the areas that matter.
Curious to learn more? Discover the difference here.
