# Optical Forums > Progressive Lens Discussion Forum >  Walmart Nikon lenses?

## Ecliptic

I've never heard of Nikon lenses but a patient of mine was asking about walmart's top of the line lens... which is supposedly a "Nikon" lens.  I called walmart and the optician there seemed to be more of a sales person than knowledgeable in optics (ie i asked if it was freeform and she was like "umm, I'm not sure what you mean but it has clarity throughout the lens and is made to the prescription").  I also asked who makes the lenses and she said she thought it was Essilor... so I thought maybe they were relabeling physio 360 lenses or something.  She said that sounded right but definately was not confident in anything she answered... more than anything she was quoting me prices and what not ($359 retail for nikon high index lenses?).  (quoting retail prices should be fine no?).  Anyhow.. anyone have a better idea about what these lenses are about? 

Thanks :)

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## For-Life

Nikon is in partnership with Essilor, but it has its own lenses.  The product is very popular in Canada and Japan, but in the US has not done so well.  That is probably why it is in Wal-Mart in the US (but not in Canada).

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## Ecliptic

are they nice lenses?

freeform?

comparative to... ?

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## KStraker

search for "walmart custom progressive" and 4 pages will appear on this topic.

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## For-Life

> are they nice lenses?
> 
> freeform?
> 
> comparative to... ?


yes, they are good lenses.  Every major company has a good lens as its premium lens.  I would say it is comparative to the Physio and Physio 360, since I know the lens is not completely backsided designed.

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## gunner05

It's an accolade freedom in 1.67.  So it compares to the physio 360

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## For-Life

> It's an accolade freedom in 1.67.  So it compares to the physio 360


Nope, Nikon does different lenses than Essilor.  Actually, in several nations, Nikon competes against Essilor.

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## romancetech

partly correct but her goes according to the essilor vp pres who spoke at our optical college they own nikon along with varilux and many others 
the acolade lens is a freeform and is a top of the line lens local private sales have it for 650 to 800 in florida and wal-mart sells it for 389
as to comparison to the 360 physio from varilux the nikon offers a slightley wider intermediate channel and a much wider reading area.
former wearers of the varilux 360 have said they prefer the nikon.
as to why it is sold at wal-mart do some research about us we ranked highest in the us in quality of service,product and optical knowledge
our independent doctors rated as well in fact one of the doctors working at a wal-mart holds 2 patents for multi focal contact lenses.
and the most logical of reason is money and seeing how we sell more eye wear than any other company in the us i say essilor made the right choice
with wal-mart i personally have fit this lens to a mentaly handicaped girl 
who had been wearing a bifocal and she responded as if she had no need for glasses her quality of life has been greatly enhanced.
that is how easy this lens is for patients to wear.yes i work for wal-mart and i happen to be the number one seller of this lens in my district i also have a record of no remakes or so callled no adapts.

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## Scott

> the acolade lens is a freeform and is a top of the line lens


You should have asked what makes it a FreeForm lens...Do you recieve a compensated Rx from the lab? If you do, that would show that you are recieving a True Customized that has be modified based on the vertex distance,frame wrap and frame shape. If you do not recieve a compensated Rx, the chances are, that you may simply be getting a molded front surface lens that is processed on a FreeForm Generator. Sounds like the VP is trying to Muddy the FreeForm waters.

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## James Peterson

Hi Romancetech.
I applaud your loyalty towards Wal-Mart Optical.
I find it, however, a stretch to claim that your Co. "ranks highest in quality, product, and optical knowledge in " The USA!

James  :cheers:

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## Fezz

> as to why it is sold at wal-mart do some research about us we ranked highest in the us in quality of service,product and optical knowledge



Ranked by who---WalMart themselves?

I thought that it was Costco that rated so high!

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## MarcE

> partly correct but her goes according to the essilor vp pres who spoke at our optical college they own nikon along with varilux and many others 
> the acolade lens is a freeform and is a top of the line lens local private sales have it for 650 to 800 in florida and wal-mart sells it for 389
> as to comparison to the 360 physio from varilux the nikon offers a slightley wider intermediate channel and a much wider reading area.
> former wearers of the varilux 360 have said they prefer the nikon.
> as to why it is sold at wal-mart do some research about us we ranked highest in the us in quality of service,product and optical knowledge
> our independent doctors rated as well in fact one of the doctors working at a wal-mart holds 2 patents for multi focal contact lenses.
> and the most logical of reason is money and seeing how we sell more eye wear than any other company in the us i say essilor made the right choice
> with wal-mart i personally have fit this lens to a mentaly handicaped girl 
> who had been wearing a bifocal and she responded as if she had no need for glasses her quality of life has been greatly enhanced.
> that is how easy this lens is for patients to wear.yes i work for wal-mart and i happen to be the number one seller of this lens in my district i also have a record of no remakes or so callled no adapts.


Chocked full of so much mis-information I don't know where to start.  Please don't believe everything you hear.

As a private optical we sell the Accolade Freedom for $390 bundled w/ 1.67 and Alize.  And we actually offer a warranty.  It's also available in poly, poly trans, CR-39, 1.60, 1,60 Trans, 1.74, poly polar and others.  Yet WM sells it only in 1.67.:hammer:  I can provide an Accolade Freedom much less expensively than you can, and I will actually do what's best for the client.
I like to provide it in 1.60 for my high cyl patients.  Do you know why?  I guess it doesn't matter, you really don't have a suitable choice on your menu for a high cyl patient.

Essilor does not own Nikon.

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## gunner05

> Nope, Nikon does different lenses than Essilor. Actually, in several nations, Nikon competes against Essilor.


 Nope, I work for walmart and can personally tell you that it's an accolade freedom.  Essilor owns the Nikon name in the USA.  These lenses are made in their dallas avisia lab.  It also comes with a hydrophobic AR called Nikon AST.

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## For-Life

> Nope, I work for walmart and can personally tell you that it's an accolade freedom.  Essilor owns the Nikon name in the USA.  These lenses are made in their dallas avisia lab.  It also comes with a hydrophobic AR called Nikon AST.


So it has the same fitting marks at the Accolade?

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## gunner05

Dude, it even says accolade freedom on our selling mats, which I usually ignore.

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## drbalaji

i might be noob here to say this

But Essilor does have partnership with Nikon(in fact it has got 60:40 shares with Nikon Japan) thats how it has been projected here in India for the last 5 years

And in fact (Rejuvenated) Nikon Range in the last year or so has grabbed big market share in the High Index market

Though i never heard of Accolade Freedom from Nikon but we do get Nikon Presio W (double side Surfaced/Aspheric design PAL ) as Nikon Premium progresive with SHE coat(will cost around $xxx approximately for CR-39). It's been marketed as PAL with Aberration Filter and best for Complex Astigamtic Presbyopes.

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## sharpstick777

> Nope, Nikon does different lenses than Essilor. Actually, in several nations, Nikon competes against Essilor.


Nikon and Essilor have cross marketing and manufacturing agreements in a few countries.  Some Nikon lenses come off the Essilor line in Dallas, such as the See-Max.  When Essilor bought the Definity from J&J they also received a very cost effective (and patented) system for making free-form lenses that they have adapted to the rest of Essilor line.  I believe it was 2 years ago they moved all of the Definity equipment from Virginia to Dallas.

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## Delgadido

> I've never heard of Nikon lenses but a patient of mine was asking about walmart's top of the line lens... which is supposedly a "Nikon" lens. I called walmart and the optician there seemed to be more of a sales person than knowledgeable in optics (ie i asked if it was freeform and she was like "umm, I'm not sure what you mean but it has clarity throughout the lens and is made to the prescription"). I also asked who makes the lenses and she said she thought it was Essilor... so I thought maybe they were relabeling physio 360 lenses or something. She said that sounded right but definately was not confident in anything she answered... more than anything she was quoting me prices and what not ($359 retail for nikon high index lenses?). (quoting retail prices should be fine no?). Anyhow.. anyone have a better idea about what these lenses are about? 
> 
> Thanks :)


 I work at walmart. It is a "Nikon Customized Lens"
They say its the best of the best. I know it isnt the best.  nor do i advertise it as. I just joined the forum and still trying to learn so please be patient with me if I make any mistakes.

It is is supposed to widen out the corridors and let people gain the periphial vision. Couple years back walmart and sam's club didnt have this(While i was going to commnity college) but now they are advertising it and pushing sales.

The lenses cost 389 dollars. I dont know if there is a specific way to measure otu the hour glass or what not.

It is also a 1.67 Poly

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## gunner05

del, it's not just a "nikon customized."  Look at your selling mat/prog identifier and you'll see that it's actually an accolade freedom.  Also, 1.67 isn't poly, it's high index.  Where are you located, btw?

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## Fezz

> It is also a 1.67 Poly


 
Is it?



Delgadido,

Poly and 1.67 are two totally different materials. They are not the same. 

Is the lens 1.67 or is it poly, or can it be made in both materials?

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## Delgadido

> del, it's not just a "nikon customized." Look at your selling mat/prog identifier and you'll see that it's actually an accolade freedom. Also, 1.67 isn't poly, it's high index. Where are you located, btw?


yea i am from texas, I had another thread introducing myself and what not. I am not ABO certified and the fact that in this board. I am considered a "newbie". I joined these boards to increase my knowledge. I am currently going to school but I work at a walmart(which is the reason) cause they work with my hours and they give me good pay(opticians dont get paid well in texas)
I was taught that 1.67 is a denser grades of polycarbonate. 

Cause High index plastic does exist So i am following off what I was taught. But if you could explain to me how the material is different that 


But it is 1.67 high index

and at walmart we dont have indentifiers



> Is it?
> 
> 
> 
> Delgadido,
> 
> Poly and 1.67 are two totally different materials. They are not the same. 
> 
> Is the lens 1.67 or is it poly, or can it be made in both materials?


above.

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## Fezz

> I was taught that 1.67 is a denser grades of polycarbonate. 
> 
> Cause High index plastic does exist So i am following off what I was taught. But if you could explain to me how the material is different that


The two materials have many differences.They are made with different chemicals/materials. Here are a few differences:

*Poly /1.67*
Abbe value= 30/32
Index of refraction= 1.586/1.661
Specific Gravity= 1.20/1.37

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## Delgadido

> The two materials have many differences.They are made with different chemicals/materials. Here are a few differences:
> 
> *Poly /1.67*
> Abbe value= 30/32
> Index of refraction= 1.586/1.661
> Specific Gravity= 1.20/1.37


 interesting.

but high index chemical makeup is based off of poly correct?

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## Fezz

> interesting.
> 
> but high index chemical makeup is based off of poly correct?


No.

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## Delgadido

> No.


Now what is high index plastic?

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## Fezz

> Now what is high index plastic?


 
Various formulations of polyurethane.

Hopefully some of our brighter members can chime in on this.

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## gunner05

You should have two forms of prog identifiers.  One will be similar to a magazine and is updated every year or so.  It lists pretty much anything that you'll routinely deal with.  The other is a walmart only identifier that lists the lenses that we carry and even has the the fitting diagrams as well.  Ask your manager about them as they'll make your life a lot easier later.

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## melthemadhatter

> Hi Romancetech.
> I applaud your loyalty towards Wal-Mart Optical.
> I find it, however, a stretch to claim that your Co. "ranks highest in quality, product, and optical knowledge in " The USA!
> 
> James :cheers:


LMAO! That was great, James!!!


Why is it that at least once a week, I get someone who got their glasses at Wal Mart, who needs me to troubleshoot them?!?!

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## melthemadhatter

Hi index lenses are made of a denser material which allows light to travel faster than in Poly which is a more "softer" lens, which is why poly  is impact resistant.

The problems with Poly arise when a patient has a high cylinder. Distortion becomes a major issue, as well as chromatic abberations. Some patients report "shadows" with poly more than they do in any other lens.

Hi Index lenses are much more dense, thinner and allow more light to pass through into the eye. It is more favorable for astigmatics as the distortion is minimized. 

Always, always, always match the material the patient has been wearing.  Tap the lens with a ring, or take it out of the frame and just lightly drop it on the counter in the lab, (careful if it's a glass lens) it will make a hollow sound if it is poly, or a more high pitched plastic sound if it is hi index. CR39 makes a thud.

HOWEVER if distortion is still a problem with a high astigmatic in a hi index, put the patient in CR39 if all else fails. If the patient wears glass, never put the patient in plastic. He/she will hate it! Light travels the fastest in glass.

Hope this helps! :)

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## NavyChief

http://www.laramyk.com/tools/lad/index.html#

Good link. IF you type "Accolade" or "Accolade Freedom", it'll show you the identifier. Click on the blue magnifier on the left side.
Accolade= Nikon Poly Asph
Accolade Freedom= Nikon 1.67 Customized

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