At the Silmo optical show in Paris last month, two of the most talked-about awards went to ideas aimed at the same everyday frustration: reading glasses and varifocals. As Optometry Today reports, French company Laclarée won the technological innovation prize for adaptive glasses for presbyopia, and Mega Optic won the vision category for a varifocal lens designed using virtual reality and eye-tracking.
First, why near vision changes
Presbyopia is the gradual loss of the eye’s ability to focus up close. It usually becomes noticeable in your forties, when you start holding your phone or the menu at arm’s length. It is not a disease, and it happens to almost everyone.
The usual answers are reading glasses, which only work up close, or varifocals, which blend distance, middle and near vision into one lens. Varifocals suit most people well, but they ask your eyes to find the right part of the lens for each task. According to EyeSmart’s report on the awards, research suggests around one in five people with presbyopia are unhappy with their current option.
Glasses that focus for you
Laclarée’s idea is to move the focusing into the glasses themselves. According to an earlier funding announcement from investor HTGF, small sensors on the frame measure how far away you are looking, and fluid-filled lenses change their power in real time to match. The lenses also carry your usual prescription for short sight, long sight or astigmatism.
In principle, that means a single pair that is sharp whether you are reading a book, glancing at the dashboard or looking across the room, without hunting for the right zone. Because the focusing is electronic, the company says it could be adjusted as your eyes change.
It is important to keep this in perspective. Laclarée was aiming to bring its first commercial product to market around mid-2026, and we have not seen it on sale in the UK. Questions about weight, battery life and how the glasses look day to day remain to be answered. For now, it is a promising direction rather than something you can order.
Varifocals measured in virtual reality
The second winner is closer to today’s lenses. Mega Optic’s EvosightVR is a varifocal designed using measurements taken while you wear a virtual reality headset with eye-tracking. Rather than a single static measurement, it records how your eyes actually move and work together, including how long you fix on words when reading, and uses that to shape the lens.
The principle behind it, that a varifocal works best when it is built around how you use your eyes, is one good practices already follow with careful measurements and conversation.
What else caught the eye in Paris
The wider awards pointed to bold, oversized frames and rich tortoiseshell, handmade craftsmanship with natural materials, and a real push on sustainability. The responsible company prize went to Andy Wolf Eyewear, which makes most of its acetate frames from a lower-impact material and offers a seven-year warranty on one collection.
What this means for you
- Don’t wait for the future. Autofocus glasses are not yet available here. If your near vision is struggling now, today’s lenses can help straight away.
- Ask about personalised varifocals. Modern individually designed varifocals, such as ZEISS and Hoya designs, are made around your measurements, frame and habits, which makes adapting easier.
- Consider a second pair for screens. Office or computer lenses give wider middle and near zones for desk work, and many people find them more comfortable than varifocals at a screen.
- Check how you’re doing. If you’re over 40 and holding things further away, our online Near Vision Check takes about two minutes.
Get the lens right first
Whatever arrives next, the best results still start with accurate measurements and an honest talk about how you spend your day. Book a lens consultation at our Edgbaston or Barnt Green practice, and we’ll show you the varifocal and office lens options that suit your eyes, and help you choose frames to match.
