​When an optician who questions every lens ends up wearing one every day, it’s worth paying attention. 

ABO-certified optician Carissa Dunphy shared her perspective as both an eye care professional (ECP) and someone who wears Unity® V3 Elite lenses daily. With more than 15 years of experience in the eye care industry, Dunphy is the perfect candidate to evaluate Unity V3 Elite (spoiler: she loved the new lenses).

Dunphy didn’t go into her fitting expecting perfection—she was prepared to be skeptical. Knowing that many patients struggle to adapt right away, she reminded herself that the process of adjusting could take a while. However, even after adding a new prescription to the mix, Dunphy was surprised at just how little time it took to adjust to her new Unity® V3 Elite Progressive Lenses. 

"It was super comfortable to adapt to the lenses,” shared Dunphy. 

Unity V3 Elite, which uses the Unity V3 AI algorithm to personalize the lenses based on de-identified gaze dynamics and anonymized prescription data, leaves other progressive lenses in the dust when it comes to adaptation experience.     

​Even with years of optical experience, Dunphy still approaches new progressive lenses like any patient would. 

Many patients expect that the first few days, or even weeks, of wearing new progressives may be uncomfortable and distracting due to “swim” or distortion.  

“In the olden days, you would really have to turn your head to look at certain things,” Dunphy commented. “I would say that’s not the case with the Unity V3 Elite lenses. I'm a side-glancer and now I don’t have to adapt to make up for any lens insufficiency.” 

Where other progressive lenses simply reduce swim, Unity V3 Elite minimizes and position aberrations out of view, making the lenses more comfortable. Rather than having to turn her head to see clearly, Dunphy can easily use her peripheral vision with Unity V3 Elite.      

The images below show how some patients may experience distortion. Unity V3 Elite helps to keep aberrations out of view, giving patients vision so natural they’ll forget they’re wearing glasses. ​

​For many patients, peace of mind matters more than price.  

Some practices may dispense category F lenses for price-sensitive patients. However, they may result in a longer adaptation period, not to mention a less personalized visual experience. Premium category lenses (VSP® category N), like Unity V3 Elite, help give patients more natural vision, a more comfortable adaptation, and are personalized to better fit their lifestyle. 

Many people, Dunphy shared, don’t want to take extra time trying different lenses to find what works, and who can blame them?  

Although picking the premium lens can mean higher out-of-pocket costs for patients, the easiest way to ensure they walk away with the best experience possible is to recommend the premium category lens—Unity V3 Elite. 

“I’ve had a bad lens that just feels unwearable,’” Dunphy said, “but with Unity V3 Elite, there are no deficiencies.” 

Get everything you need to start dispensing Unity V3 Elite here or reach out to your VSP Ophthalmic Business Consultant to schedule a consult.  

Unity V3 Elite: Advanced Personalization
Unity V3 Elite Progressive Lenses make personalization easier for eye care professionals (ECPs) while providing patients with a more comfortable progressive. What differentiates these lenses from other progressives is that they use the Unity V3 AI algorithm, informed by more than eight million anonymized prescriptions and half a million de-identified data points, elevating lens performance and providing patients with more effortless adaptation.
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We always put our lenses and enhancements to the test, and Unity V3 Elite is no exception. The following quotes are from trials with real wearers, each with their own unique visual requirements.
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For Kathy It Was Almost Instant Adaptation 
ECPs and patients know that it can take time to adjust to new progressive lenses, especially if their prescription has changed. However, with Unity V3 Elite, Kathy S. adapted almost instantly. 

​​Kathy was immediately impressed with her new Unity lenses, which provided a full field of vision she hadn’t experienced with other lenses.  

Jason  Experienced That Single-Vision Feel 
Jason G. describes himself as “very nearsighted.” However, with Unity V3 Elite, he had no issue seeing both close up and far away.

Deanna Saw Things She Had Never Seen Before 
The right progressive helps your patients see the things around them more clearly and precisely. Deanna S. immediately noticed intricate details on objects.  

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 Having lenses with a crisp view especially aids Deanna when she is working full-time from home. The advanced  design helps protect her from the typical issues that come from increased screen time. 

The Bottom Line for Your Patients
Patient experiences with these innovative lenses speak for themselves. From the almost instant adaptation to the more natural and broader field of vision, Unity V3 Elite Progressive Lenses are changing how patients see and feel about progressive lenses. 

By taking patients’ prescription and gaze dynamics into account, Unity V3 Elite lenses help ECPs give patients vision so natural that they’ll forget they’re wearing glasses.
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Ready to see how Unity V3 Elite Progressive Lenses and enhancements can benefit your practice and improve your patients' overall satisfaction?

Bonus: Driving in Winter Conditions: While navigating icy roads and unpredictable weather isn’t exactly a favorite pastime for most, between doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping, and family obligations, there’s no escaping the reality of winter driving. Luckily, the right eyewear can make the inconvenience of winter driving a little more bearable.  

The Top Choice: 

• For an all-in-one lens that’s ready for anything, you can’t go wrong with a Unity V3 Elite progressive paired with TechShield Elite to minimize glare from headlights and enhance contrast on the road. 
  
• SunSync Drive XT Light-Reactive Lenses are key, too—they get extra dark in cold temperatures and hold their tint in the car.  

 
Ready to Upgrade Your Patients’ Winter Vision? 
Progressive lenses are more than just everyday wear. They’re your patients’ ticket to enjoying winter activities without compromise. Pair them with the right enhancements, and you‘ll not only build trust with patients--you'll help them experience clarity, comfort, and confidence whether they’re enjoying the snow or thawing out by the fire. 

Located in New Port Richey, Florida, the staff at Longleaf EyeCare is dedicated to finding the best fit for patients and dispensing their dream lenses. For Optician and Optical Manager Shannon Reyes, her daily routine is finding out the best fit for each individual patient.

“The first and most important step is talking to the patient, finding out their lifestyle, the things that they're doing in their everyday lives. Who's in front of a computer for 12 hours a day? How many computers do they have? It's important, first and foremost, to figure out exactly what a patient's needs are,” Reyes says.

Ultimately, she often refers her patients to Unity® Progressive Lenses and the portfolio’s innovative lens enhancements, including SunSync® Light-Reactive Lenses and TechShield® Anti-Reflective Coatings.

A Team that Cares
Every practice that dispenses Unity lenses is supported by our team of VSP® Opthalmic Business Consultants, who are tasked with training eye care professionals and answering any questions about our products so that they can easily find the best vision solution for their patients.

“They're always so bubbly and helpful. They do a lot of work with us, they come in regularly, always educated about the newest thing,” Reyes shared. “If I'm having trouble with a patient, I can send them a message to and say, ‘Hey, you know what, I have this patient and this is what's going on. What would you do?  Any ideas?’ That’s a huge asset for us.”

Products that Stand Out
One of the many features of Unity lenses is the innovative design and advanced technology. Changing the traditional view of progressive lenses, patients can enjoy a comfortable and convenient viewing experience at all distances.
“Unity lenses are usually the smoothest. They'll ask me ‘Is this the progressive?’ And then they're like, ‘Oh wait, I can read’,” Reyes reflects.

One Unity progressive lens has become a bestseller at her practice: Unity® Via Elite II.
“We primarily sell Unity Via Elite II. I rarely sell anything else... Sometimes we'll have a patient that wants something 100% covered under VSP and they'll ask about Ethos®, but for the most part, they see the difference after we show them Unity Via Elite II."

Life-Changing Innovation
The eye care industry is a special one. With patients depending on hard-working professionals to find the solutions to their everyday visual needs, these teams rely on advanced technology and innovative quality to ensure patient satisfaction. Reyes recalled a touching moment when a patient tried on their first pair of Unity lenses and how it transformed their eye care journey:

“He was struggling and having trouble with his previous eyewear. He came back, we worked with him some more and then I reached out to a Unity rep who helped me with a voucher and was like, ‘Just try. He's perfect for this, you know?’ And I did. He cried when he picked them up. It was the sweetest thing and he was so grateful.”

The Bottom Line
Whether a patient is looking for reliable progressive lenses or is interested in SunSync® and TechShield®, Reyes is confident in the Unity portfolio’s compatibility with just about anyone’s lifestyle.

“I can get what the patient needs, even if it’s a photochromic lens. Like I feel like I can give it to them even with a high script. I don't have to tell them we can’t offer them something because their eyesight is too bad.”

Ready to see how Unity lenses and enhancements can help upgrade your practice and increase patient satisfaction? Schedule a consultation and a member of our team will be in touch shortly!

When you think back to 2010, what do you see? Fidget spinners, Apolo Anton Ohno’s record-setting Olympic performance, and colorful skinny jeans? Things looked a little different back then, and today it’s hard to imagine a world without iPads or Instagram (both of which launched that year!).  
But there was another game-changing innovation in 2010, at least for the optical industry: The launch of Unity® lenses. 
As we mark our 15th anniversary, we're reflecting on our journey in optics and celebrating the milestones that define our commitment to excellence and innovation. From our humble beginnings to becoming a VSP® category leader, Unity continues to push the boundaries of progressive lens design, collaborating with global experts in the optical space to help wearers achieve their best possible vision.  

The Early Days: A Vision for Progressive Lenses  
Unity launched with a simple, impactful goal: to rethink how progressive lenses are designed, dispensed, and experienced. Starting with an anti-reflective coating and our first progressive lens, we set out to improve upon traditional options and help deliver a better visual experience for patients. 
Over the past 15 years, Unity has introduced enhancements that support comfort, performance, and ease of fitting—solidifying our place in the optical market as a trusted brand. Highlights from the past 15 years include: 

• Lens Enhancement Technologies: We launched SunSync® Life-Reactive Lenses and TechShield® Anti-Reflective Coatings in 2013 and 2017, respectively, helping to reshape the way the industry thought about all-in-one progressive eyewear.  

• Unity Via Progressive Lenses: In 2017, the easy-to-fit, easy-to-wear technology behind this development launched us to the forefront of premium progressive lenses, where we remain to this day.  

• Next-Generation Photochromics: In 2018, we launched SunSync Drive XT, which retains a tint in the car, solving one of wearers’ top complaints. We also launched SunSync Elite, creating a new class of ultra-fast photochromic lens enhancements, which outperform most competing photochromic lenses in fade-back speed.  

• Innovation Through Emerging Technology: In 2024, Unity Via Elite VR became the first Unity progressive lens developed using virtual reality, reflecting our focus on emerging tools that support precise, patient-centric design.  

Throughout this journey, our focus has remained on delivering lenses that meet high standards for performance, consistency, and reliability—backed by a collaborative development process with experts across the optical industry. Designed with patients and eye care professionals in mind, Unity lenses continue to deliver reliable, high-quality vision solutions that meet evolving patient needs.  
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A Bright Future for Progressive Lenses 
So, what’s next for Unity? As we look to the future, we remain focused on exploring new progressive lens design technologies to further enhance the comfort, adaptability, and performance of our lenses for wearers, and the ease of dispensing for opticians.  
Our journey over the last decade and a half has been marked by innovation, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. As we celebrate our achievements, we invite you to share in our success and reflect on your experiences with Unity. Together, let’s look forward to a future filled with even more groundbreaking advancements in progressive lens technology. Thank you for being a part of our journey, and we look forward to continuing to serve you and your patients.  
Unity has grown steadily since its launch, with more than 10 million pairs dispensed—reflecting the trust eye care professionals place in our products and our commitment to continued innovation. Get a sneak peek at what's next.

Summer is in full swing and so are fun-filled days at the beach, on the green, or in the hammock. Most patients understand the importance of sunglasses, but there's room in the summer eyewear conversation for finding the best progressive lens for patients, too. 

Whether your patient likes to have fun in the sun by land or by sea--or even if they're the indoor sort--the perfect lens is waiting for them. With enhancements like SunSync® Elite Light-Reactive Lenses and TechShield® Elite Anti-Reflective Coatings on a Unity® Via Elite II Progressive Lens, you can craft the best eyewear for your patient’s on-the-go lifestyle. 
 
Use this guide to help your patients find their perfect match, so they don’t miss a beat of summer memory-making.  ​

Gardeners: From pruning roses to finding that missing trowel, gardeners need both near and far vision. Your patient can have the best of both worlds with a Unity Via Elite II Progressive Lens.  
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The Top Choice:  

• With the optimized near and intermediate distance acuity of Unity Via Elite II, wearers can find comfortable vision more easily and maintain a more natural posture while crouching, bending, kneeling, and lifting.  

• Ultra-fast SunSync Elite enhancements protect their eyes from that glorious sunshine.  

No matter what your progressive-wearing patients are up to this summer, you can help them find eyewear that fits their lifestyle needs perfectly. It all starts with the solid foundation of Unity Via Elite II progressive lenses and our suite of premium enhancements, engineered to meet patients’ needs, wherever life takes them.  
Want to learn more about what we offer you and your patients? Book a consult. 

The feeling of wearing really good glasses is hard to beat—everything just clicks—suddenly the world is clear and crisp. That’s what every patient wants when they leave your office, and what presbyopic patients get when they put on their new pair of glasses with Unity® Via Elite II Progressive Lenses. Add enhancements like SunSync® Light-Reactive Lenses and TechShield® Elite Anti-Reflective Coatings and that feeling gets even better.  
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When these products are combined, patients experience visual comfort that they never experienced before. For private practice eye care professionals, it means offering premium lenses and enhancements patients won’t find at big retailers.   ​

​While patients may not get overly excited about the complex technologies that go into designing lenses (let’s face it, frames get all the love), it’s nice to have a solid understanding of a product so you can simplify that complexity and speak with confidence when recommending to your patients. Here is where Tour de Experts through UUniversity™ can help. 

Have you ever noticed that the best things come in threes? Whether it’s the three-act structure in our favorite stories, the strength of a triangle or the simple joy of breakfast, lunch and dinner, the “Power of Three” is a principle that resonates in so many areas of our lives. Let’s explore how three innovative products – Unity® Via Elite II, SunSync® Elite and TechShield® Elite – work together to provide an extraordinary vision solution. Get the free Unity Elite Suite Dispensing Toolkit here.

Whether spending a relaxing day at home or heading out on an adventure, patients are looking for lenses that adapt to life’s moments and fit their style. That’s where Unity Via Elite II lenses enter the conversation. In addition to being easy-to-fit with effortless adaptation, this leading progressive also bodes a larger reading area, wider peripheral clarity, and enhanced distance acuity, all designed for a life on-the-go. Why are these important when capturing favorite memories? Let’s find out below.

In an industry driven by precision and innovation, eyecare professionals (ECPs) are charged with the daunting task of selecting the right vision solution for each patient. It’s a puzzle with countless pieces, a jigsaw of prescriptions, preferences and personalities. How do you navigate this maze of options, ensuring that each patient walks away with not just clear vision, but a sense of satisfaction and style to suit their lifestyle? ​

​Drinks and snacks in the cooler? Check. Car packed to the brim? Check. Gassed up? Check. It’s all systems go, and you can almost smell the marshmallows roasting over the open fire. But there’s one more thing…

​Have you thought about trying variable progressive lenses but worried they won’t work for your patients? Maybe your peers won’t stop talking about the ease of dispensing them, or how patient adaptation is practically effortless, with fewer redos.
 
So, is a variable progressive lens right for you? 

​Since the launch of Unity® Via II Progressive Lenses a few months ago, thousands of eye care professionals[1] have made the switch to Unity Via II and are now dispensing these innovative lenses as their premium progressive of choice. Is it the ease of fitting and dispensing? Effortless adaptation for patients? Or wider, sharper intermediate and reading fields that make them ideal for working on digital devices, delivering enhanced visual acuity and comfort.

It happens every year. As soon as we put away the Halloween decorations, the holiday season is upon us and, next thing you know, we’re ringing in the New Year! Chances are, many of your patients have waited until the last minute to schedule their annual eye exam, and the rush is on! But fear not, now is actually the perfect time to invite your patients to try the premium progressive selected by thousands[1] of ECPs: Unity® Via II.

​Thousands of eye care professionals have already made the switch to Unity® Via Elite II Progressive Lenses[1], making it their premium progressive of choice. In fact, it’s now recommended by more ECPs than any other brand, handily surpassing all others.  Want to know why?

As of October 11, Unity® Via II is now the best and only option for Unity Progressive Lenses.

​One of the most persistent challenges of progressive lenses has been the inherent astigmatism aberrations, which are intrinsic features in the lenses’ surface. A progressive lens always has astigmatism aberration in the periphery, which is perceived by the wearer as blurriness; it also distorts shapes so that straight lines appear twisted or curved. The latter effect may disrupt depth perception, causing a swimming sensation.