Dual-disc spectacle lens selection aid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for selecting spectacle lenses are time-intensive, require specialized knowledge, and are not easily accessible to untrained personnel, particularly in international settings, due to the lack of standardized anamnesis protocols and the complexity of design-related criteria.
Innovation Solution
A dual-disc selection aid system where one disc is rotated relative to the other to define customer-specific criteria through simple questions, allowing for reliable recommendations on spectacle lens types, including near addition recommendations, without needing extensive specialist knowledge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a comprehensive anamnesis is conducted to cover all necessary criteria for lens selection, then the reliability of lens recommendation is improved, but the time required for the selection process increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The selection aid divides the comprehensive anamnesis into multiple sequential selection fields arranged radially, where each field addresses a specific criterion (age, visual challenges, current lenses). This segmentation allows the optician to systematically cover all necessary criteria while providing a clear structure that reduces the perceived time burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The selection aid provides a pre-established framework with standardized questions and criteria that have been prepared in advance. The optician simply needs to rotate through the discs to access pre-formulated questions and recommendations, eliminating the need to create the anamnesis structure from scratch and reducing preparation time.
2Measurement precision
If detailed design-related criteria are included in the anamnesis, then the precision of lens selection is improved, but the difficulty of operation increases for untrained personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The selection aid acts as an intermediary tool between the optician and the complex selection criteria. The discs provide a user-friendly interface with clear visual indicators and structured questions that guide the optician through detailed criteria without requiring deep expert knowledge. The tool translates complex optical requirements into simple, selectable options.
Solution Approach 2:
The selection aid is designed to be self-explanatory with clear labeling and intuitive structure. The standardized questions and answer options allow advisors with minimal training to independently conduct thorough anamneses by simply following the structured format provided on the discs, reducing dependency on highly experienced personnel.
3Reliability
If specialized knowledge and experience are required for thorough anamnesis, then the quality of lens recommendation is improved, but the availability of qualified personnel decreases in international settings
Solution Approach 1:
The selection aid captures and codifies the knowledge and experience of expert opticians into a standardized tool that can be replicated and distributed internationally. The discs contain pre-formulated questions, criteria, and recommendations that embody expert knowledge, allowing any advisor to access and apply this expertise without requiring years of training. This copying of expert knowledge into a tangible tool enables consistent quality across different locations and personnel.
4Ease of operation
If a standardized anamnesis protocol is implemented, then the ease of operation is improved, but the adaptability to individual customer needs may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The selection aid employs a dynamic structure where the second disc can be rotated relative to the first disc to reveal different selection fields in sequence. This dynamic interaction allows the process to follow a standardized path while adapting to the specific answers given by each customer. The rotation mechanism enables flexible navigation through the standardized criteria based on individual customer responses, maintaining both structure and adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A selection aid for selecting lenses for spectacles on the basis of a plurality of customer-specific criteria contains a first disc and a second disc. The first disc has a selection area with criteria to be selected and selection recommendations and is divided into selection regions of equal size. The second disc is rotatably connected to the first disc about an axis of rotation. The second disc partly conceals the selection area and visually frees an area region of the selection area that corresponds to one of the selection regions in terms of size and shape.