A history of innovation in eyewear
More than 70 years ago, Younger Optics began with a big idea in a small Los Angeles garage. Founder Irving Rips set out to help people see better and look younger by creating the world’s first seamless bifocal lens, free of the tell-tale dividing line.
Launched in 1955, this seamless bifocal paved the way for modern progressive lenses that now help millions of people see the world more clearly. It also gave the company its name: Younger Optics… because removing the visible bifocal line made wearers look younger!
That first invention was only the beginning. It sparked a legacy of innovation that continues today. In the decades since, Younger Optics has pioneered lens materials, coatings and technologies that define modern vision care, all driven by one goal: helping people see better.
How Younger Optics shaped an industry
The first lens to eliminate the visible dividing line between distance and reading zones. This breakthrough not only gave wearers a more natural look, but also laid the foundation for the modern progressive lenses used worldwide today.
Introduced in Younger Med-Optics shields for cataract patients long before polycarbonate became a common lens across the optical industry.
Antifog (later licensed by NASA) and Lensglaze were early innovations that paved the way for today’s coatings like scratch resistant and anti-reflective treatments.
Years ahead of its time, this innovation laid the foundation for freeform lens design that is now standard in the industry.
Opened the way for true prescription sports eyewear, expanding vision care beyond everyday glasses.
Solved long standing issues with polarized lenses such as delamination, thickness and colour consistency. NuPolar made polarized lenses mainstream, taking them from less than 1% of the US market to nearly 10%.
Built on Trivex® material, Trilogy combined the impact resistance of polycarbonate with optical clarity, low density and chemical resistance. Originally developed for military tank scopes, Trilogy was adapted for everyday eyewear.
The world’s first photochromic polarized lens for driving, designed to adapt to a full range of daylight conditions. Drivewear uniquely changes to three colours — olive, copper and dark brown — to optimise vision both behind the wheel and outdoors.
A breakthrough in progressive design, Camber combines a specially curved front surface with digital backside processing. This results in better optics, improved cosmetics, wider distance zones and enhanced near vision for presbyopic patients.
The world’s first patented clear lens to selectively filter the most disruptive LED peaks at 450 nm and 590 nm thereby addressing one of the most pressing vision challenges of modern life.
From garage to global leader: Still independent, still innovating
What began in a garage has grown into one of the world’s leading independent lens manufacturers, trusted by eyecare professionals worldwide.
Today, Younger Optics remains privately owned and led by President & CEO David Rips, the founder’s son. Younger Optics is proof that independence and innovation can grow side by side.
And it’s this independence that allows us to keep our focus where it belongs: developing technologies that improve vision, comfort and everyday performance without compromise.
