LaunchPad: Spectacle Lenses

Quest Vision Care Lab Offers First Quadrifocal Designed for Pilots

By Staff
Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Product: Pilot Quatro
Top Line: Quest Vision Care Specialty Lab is launching their newest original lens, the Pilot Quatro. The Pilot Quatro is a vocational lens for commercial pilots that require distance, near and two intermediate corrections: one intermediate power addition is calculated for the lower panel viewing distance and the second intermediate add power is designed for the above head panel viewing distance. Additionally, all four visual fields have yellow or green filter for increased contrast in dim cockpit lighting and hazy outside weather conditions. The lens has a Chemistrie G15 clip that has the

depth dimension equal to the distance vision field to provide sun protection and increase viewing comfort, but does not impair near or intermediate viewing fields for increased safety.
Many pilots switch between two or three different pairs of glasses during pre-flight and flight. The Pilot Quatro offers an all-in-one solution that allows pilots to change from looking into the horizon through the windshield to seeing the overhead panels and front gauges, and, when necessary, read in the near field of vision by adjusting their viewing angle.

Close Up: The Pilot Quatro lens is a Quest original craft design produced
using Luxexcel’s innovative 3D printer, an integral part of their VisionPlatform. The 3D printing technology is an additive fabrication process for 3D printing functional lenses enabling any ophthalmic lab to manufacture unique ophthalmic lenses.
The Pilot Quatro design resulted from in-depth research and development conducted by QuestLab. Michael Walach, president and CEO of Quest Lab, said, “After many prototypes andpreliminary trials, the finished product will provide versatility for thousands of pilotsnationwide.”
David Elliott, a veteran pilot or United Continental Airlines was one of the first commercial pilots to test the Pilot Quatro, and provided input in the lens design process.
“The Pilot Quatro solves a number of problems which until now had never been addressed by theoptical industry,” said Elliott. He noted that “the lenses made sight in the flight deck much clearer” and after a long flight his eyes were far less tired than was the case with his traditionalglasses.

Vital Stats: Founded in 2004 by optical visionary and inventor Michael Walach, Quest is theindustry’s leading specialty lab manufacturing exclusively for wholesale labs. Quest providesoptical laboratories with specialty ophthalmic correction Rx lenses which are out of range for production equipment, require specialized tooling equipment or highly specialized skills and knowledge. Quest producing challenging jobs such as high-power lenses, slabs, strong cylinders, strong prisms, thinned blended edge prisms, prism segs and diving masks.www.questopticallab.com; (727) 581-2706