Transforming lens manufacturing with UV cure monomers

Sustainability is a powerful trend in the chemical industry. The shift toward more sustainable materials and production processes is reshaping product development and purchasing behavior across industries. Furthermore, the use of sustainable technologies is often a growth-enabler on several levels. This is the case, for example, with the use of UV cure monomers, a technology that enables energy savings while also facilitating new developments, such as the use of 3D-printed spectacle lenses or smart glasses.

In Blue Yonder’s Consumer Sustainability Survey^,1 more than 78% of consumers said they consider sustainability an important factor in their purchasing decisions. The percentage climbs even higher for younger demographics including millennials and Generation Z. Even more important, more than a third of consumers believe that brands and corporations are responsible for leading sustainability progress.

As public awareness of sustainability and environmental issues continues to grow, consumer demand is driving the optical industry to design eyewear with a focus on using circular raw materials, which can help drive a reduction in carbon footprint.

Sustainable frame materials

Eyewear manufacturers have employed multiple approaches to reduce the environmental impact of frames, lenses and coatings. Leading optical brands have introduced eco-friendly frame lines made from recycled materials including aluminum and plastic bottles. Frame recycling programs are contributing to closed loop systems for frame manufacturing. Bio-based or biodegradable materials, derived from plants such as cotton, castor beans or bamboo, offer alternatives to plastics. In 2024, demand for bio-based acetate frames grew by 45%.²

These innovations represent important advancements in material science and have the potential to reduce emissions across the optical value chain. Business practices that move beyond material substitution can offer even more opportunities to transform the way eyewear is made.

Sustainable lens materials and production

For optical lenses, reimagining the manufacturing process itself can help contribute to lower energy consumption and reduced waste. Traditional lens manufacturing often uses thermal cure technology, which requires long curing times at high temperatures.

In addition, semi-finished lens pucks are ground down into thinner lenses, generating thousands of tons of swarf each year when making complex or multifocal prescriptions. Recognizing this impact, manufacturers have begun exploring innovative ways to reuse and recycle swarf. 

Ultraviolet (UV) cure monomers offer a different approach to lens manufacturing. These fast-curing monomers can support energy and production efficiency through shorter curing times, lower temperature requirements and increased throughput.

Beyond traditional lens production, UV cure technology also enables next-generation additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) and supports embedded lens components that are crucial for the future of smart eyewear designs. 

Research from Euromonitor International³ predicts that over the next five years, the eyewear industry will be driven by three key forces: the adoption of smart glasses, advances in vision health technology, and the rise of sustainable materials. With increased consumer demand for credible sustainability efforts, incorporating UV cure technology can help lens manufacturers realize both environmental and financial returns.  

The power of UV cure chemistry

UV cure monomers utilize photoinitiators to begin a chemical reaction when exposed to UV light. The entire curing and annealing process can be completed in under two hours. The process offers significant time reductions compared to thermal curing, which can take anywhere from 10 to 20 hours at oven temperatures up to 130° Celsius.

UV cure monomers can be cured in a much shorter amount of time, providing opportunities for labs to deliver faster turnaround times and reduce energy consumption. 

To protect polymeric lenses from scratches, hard coatings are generally thermally cured, a process that takes approximately two to three hours at 120° Celsius in an oven. Although some UV cure coatings are already available, they often involve compromises in performance. The latest innovations in UV cure coatings, however, maintain scratch resistance without sacrificing quality and can be cured within just a few minutes.

Industry challenges and market drivers

The adoption of new technology always requires a period of adjustment. Lens casters and prescription labs looking to add UV cure capabilities will need to purchase new UV lamp arrays or curing systems and design new process workflows. UV cured lenses will require requalification to meet relevant industry standards defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). 

By adding UV curing capabilities, however, labs can achieve far-reaching benefits. Reduced energy usage can contribute to lower operational costs and faster curing can increase ­productivity, supporting profitability and sustainability goals. 

Integrating sustainable manufacturing practices also creates positive branding opportunities as legislation surrounding transparency in manufacturing and sustainability reporting evolves.

For example, in the EU, the Corporate Sustainability ­Reporting Directive (CSRD) mandates disclosures under 12 European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). These cover environmental, social and governance factors, including climate change, pollution, resource use and circularity. Technologies that significantly reduce energy use like UV cure coatings and monomers can be highlighted in these disclosures, helping enhance credibility and brand reputation through evidence-based reporting.

While style and function remain top of mind for eyewear consumers, the adoption of more sustainable processes can help manufacturers connect with younger generations of sustainability-minded buyers and gain a competitive edge in an increasingly diverse marketplace.

Market research from Mintel⁴ found that 43% of UK consumers said they would consider buying sustainable glasses or contact lenses, signaling significant consumer interest in sustainable products. 

Additive manufacturing technology

UV cure chemistry is also a key enabler for additive manufacturing, another technology with emerging ophthalmic applications that can reduce waste during lens production. Instead of grinding away lens blanks, additive manufacturing creates the desired lens shape and prescription with the precise amount of material needed for that particular design. This type of process requires materials that can harden quickly. UV cure monomers can cure in seconds under UV light, making them well-suited for 3D printers. 

Additive manufacturing could enable labs to produce personalized lenses on demand, meeting customer preferences quickly and efficiently. This supports mass customization capabilities that tailor lenses to individuals with minimal waste. On-demand production could also promote streamlined inventory management for more efficient supply chains. 

Design flexibility for smart eyewear

Looking ahead, the use of smart eyewear is expected to become more widespread. UV cure monomers aid the development of multifunctional lenses used in augmented reality (AR) and extended reality (XR) devices. These types of smart eyewear use embedded components to show wearers projected images on the lenses, but sensitive electronics cannot withstand sustained exposure to high heat. UV cure monomers, which cure at ambient temperatures, allow sensors, films and waveguides to be embedded into the lens for streamlined device construction. This integration is key for smart eyewear, where digital interfaces and optical displays must be seamlessly combined with vision correction.

Transforming lens manufacturing

Like artificial intelligence (AI)-powered diagnostics and treatment advances, UV cure monomers are part of the ongoing optical technology transformation. UV cure processes align with the macro trends influencing the optical industry, enabling lens production with lower energy intensity, supporting the development of smart eyewear and advancing efficient manufacturing technology.

Adopting UV cure monomer technology will take careful planning and adaptation, but it marks a pivotal step toward more sustainable lens production. By rethinking the process instead of just the product, labs and lens manufacturers can take meaningful steps toward a lower carbon, more resource-efficient value chain.

References: 1 Consumer Sustainability Survey, Blue Yonder. https://blueyonder.com/resources/consumer-sustainability-survey, 2 Eyewear Market to Reach USD 261.2 Billion by 2033, Market.us News. https://www.news.market.us/eyewear-market-news, 3 Top Five Trends in Eyewear, Euromonitor International. https://www.euromonitor.com/top-five-trends-in-eyewear/report, 4 Five Insights from the Optical Goods Market in 2024, Optometry Today. https://www.aop.org.uk/ot/features/2024/06/27/5-insights-from-on-the-optical-goods-market-in-2024