‘New Generation’
STEPPER EYEWEAR Announces a New Range of Children’s Frames That Embody a New Approach to Frame Design and Construction.
STEPPER Kids ‘New Generation’ frames are as innovative as they are attractive. Utilising new expert scientific research and innovative frame technology, the result is a range of children’s frames that fit and hold lenses with a new level of precision and stability.
‘Children deserve frames that are designed to fit their developing facial features. Clear vision is vital when they are learning in terms of both educational and social development.’
Dr. Alicia Thompson
Look at the new STEPPER EYEWEAR children’s frames and you can see they embody a new approach to frame design and construction.
From every angle, it is clear STEPPER Kids frames are as innovative as they are attractive.
But, only once the extent of the science behind this ‘New Generation’ of frames is explained does their potential for helping the vision of our young become clear.
The Purpose of a Frame
Corrective eyewear can be prescribed to a child for many reasons.
Whatever these reasons. the primary purpose of a frame is to hold prescribed lenses in a stable, suitable before the eyes as required by the eyecare professional.
Ensuring the best outcome for children’s eyesight is foremost in effective paediatric eyecare.
Lenses and Frame Working Together in Harmony
The best outcomes prevail when the frame and lenses work in harmony to deliver the optimum eyecare solution.
After choosing the corrective lenses, the frame fit and stability of the frame that holds the lenses are the most important factors to consider. If the frame slides down a child’s nose due to poor design, the resultant correction can be incorrect or totally ineffective at such a crucial time in visual development.
Children’s Eyewear Created by Science
ST.EPPER Kids frames are designed and manufactured using new empirical research into children’s developing facial features.?
Building on its professional approach to frame design, STEPPER EYEWEAR has worked closely with one of the world’s leading authorities on paediatric eyecare: Dr. Alicia Thompson Ph.D. BSc (Hons) FBDO R (Hons) SLD SMC(Tech), to create frames that significantly advance and improve children’s eyecare.
Dr. Alicia Thompson
Dr. Thompson was awarded a doctorate from Aston University (one of the UK’s leading optometric universities) for her research into paediatric facial anthropometry applied to spectacle frame design.
Hans Stepper and the STEPPER EYEWEAR design and production team have been working closely with Dr Thompson to make her work a reality in children’s frames.
Using 3D stereo photogrammetry, to take measurements from 1,334 3D images of children’s faces aged from birth to 16 across differing ethnicities, Dr Thompson’s pioneering study has provided a most valuable resource for frame designers.
‘Following my research, I have been keen to use my knowledge with frame companies who share my belief in the importance of dispensing frames that are fit for purpose. STEPPER EYEWEAR has proved to be a valuable partner with their commitment to ‘Perfect Fit’.
The resulting frames mark a significant step change in children’s frame design. Dr. Thompson’s work in understanding the facial anthropometry of children has given STEPPER EYEWEAR accurate measurement requirements to create frames to meet the unique needs of children.
Evidence-Based Frame Design
Incorporating evidence-based studies into the new generation of STEPPER Kids eyewear assists eyecare professionals in enhancing patient safety, optimise treatment outcomes, delivering personalised care, establishing professional credibility, and fulfilling their ethical responsibilities.
It allows them to provide the highest standard of care for children's eye health and visual development.
World Fit
STEPPER EYEWEAR’s World Fit has led to the creation of three fits based on broad ethnic fitting characteristics. European Fit, Asian Fit, and African Fit are now established fitting types within the brand’s extensive adult frame offering.
By incorporating Dr. Thompson’s work into children’s eyewear, the unique fitting characteristics have been integrated within STEPPER EYEWEAR’s fitting profile and are identified as ‘Alpha Fit’.
Alpha Fit
After completing her extensive and acclaimed research, Dr Thompson has shared her findings with STEPPER EYEWEAR and worked with the brand to develop frames with outstanding fitting characteristics for children.
Using these measurements STEPPER EYEWEAR worked on new designs. Starting with the facial dimensions as the base, the new frame shapes emerged. Once the fundamental designs were agreed upon, aesthetic appeal could be applied.
Age-Related Paediatric Facial Anthropometric Design
Alpha Fit has four fit variants. Due to a child's facial development with age, critical changes in the face shape require different frame measurements. For example, crest height, splay, angle, head width, and pupillary distance require accommodating.?
These fit variants have been identified as:
领英推荐
How this translates into STEPPER Kids frame design is illustrated in the table below:
Proportions, Dimensions, Contours, And Curves Fine Tuning
Further customisation of frame parts, to match the frame more precisely to the wearer, are possible due to the enhanced features such as the TX5 endoskeleton nose pad and external/integral side adjustment. These final adjustments are made with the child by the eyecare professional.
Innovative customisable frame parts:
Materials Matter
Transferring scientific data into three-dimensional, practical frames requires a best-for-purpose material to deliver the correctly shaped frame parts that retain their shape over time. Exceptional frame-making abilities to translate the demanding specifications are required to produce frames that also look good and feel comfortable.
STEPPER EYEWEAR’s TX5 high-tech injection moulded material allows for complex frame elements to be created. Designed using CAD and produced in 3D, each element leaves the mould in the final shape. The result is a frame that is the right shape and that keeps its shape – all day, every day.
This reliability and stability of shape ensures that the frame maintains the correct fit, positioning the prescribed lenses before the eyes of the wearer as determined by the eyecare professional.
TX5 – Advanced Injection Moulded Plastic
Creating an attractive frame whilst maintaining the fundamental purpose of holding lenses correctly before the eyes, requires the use of a material with a multitude of properties.
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Working With Modern Lenses
Myopia management lenses are designed to provide specific optical zones that help control myopia progression. To achieve optimal optical performance, the lenses need to be properly aligned with the child's eyes. A well-fitted frame ensures that the lenses are positioned correctly, maximizing their effectiveness in slowing down myopia progression.
By ensuring a good-fitting frame for myopia management lenses, the child can experience optimal optical performance, clear vision, comfort, and safety. It also promotes better compliance with wearing the lenses, increasing the likelihood of successful myopia control outcomes.
Putting Children’s Eyecare First
Sharing data and findings and discussing practical solutions has allowed academic knowledge with modern design and production know-how to combine.
This has been a unique frame development process, with the common goal of achieving the best possible vision correction outcomes for children.
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