Materialise and Hoya Vision Care Collaborate on 3D Printed Eye Care Technology

Leuven, Belgium-based Materialise NV has partnered with Hoya Vision Care, a division of Hoya Group, a medtech company and supplier of high-tech and medical products, to co-create and manufacture parts for high-quality visualization equipment and vision examination systems for optical shops. By working together with Materialise’s design and engineering team and by producing parts in Materialise’s certified additive manufacturing facility, Hoya aims to realize a range of tools that empower eye care professionals to deliver an enhanced customer experience and differentiate themselves in the highly competitive eyewear industry.

The first systems to be brought to market as a result of this collaboration are the Hoya Vision Simulator and Hoya Eyegenius. The first is a tool that allows consumers to experience their new lenses before they buy them, in store by means of virtual reality. The second is a complete vision examination system with a new method to detect and correct fixation disparity.

“Hoya has a known commitment to using creativity and innovation to become the leading company in niche markets, making them not only an ideal co-creation partner, but also a company ready to utilize Materialise’s certified manufacturing for high-quality, end-use products,” said Materialise Executive Vice President of Production Bart Van der Schueren. “With the first products already making their way onto the market, with great initial feedback, together with Hoya we are proving the added-value that 3D printing is ready to deliver to the entire eyewear industry.”

“In Materialise, we have found an ideal partner for co-creating, engineering and manufacturing new innovations that can quickly be brought to the market with the quality expected of the Hoya name,” stated Felix España, new media manager EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) for Hoya Vision Care. “Materialise’s design and engineering experts work closely with our own to identify the designs, technologies and materials needed to introduce true innovation into the eyewear industry and deliver a premium consumer experience. Materialise’s software expertise and manufacturing capacity are then able to turn these concepts into high-quality, end-use products in quantities that meet the demands of our customers.”

Materialise provides 3D printing software and services.