Recently, there has been a significant increase in demand for eyeglass frames equipped with glass or polycarbonate Rx lenses, which may be attributed to the growing use of glasses for various reasons, such as increased screen time on computers, tablets, smartphones, etc. An article in the «Times of India» dated 17/6/21 is sufficient evidence of this. The lenses used in eyeglass frames must undergo a rigorous process, starting from cutting, polishing, grinding, etc., before they are fitted into eyeglass frames. The process requires an adhesive tape to be applied to the concave/convex side of the lens before it undergoes the eyeglass lens transformation process, and the tape becomes an integral accessory during the process. The Adhesive Specialities research group has recently succeeded in producing an adhesive tape that is applied to a glass or polycarbonate lens before the start of its transformation process.
The procedure for transforming a glass/polycarbonate lens into an Rx optical lens requires continuous lens processing, such as cutting, polishing, grinding, etc. During the process, the lens must be protected from damage, such as scratches or any particles settling on it. To ensure protection during the process, a special adhesive tape, known as ophthalmic lens tape, is applied. The tape is one of the latest proprietary developments of the Adhesive Specialties company.


The blocking, grinding, and deblocking process.

The tape for ophthalmic lenses is a single-sided adhesive tape that acts as a protective layer on the convex/concave side of the lens before its installation on the blocking/instrumentation machine. The tape enables the efficient execution of the polishing and grinding process, preventing scratches/particles that could damage the glass/polycarbonate lens during the process. The tape is blue in color, making it easy to distinguish during removal after the process.
The lens undergoes various procedures before becoming suitable for eyeglass frames. In the initial stage of the process, the tape for ophthalmic lenses is applied to the convex/concave side of the lens and then placed in a tray for storage. Depending on the machine setup, lens processors use either liquid wax (unalloyed) or a liquid alloy (an alloy made from 7 different metals, heated to approximately 50ºC). The liquid wax or liquid metal solidifies on the applied tape for ophthalmic lenses and acts as a holding tool for the machine during the lens processing.

The next stage is the grinding process, which imparts a corrective effect to the lens by «cutting» the concave side with a diamond head, followed by a polishing process.




The next step is the removal of fixatives, where the alloy or wax is carefully removed without the risk of lens breakage. At this stage, the tape also needs to be removed.
Depending on the material used in the blocking process, Adhesive Specialities has developed two types of tape for ophthalmic lenses: one known as the tape for ophthalmic lenses for wax fixation, and the other known as the tape for ophthalmic lenses for alloy fixation. Processors using wax as their preferred lens-holding method will need to use wax tape for ophthalmic lenses (processors with high-speed imported machines typically use wax-based fixation methods), while other processors may prefer to use alloy-based fixation systems.
Protective Tape for Ophthalmic Lenses
The protective tape for ophthalmic lenses is manually applied to the convex side of the lens, providing a protective film for the surface during the grinding process and is effortlessly removed from the lens after removing the fixative.
Main characteristics of the tape:
- Allows easy and secure bonding even for lenses with the highest index.
- Suitable for all types of lenses and base curves: low edge lift.
- Superior adhesion to various types of lenses.
- Clean removal from all types of lenses.
- Available in custom designs.
- Low torque for precise edging.
- Available on a white liner.
- Color: Light Blue.
- Available in roll and sheet form.