Bringing HOA correction intoeveryday laboratory practice

From wavefront data to routine production

Higher-order aberrations (HOAs) can significantly affect visual quality, even when standard refractive errors are fully corrected. Advances in wavefront diagnostics and manufacturing technologies are now making it possible to integrate HOA correction into routine specialty lens production. In this article we explore how laboratories can bridge the gap between measurement, lens design, and manufacturing to deliver more personalized visual outcomes while maintaining efficiency and process control.

Higher-Order Aberration (HOA) correction has long been considered one of the more promising developments in specialty contact lenses. While lower-order aberrations such as sphere and cylinder are routinely corrected, HOAs remain more complex and are often associated with visual disturbances such as glare, halos, starburst, or reduced contrast sensitivity. Despite advances in diagnostic technologies, translating these detailed measurements into lenses that can be manufactured consistently has not always been straightforward.

For patients with more complex visual conditions, this limitation has clear consequences. Irregular corneas, post-surgical eyes, or cases where standard correction does not fully resolve visual complaints often fall into a gap between what can be measured and what can be effectively corrected. Even with scleral lenses, where the tear layer compensates for aberrations induced by the anterior corneal surface, residual HOAs may remain significant and continue to negatively affect visual quality. In these situations, addressing HOAs can make a meaningful difference. It is not simply a marginal improvement in acuity, but a change in visual quality that can affect everyday life.

At the same time, managing residual HOAs remains, in many respects, a niche capability. It requires a high level of control across measurement, design, and manufacturing, and is not yet part of routine workflows in every laboratory. There is still a learning curve, both clinically and operationally. However, when applied correctly, the impact on patient outcomes can be significant, often disproportionate to the complexity involved. 

From research to routine discussion

Management of residual HOAs is no longer confined to research environments. It is increasingly part of everyday discussions among laboratories and manufacturers, reflecting a broader shift in how the topic is perceived across the industry.

At the Global Specialty Lens Symposium 2026 in Las Vegas, the focus moved beyond measurement alone, with more attention given to how wavefront data can be integrated into production workflows.

A similar direction was evident at EFCLIN, where the wetlabs provided a hands-on perspective. Participants were able to follow the full process more closely, from data acquisition through to manufacturable output. During these sessions, Lorenzo Benelli from Advance Medical presented an end-to-end workflow, demonstrating how residual HOAs management can be applied directly to existing lens designs while preserving established manufacturing processes.

What stands out is the growing alignment between clinical measurement and laboratory execution. This connection, which has often been a limiting factor, is becoming more structured and more repeatable.

From measurement to manufacturable design

The core challenge remains the same: capturing wavefront data is one step, turning it into a lens that can be produced reliably is another. Measurement conditions still matter, as stability during acquisition directly influences the final result.

Translating a wavefront map into a manufacturable surface is not a direct conversion. It requires interpreting the data within the constraints of lens geometry, material behavior, and machining limitations. Small variations at this stage can affect the final optical outcome.

In practice, management of residual HOAs is not only about data accuracy, but about how that data is applied. The design process must balance optical intent with production feasibility, ensuring that what is calculated can be reproduced consistently during manufacturing.

Rather than relying on entirely new designs, current approaches increasingly focus on applying HOA correction to existing geometries. When the data is captured under the right conditions, this allows laboratories to enhance optical performance without disrupting established production processes.

Capturing vision in real conditions

The quality of the input data is critical in managing residual HOAs. If the measurement is not taken under controlled conditions, the resulting correction will reflect those limitations. For this reason, consistent acquisition protocols and clear clinical guidelines are essential.

Manufacturers play an important role in defining these frameworks, helping practitioners capture data that can be translated into predictable manufacturing outcomes.

Integration into the laboratory workflow

For laboratories, the real test is integration. Management of residual HOAs must fit into an existing workflow that connects measurement, design, manufacturing, and verification, without adding unnecessary complexity.

In many cases, the challenge is not introducing new technology, but aligning existing processes. Measurement, design, and production already exist as separate steps. The difficulty lies in connecting them in a way that reduces variability between each stage.

Even small inconsistencies in data handling or process execution can accumulate, making repeatability difficult. Addressing these gaps is essential for moving from isolated success cases to routine production.

Validation becomes increasingly important as lens geometries become more complex. Ensuring that the manufactured lens matches the intended optical result requires appropriate inspection methods and a controlled process.

Quality, traceability, and control

As HOA-corrected lenses move closer to routine production, quality control and traceability become increasingly important. Linking measurement data, applied correction, and final manufacturing results within a consistent framework is essential for both operational control and compliance.

Collaboration remains a key factor. Management of residual HOAs depends on a close interaction between clinicians and laboratories, from data acquisition to final production. The experience from recent wetlabs shows how this collaboration can make the process more tangible and repeatable. 

Toward scalable personalization

Managing residual HOAs reflects a broader shift toward more personalized optical solutions. The objective is to deliver a higher level of visual correction tailored to the individual eye, while maintaining efficiency and control in production.

What is emerging is a more practical balance. Improved diagnostics and more integrated design approaches are making it possible to enhance optical performance without fundamentally changing how laboratories operate.

Adoption, however, does not happen uniformly. Laboratories approach HOAs management at different speeds, depending on their level of specialization, available equipment, and internal expertise. For some, it represents a natural extension of advanced lens design. For others, it remains an area to explore more cautiously.

This uneven adoption is typical of technologies that sit at the intersection of clinical precision and manufacturing control. As workflows become more structured, the barrier to entry is expected to lower, but the need for expertise will remain.

From a strategic perspective, this shift allows laboratories to expand into higher-value, customized lenses while maintaining control over production and scalability. In a market increasingly focused on personalization, this balance between innovation and operational stability becomes a key factor in long-term competitiveness.

Management of residual HOAs is therefore evolving from a specialized capability into a structured manufacturing approach. The direction is clear, but its success will depend on the industry’s ability to integrate these processes consistently and support them with sustainable operational models.