A mandrel for holding and positioning an intraocular lens blank during manufacturing includes a shank portion having a central axis and a lens blank holding section configured to hold the lens blank. The holding section includes a central cavity formed concentrically with the central axis of the mandrel. Projections are formed on a surface of the central cavity and are configured to support a first surface of the lens blank at a fixed distance from the surface of the central cavity. A ring fits within a peripheral portion of the central cavity to hold a second opposing surface of the lens blank. A method for making an intraocular lens using the mandrel includes filling the space formed under the first surface of the lens with a liquid, such as water, freezing the liquid, and then machining and/or milling the second surface of the lens blank.

Disclosed is a method implemented by a computer, for determining the position of an optical lens member having a surface placed on a lens blocking ring, the blocking ring including a bearing zone arranged to bear at least partially a placed known surface of the optical lens member when the known surface of the optical lens member is placed on the lens blocking ring and hold by a force applied on the optical lens member, the method includes finding a trio of points of the bearing zone that forms a triangle including the projection on the main plane of the point of application of the force; and a position of the optical lens having a virtual contact between the placed known surface and the ring at the location of the trios of points.

A method for manufacturing a spectacle lens according to a prescription includes: blocking or fixing a semi-finished spectacle lens blank having a first face possessing a final curvature and a second face opposite the first face on a block piece or a vacuum or holding chuck, respectively, wherein the first face of the semi-finished spectacle lens blank faces the block piece or the vacuum or holding chuck, respectively; surfacing the blocked or fixed semi-finished spectacle lens blank on the second face to obtain a final curvature of the second face; and deblocking the surfaced spectacle lens blank from the block piece or removing the surfaced spectacle lens blank from the vacuum or holding chuck prior to any subsequent coating step. The first face is coated with a top coating having a surface energy of less than 20 mJ/m.sup.2.

Disclosed is a lens blocker for attaching a leap block to a machining center of a blank lens to be machined in order to craft an eyeglass lens. The lens blocker comprises: a drive cam (30) of a cylindrical shape having a blocker arm guide groove (32) formed therein; a blocker arm (40) coupled to the drive cam (30) to be movable up and down along the drive cam (30) or to be rotatable about the drive cam (30), and having a blocker arm guide (42) formed at one end thereof, wherein the blocker arm guide (42) is inserted into the blocker arm guide groove (32) of the drive cam 30 and moves along the blocker arm guide groove (32), so as to cause the blocker arm (40) to move up and down along the drive cam (30) or to rotate about the drive cam (30); a leap block mount (50), to which a leap block to be attached to a blank lens is mounted and which is coupled to the other end of the blocker arm (40); a blocker arm base (60) configured to move the blocker arm (40) up and down along the drive cam (30); and a lens mount (70) onto which the blank lens, to which the leap block is to be attached, is mounted.

A compensating pad for applying to an ophthalmic lens blank to be blocked, or for interposing between an ophthalmic lens blank and a block piece. The compensating pad comprises a main body that is designed to be elastic having a maximum thickness corresponding to a maximum layer thickness difference of the ophthalmic lens blank, in order to locally compensate for the layer thickness difference of the blocked ophthalmic lens blank.

Implementations of a system for the manufacture of eyeglasses is disclosed. The system includes a lens-mounting block, a lens blank coupled to the lens-mounting block, a lens coupled to the lens blank, and an edger. The edger follows a perimeter of the lens-mounting block to edge a perimeter of the lens. The lens blank detaches from the lens-mounting block after the lens is edged.

A method and associated implementing system eliminates much of the stress presently introduced by the bonding of ophthalmic lens blanks, or blanks to a holding device, namely a metal block. The method of attaching ophthalmic lens blanks to a blocking assembly comprises the steps of shaping a blocking assembly to take the shape of an ophthalmic lens blank surface of an ophthalmic lens, wherein the blocking assembly is not attached directly to the ophthalmic lens blank during shaping of the blocking assembly; and following the shaping of the blocking assembly, attaching the lens blank to the shaped blocking assembly.

A method of preparing a lens blank for a further operation of surfacing to transform the lens blank into a surfaced lens for further transformation into a lens having a lens shape, the operation of surfacing including processing the lens blank so that the surfaced lens exhibits a crib diameter, the method being implemented using a processing module and comprising: based on input data (ID) which define the lens shape, defining a temporary crib diameter (D.sub.temp) so that said temporary crib diameter satisfies a set of constraints which includes at least: a first constraint whereby the temporary crib diameter (D.sub.temp) is large enough for the surfaced lens having said temporary crib diameter to be suitable to be processed into said lens, a second constraint whereby the temporary crib diameter is large enough for the surfaced lens having said temporary crib diameter to include a plurality of reference points defined on the lens blank and which together identify an optical center of the lens, choosing the crib diameter as a function of the temporary crib diameter (D.sub.temp), said choosing the crib diameter being configured so that, when a step cribbing configuration is destined to be applied to the operation of surfacing, said crib diameter is chosen among at least one predetermined discrete value (Val.sub.i).

A method implemented by computer for processing an unfinished optical lens member for manufacturing an optical lens, the unfinished optical lens member having an unfinished surface and an aspherical finished surface having a first reference system with a first reference point, and the optical lens to be manufactured including first and second surfaces, the first surface including a second reference system with a second reference point and included in the aspherical finished surface of the lens member, the method including: providing an unfinished optical lens member data; providing an optical function; providing a reference point position; providing an optical lens parameter; determining a reference system; determining a first surface dataset; and determining a second surface dataset.

A lens holder assembly (49) and method of using the lens holder assembly (49) to mark an ophthalmic lens (3) is provided. The lens holder assembly (49) comprises a stem (61) having a central axis and a first opening (5) extending along the central axis of the body (65), a second opening (7) integrated within the stem (61) such that the second opening (7) is substantially parallel to the first opening (5), and at least one illumination source positioned within the second opening (7). The illumination source is capable of emitting light through the second opening (7) for illuminating at least a portion of an ophthalmic lens (3). At least a portion of the lens (3) is placed over the first opening (5). Suction is applied to the lens (3), and a marking is applied to a surface of the lens (3).