PixelOptics’ emPower! was an early attempt to replace fixed bifocal, trifocal and progressive lens zones with prescription lenses that changed focus electronically. It reached limited sales after a 2011 rollout, but distribution stopped in 2013 and PixelOptics later filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The original emPower! is a discontinued historical product, not a verified current retail option.
What was emPower! electronic focusing eyewear?
emPower! was a prescription-eyewear system developed for presbyopia, the age-related difficulty focusing on nearby objects. Instead of relying only on fixed optical zones, its lenses could switch between different focusing states. PixelOptics described it as the “world’s first electronic focusing eyeglasses”; that was the company’s product claim, not an independent comparison of every eyewear product.
The concept combined a liquid-crystal lens with electronics built into the frame. PixelOptics said the lens could change focus faster than a blink, without sound or mechanically moving parts. The product was intended to offer near and distance focus within one pair of glasses, rather than move lens elements mechanically.
How did the electronic lenses work?
Liquid crystals changed the lens’s optical power
A thin, transparent liquid-crystal layer was incorporated into a composite prescription lens. Applying an electric charge changed the orientation of the liquid crystals, altering the path light took through the lens and therefore its focusing effect. The prescription lens and the electronic layer worked together; this was not a clip-on magnifier or a conventional progressive lens with a permanently graded optical zone.
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The wearer could switch focus manually or automatically
The frame contained microchips, accelerometers and rechargeable batteries. A wearer could touch the frame to change focus. In automatic operation, an accelerometer could detect a downward head movement associated with looking at reading material and activate a near-focus zone. US Optical described three operating modes: automatic, manual-on and manual-off. The automatic behavior depended on interpreting movement; it was not simply a lens that continuously tracked the eyes.
When was emPower! launched, and how was it sold?
The rollout was staged rather than a single mass-market launch. PixelOptics announced consumer-wearer trials in 2009 and said a major launch was planned for 2010. In January 2011, the glasses appeared at CES and in media demonstrations, but PixelOptics said they had not yet been officially launched. In spring 2011, the company announced commitments from nine optical laboratories for regional launches beginning in May; US Optical planned manufacturing for a Southeast launch around April 4. These announcements point to a channel built around optical labs and prescription professionals, not general online retail.
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Contemporaneous reporting described a limited commercial run. Vision Monday reported in 2013 that more than 1,000 first-generation units had been sold. MIDO reported about 1,000 pairs sold between 2011 and 2013. Those accounts are broadly consistent, though they use different wording and reporting dates.
What did emPower! cost and what were its reported specifications?
New Atlas reported in 2011 that the planned retail price was approximately US$1,000–$1,200. The same contemporaneous account described about 36 frame styles, inductive charging taking roughly two hours, and battery life of two to three days depending on use. These are historical reported figures, not a current price, a guaranteed specification for every pair, or evidence that the product remains available.
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Why did PixelOptics stop selling the first generation?
Vision Monday reported that PixelOptics stopped first-generation distribution on March 1, 2013, citing optical, electronics and design problems while the company worked on a redesigned second generation. A separate Vision Monday report described severe financial difficulty, a lack of liquidity and significant debt; it said the company could not commercialize the second generation after European testing.
PixelOptics, Inc., also identified in the bankruptcy docket as EMPOWER, filed voluntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Delaware on November 4, 2013. The case closed on April 30, 2018. The company said in 2011 that it had nearly 300 issued patents and pending applications, but that figure does not establish that the product was technically successful or commercially sustainable.
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Can you still buy emPower! glasses?
The original emPower! should be treated as discontinued, not as a current prescription-eyewear product. The documented sales channel was optical laboratories and prescription professionals, and distribution ended in 2013. A surviving listing or secondhand pair would not establish current manufacturer support, prescription fitting, replacement parts, battery service or warranty coverage.
MIDO reported in 2014 that Mitsui Chemicals acquired PixelOptics technology at auction and formed Whole You to prepare an improved version. That report does not establish that a successor became a continuing retail product, that it is currently available through prescription channels, or that an affiliate program exists. Current availability and support are therefore unverified.
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How does electronic focusing differ from ordinary multifocal glasses?
| Question | emPower! as described in 2011 | Conventional multifocals |
|---|---|---|
| How does focus change? | An electric charge changes the liquid-crystal layer’s optical effect. | Fixed optical zones or a graduated power change are built into the lens. |
| How is near focus activated? | Touch control or an accelerometer-triggered mode; US Optical described automatic, manual-on and manual-off modes. | The wearer looks through the appropriate portion of the lens; there is no electronic switching. |
| Does it need power? | Yes. The frame included rechargeable batteries; historical reporting described inductive charging. | No battery or charging system is needed for the lens’s focusing function. |
| Price and present-day availability | New Atlas reported a planned 2011 price of US$1,000–$1,200. Current retail availability is not established. | Prices vary by prescription, lens design, frame and provider; a directly comparable current price is not established here. |
The comparison is about the mechanisms, not a clinical verdict: no current comparative clinical trial or verified 2026 retail specification is established in the available record. Anyone evaluating electronic focusing eyewear should confirm the exact prescription-fitting process, charging requirements, repair and warranty arrangements, and whether the specific model is currently supported before relying on it as everyday eyewear.
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