Bausch & Lomb Expands Rochester Plant

Annie L. Fischer

The fields of optics, imaging and photonics appear to be thriving in the city of Rochester, N.Y., home to related university programs, a Center of Excellence in Photonics and more than 50 companies involved in the technology.

Bausch & Lomb recently announced plans for a $35 million optics center in Rochester. The expansion will nearly double the company's research and development center and will add up to 200 research jobs over the next two years.

In other news, Bausch & Lomb has unveiled an agreement with Nike of Beaverton, Ore., under which it will manufacture and distribute new tinted contact lenses designed for sports use. The contacts, available in two tints, filter specific wavelengths of blue light to reduce sun glare and to enhance key visual elements. The amber tint filters certain blue/greens to enhance the visibility of fast-moving balls, for sports such as tennis, soccer and softball, while the gray/green contacts enhance the green and red portions of the spectrum, cutting glare for activities, such as golf, where sunshine is a problem.