IBS Lenses

IBS LENSES TM
IMPROVED BALANCE SYSTEM
A REVOLUTION BEYOND VISION
The First Corrective Lenses with
both Visual and Postural Impact

What Are IBS LENSES TM ?
IBS LENSES TM are extremely innovative. Their defining feature is the black cross which is laserengraved
on the inside of the product. A worldwide patent has been filed for this innovation.
Made exclusively in base 8, these lenses are optically balanced and tailored to individual requirements. There
are corrective and non-corrective, shaded and colorless versions.
The dimensions and position of the engraved cross inside each lens, right and left, follow precise rules:
• The dimensions of the two horizontal and vertical axes of the cross are almost equal with respect to the
height of the lens.
• The thickness of the axes has been scientifically defined.
• The cross is precisely off-centered, based on the position of the pupil in the glasses.
The effect of verticalization on vision
The innovative nature of IBS LENSES TM lies in their impact on posture and vision. Wearing IBS LENSES TM
immediately optimizes the individual‘s verticality, thus improving their postural balance and increasing the
stability of their binocular vision. The results when stationary, standing or seated, or when in movement, are:
• A balanced and comfortable posture, thanks to the spinal support.
• More comfortable, higher performance vision which leads in particular to improved anticipation of
pathways when moving, and consequently easier identification of the ideal trajectory.

Behind the Innovation: François Merz
In 1999 François Merz, an equestrian coach from Neuchâtel, invented a system of gaiters to help horses find
their balance. After this first discovery, in 2004, the reaction of one of the horses led him to understand its
three-dimensional analysis system. Based on this, he invented the binocular vision system which he patented
in 2006. He built an initial prototype himself that he tested with athletes from different disciplines, always
getting the same successful results.
In 2011 in Geneva, François Merz met Eugène Duvillard, an optometrist and member of the American
Academy of Optometry. After watching the films and analyzing François Merz‘s experiences, Eugène Duvillard
provided scientific explanations and helped develop new applications for the system. Using his contacts in
the industrial sector, the technological solutions needed for making optical IBS LENSES TM were put into
practice.
How Does It Work?
From the eye to the spinal column
It was noted that the cross engraved in the lens acts as a marker for the gaze and helps to increase its stability:
when looking into the distance, the eyes “rely“ on this visual marker. The cross therefore naturally leads to a more
balanced, symmetrical, and “recentered“ positioning of the gaze between left and right.
The image of the cross that the retina sees is transmitted to the brain through the central nervous system and
communicates a new point of reference to it which is then transmitted to the spine. This triggers the „straightening
up“ phenomenon observed in wearers and the simultaneous improvement of their sensory capacity.

Why Does It Work?
The innovation is based on the existing relationship between the visual and vestibular systems, and more precisely
on the visual capacity to directly affect the vestibular and therefore postural balance.
Physiological reasons
What is the vestibular system?
• As the basis of our sense of balance, the vestibular system is the main sensory system which perceives
movement in three dimensions and provides orientation in relation to the vertical. Located in the inner ear, it
is composed in particular of the vestibular nerve which activates four nuclei. As the actual centers of sensorymotor
integration for the movements that the body makes, these nuclei feed into the spine. The visual system
is connected to the vestibular system through these nuclei.
Anvil
Stirrup
Hammer
Temporal bone
Semicircular
canals
Vestibular
nerve
Cochlear
nerve
Level 4
(C4)
RIGHT
Level 1
(C1)
Lateral vestibular nucleus
Vestibular nerve
Ciliated cells in
semicircular canals
+ utricle + saccule
Lateral vestibulospinal tract
(LVST)
Semicircular
canal
LEFT
Eardrum
Cervical
vertebra
Thoracic
vertebra
1. Origin cells - Lateral vestibular nucleus
2. The path is straight and passes through
the entire length of the spinal cord.
Located in the ventral funiculus.
3. The vestibular system can influence the
ipsilateral proximal muscles.
Outer ear
Auditory
canal
Vesicles
(saccule + utricle)
Cochlea
Lumbar
vertebra
Straight in the
ventral funiculus
Middle ear
Eustachian tube
Diagram of the inner ear
Vestibular system, vestibular nuclei, and innervation of
inferior and superior limbs
• The vestibular system is also linked to the receptors and sensors of the proprioceptive system, which
perceives itself by perceiving the position of the limbs and the muscle tone, allowing muscular contraction
(based on externally received information). These receptors and sensors are located in the skin and muscles.

Links between the vestibular system, visual system, and proprioceptive system can be easily
observed.
Vestibular system and visual system
• When you try to visually follow swirling images projected in a circle on a screen, the ocular movements
that you make will trigger dizziness after twenty seconds. This shows that visual stimulation affects the
vestibular system.
• Another example: when we see the train next to us pull away, we often get the impression that it is our
train which is moving. In this case, the visual system was prioritized over the vestibular system.
Vestibular system and proprioceptive system
• In the case of dizziness or loss of balance triggered by a loss of information from the vestibular system,
the simple action of touching a horizontal or vertical surface with our fingers allows us to find our balance
again. Like the visual system, the proprioceptive system can also affect the vestibular system.
Head movement
The head moves to the RIGHT
The eyes move to the LEFT
Cranial nerve VI
(abducens)
Cranial nerve III
(oculomotor)
Ampullae of the right
horizontal semicircular canal
Right
semicircular canals
Left nucleus
of VI
Right nerve
of III
FML
Utricle
Ciliated
cell
Head
movement
Vestibular ganglion
Vestibular nucleus
Vestibular section of VIII
Relationship between the vestibular system and visual system
Conclusion
The vestibular system acts as a central pivot point for balance. Our physiology shows that acting on the visual
system can have a direct effect on an individual‘s balance and verticality. This hypothesis is verified by recent
studies confirming that the visual system has priority over the vestibular system, beyond the links between them.

Demonstration through Clinical Studies
The visual is more important than we imagine...
University of Illinois, Chicago, USA, 2011
The level of visual acuity directly affects the functions of postural control
A study carried out by the University of Chicago in 2011 on a sample of individuals with varying degrees
of deficient visual acuity – from a simple visual defect to complete blindness – revealed that the changes in
acuity induced by corrective lenses of different strengths altered the generation of substances for anticipating
postural control and consequently affected the compensation substances enabling this control.
St.Rose Dominican Hospital, Henderson, Nevada, USA, 2012
The visual system is the dominant system in postural balance
A study based on researching the dominant system in postural balance among a group of young people aged
between 20 and 30 has demonstrated the preponderance of the visual system in relation to the vestibular and
somatosensory systems. Effectively, the 20 to 30-year-olds prioritize the visual to maintain an optimal postural
balance. Addressing the lack of knowledge about this balance, the study also examined the opportunity of
a prevention system to limit the pronounced degradation with age.
Dep. of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Inonu University School of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey
The increase in acuity after cataract surgery is shown by an increase in postural stability and mobility
This study, carried out in Turkey on a group of patients aged between 57 and 84 who had undergone cataract
operations, showed a clear correlation with the increase in acuity after surgery; patients showed an increase in
speed and more regular pace when moving, and therefore improved mobility. In parallel to these observations,
the index of anterior-posterior, medial-lateral, and global stability increased very significantly, confirming the
favorable effect of increased acuity on postural stability.

Céline van Till
Abraham Tadesse
Reynald Angot
Arnaud Psarofagis

Who Are IBS LENSES TM For?
The fields of application identified at this stage mostly concern the world of sport and athletes. In general,
IBS LENSES TM give them the opportunity to practice their sport with greater ease and comfort in order to
optimize their performance.
Horse-riding and riders
Wearing IBS LENSES TM enables riders to benefit from a better balance in the saddle and a stabilized position
between right and left, front and back. Riders no longer move around and they really seem to be at one with
their horses. They also find it easier to direct their horses, naturally selecting the ideal trajectory. The principle
is the same for carriage drivers. You can see the carriage horses driven by a wearer of these lenses moving
in perfect synchronicity.
• Céline van Till, wearing IBS LENSES TM , was the only disabled person to compete in the Concours de
Corsinge in 2012. Despite her disability, she won the second round of the competition.
• Reynald Angot, team world champion at the Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera in 2002, has also
successfully tested the IBS LENSES TM .
Running, long-distance runners, and marathon runners
Wearing these lenses provides long-distance runners with a sense of ease and well-being which means they
can run more comfortably. Beyond this, several experiments have shown that over a given course, runners
achieve a better time with glasses with IBS LENSES TM than without.
• Using IBS LENSES TM lenses, Abraham Tadesse, a Swiss marathon runner of Eritrean origin achieved
a competition time that was two minutes under his training time. He is aiming for victory in his next
competition.
Sailing, skippers
Arnaud Psarofaghis, a Swiss skipper, has noted the following phenomena with IBS LENSES TM lenses:
• Increased stability on board while the ship is moving
• Reduced tiredness from the effort of navigating
• Greater precision of movement in maneuvers and adjustments
• Feeling of ease

IBS LENSES TM and Aesthetics
Seen from the outside: Is the cross unsightly?
Just like you see in some photos, the cross on the lens has a dynamic and technical appearance. A bluetoned
mirroring effect is also applied to the outside of the lens, which happens to make the lenses look a
bit more “trendy“.
However, IBS LENSES TM are primarily intended for specific uses, where the wearer is mainly looking for visual
and postural comfort, such as when they are practicing sports.
The wearer‘s view: Is the cross disturbing?
No. The visual and postural comfort that comes from wearing the lenses makes you forget the view of the
cross almost instantly. You see the lines of the cross when you put on the glasses, but they don‘t bother you.
Then you stop noticing them

What Are the Prospects?
The applications of IBS LENSES TM in daily life will be considered in future.
• People who walk a lot could benefit in terms of balance and reduced tiredness.
• IBS LENSES TM are also effective against seasickness and travel sickness. Drivers could improve their safety
at the wheel through an improved understanding of their trajectory on the road.
• People who work at screens could see a reduction in visual and postural fatigue due to relief to their
spinal column.
• Further research is being carried out into the impact on health.
www.ibs-lenses.com
Films and animations
A full, dynamic, and professional website!
Further information on the IBS LENSES TM project
Learn about everyone involved in the story of the lenses as well
as the role of Optiswiss.
All the athletes‘ stories
Horse riders, marathon runners, racing drivers...
Come and meet the sports professionals who have chosen
IBS LENSES TM .

Features of the Lenses
Type of lenses Material Color Mirror effect Coating
ONE SPORT HD IBS [Single-Vison]
PRO SPORT HD IBS [progressive]
POLY 159
Depending on
technical possibilities
Flash Silver
on front surface
Optiplas ® SSO
on back surface
Stamps
ONE SPORT HD IBS
PRO SPORT HD IBS
59
IBS TM
SHD
59
IBS TM
7.0
4.0
20 SHD
2.5
10.0
14
15
15
20
19
19
Engravings
Temporal
Nasal
POLY 159
ONE SPORT HD IBS [unifocal]
IBS TM
59
SHD
PRO SPORT HD IBS [progressif]
IBS TM
59
20
SHD
Adjustment recommendations
• Lenses are generally adjusted to the remote focus.
• With natural head and body posture as well as in the zero vision direction, the centring crosses need
to rest on the middle of the pupil.
PRO SPORT HD IBS
• Please note that in different sports it can make sense to focus lenses consciously deeper.
• Since in most sports long distance is more important than short distance, we recommend choosing
the lowest possible addition.
Optiswiss AG • Lyon-Strasse 26 • CH-4053 Basel
P +41 (0)61 337 15 15 • F +41 (0)61 337 15 02
info@optiswiss.ch • www.optiswiss.com