Danyang city in east China's Jiangsu province produces over 400 million pairs of lenses each year, making up roughly half of the global production. It stands as the world's largest hub for lens manufacturing.

The annual output value of the eyewear industry in Danyang exceeds 12 billion yuan (approximately $1.65 billion). With over 1,600 eyewear manufacturing enterprises and related businesses calling the city home, Danyang is continuously seeking ways to advance and expand its eyewear industry.

One way the city is looking to do that, is focusing more on innovation in the industry rather than pure volume.

"People used to marvel at Danyang's production volume, but moving forward, they will recognize more Danyang brands and the city's continuous efforts in innovation," said Yuan Hongjin, secretary-general of the Danyang Optical Chamber of Commerce. Transitioning from volume competition to quality competition and from OEM production to independent innovation, the transformation of Danyang's eyewear industry is well underway.

Originally only a simple lens manufacturer, Jiangsu Hongxu Desheng Technology Co Ltd rejected a foreign acquisition offer due to concerns about potential closure of its high-end production line, according to Wu Xiaoxu, general manager of the company. Instead, the company focused on innovation, developing more durable and advanced glasses, including AR and VR glasses. Over time, the company built up its own technological expertise.

The optometry and lens fitting process, established in Germany over 180 years ago, initially had intervals set at every 50 degrees. This later evolved to more precise 25-degree divisions, a practice that has persisted until now.

"This standard has been around for nearly 200 years and has become the standard practice. However, considering the intricacies of human vision, a 25-degree interval is still too wide. Why can't we fine-tune glasses with more precision?" questioned Qi Bei, a specialist from the China Optometric and Optical Association.

While foreign brands attempted more precise 12-degree lens fitting without success, Chinese companies like Jiangsu Hongxu Desheng Technology Co Ltd have the technical capabilities and market advantages to drive innovation without the constraints faced by larger corporations.

However, making these changes was no easy task. They first had to upgrade the optometry measurement equipment and enhance optometry techniques. Next, they had to redesign the existing lens models to generate a digital model of freeform surfaces tailored to various eye parameters. They also needed precision equipment at the nanometer level to manufacture the lenses.

To make this happen, Wu and his research team partnered with research institutes to enhance materials and streamline processes, sought advice from expert optical and mechanical research institutions to enhance algorithms, and engaged with multiple leading eye hospitals in China to enhance the fitting equipment.

In the end, manufacturers in Danyang took a different approach: replacing imported optometry tools for locally-made ones that could be fitted with a 5-degree variance, utilizing algorithms to create personalized lens surfaces remotely, and employing advanced equipment for precise crafting.

The eyewear industry in Danyang has undergone significant transformation and advancement. How does the industry maintain its competitiveness?

The industry provides top-notch services and enhances industry standards. Danyang has established the first national eyewear research institute, the National Eyewear Product Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, and the China Zhenjiang Danyang (Eyewear) Fast Intellectual Property Rights Service Center to improve industry standards. Additionally, the Danyang Eyewear E-commerce Industrial Park has hosted over 3,600 live-streaming sessions to support overseas expansion.

The industry boosts competitiveness with personalized products. In Danyang, nearly 1,000 eyewear design professionals roll out over 3,000 new styles annually. Local companies can produce photochromic lenses in nine different hues, craft lightweight frames that float on water, use facial scanning for customized eyewear, develop 5-axis robot equipment for precision lens-making, and innovate multi-focal lenses to safeguard the vision of youth.

"From following to leading, we are always moving forward," Wu said.