Bodkin Design & Engineering Secures $200,000 DoD Contract to Develop On-Demand Laser Written Prescription Lenses

Laser Written Prescription Lenses

Bodkin Design and Engineering, LLC

Bodkin Design & Engineering is developing on-demand prescription lenses directly on protective facemasks for faster, simpler vision correction.

This approach changes how corrective vision is incorporated into protective gear. Rapidly printing custom prescription lenses directly removes long delays in fabrication.”

— Andrew Bodkin, President of BD&E

NEWTON UPPER FALLS, MA, UNITED STATES, January 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Bodkin Design & Engineering (BD&E) has been awarded a $200,000 Phase I contract from the Department of Defense to develop a new way to produce custom prescription lenses, directly on protective facemasks.

The project aims to replace traditional eyewear inserts, which often have long lead times and require large inventories. Instead, BD&E is creating a process to laser-write prescription lenses onto a special resin applied to the facemask window. This would allow custom lenses to be created on-demand, right at the point of distribution, saving time, reducing costs, and improving flexibility.

While this work is focused on protective masks, the technology has broader uses. It could change how lenses are made across industries—from AR/VR headsets and medical imaging tools to drones and custom optics. By offering a faster, simpler way to deliver custom lenses, this technology has the potential to reshape how vision correction is delivered across both defense and commercial applications.

About Bodkin Design & Engineering
Bodkin Design and Engineering, the Imaging System Experts™ has been providing concept development, and design and build services since 1992. Headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts, the company serves the international OEM, commercial, military, and research communities. Specializing in visible and infrared cameras and imaging spectroscopy, BD&E has overseen the successful introduction of products ranging from miniature infrared cameras and dental imagers to spectroscopic instruments for drug discovery. To learn more, visit the website at www.bodkindesign.com.