Originally posted by timcatn No idea where you get this from but it is totally wrong.
You can use any high quality physics simulation software with optics modules to design lenses.
A few examples is Comsol, Abaqus and Ansys.
Yep that's true ! But in the optical design industry the main ones are Zeemax and Code V, because as a lens designer I need optimisation and tollerancing algorithms, not just simulation. For the simulation part, even Matlab is enough.
Regarding where I get this from, I will just say that I have graduate in Optics in one of the 5 big Optics formations (Jena, Arizona, Rochester, Osaka, Paris)...