Provided is a method for making a customized lens including applying a customizable material onto a surface of an ophthalmic substrate; and writing index-change information to the material to form a variable-index layer on the substrate surface. Also provided is a customized ophthalmic element including an ophthalmic substrate; and a variable-index layer of a liquid crystal material connected to at least a portion of the substrate. Further provided is an ophthalmic element having a pair of complementary substrates, each of which has a complementary surface and being positioned such that their complementary surfaces are spaced apart and facing each other, an alignment layer of a patterned alignment material connected to at least one of the complementary surfaces of the pair of substrates, and a variable-index coating interposed between the pair of substrates, such that the liquid crystal material of the variable-index coating is aligned with the patterned alignment material.