Category: Lenses & Frames

Most people think of sunglasses as summer gear, but in some ways it’s even more important to wear sunglasses in certain winter conditions than in the warm summer months.

Thanks to public awareness campaigns about the risks of skin cancer, more people are aware that UV rays and intense sunlight are bad for our skin. Sunblock, clothing, and shade are regularly used to protect us. Do you know that UV rays are damaging to our eyes, too?

Prolonged UV exposure raises risks for:
• Cataracts
• Macular Degeneration
• Pingueculae
• Pterygia
• Photokeratitis

In the warmer months, we think about protection from the sun because we expose so much skin and can experience sunburns when we’re not covered. In the winter, however, people are colder, and bundled up, so they don’t think of the sun as a risk. This is a problem because snow can reflect 80% of UV rays! That means you’re experiencing normal sunlight from being outside, and harsh glares from white surfaces.

The fatiguing effects of winter glares become apparent usually when doing outdoor activities like skiing, snowboarding, or sledding, but driving in bright wintry conditions can also be damaging and dangerous. It’s important to be protected year-round!

When looking for appropriate winter sunwear, remember:

• Good sunglasses offer UV protection, so always be sure to check that they block 100% UVA/UVB rays.
• Larger glasses are in style, which is great because the bigger lens protects more of your eyes and the skin around your eyes from UV damage. Look for a large lens and wraparound style.
• Don’t worry about the color or darkness of the lens. Those things can vary while still providing adequate UV protection. Check the label for that information, or speak to an optician.
• Remember, polarization is for more than fishermen! Especially in the winter months when ice and snow can cause harsh glares, polarization can be a big help.
• Specialty eyewear exists for all of your favorite winter sports. Be sure your eyes are protected from the sun and safe during sports.

Talk to us if you have any questions about your UV exposure or any specialty eyewear you need to live your active winter lifestyle!

Multifocal lenses have made everyday life much easier for people over forty. Bifocals were invented sometime in the 1700s, but trifocals and eventually progressive lenses were later created to give wearers even more functionality. The options are great, but making the choice can be difficult!

If you need multifocal lenses to provide you more than one power, progressive lenses may be a perfect fit. They have many benefits and can work in almost any setting.

Here are some things to consider for your progressive lenses.

How Progressive Lenses Work
Progressive lenses are called “progressive” because they gradually change from one magnification to a stronger one at the bottom of the lens. They progress from a distance vision prescription to an intermediate and then a near-field one. This means that the wearer can look up to the horizon in the upper portion of the lens and see distances clearly, use the middle of the lens to look around their intermediate space, and view reading materials and close up objects through the bottom of the lens. This use of progressive lenses becomes second nature after some adjustment.

Are Progressive Lenses Better than Bifocals?
Many people prefer progressive lenses over bifocals for two reasons. First, bifocals only have two prescription powers. They usually address a farther distance and a close-up reading view. Either an intermediate distance or a certain distance will not be completely clear. Second, some people are distracted by the “image jump” that they see when looking through bifocals. This is caused by the abrupt line where the inset meets the rest of the lens. Some people love bifocals and see no added benefits from progressive lenses, but most people like the versatility of progressive lenses.

Additional Benefits of Modern Progressive Lenses
Multifocal lenses that are not progressive sometimes don’t fit well within a certain frame size. Because lenses have to be cut to fit the frame, the reading portion can end up too big or too small compared to the lens size. Short corridor progressive lenses address this by scaling the reading zones into a more compact area. This means wearers still have their pick of frames and eyeglass shapes.

In addition, specialty progressive eyewear exists to meet certain needs. Computer eyewear can be a great option for people who work at a desktop setting. These lenses do not need the addition of a distance vision section. This means that they allow more room for a close distance focus, and then the rest of the lens is created for the intermediate field. With a computer screen sitting at arm’s length, reading materials up close, and walls at an intermediate distance, these lenses help maximize the eyewear for indoor occupational settings.

Nobody will notice! Some people believe there is a stigma with bifocals because they perceive them as glasses only for senior citizens. Many people even put off getting multifocal lenses because they don’t want to admit that they need them. Progressive lenses help this issue for some people because there is not a visible line like with bifocals. It is unusual for someone to notice that the wearer has progressive lenses unlike the ability to see bifocal lines.

If you have any questions about how progressive lenses can help your eyes see as clearly and comfortably as possible, speak with an optician. There are many options and we can help you narrow down the possibilities so you can make an informed decision.

Squinting into the sun and focusing in bright light is very hard on your eyes. Eye doctors stress the importance of sunglasses and shading your eyes, but many people aren’t aware of the benefits that come from polarized sunglasses. They’re not just for fishermen to see into the water!

When you’re not on the dock or deck of your boat, you will continue to see the benefits of polarization. Polarized sunglasses can help cut glares off of surfaces like the road in front of you or the hood of your vehicle. Even bright light outdoors or through windows can be mellowed with polarized lenses.

The reason that polarized sunglasses work is that they cut out certain waves of light. Normal light tends to go in all directions, but light that bounces off of a surface tends to “polarize” and align itself horizontally. So sunlight beating down on the water doesn’t appear as ambient light once it bounces off the water, because it hits that reflective surface and bounces up, glaring into your eyes. Polarized lenses are specially made with a vertical polarization so that they cut out that intense reflected light and let you see more of the natural light you’d see if there was no glare. Pretty cool, right? You can even experiment with glasses to see if they’re polarized by holding them out and rotating the lens to see if the glare lessens or not.

Some people may notice instances where polarized lenses are not helpful, however. Cell phone screens, LCD and GPS displays can be more difficult to read. In some cases, much brighter light is something you need to see, like in downhill skiing. A bright patch alerts the skier to ice, and polarization would make it harder to see. But most everyday skiers and snowboarders would like to ease the bright light reflecting off of the snow if they’re not in icy conditions. Other than a few rare occasions, polarized lenses can do a lot to improve your vision for many applications. Ask your eye care professional for help deciding if polarization is right for your eyewear.

Most people pick either one pair of glasses or one set of contacts, but often find situations where they wish they had an alternative option to their main eyewear. After all, why dress your face in the same outfit every day? Just like having a few pairs of shoes for different uses, or a special purse for evenings out, having multiple pairs of eyewear can be very fun and superbly functional.

There are many reasons why owning multiple pairs of eyeglasses is beneficial. Clumsy or not, you never know what could happen that would cause you to break or lose a pair. Unlike ripping a pair of pants or losing a shoelace, not being unable to see is quite a problem! Although some eye care providers may be able to create glasses in a very short amount of time, you don’t want to be stuck either unable to see, or in an old prescription that will hurt your eyes while you wait for your new eyewear to be created.

Maybe you know in advance that you’ll need a different type of eyewear for a specific activity and want to get fit for your specialty eyewear. Eyeglass wearers need at least one pair of regular glasses, but many also have a backup pair of glasses and may opt for a pair of sunglasses, too. Contacts tend to be the go-to for sporting enthusiasts who need varied functionality for their sport, but there are also prescription options for eyewear used in watersports, winter sports, driving, outdoors, and other activities.

Other specialty types of glasses that you may need are computer glasses or specialty eyewear for work or hobbies. Those that work long hours on a computer could benefit from investing in a pair of computer glasses. These glasses aid in preventing eyestrain, as they are designed specifically for the distance at which you view a computer monitor. They can cut down on glare and blue light, too. There are many options available for safety prescription glasses for work, and your employer may cover them if you need them for your job.

Occupational lenses can be helpful for those who wear bifocals because holding your reading material out far away from your face is not exactly practical nor comfortable. For those whose hobbies include close up work, reading glasses may be helpful for magnification.

Of course, the fashion-forward will also enjoy having multiple pairs of glasses to go with different looks. It is tempting to pick up a very colorful pair of funky frames to give yourself a signature look, but you may wonder if the bold look would feel awkward in other settings, like a serious family function or job interview. If you get more than one pair, you can be more creative with one of the frames and a little more conservative with the second pair. Unless you have a certain kind of prescription, the option of contacts is also great. They’re very practical and versatile. Some contact lenses even offer color-changing ability to give your eyes a totally new look.

Just like the way different accessories make you feel fancy, professional, or casual, glasses and contacts can do the same. Check your vision benefits to see what coverage is offered for additional eyewear, or ask your eye care professional about price breaks on ordering multiple glasses and contact lenses.