Monday, March 31, 2014

The 80's called and they're coming back


THE 80'S CALLED AND THEY'RE COMING BACK
Admit it, you had a pair of shorts coveralls. And if you did then you're going to REALLY recognize some of the latest trends in eyewear. Away with Geek Chic and Onward with pop rocks colored big round plastic frames. Bring on neon, bring on stripes, next thing you know you'll have a peplum dress again. Check out Risky Business and She-Bop into your local independent optical to try it on. 
80's a little too close for comfort?
(Oh  I am SO punny today)

See the unique retro looks coming your way.

This is the Lustre Lady by Jonathan Cate and it is OH so beautiful on. It flatters a woman's face with a beautiful uplift, whimsical details and ALSO comes in more neutral colors for the slightly less adventurous style diva. This spring you will see a softer side to eyewear with less sharp angles, thinner profiles and unexpected color combinations such as neon yellow and navy blue.

Now before you say "That's not for me", try a few on.  You might surprise yourself and LIKE THEM!
What's old is new again. Over and over. You might be feeling a little nostalgia for a time when things were simpler. When life was quieter and we spent more time face-to-face over coffee. What better way to indulge than a timeless eyewear look? Stay tuned for our next installment on those newfangled "digitized" lenses. It's going to be an eyewear mashup of old and new and you will LOVE the way you look and how you see!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

I won't give you a virus!

You don't need to buy glasses from me.

Until the day you wish you had. 

I would like to tell you that the eyewear people get online really sucks. And in many instances it does. But for the most part, those that purchase inexpensive eyewear just want cheap glasses. We can talk about quality and customer service but that's not the driving force behind cheap glasses so why argue it?

Because I have more zoo-zoo and wham-whams than the computer has AND I'm there when you need me!


PRICE: I can usually honor the price you found online. Usually the super cheap options are loss leaders and they are hoping you will upgrade. If you knew what you were buying then you probably WOULD upgrade. Our prices aren't usually that different and I won't be offended if you ask!

ACCURACY: I make sure your glasses are correct. I have a microscope and 23+ years behind me to know how to do that. When I get your glasses in from my lab, I go through the entire fitting process again and double check that they provided what I ordered and did it accurately. Sometimes I don't pass them, and they get sent back. You can count on me to make sure they're right!

ADJUSTMENT: I have special super-powers of fitting and adjusting frames. I have tools that will strategically bend your frames without weakening them. I have to confess that there are GROSS number of opticals that don't adjust frames at dispense. You should find one that does. It's a necessary part of the process. 

WARRANTY: What are you supposed to do when your online glasses get broken? Loses a screw? Develops a defect in the coatings? This is the point where most folks finally realize their computer can't fix a pair of glasses. They need a person. They want me to "buff it out". They want me to repair it. We optical peeps are very good at repairs, but here comes that QUALITY lecture...maybe it wouldn't have broken if...
However, when you buy from us, we are always happy to extend all available warranties and take care of it 


RELATIONSHIP: This is where the rubber meets the road. I always said I would work for free and I DO! Someday I hope to make money, but the bottom line is that I LOVE to help you see. Your local Opticians enjoy seeing you, getting to know you. Come in and have a cup of coffee while I repair your glasses or do an adjustment for you. Come in ANYTIME! Because your computer can't hang with you like we can.






Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Is Candy Crush making you cross-eyed?

You're going to invite me to play. I  just know it. I'm not giving in though. I'm not going to play Candy Crush. You can keep inviting me.


While we sit at the computer and debate the relative merits of the latest gaming challenge, text our friends and check our emails our bums are not getting a workout but our eyes sure are.

Picture yourself doing a wall sit for 60 seconds. Sounds easy right? I recently parked my patoot against the wall and made it about 28 seconds before I slid down in a jelly bean heap on the floor. Certainly a commentary on my fitness level. (I have worked my way up to 38 seconds). 
Did you know that doing close up work is doing the SAME amount of strain to your eye muscles as those wall sits? Would you be able to hold a squat for hours on end?
What would happen when you tried to stand up?
Odds are you would stagger around a little, perhaps be quite stiff afterward.

The cold reality is that our ocular muscles just ain't prepared for that kind of workout.

Biology vs. Technology: There is a biological truth that our near vision gets to be pretty skimpy around the age of 40. Why is this? Because since you were BORN your focal distance has been growing at the rate of about an inch per year from the end of your nose. It stands to reason then, that by age 40ish, you have reached your fingertips. This is why most people need reading glasses to shorten that focal distance back to a more comfortable range. News flash, wearing reading glasses on the end of your nose doesn't make you look younger. Give in gracefully to a no-line bifocal and fool us all.

Technology on the other hand is a MUCH murkier issue. How much time are you spending looking up close? How close is close?
How big is your monitor? One monitor or two...?


To answer those questions, look at the statistics in the Vision Council Report below. Roughly 1/3 of people spend 3-5 hours a day looking at near items like computers and smart phones. Another 1/3 spend 3-6 hours looking close up.

But don't worry, we have a solution for that!


As usual, the market has responded to the demand for lenses that accomodate our lifestyle. Lens manufacturers are creating lenses that are tailored to the needs of near and intermediate vision. Anti-reflective coatings have been developed to filter out uncomfortable blue light, and even  people who don't NEED help up close can get lenses which help "relax" the eye muscle. Ask your Optician about these new products and TAKE ADVANTAGE of them! Leave comments if you need names of specific lenses  and I will help you. 

Lastly, remember to take a break every half hour or so and focus far away from you! Use wetting drops regularly (not the get-the-red-out kind), and make sure you are using good posture and ergonomics on your computer. 

http://www.thevisioncouncil.org/consumers//media/ResearchReports/des2014/TVCDigitEYEzedReport2013.pdf