SPECIALTY DESIGNS FOR OCCUPATION & RECREATION
Many occupations and hobbies impose demanding visual requirements especially for those who need bifocals or trifocals. Special occupational designs are available to solve these special needs. If you have visual demands that your glasses and/or eyes cannot meet, please let us know so we can also make recommendations on your eye wear design to suit your specific situation and needs.
Sports Glasses
Special lens designs and material are available for the unique needs of adult and children sports enthusiasts. These include wrap-around sunglasses to protect from wind and dust for bikers and runners and fashionable light weight frames for basketball and football players. Also, specific colored and tinted lenses to enhance contrast for hunters and golfers. Sports glasses are made with frames made of more durable plastics for safety and comfort, while polycarbonate is the lens material of choice for all sports due to its impact resistance and eye protection capabilities.
Polarized Sunglasses
Polarized lenses are the best sunglass choice for everyone. They are particularly a necessity for those who are light sensitive, virtually eliminating reflected glare. Especially drivers, pilots and those who participate in outdoor sports such as fishing, skiing and boating experience increased visibility and comfort with polarized lenses nonetheless, polarized lenses are enjoyed by all!
Computer Glasses
Due to our increased desktop demands over the last decade, numerous lens designs have been made available to enhance intermediate (computer) and near (reading) working distances. Computer screen filters, workstation ergonomic design and anti-reflection coatings can help make working on the computer easier and more comfortable. Our doctors will prescribe "desktop" or "workstation" lenses to optimize your comfort and performance while on the computer and working at your desk.
FRAMES
Whether style, function, durability or your budget is your main concern, we will help you find that perfect frame. Choose from hundreds of frames including name brands such as Kata, Calvin Klein, Gucci, Lafont, Polo Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior, Silhouette, Pro-Design Daniel Swarovski, Adidas, Safilo, Nine West, Kate Spade, Nike, and Kenneth Cole. Our most popular designs this year are rimless frame styles. Our rimless frames by Silhouette are custom designed to your exact specifications. They are so light-weight and comfortable, our opticians wear them too!
LENSES
Lenses made for your frames today are not what they used to be. Technology has expanded and increased the quality of both lens materials and designs over the last few years. This means that you have more choices than ever before to meet your needs.
Lens choices are important in providing you with the best vision possible to compliment your visual needs. We want you to better understand each lens material and design. Please take a few moments to view the sections below to understand the options available to you.
LENS MATERIALS
Hard Resin (plastic) - Basic lens for minimal prescriptions
Conventional hard resin lenses are more impact resistant, half the weight of glass lenses and can be tinted to almost any color and density. Hard resin lenses are more easily scratched than glass but can have an optional scratch protection applied.
High-Index Lenses - thinner and lighter to enhance comfort, vision and appearance for high prescriptions.
Modern technology has created lenses that bend light differently so that stronger corrections are thinner than when made in conventional materials. Such lenses are called "high index" and stronger corrections are more attractive because they are slimmer.
Glass lenses are also available with the slimming advantages of high index but are considerably heavier. High index plastic uses less material so they are much lighter in weight. High index lenses absorb harmful UV light and can be tinted to any shade or color. High index lenses with anti-reflection coating will provide the best vision and appearance of lenses possible.
Polycarbonate - impact resistant for all children and sports participants
Polycarbonate lenses are the most impact resistant lenses available and are always the lens of choice for all children and active sports participants. Polycarbonate lenses are a special type of high index lens, they are light and comfortable. They absorb all harmful UV light and can be made with ultra thin edges because of their unique strength. Again, not all lenses are the same quality. At Family Vision Care, we offer only premium polycarbonate lenses.
Glass - for maximum scratch resistance.
For years glass was the only lens material available to patients. Glass still offers superior optics and boasts the most scratch-resistant material. The primary disadvantage of glass is its weight, generally twice that of hard resin, which means they can be heavy and cumbersome for patients with higher prescriptions. Glass lenses are heat or chemically treated to increase impact resistance, but one small scratch in the lens will compromise its integrity resulting in shattering of the lens into very small pieces. Glass lenses are NOT recommended for the active individual.
LENS DESIGNS
The lenses described below are by no means the only lenses available. By telling us of any unusual work or leisure visual requirements, we can tailor exactly the right lenses for all your visual needs. Most lens designs come in all lens material types.
Lens designs become creative when meeting the needs of people who require different prescriptions at different distances. An example of a condition where this would be necessary is called presbyopia, or the loss of focusing power up close due to age related physiological changes to the eye. Presbyopes can enjoy lens designs specifically made for golfers, pilots, mechanics and computer users to name a few.
Single Vision Lenses
Single vision lenses function as all purpose glasses for persons who have normal accommodation. Those who normally wear bifocals or trifocals sometimes prefer to wear single vision lenses for certain activities; for instance, a single vision lens for driving and another for the computer. Single vision lenses can also function as occupational glasses for certain types of work. Single vision lenses are available in all lens materials.
Aspheric Lenses
These new lenses provide special visual and cosmetic benefits for stronger corrections and increased edge-to-edge clarity. Flatter than conventional lenses, aspherics eliminate the "bulgy" appearance of strong plus lenses (far-sighted corrections) and greatly enhance the appearance of finished eyewear. Persons with strong nearsighted corrections also benefit from thinner, lighter weight glasses when their lenses are aspheric. Because aspheric lenses are positioned closer to the face, there is less eye magnification with farsighted corrections and less "small eyes" look with nearsighted corrections. Aspheric lenses are often made of high index materials for the ultimate in thin lenses.
Flat Top Bifocals
Bifocals provide two separate prescriptions, usually for distance and near vision clarity. The flat top bifocal is the most common form and is available with the segment portion made in a variety of widths to help with various close-up occupations. The flat top bifocal can be used as a "work station" lens when the top portion is set for intermediate and the small segment for near distances.
Executive Bifocals
Sometimes used for those who need a wide field of vision for near work (accountants, for example), executive bifocals have a distinctive appearance and are thicker because of their design. They are only available in glass, hard resin and photochromic glass.
Trifocals
Flat-top trifocals provide three separate zones of clear vision: distance, intermediate and near. The added segment provides clear vision at arm's length distance, the area that is usually blurred for bifocal wearers.
Progressive Lenses (no line bifocals)
These lenses provide all the benefits of bifocals but add the feature of continuous clear vision at all distances, including mid-range distance (arm's length). Progressives also have the cosmetic advantage of appearing to be single vision lenses Because of these benefits and advances in progressives designs these lenses are the lens of choice for bifocal, trifocal, and even those who have tried on line bifocals before.
LENS TREATMENTS
These options can add substantially to the wearing comfort and appearance of your new lenses.
Scratch Resistant Coating
Light-weight hard resin lenses can be more easily scratched than glass lenses. Special coatings have been developed to help protect lenses from normal scratching. Most lens material types come with a scratch resistant coating at no additional charge. However, for lenses that do not come with this type of coating, the modest additional cost for scratch coating is usually a prudent investment.
Transition Lenses
These are photosensitive lenses that darken when affronted with UV light and lighten when indoors. These lenses are perfect for people who would prefer to meet as many of their needs as possible with one pair of glasses. They are available in both glass and lightweight hard resin and come in a variety of tints. Ask for a demonstration of photosensitive lenses.
Anti-Reflective Coatings
No one should be without anti-reflective coatings on their glasses. First, anti-reflective coatings provide for superior optics thus giving the lens wearer the clearest vision possible. Second, they reduce eye fatigue and discomfort especially from glare of overhead lights, computer monitors, and lights during night driving. Other benefits include providing the wearer with a better cosmetic appearance and easier eye contact. Because of the coatings, those looking at you will be better able to see your eyes and they will be less distracted by glare from your lenses. In addition, because of the inherent reflective properties of thinner and lighter lenses, we feel that anti-reflective coatings are always necessary and a compliment.
Caring for your Lenses
With so many specially designed lenses offered to maximize your vision, it is important to properly maintain your lenses by keeping them cleaned and scratch free. At Family Vision Care we provide everyone who orders glasses a specially made optical cloth of superfine high thread-count fibers to ensure the best care of your lenses (and frames!).
For deeper cleaning, use a single drop of non-lotioned dishwashing liquid and lots of water to create a foam you can use to wash your glasses, frame and all, with your hands. Only rub your lenses while your hands are wet. Rinse thoroughly, dry the frame with a cotton cloth, then blot and gently wipe the lens with the special lint-free cotton cloth we provide. Avoid paper products such as tissue, paper towels, or toilet paper since the wood fibers in them can cause very fine scratches on the lens over time. If you must use something and do not have your optical cloth, T-shirts can be used as an emergency alternative.
