Archive for the ‘Helpfull Info’ Category

Online Options

Monday, November 21st, 2011

W e started the Internet Glasses Company with the intention of giving a premium, fully professional service to clients who want excellent specs at a reasonable price. There are of course many online retailers out there, and a vast number of opticians on the High Street. We wanted to give our clients the best of both worlds, combining experienced optical professional with great product. We often get e-mails from potential customers who have concerns about trusting their sight to a faceless optician – for example, can we make specs that work for you, when we haven’t seen you? Let’s address a few concerns that have cropped up a couple of times…….

What if I can’t see?

This is of course a major concern with new specs and we have a no quibble return and refund policy if all else fails! Fortunately it’s rarely needed, but it’s there to give you peace of mind regarding your order. We always look closely at prescriptions to ensure it all looks logical and we’ll contact you personally if anything doesn’t look right. We then take the greatest care to follow your needs exactly, so the chances of things going wrong are slight.

What if my lens prescription is wrong?

If you’ve just made a typo it’s likely that we’ll pick it up, and we’ll mail you. If the optician has written the prescription out wrongly then you’ll need to take your glasses and the prescription back to the prescriber for clarification. In the unlikely event that our perfect and talented team (!) make the glasses up wrongly then we’ll spot it before you get them. But whatever the problem we’ll still refund if we can’t correct problems for you.

What if I don’t like the frame when I get it?

No quibble guarantee still applies! Even if you just change your mind.

How can you make glasses to fit me when you haven’t seen me?!

Specs nowadays are made of flexible, easily adjusted materials that no longer need any degree of tailor made parts. We look at your pupil measurement and trust your judgement on your order to cerate a pair of specs that will hopefully be comfortable without adjustment, but most high street opticians will adjust them for if necessary. Most of our clients don’t need adjustments – and we can always take your requirements into consideration when we make the glasses if you need us too. As an aftercare service pop them in the post and we can set them straight again if you have any mishaps!

Varifocal Glasses

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Lazing Around

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

‘Lazy eye’ is an expression that’s often bandied about, yet it is still often misunderstood and causes problems both with the look of the eye and how the patient sees. It’s still something that confuses patients, but it is treatable if caught early in childhood. So are your children at risk and what can be done?

Put simply, lazy eye arises because many children are born with a sight defect that is not detected. Because vision is poor in only one affected eye the child manages perfectly well. What they see is of course normal to them, so parents will not be aware of it unless the child has an eye examination. Due to lack of stimulus the visual pathway in the ‘lazy eye’ does not develop, and after age seven or so it can then not be rectified. Sight will be affected throughout life, and the eye may also turn as it doesn’t move with the ‘good’ eye.

If sight is tested early in life the defect can be detected and sight corrected, and the visual pathway will go on to develop normally. Sometimes an eye patch is used to help correct the problem, for short term wear. Children usually cope with this better than their parents! Often for Mums and Dads it’s a surprise that their children need glasses, but most kids nowadays are keen to be seen sporting the latest eye fashion!

It can be hereditary, so if you’ve heard the phrase mentioned around in the family make sure the very youngest generation are checked out as soon as possible. You don’t have to wait until they know their letters – this is a common misconception that means diagnosis is often delayed. Take them from babyhood onwards – it’s covered by the NHS for the under sixteens so book them in and get eye testing into their healthcare routine as soon as possible. Don’t be lazy about the possibility of lazy eye!

Varifocal Glasses

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Totally Transparent

Saturday, November 19th, 2011

If you know your eye fashion you’ll be aware that plastic frames have crept back into fashion dominance over the past couple of years. From a few sad individuals clustered on the unwanted, dusty corners of the dispensing shelves plastics are now the bright shining stars at the forefront of fashion. New technologies in colours, finishes and trims have catapulted plastic into the spotlight, and we wouldn’t want it any other way! Plastic is comfortable, has fewer mechanical bits to go wrong, and it’s funky – what more could you want! But if you’re already a convert to plastic and are now on the look out for the next big thing to grace your face – it’s all about being transparent, translucent, and still fantastically plastic!

The chunky, solid finish of plastics over the past few years was a fab look, but it is heavy for those clients with delicate features or pale colouring. So the newest generation of plastics have a shimmering translucent finish which allows light through the frame. This gives colour and warmth but is less dominant than a solid frame. It also lends itself to beautiful effects as light creates different mixes of colour. Imagine the pretty stained glass effect of layers of different coloured plastics laminated together. As you move and the background shows through the frame you get light and shade and a very flattering soft focus shimmer around the face.

Shots of lime and teal are pretty against brown and black for blondes, dramatic black with white or red are lovely for brunettes, all autumn tones mixed together are beautiful for redheads. You just need to find the mix that flatters your skin tones, eyes, hair and wardrobe. Take a good look in sunshine and shadow to make sure you get a realistic view of how they’ll look during different times of the day. Even men can get in on the act with plastics for the boys – layers of less obvious colour but maybe a dash of exciting lining. There’s a terrific translucent for everyone, so let your true colours shine through!

Varifocal Glasses

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Blue Eyed Boy?

Friday, November 18th, 2011

Unlike hair colour and style, body shape and size, and skin tone, eye colour is something we are born with that we rarely change. A few adventurous clients choose coloured contact lenses, but generally eye colour is probably the most constant part of our appearance. And although eyes can be brown, hazel, green or grey, it’s those flashing baby blues that get the most attention……..

Caucasian children often begin life with blue eyes, which then change to green or brown during the first months of their life. By their first birthday eye colour is often fixed, although sometimes it can still alter up to age three. As adorable little puppies and kittens have the same trait we connect blue eyes with soft, fluffy, baby vulnerability and angelic purity! If you think this is the look for you then you may need to ask your optician about cosmetic contact lenses. These can be one solid colour that totally changes your eye colour, or for a more subtle effect you can alter your own eye tone to a different shade. Some have interesting patterns built in such as a defining darker colour around the iris or enhanced striation. Most can be non-prescription or have your corrective power built in.

So blue eyes are associated with children, innocence and an classic standard of beauty. The colour can range from lightest clear pale blue to a darker shade of grey-blue. Eyes look blue because they lack or have reduced amounts of melanin, the pigment that provides eye colour. As there is no pigment present the eyes take colour from underlying layers, which is a potential problem as the eyes have no natural protection from UV. If you have blue eyes it’s more important for you to wear good quality sun protection – all year round. Overcast days in summer and low sun conditions in winter can all give rise to high UV levels even on days when you think the sun isn’t strong. This is also important if you are around super bright conditions like the beach or the snow. Protect and make the most of your delicate colouring and be the perfect blue eyed boy – or girl!

Varifocal Glasses

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The Mystery of Magnification!

Monday, September 26th, 2011

All of us will reach that certain age when our arms get too short – (if you’re not there yet bear with us!!) and to see the phone directory or thread a needle we are holding things at arms length and squinting madly to get them into focus. If this is you then congratulations, you’re reached maturity, seniority, and the exciting new world of reading glasses. Before you reach for the Sanatogen, Werthers originals or even the Viagra, don’t panic! This is not a time for drastic action. You just need a little magic magnification to make things clear…..

Unlike with any degree of long sightedness, short sightedness or astigmatism that creates a need for glasses to perfect your distance vision, to help your close work you just need some magnification enable you to see close too again. This can be in the form of reading glasses, bifocals or varifocals, which enable you to see far way and focus on fine detail close up. Threading that elusive needle, seeing those pharmaceutical directions or enjoying the newest blockbuster will all become easy again. We just need to know what you struggle to see and at what distance.

The magnification you need could be as simple as our industry standard addition for reading, or as complex as strong lenses for sewing or larger fonts on a laptop you like to keep at a certain distance. Most patients start with a standard reading power, inserted into the above options of bifocal, varifocal or reading lens. These will help you in your day to life as you shop, work and drive etc. Then little situations occur where the readers cause difficulty. That specific working distance for your tool bench, embroidery hoop or desk may need a little optical magic and feverish calculation in providing the exact magnification you need. Simply, higher magnification can be provided at a closer working distance, so tell your specs supplier, what you’re doing, and how far away you are doing it and they’ll do the rest!

Varifocal Glasses

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Fantastic Plastic!

Sunday, September 25th, 2011

In recent years we’ve seen fashion – as it is famed for doing – coming full circle with regards to frames. They’ve got bigger again, they’re going rounder again, but the most noticeable change, for men, women, kids and baby boomers, is the dramatic swing from sleek and sharp metal to warm and groovy plastic……

During the nineties and early noughties specs were all about metals, particularly antique finished, oval or rectangular styles. They were minimal in style, small in size, and frankly, not the most exciting eye wear fashion to grace the face. Then bling began to light up our lives, and specs demanded the same glitzy treatment as bags, shoes and all manner of accessories. Glasses became bigger, bolder, and more decorative, and the chunky nature of plastic frames made this possible.

With decoration came an upscale in proportion and the whole look – the barely there effect of rimless and semi-rimless frames was shot into oblivion by bold, in your face as well as on your face bright plastics with wide sides, layers of bright colour and wild designs. Colours in every shade from classic black to all hues in pinks, purples, reds, lime can brighten up our lives and our eye wear wardrobe.

In terms of practicality, plastic can be more comfortable to wear than metal, providing the frame is a good fit to start with. The moulded bridges cannot be adjusted, so you need a good fit around the bridge for successful wear. There are fewer bits to go wrong, without the need for complex attachment of trims and nose pieces. There is no possibility of an allergic reaction to those sensitive types amongst you, and they cover a multitude of sins if you have a higher prescription and therefore thick lenses.

Not for shrinking violets or those who don’t want to be noticed, plastic is a bright and bold way to correct your sight while bringing a dash of colour into your life.

Varifocal Glasses

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Looking Back

Saturday, September 24th, 2011

This year the senior optometrist here at the Internet Glasses Company celebrates thirty years in optics (Cue suitably obsequious comments – gosh you must have qualified as a child, you don’t look anywhere near old enough etc etc!) So we thought we’d give him the chance to take a misty eyed wander down memory lane, and tell us about how times have changed since he invited his first patient to look into his eyes…….

“When I started out Optics was a whole different ball game (or eyeball game!) to how it is today. I’m glad to say that most of the changes are for the better, from the client’s point of view. Back then, there was little choice of frames, and they were regarded as a medical aid rather than the exciting fashion item that they are today. The NHS supplied most of our clients, subsidising the cost for everyone, regardless of their income. This meant cheap specs for all, but much psychological scarring from the stigma of the dreaded NHS frame! Lenses were mostly glass, so were heavy, and possibly dangerous to wear. There were few options for the very short or long sighted, today most of our lenses are lightweight, ultra safe plastic, available in thin materials to reduce weight and thickness, and with coatings and tints to improve sight and comfort.

Contact lenses were often still hard, meaning fewer patients could wear them. Soft lenses were expensive with complicated cleaning regimes. Today they are virtually all soft, with simple care systems and options such as extended wear of wear-for-a-day and throw away! Patients can also opt for laser surgery, allowing them to do away with specs or lenses forever.

The internet has widened consumer choice even further, and today you can buy well made, high quality specs online, supplied by practitioners such as myself who are fully qualified. We’re happy to open up more avenues to clients to allow them to buy glasses with minimal fuss and expense. I can’t wait to see what the next thirty years will bring!”

Varifocal Glasses

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Here Comes the (Winter!) Sun

Friday, September 23rd, 2011

Nights are drawing in and we’re gearing up for the season of mists, mellow fruitfulness, woolly jumpers and long, dark evenings. This raises a few concerns over eye wear for the upcoming months, with many drivers still suffering unnecessarily for driving both at night and during the day.

The first issue is low winter sun, which although welcome, can be hazardous for drivers, especially if roads are wet and reflective. This low angled glare can be temporarily dazzling, as glinting rays sneak under the rear view mirror and around visors. For day time driving you are just as likely to need a dark tint or indeed reactolite lenses as you are in the summer. Drivers seem to pack their sunnies away after the summer hols, forgetting that they need them for sunny winter days! Reactolite lenses are brilliant at this time of year, as in adapting to light conditions they are suitable for day and night. They also like cold weather, and work very efficiently in low temperatures.

If you don’t have reactolite lenses you may opt for fixed, dark tint, which gives good protection. The only problem is that you have to remember to carry clear specs with you at all times, as it’s illegal to drive in any but the very lightest tint after dark.

An anti-reflective coating on any lens will improve your sight by allowing the maximum light through to the eye and blocking annoying reflection which may interfere with vision. This clear layer is not coloured, you can just detect it on the back of the lens as a shimmering, oil-on-water type effect. It will damp down glare from oncoming headlights, and make your perception sharper.

We can’t help you to avoid adverse weather conditions this winter, but as you can see we can help you to see what you’re facing, so mail us if you need further advice on present or possible specs!

Varifocal Glasses

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Get into Shape

Monday, September 19th, 2011

Specs can make or break a look in an instant, as in framing the very windows to your soul they are often the first thing other people notice when they meet you. So why not use this to your advantage by working a few optical illusions with your frame, playing up or playing down features and creating the perfect face shape?

The perfect face shape that most of us find attractive is the oval for ladies, with forehead and chin perfect proportion, eyes half way down the face and nose balanced. For men it’s sculpted cheekbones and a strong jaw, and for both sexes the more symmetrical the face, the more attractive we find it. So if you don’t presently look like Liz Hurley or Johnny Depp, how can we help? See the IGC website for full face shape guidelines, but here are a few pointers!

The first step is to pull your hair back and examine your face in strong daylight. Remember the old trick of drawing round your face with lipstick on the mirror? If you’re not sure of your face shape classification this may help, or take a quick pic and draw on that!  Now you know your shape, think about what you need to achieve for George Clooney or Kate Moss type good looks!

The golden rule is that in creating the illusions, you need to play down your flaws by enhancing the opposite effect. Round face? Create angles with squarer or more rectangular frames. Clunky chunky jawline? Soften it with oval or rounder frames. Long face? Wide frames with less depth will draw attention across the face, and create a more balanced proportion. Men with chubby cheeks can bring on a chiselled jaw line with sharply angular specs. The possibilities for perfection are endless!

You can even make eyes look larger and further apart by choosing a frame with no detail at the bridge, and something to grab attention at the outside edge, such as decorated sides or temples. Too distract from crow’s feet choose a chunky plastic that brings the onlookers eye forward from the face beneath and has no detail around the crinkly bits you want to ignore!

Wearing specs will improve your sight, so why not use them to improve your looks too? And an easier way to get into shape than a visit to the gym!!

Varifocal Glasses

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Keep up with Coatings

Sunday, September 18th, 2011

We take so much for granted nowadays – perfect Cappucino one every street corner, full signal even at the very ends of the earth, another desperate ex-politician to make us giggle during Strictly – and shouldn’t the very best sight you can achieve be another ‘given’ on the list? And it’s pretty simple, to manage the latter all you need is to keep up with all that’s new and best in coatings….

We’ve come a long way in the past thirty years in terms of spec lens technology, with heavy, chunky glass lenses thankfully now a thing of the past. We went to plastic materials during the eighties, and now we rarely use glass. An early problem with plastic was the fact that they scratch very easily, and over the years manufacturers have made our lives easier with excellent, durable, scratch resistant coatings. These prolong the life of your lenses, helping you to retain blemish free vision through the life time of your prescription.

Anti-reflection coatings continue this work by giving you the best vision possible through those sparkling, scratch free lenses. This layer allows the maximum amount of light to travel through your lenses, by preventing reflection back from the front surface. To you this means glare free sight for night driving, at the computer, and under all lighting conditions. People looking at you see through the lenses too, meaning they see your eyes, not their own reflection!

The ultimate in these new coatings combines the technology of the anti-reflection layer with the scratch resistant and adds a clean coat. This is an added bonus that stops rain sticking to lenses, makes them easier to clean and makes the coatings themselves more durable.  This three-in-one approach is an all singing, all dancing product that does everything possible to improve sight, ease of wear, and longevity of your lenses – so keep up with coatings!

Varifocal Glasses

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