Posts Tagged ‘Optician’

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Insight into Sports

Sunday, June 5th, 2011

If the sunny start to flaming June has inspired you to visit the great outdoors, then a spot of gentle sport might be on your agenda. Your game is only as good as your general health and fitness, so your sight corrected to the best possible standard and with vision enhancing lenses may well raise your game. So, firstly, visit your optician and have an eye exam to ensure your prescription is fully up to date. If ordering corrective specs, then think about the tint that would brighten your day, and your score card………..

For precision vision and spotting the ball…….for golf or tennis you need to see the ball clearly against the background, on the court or the course. Copper coloured lenses improve depth perception, to allow you to read the green more effectively, and in muting the grass while enhancing the blue of the sky you’ll see the ball more sharply. On the court a blue green tint allows blue light waves through, which highlights the background in contrast to a yellow ball.

Water Sport – Light bouncing off the horizontal surface of water causes glare, so a polarised lens will cut this, making vision more comfortable. And if angling is your sport you’ll actually see the fish! Waterskiiers, Sailors and Surfers will have a more soothing day in a polarised lens, which will cut the sun’s rays and those of the water. Neutral grey is a good general purpose colour, and is perfect for looking into deep water. If however you’re fishing in shallow water, an amber lens will enhance the sandy river bed.

Cycling – You need protection from UV, glare, and a high contrast lens that allows you to see hastily applied brake lights! If there’s anything slippery on the road, like ice or oil, you need to see that too. Look for high contrast lenses, usually a coppery-brown colour, which enhance contrast but still darken down the sunlight. Look for a wrap around frame shape which will cut out light and eye watering wind from the sides.

With your sporting eyewear taken care off, you’ve only yourself to blame if you’re not on top of your game this summer!

Varifocal Glasses

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Kid’s Stuff

Saturday, May 21st, 2011

We all know that specs are a trendy accessory nowadays, and plenty of fashionistas even wear frames with clear lenses to complete their look. For children however, the stigma of being different can make life difficult if they suddenly have prescribed spectacles. While most kids happily embrace their new glasses, there are those who find it stressful or even totally traumatic to learn that they need visual correction.

Recent research showed that nearly twenty percent of children who need specs don’t wear them. So even if you send your child to school with their glasses, are they keeping them on? Short term this may lead to eye strain and headaches, long term it could affect their performance in all aspects of school life. If your child is under the age of eight you can help by allowing them to pick frames they enjoy wearing, shopping for a groovy spec case, and choosing thin, light weight lenses, and monitoring the fit of the glasses so they are always comfortable. Even if you feel upset that they need specs, never show it!!

Once they get to age eight, you could ask your Optician about contact lenses. This has been shown to improve children’s confidence at school, and have a positive effect on how they feel they look. It also improves their ability to fully take part in sports and other activities such as stage productions. If you and your child are motivated to wear lenses, then age is not a barrier to success. Parents have reported a remarkable change in children when they start wearing contact lenses – shy, reserved children are suddenly the bouncy and bubbly ones!

So if you are in doubt about your child, speak to your optician about you’re their suitability for contact lens wear. As our Optometrist said – “It’s clients like these that make our day. Seeing the grin on a child’s face when they see the world through contacts is a magic moment!”

Varifocal Glasses

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Don’t Fake it!

Monday, March 14th, 2011

There have been worrying reports in the press recently of the poor quality of some specified ready readers, and further reports on counterfeit sunglasses and fashion frames. As qualified eye care professionals, we are constantly alert to the dangers of these goods. They may cause problems for consumers if worn, either with eye strain or potential long term damage to the eye. Many are shoddy goods that damage all our reputations within the eye care industry.

150,000 ready readers were recently seized in Italy, to be impounded as counterfeit goods. Ready readers are an ideal ‘extra’ pair of specs for people with simple prescriptions who need help for small print. If they are poorly made this can lead to headaches and eye strain for the wearer. If you use ready readers buy them from a reputable supplier, check the power you need from your optician, and stop wearing them if your vision is uncomfortable.

Counterfeit sunglasses are easily obtained, with unscrupulous dealers copying Designer brands in search of a quick buck. Everyone from Oakley to Chanel has suffered this. There is real danger in these products. The pupil of your eye constricts right down in bright light, preventing light from entering the eye. UV in sunlight has been implicated in formation of Cataracts and as a factor in Macular Degeneration. The former requires an operation, the latter causes loss of central vision, and is incurable at present. When you wear dark lens it makes your pupil dilate, widening it and allowing sunlight to flood into the eye. If the lens does not give 100% UV protection then your eyes are vulnerable to damage. It’s essential that sunglass lenses give 100% UV protection, and if your sunnies are fake, how can you know this?

Fake branded spectacle frames are thankfully rarer, but those that are around are a potential problem as they can cause skin reactions due to inferior materials. Poor quality frames can also lead to warping of the frame rims, so lenses are not held in the correct position. This can lead to eye strain and headaches.

Any Optician or lens lab that comes across a counterfeit frame will destroy it, as it will contravene their contracts with the suppliers of the real products. So don’t fake it – you have been warned!

Varifocal Glasses

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Life in 3D

Friday, March 4th, 2011

Technology moves at a swift pace, and from the early days of wonky plastic specs and magic eye pictures, we’ve come a long way in making 3D an important part of our daily entertainment. From the ground breaking spectacle that was Avatar, to the joy of Toy Story 3, 3D is gathering pace and fans! It’s not all excitement though – there have been some concerns raised over the safety of 3D, and potential problems with eyesight, so studies are ongoing within our profession to monitor any effects.

So far, you can rest assured that there is no evidence to suggest that 3D can cause long term harm to viewers. They may even have a positive effect in bringing to light slight visual problems that the patient has been suffering with but have not been diagnosed. If you watch 3D and suffer any visual problems or headaches then it may prompt a visit to the optician, where double vision or undetected short or long sightedness can be corrected. These ‘eye-strain’ type symptoms have been reported by viewers, but it’s usually a short term problem.

Varifocal Glasses

The launch of the Nintendo 3DS portable gaming system has worried many parents, concerned over possible damage to children’s sight. The advice at present is that again, there’s no evidence to suggest problems. Parents should however note that like any other system children should not use them excessively. Hand held consoles are closer to the eye than 3D TV or film, and kids may watch them for longer, so frequent breaks are advised. The short focal distance to the screen of a game means the child has to focus harder, so eye-strain is a potential problem. Healthy outdoor sports, where you focus far away help the eye’s optical systems to develop properly, so a mixture of hobbies is the best way to offset any potential overuse of hand held games.

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A Rash Moment!

Saturday, February 19th, 2011

I’ve been wearing glasses for a few years now, and after several pairs of dodgy rimless that constantly fell to bits I chose a sleek gunmetal frame, with slightly chunky rims and cut outs at the sides. I thought they looked pretty cool, and received many positive comments on my new look. Then one morning I woke up with a vivid red rash across my cheeks, and I soon realised that my new look was turning into a nasty problem….

I’ve had the odd problem before with an allergy to Nickel, I can’t wear belts with metal buckles or costume jewellery. I didn’t really think about specs doing the same thing, as they don’t seem to touch my skin. When I went to the GP about the rash on my face she pointed out that the bottom edge of my glasses touches my cheeks some of the time, and when we examined the frames they have funny little pitted marks along that edge.

So I investigated further with my Optician – taking my flaming face and the glasses in for a re-fit. The problem was traced back to a slightly drunken (!) incidence over Christmas, when I sat on the frames. This had bent them and left them tilted down, so the lower edge now caught my cheeks when I was eating, talking or laughing – so most of the time really!! The contact with my skin had broken down the protective lacquer on the frame rim, which exposed my delicate little face to the nickel silver underneath.

The Optician had several helpful tips to help me. Firstly, you should always wash the frames every night with soapy water. This stops a build up of pollutants on the frame, which could eat away the protective layer. Secondly, check the fit periodically – the frame should only touch the skin behind the ears and on the nose where the plastic pads or bridge piece are. Thirdly, if you know you have an allergy, avoid metal frames. Choose plastic or Titanium metal, which is hypo-allergenic. Even if the metal does not physically come into contact with the skin, really sensitive little flowers like myself could react to the proximity of it.

I’ve now traded in my funky metals for a really groovy plastic, which has been a joy to wear and the rash has cleared up. You live and learn, and I won’t be rashly going for metal frames again!

Varifocal Glasses

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Beating the January Blues!

Tuesday, January 25th, 2011

During the dark days after Christmas the weather and the light conditions can play havoc with eye health and our sight. You might be embracing New Year new regimes or hibernating by the fire, but whatever your state of mind in 2011 having trouble free eyes will definitely help you!

With flu and the winter vomiting bug laying many of us low over Christmas, Conjunctivitis got a grip of quite a few patients as immune systems were hit by the dreaded lurgy. This is an irritating nuisance to any sufferer, and a nightmare if you wear contact lenses. Take lenses out at the first sign of irritation, and visit your Pharmacist or GP for drops. You’ll need antibiotics if you have an infection, so keep the course going as advised and don’t attempt to wear your lenses again until you are sure your eyes are clear.

Dry eyes are very uncomfortable, and can flare up due to cold winds and central heating affecting your tear layer. In the healthy eye tears sterilise and lubricate the eye, and give a smooth surface to help you see. If the tears do not function properly then the sensation of uncomfortable, gritty, sore dry eyes can make life a misery. Visit your GP or Optician for a check up, and they can prescribe lid massage or artificial tears to help restore the tear system.

Low light can make close work a real struggle if you’re on the verge of needing reading glasses. If you’ve been prescribed glasses, then make sure you wear them! If you were borderline last time or due for a check up then visit your Optician and get used to having reading specs to hand for small print and detailed work such as threading a needle. Ignoring the problem will lead to headaches and eye strain. A good quality reading lamp will make all the difference too, and is particularly important for elderly patients.

The other bothersome light problem is low sun, which can wreak havoc on the roads for drivers. Remember that sunglasses are not just for summer! Have them to hand for those rare bright days, but take clear specs too for driving home at night. Photochromic lenses love the cold, so will go super dark if it’s chilly and sunny.

With a bit of thought you’ll skip happily through winter and happily leap into spring and before you know it you’ll have summer problems to contend with!!

Varifocal Glasses

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Taking Care

Friday, December 31st, 2010

With our ageing population, we’re all aware that we’re living longer and therefore having to take extra care of ourselves and those around us. You may find yourself in the position of escorting a relative, friend or neighbour to the optician for their eye exam. If the need arises, how do you look after them and make sure that they get everything out of the test that they possibly can?

The first hurdle is a physical one, as you need to make sure you can park easily near your chosen practice, that they have wheelchair access if necessary, or at least a downstairs consulting room or lift if the patient is mobile but not steady on stairs. You need to take with you any current glasses, and a note of medication that the patient takes.

You may be required to accompany the patient into the test, so don’t be afraid to insist that you go in. Every practice should have a chaperone policy which allows you to go with them. Let the patient speak for themselves until they ask for your help. The Optician needs to assess sight and eye health issues from the patient’s point of view, not yours!!

If there are eye health problems, the Optician may refer the patient to the Hospital eye service for treatment. At this stage you may have questions that the patient might not have though of. What possible treatment is being suggested? What outcome can be expected? Will an operation be necessary? If so, what time scale are we expecting – for the waiting list and any stay in hospital. Alternative therapies, such as vitamin supplements for macular degeneration may be suggested. Ask and ask again until you and the patient are happy with the possible outcome and exactly what needs to be done.

If new glasses would help, you might be able to assist in pointing out any day to day difficulties you are aware of, for example – if the patient has arthritis they may have a problem opening and closing their specs, so a spring joint would help. The dispensing staff will have plenty of suggestions to make suitable new glasses in terms of sight and practicality.

Your trip to the Optician might be a positively life changing experience for the patient, so enjoy your good deed for the day and help them to get as much out of it as possible. And remember – one day you’ll be wheeled in by a long suffering assistant, so be patient yourself!

Varifocal Glasses

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Should have gone to…….?

Wednesday, December 8th, 2010

Every day we’re bombarded with adverts for opticians, telling us that we can have two for the price of one, that we should have gone to the ‘s’ word, all telling us that they are the best and we should trust our sight to them. So what should you look for in an Optician, and how do you choose?

The best practitioners will have your best interests at heart, and you’ll see this in how they conduct their test and the questions they ask you. All opticians follow the eye examination guidelines set out by our governing body, so the technicalities are a given. They also have to adhere to ruling set out by the NHS who pay for eye exams for certain people. So firstly, you can be sure that medically speaking any qualified optician will check the health of your eyes and calculate your prescription. Things get tricky when it comes to interpreting results of tests, spotting the very first signs of eye disease, and deciding with you what glasses you need and how they will fit in with your lifestyle.

A question worth asking when you book your test is how long the optician will spend with you. You need to make sure they have time to discuss your general health, your family history of eye disease, any symptoms you are suffering, and to ask you if you have any concerns. They should also talk to you about your occupation, your hobbies, and your individual needs. They must also give you a copy of your prescription, without pressure for you to buy glasses from them. An eye test should take at least twenty minutes, at the bare minimum.

The optician should question you on all of the matters above, as well as asking you if you’re on any medication. You need to find an optician who will truly engage with you, showing an interest in you and what you need from your glasses or contact lenses. They should be able to tell you about the latest optical products, and know what would suit your lifestyle.

Also ask if they have retinal imaging equipment, and most importantly, if they are fully trained in using it and diagnosing early signs of disease. In our clinical practice the most satisfaction is gained from talking to clients and getting to the bottom of how we can help them. That makes them return to us again and again, trusting our expertise and feeling safe in the knowledge that we know their history and will do our best for them. Don’t take the first appointment you come across, your sight is precious enough to take a little time to research the help you need.

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Driving Forward with Prescription Glasses

Sunday, October 3rd, 2010

Some worrying research has hit the headlines this week, in the shape of yet another poll that suggests our roads are full of drivers with less than perfect sight. As the nights draw in, good vision becomes even more important, to aid in those split second decisions that really could be life or death. The poll surveyed just under two and a half thousand drivers, so a significant piece of research. Results showed that just over half – 53% do not wear the specs or contact lenses that they have been prescribed for driving. An astounding statistic – surely if you’ve been told you’re illegal to drive with uncorrected vision you would make some effort to actually put the specs on!

Delving deeper into this, a random selection of road users were spot checked. 9% could not manage the required driving standard of reading a number plate at 20 metres distance. The age of the drivers had an impact on this – the number rose to 18% in the over 55s.

Looking over the other results of the original poll, 23% admitted that their sight was less than perfect. So this is not an issue of ignorance, theses drivers are aware that they are putting themselves and others at risk by not wearing their glasses or attending for regular sight tests. 11% felt that their sight was worse at night. The Government put a great deal of effort into publicising the dangers of drink driving, but some emphasis should also go into the issue of making sure our drivers can see clearly too. Obviously if your sight is not corrected it will be affected by low light conditions too, with weather conditions giving rise to poor visibility also causing problems.

So as a responsible driver, what do you do? Have an eye test every two years, or more often of your optician recommends it. Please note we are bound by strict regulations – we don’t suggest tests unless we are concerned about your sight changing, and we don’t prescribe glasses if you don’t need them! Then make sure your specs are updated, and possibly add an anti-reflection coating if you’re worried about night driving. The Internet Glasses Company prices mean that fear of a big bill need not be a factor in keeping you safe on the roads. And at least you’ll be able to see all those other squinting people who aren’t as sensible as you!

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Faking It- Genuine Designer Glasses

Saturday, September 4th, 2010

Over the last twenty years our desire for Designer goods has led to high quality, luxury products entering the market place in an industry that encompasses clothes, accessories, and of course glasses and sunspecs. We at the InternetGlassesCompany get the occasional enquiry as to the origins of our Designer ranges, with understandably anxious clients checking that our goods are authentic. The World Trade Organisation estimates that 8% of all goods sold worldwide are counterfeit, creating a negative effect for traders and the health of consumers.

With regards to our frames and sunglasses, we only stock products that are totally genuine, direct from the frame manufacturers in Italy. Like the manufacturers themselves we know that it’s in the interests of ourselves, the brand, the Optical industry and the vital clients to only use authentic product. Forgeries will be of inferior quality, using weak materials and possibly endangering the wearer. With specs this may mean skin allergies, lost lenses and uncomfortable frames.

In practice, we never accept frames which are not genuine. They are destroyed by manufacturers if they reach them to have new lenses or parts fitted, so be warned if you take a fake Oakley or RayBan to an Optician to have a screw or side arm replaced! They always spot them even if we don’t, and there are some very convincing reproductions out there. Always buy from a reputable stockist, check that the cases, cloths and logos are correct – a Ray ban spelled Ray Burn is a bit of a give away!  Note that if you wear dark sunglasses lenses which are not authentic, they’ll probably have no UV protection. The dark lens will allow light to flood into your unprotected eye and over time will cause damage to the retina and crystalline lens within the eye.

This year the Italian Association of Optical goods manufacturers are cracking down on counterfeits. They have strong interest in this problem as the vast proportion of Designer frames sold in Europe are from Italian design houses and factories. July 7th was the first national Anti-Counterfeiting day, and 5000 forged frames were crushed by a road roller as a symbol of their work. We welcome any move to stop the trade in counterfeit goods which will safeguard our business and the health of our patients.

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