Westside Optometry will be open our regular hours with the exception of Monday December 26th and January 2nd.
Mondays and Wednesdays 8:30 – 5:00
Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:00 – 6:00
Fridays 8:30 – 12:00
If you are trying to use your medical flex spending account before the end of the year, call to schedule an eye examination or order contact lenses. Drop by if you want to select new glasses or sunglasses.
We will also be open Saturday January 7th, if you are trying to juggle the kids appointments while they are out of school or home from college.
If your flex spending funds expire at the end of the year consider your eyewear needs. You can order contact lenses, a pair of computer glasses or some sunglasses.
We’ve expanded our new FYSH line to include the men’s frames Evatik. Evatik incorporates innovative designs and lightweight materials.
The new Kate Spade sunglasses have arrived also. Check out “Grady,” the brown is pictured here. The sunglass also comes in black and has polka dots on the inside.
If you want to order contact lenses, you can simply call the office, they can be shipped directly to you, or use our online contact ordering, the link is on the right of the page. (ORDER CONTACTS)
I never think of prescription sunwear as a luxury. Comfortable, clear vision outdoors is as important as general clear glasses. I use my sunglasses for driving, sports and enjoying a book outdoors. The color of the lens tends to be personal and specific to how the glasses will be used. I personally prefer a grey lens, but different color lenses can actually improve your vision in certain situations. While some colors increase depth perception, others improve vision in low light situations and some reduce glare and eyestrain in bright light. I’ve included a list to help you select your next pair of sunglasses. See what fits your needs and lifestyle. Rose colored lenses may or may not be in your future, but maybe gray or green will make your eyes a little happier.
YELLOW offers excellent depth perception, provides good contrast in low light.
VERMILION Improves color perception in low light, excellent for overcast days
BROWN/AMBER Blocks blue light, reduces glare, improves contrast.
GRAY transmits true colors evenly, reduces glare, low color distortion.
GREEN enhances contrast in moderate light, reduces eyestrain in bright light.
Other sunglass features include POLARIZATION, which filters refective glare and enhances color contrast and depth perception. FLASH MIRRORS limit the amount of light entering your eyes so you feel more comfortable.
If you want to try different color samples, come by the office. If you have any questions about special conditions or different sunglass lenses, leave a comment.
Have you ever been in a restaurant trying to decide what to order? The lights are dim, you are practically burning up the menu manipulating it around the candle for more light… Or how about trying to hook up wires behind the TV or computer, can’t find the right hook-up? The above situations make presbyopia seem like an acute condition. Things that looked OK at the kitchen table by the window don’t seem as clear in the dark or when you are tired.
Presbyopia is the result of an aging process on the lens of the eye. The lens focuses light at all distances without much effort for the first forty plus years of our lives. Then kablamo…you can’t see to remove a sliver from your child’s finger.
Denial is the most common response. Eventually, presbyopia interferes with work. You find yourself switching numbers or getting headaches at the computer. Your over-all efficiency is diminished and your frustration is elevated. Sometimes a pair of reading glasses will solve the problem. Depending on your prescription and how you use your eyes, multifocals offer clear vision at multiple distances. Contact lens wearers can try monovision (an adjustment in the correction of one lens) or bifocal contact lenses.
Just know that you are not in this alone, my presbyopic eyes and I are here ready to help you. Stop struggling and let’s find a solution.
I saw a few statistics about protective eyewear and sports this week. The most important fact about wearing safety eyewear for sports is that it prevents you and your children from becoming one of the following statistics. This information is from the US Department of Health and Human Services:
Nearly 2.5 million eye injuries occur each year.
More than a quarter of these injuries occur during sporting and recreational activities.
Children under 15 years of age account for nearly one-third of all eye trauma hospital admissions and 43 % of sports and recreational eye injuries overall
It is important to remember that even if an eye injury seems to be minor it may be serious. Loss of vision, severe pain or tenderness and cuts around the eye require immediate medical attention. Secondly, if you do go to the emergency room, are discharged, but your vision and/or eye still do not seem right, give me a call. I have seen patients after ER visits with foreign bodies still in the eye and undiagnosed broken orbit bones (the bones around the eye).
More than 90 % of all eye injuries can be prevented with the use of appropriate protective eyewear. Sports participants using corrective eyewear or sunglasses that do not conform to safety standards are at greater risk of eye injury than participants using no eye protection at all. Safety frames must pass two rigorous impact tests, which dress frames do not undergo. Basically, a steel ball and a pointed projectile are dropped on the lenses of the glasses. No parts or fragments of the frame or goggle can fly off which might contact the eye.
The lenses in regular eyeglasses could easily pop out and puncture or cut the eye. A frame mangled from impact could also injure the eye and face.
This Saturday Westside Optometry is hosting a special designer eyewear event. Stop by the office between 10 and 2. There will be refreshments and a drawing for free lenses. Come by to try on frames from Max Mara, Liz Claiborne, Georgio Armani, Gucci and Saks Fith Avenue. This is an opportunity to see frames we do not ordinarily have available, and also to see all the colors and sizes of many different frames.
“Cheap sunglasses” are made with “cheap” materials. The poor quality lenses lack ultraviolet (uv) protection and create visual distortion. A pair of sunglasses should be safe, comfortable and provide clear vision. Features to look for in a pair of sunglasses include the following:
Impact Resistance
A lightweight tough lens is ideal for sports and long hours of wear.
Photochromic Options
Variable light conditions require different density of color. A photochromic lens adjusts color depending on the light condition. A lighter tint is required at dawn, dusk or overcast conditions while a dark colored lens is most comfortable midday and under bright condition.
Special Tints
Color selection can enhance the visual experience and comfort. A solid tint has the same color intensity throughout the lens. A gradient tint is lighter at the bottom of the lens. This is useful if you are reading with the sunglasses.
Polarization
This is a premium sunglass product that eliminates unwanted glare. Polarized lenses are especially appreciated on the water, snow, sand and pavement.
Lens Treatment
A backside anti-reflective coating eliminates surface reflections and provides clearer vision
Frame Styling
A wrapped frame will increase protection from the sun. Newer lens designs allow many prescriptions to be made for the wrap frame style.
Westside Optometry will be open our regular hours with the exception of Monday December 26th and January 2nd.
