Category: Sunglasses

Optimize your Visit

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“Dr. Griffith, why are you so nosy?”

I do ask a lot of personal questions butPhoroptor 1945 they are relevant to your health and how you use your eyes. Changes in medications, your health, occupation, hobbies and interests all effect your eyes. Did you know that many medical conditions can affect your eyes? Some  diseases like rosacea, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and diabetes can have a negative impact on the eyes and related structures. Smoking affects the circulation in your retina and dries out the surface of your eye. Topical and systemic medications can also affect the eyes. For example, many drugs contribute to dry eyes and blurry vision. Some medications even cause cataracts, glaucoma and retinal changes.
How you use your eyes is also very important. If you work on a computer many hours a day, your needs are different than someone who is in a retail setting or a classroom. Other activities such as playing music, bike riding and fishing all can be enhanced with the right pair of glasses or correction. If you play certain sports, protective eyewear is important. So at your next visit, give me as much information as possible so that I can provide you with the best vision care.

Selecting the Right Sport Eyewear

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Athletes depend  on their gear to perform to their personal best. For example, if you’re a cyclist, your performance is heavily influenced by the bike maker and construction, sprocket ratios, derailleur, shifters, seat and tube, wheels, fork pedals.. Each part of the bike and the clothes you wear contribute to your safety and performance. For cyclists who wear prescription eyewear, the right outdoor eyewear is as important as the bike or cycling gear. Athletes have different visual needs for their unique sport.

Sports Glasses
Sports specific lenses are the sum of the component parts:
1. Optics – Clear vision as required for the way in which the athlete uses the lens.
2. Color – Tints and filters that boost color contrast to enhance performance in each sport’s environment.
3. Coating – Automatic back surface anti-reflective coating to eliminate the backside reflections that can hide important objects and affect split-second decisions. The AR coating also must repel dust, water, and oil for better visibility while providing longer surface durability.
4. Protection – Provides improved impact resistance, safety and absorbs 100 percent UVA and UVB radiation.
5. Finishing – ensuring a close and aesthetically appealing fit which can be enhanced by features like venting to reduce the occurrence of fogging.

Let Westside Optometry enhance your sporting experience.

 

Magic Lenses

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Eyeglass lenses that darken and lighten depending on the light level are called photochromic. Transition is the trade name for photochromic lenses.  Transition lenses offer more than clear corrected vision. Like our eyes which are constantly adapting to changes in light levels, Transition lenses have trillions of molecules that respond to changing light conditions. Our pupils dilate and constrict all day long. It doesn’t seem like much but over the course of a day it can all add up to eyestrain and fatigue. Transition lenses filter the light for you so your eyes don’t have to work as hard, allowing your eyes to stay relaxed and comfortable all day long.

Transition Vantage is a technological breakthrough where lenses are virtually clear indoors and darken and polarize outdoors. They filter even more harsh glare caused by light bouncing off everyday objects such as cars, water and the street. The polarization level adjusts to match the level of outdoor glare.

Most prescriptions can be made in Transition lenses. Ask us, next time you visit the office.

 

Spring Trunk Show

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The spring trunk show is almost here

Saturday, March 2

10:00 to 2:00

We will be hosting Clearvision Optical and many of their designer frame lines

Including BCBG and Ellen Tracy pictured here.

Come by for refreshments and the opportunity to try on many different styles of eyewear and sunglasses.

There will be styles for children (Fisher Price), Teens (Ocean Pacific), Women  (Cole Haan, BCBG, Ellen Tracy and Jessica McClintock and Men (Izod and Marc Ecko)

60 Minutes Exposé

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Last Sunday, the  investigative news program 60 minutes did an exposé on the largest eyeglass manufacturer in the world, Luxottica. The Italian company  completed a hostile takeover of U.S. Shoe Corporation in 1995 to acquire Lenscrafters. They have since bought Pearle Vision, Sears Optical, and Target Optical. Additionally, they have purchased the designer eyewear lines such as Coach, Prada, Tiffany and the popular sunglasses like Ray Ban and Oakley. Westside Optometry does not carry any of the Luxottica frame lines as a small stance against the huge corporate gorilla. Additionally, we do not accept the Eyemed vision plan which is also owned by Luxottica.

As an independent local eyecare provider we can’t compete directly with Luxottica, but we can continue to provide our patients with the most personalized vision care possible.

Here is a clip from the 60 minutes program:

Eyewear Show Tomorrow

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Westside Optometry

Spectacular Eyewear Event

Saturday, September 15, 2012

320 Petaluma Blvd South

Featuring Maui Jim Sunglasses
and
Kate Spade Designer Glasses

Raffle for Kate Spade earrings and cosmetic bag
Bring a friend, stop by for refreshments and try on the new styles

Protecting Children’s Eyes from Sun Damage

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Parents generally take precautions to protect their children’s skin from the sun; it is equally important to make every effort to protect children’s eyes from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and glare. Just as we may not see the damage to our skin for years, we also may not see the damage to our eyes for some time. But each part of the eye can be damaged by chronic or high-dose exposure to UV radiation. Even the glare of an overcast day can add to the cumulative affect. Possible effects of long-term sun exposure to the eyes include:

  • The development of skin cancer on the eyelids
  • Changes to the surface of the eye, such as non-cancerous growths on the white of the eye
  •  Over time, the lens becomes more opaque and decreases vision forming cataracts
  • Damage to the retina, which can lead to age related macula degeneration, the leading cause of legal blindness in the US in people over 65 years.

In fact studies conducted over the last 30 years have proven that many of the serious eye diseases associated with aging are at least partially a result of years of sun exposure. Protecting children’s eyes are especially important due to two significant factors:

  1. Children spend more time outdoors. The average child receives 80% of his lifetime UV exposure before the age of 20.
  2. More damaging rays are transmitted through the young child’s crystalline lens to the retina. The eyes of children 10 years and younger transmit 75% of these rays; people 25 years or older only transmit 10%.

The simplest and most efficient way to prevent or delay the onset of   progression of various eye diseases is by using sunglasses or photochromic protective lenses designed to protect all damaging sun rays from reaching the eyes, ideally starting in early childhood. For a child who already wears corrective lenses, this can be achieved with polycarbonate photochromic lenses, which change color according to UV exposure. For a child who does not wear corrective glasses, a high quality pair of sunglasses is recommended.

 

What is a Trunk Show?

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A “Trunk Show” is a special sale in which vendors present merchandise directly to store buyers or select customers. They are referred to as “trunk shows” because a designer or sales rep will literally show up with a trunk of merchandise to show off.


In the case of eyewear, all the colors, all the sizes, in all the styles are available. At Westside Optometry, we typically inventory the most popular styles and colors due to limited space, at a trunk show you can try on everything.

On Saturday, September 15th, we are hosting collections from Maui Jim and Kate Spade. The Maui Jim line is comprised of sunglasses. Some can be made with a prescription, others are designed for particular activities, to be worn over contact lenses or with no prescription. All the lens colors will be available to try. We are setting up displays in our parking lot to better appreciate the clarity of the Maui Jim lens.
Inside the office, the Kate Spade designer line will be presented. Kate Spade’s newest designs include the graphic prints of Australian artist Florence Broadhurst. The sales representative will also have Denim, an economical men’s line.

The Maui Jim Sunglass featured above is called Lani and is pictured in the amethyst fade, it is also available in tortoise and black. The Kate Spade frame below is named Stephie and is  pictured in the black/pool, she is also available in cafe latte, mahogany/pink and tortoise/kiwi. Stop by on Saturday to try on all the amazing colors and styles.

The Trunk Show starts at 10:00 and ends at 2:00. There will be refreshments and a  raffle for a pair of Kate Spade earrings.

 

 

Polorized vs Gradient Sunglasses

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What’s the difference between polarized sunglasses and gradient sunglasses?

Let’s describe each type of sunlens first:
Polarized lenses are typically solid and dark in color. An additional layer is added to the lens to block out glare from horizontal surfaces such as the hood of a car, the water, and the snow. We recommend adding an anti-reflection coating to the back surface to eliminate all reflections providing the most comfortable vision outdoors. The frame featured to the left is a Calvin Klein sunglass, it can be purchased with plano (no prescription) polarized lenses or with a prescription.

A gradient lens is darker on the top and lighter on the bottom. This design is ideal for reading outdoors, and/or leaving the sunglasses on for days that are not as bright. The density of the darkest part of the lens and the color can be varied to accommodate for each individual’s preference. The Gucci frame featured here can be made with a solid polarized lens also.

This year, a lens combining the attributes of the polarization and the gradient tint became available. The color of the lens and lens materials are limited, but we are very excited to expand your sunlens choices. Lani with gradient polorized lenses The Lani by Maui Jim is an example.

Westside Optometry will be featuring all the Maui Jim Sunglasses at our Fall Eyewear Event, Saturday September 15th.

more information

 

UV Damage and Your Eyes

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Most people (79%) know the importance of sun protection for the skin, but only 6% know how important it is for the eyes.
Studies from all over the world have shown that Ultraviolet (UV) damage due to chronic exposure to UV light is a factor in many diseases of the eye. Some of these conditions include pterygium ( a growth on the cornea), cataracts (clouding of the lens) and possible age-related macular degeneration (a condition causing decreased vision).

  •  No amount of UV exposure is healthy for the eyes.
  • The eye is the only place where internal tissues of the body are directly exposed to environmental UV.
  • UV damage is cumulative and often irreversible
  • Almost half of your UV exposure occurs when you are not in full sun and less likely to wear sunglasses or protection.

There are several things to consider when selecting sunglasses. The glasses should be comfortable and provide complete UV protection. More than one pair may be indicated; the sunglasses you wear running to the store, will be different than the pair you use for golf or boating. The style of frame and type of lens vary to the task.

The staff at Westside Optometry can help you make the best decisions to maximize your UV protection and maintain good eye health. They are very excited about a new lens that becomes polarized as it darkens.