Archive for the ‘Eyeglasses’ category

The position of transitions lenses and potential problems

June 27th, 2010

Compared with regular sunglass lenses and even prescription sunglass lenses, transitions lenses are quite unique and different. In most people’s mind, these sunwear lenses are more complex and advanced because of their strong, intriguing ability. It is traditionally known that sunglass lenses have fixed degrees of darkness. For people who are particularly light sensitive, it is necessary to choose dark sunglasses. For normal groups, light-tinted sunglasses are enough. However, the lens technology developed by Transitions Optical Inc. has changed this traditional concept completely. Transition lenses developed by this company have unusual features or attributes. They can change from clear indoors to dark outdoors. These lenses appear as clear as an ordinary clear lens while indoors and at night. And they become dark in bright sunlight. Incorporated with specific powers, these lenses function as regular prescription eyeglasses indoors and serve as prescription sunglasses with UV light presence.

The company claims that transition lenses are satisfying millions of spectacle wearers worldwide. This is definitely true because transitions lenses are the most common products that utilize photochromic lens technology. However, it is necessary to point out the exact position of these lenses. It is true that many eye care practitioners and customers call all photochromic lenses Transition lenses. This phenomenon is rooted by the leading role of these lenses produced by Transitions Optical. The truth is that there are some other companies which also produce photochromic lenses embedded with the same functionality as transition lens. Some examples include PhotoGray and PhotoBrown lenses provided by Corning Inc., ColorMatic photochromic lenses made by German lens manufacturer Rodenstock and LifeRx photochromic lenses developed by Vision-Ease Lens.

Moreover, customers who are interested in transitions lenses should be clear that these lenses are not perfect or flawless. They can bring additional convenience absolutely. But it is equally important to recognize certain complaints about these products. There is sometimes reported a time delay associated with the lens’s transition from dark to clear, or vice versa. In addition, people with light sensitivity usually can not get satisfied from transition sunglass lenses, which will not get as dark as separate dark sunglasses.

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Tags: dark sunglasses transitions lenses

Round eyeglasses for square-shaped faces

June 27th, 2010

In the eyeglasses world, there is a classic and popular style that is known as round eyeglasses. Coming in one of the basic eyewear frame shapes, round spectacles have maintained their popularity among various groups of people, including artists, actors, writers, musicians and inventors. In detail, celebrities who have used this type of eyeglasses contain Benjamin Franklin, Gandhi, Philip Johnson and John Lennon. In addition, round glasses are not for men and women only. Children of any age can get satisfied with this style. The best example is Harry Potter who first entered the scene with his round eyeglasses in 1997. Of course, eyeglass products in the eyewear market are not limited to those in a round shape. And the popularity of this typical style is deeply rooted. Round means the shape like a circle or a ball. This can be seen widely in other objects in our surrounding environments. Many things are designed into this shape. Yet a more convincing explanation is quite probably associated with the wearers’ facial shape.

Shopping for a pair of prescription eyewear at a local store or an online shop, it is necessary to match a target eyeglass frame to personal face shape. Some people may think it is acceptable to try on every favorite pair in the store and thus get how each one looks. This is theoretically feasible but is practically time-consuming. Determining personal facial shape and coloring in advance would help in narrowing down choices, making the purchase an efficient one. In simple worlds, round eyeglasses can go well with a large group of people all over the world. But this is not the best choice for everyone. Evaluating frame shape, a guideline should better to be followed that the frame shape needs to contrast with the user’s face shape.

A round pair of eyeglasses has same proportions with width and length and does not have angles. The edge of the frame is wrapped by curved lines. Knowing these features and the guideline mentioned before, we can make it clear that round eyeglasses will complement best with people who have a square-shaped face. The facial features of this group of people can be well offset and compromised by a round frame.

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Tags: round eyeglasses Round glasses square-shaped faces

Get a pair of retro vintage glasses for vision correction

June 27th, 2010

Prescription eyeglasses were for a time unattractive among people who had vision problems. This is largely because of frame design and style that lack innovation and decoration in terms of appearance. Some people may still remember this period and they would likely get quite satisfied with the currently available frame styles in such a huge variety. In the past several decades, attractive and innovative eyewear designs have emerged and continue to expand. This makes modern Rx eyewear users possible to get a customized look which was hardly feasible decades ago. In addition, people who need to rely on prescription eyeglasses living in this time have also an access to retro vintage glasses. These products may bring modern users back to a time when a specific eyewear style was the standard example. Sometimes it is believed that this group of eyewear users is in remembrance of those traditional devices.

Thanks to modern eyewear manufacturers, retro eyeglass frames’ wide availability is really a valuable gift for people living in modern times. Retro vintage glasses come in even more advanced models, facilitated by the improvements in both lens and frame technologies. Taking horn-rimmed eyeglasses as an example, these products are more widely available in recent years than in the 1910s and 1920s when they reached their summit. The key factor is the improvement in material. The original form of horn-rimmed glasses took use of horn or tortoise shell, which could be seldom found. The situation has profoundly changed because nowadays lots of artificial materials have been invented and they can simulate the original effect of horn-rimmed glasses quite well. For most people, the frame look is the key point, rather than the exact material.

Another type of retro vintage glasses focuses on frame shape. U.S. citizens who are born in the 1940s or earlier would much likely know cat-eye glasses. This creative and cute style was one of the most popular eyewear products among Americans in the 1950s and 1960s. Nearly a half century later, these products of a special shape appears as a form of retro eyewear. The unique shape remains completely unchanged even if there have been lots of changes in the eyewear industry.

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Tags: retro vintage glasses vintage glasses vision correction

The difference between thick and wire frame glasses

June 26th, 2010

Eyewear designers can take many factors into consideration when they try to work out creative, new styles. Future trends are certainly unknown. But we can get some points from the previous trends. In the sunwear world, most products come in large frames, bringing a bold effect. This is because sunglasses are expected to protect the eyes to a maximum degree. Using big frames can realize this functionality easily. But in the prescription eyeglass realm, the general situation is significantly different. Few Rx eyeglasses come in a large frame. A normal size can bring a regular image. The above discussion is about frame size. Yet there are actually many other factors that should be kept in a designer’s mind, like frame shape, color, temple style, nose pad, and even bridge number. Frame thickness is another important aspect that is partially linked with frame size. And this factor divides most products into thick and wire frame glasses.

This writing tries to point out the difference between these two types of eyewear, according to frame thickness. First of all, thick eyeglasses refer to eyewear products that are thick-framed. In other worlds, their frames are thicker than usual. All eyeglass frames have standard size measurements, which can be used to fit them for consumers. Lens size, bridge size and temple length are covered or stated in detail. However, frame thickness is not included. This is likely because frame thickness will not affect the fit of eyewear. It only determines the basic effect of a pair. Spectacles that have thick frames are generally bold, so that they are most suitable for wearers who outgoing and open-minded. Wire frame glasses differ from their thick counterparts considerably.

In the eyewear world, wire frame eyeglasses are those which have a thin frame. The thickness of a typical wire frame may be one third or even one fourth of that of a thick frame. This huge gap would certainly bring completely different effect. While a thick frame appears bold and generous, a pair of wire frame glasses usually shows a delicate and cute image.

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Tags: Thick eyeglasses thick glasses wire frame glasses

Cute glasses for boys and girls

June 24th, 2010

A publicly concerned problem in the past several decades is that a large portion of school students develop vision problems especially myopia. For this group of people who are immature, contact lenses should be avoided, not to say eye surgeries. In this sense, prescription eyeglasses come as the natural choice. This is why there are countless kids including both boys and girls are seen with a pair of glasses. For parents who have such a kid in the family, it is an important task to buy a proper pair of eyeglasses. Remember that these kids are independent and are usually unable to shop for things by their own. There is an exclusive set of Rx eyeglasses for children. This deliberate classification is made by eyewear manufacturers because they have got a conclusion that most kids have different needs from adults. In general, cute glasses are the right products for children.

It may be necessary to explain this term or phrase. Cute eyeglasses refer to spectacles which can make wearers cool and cute. And the word “cute” means pretty and attractive. Some eye care practitioners probably say that some children tend to follow the eyewear styles that are selected by their parents. Some others may want eyeglasses that look just like the ones their older brothers and sisters use. Well, be clear that this is just an action of imitation, just like the practice of pursuing Harry Potter glasses. Eyeglasses that look cute and pretty are the right and commonest items for kids. This does not exert any limitation on cute glasses. Currently children’s eyeglasses are available in plastic frames in elongated rectangle shapes, small, retro-styled ovals as well as metal frames using titanium and aluminum.

While there are innumerous options of kids’ glasses, it is an uneasy task to get a pair that is really cute and flatters a specific kid’s mind. But it is still possible to figure out some popular styles of cute glasses. Applying pretty shapes into children’s eyeglasses is a common practice among manufacturers. In general, round frames, oval frames and heart-shaped frames are most suitable for kids, while square and rectangle frames with a formal look fit better adults. Cat-eye glasses may also look well on children’s faces. It is inappropriate to advocate colored or gorgeous glasses for young kids. But rainbow glasses are generally acceptable.

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Tags: Cute eyeglasses cute glasses

Striped glasses for a new look

June 24th, 2010

Eyeglasses for vision correction can be decorated in the frames in different ways. For instance, modern eyewear manufacturers always make frames in different shapes like square, oval, round, rectangle and the like. Taking use of various shapes is definitely a good approach to Rx eyewear decoration. Yet another commonly taken way is to apply various colors to eyeglass frames. The current prescription eyewear market has green eyeglasses, yellow eyeglasses, and red eyeglasses, just to list a small fraction. There are even many models in combinational colors. Is this the end of eyeglass decoration? Absolutely not. As a variation of frame coloring, there are currently available striped glasses. Most people know that those traditional eyeglasses discussed above incorporate a single color or a combinational color in the whole frame. And in some cases the temples have a different color from the major frame.

After the creation of striped eyeglass frames, people begin to realize that these traditional products only represent one way to decorate eyeglasses using different colors. Stripe means a long narrow line of color that is different from the areas next to it. Applying this technique to prescription eyeglass frames, many more options and possibilities are created. Striped glasses can bring a considerably different effect from traditionally single-colored eyeglasses. It is true that many people got excited from the introduction of colored eyeglass frames. However, after several decades’ development and existence, few folks still have a similar feeling. The availability of striped spectacles brings an opportunity to get a new look.

Nowadays, there are many manufacturers who provide striped glasses, including some renowned names. The 3090 gray striped model from Versace is a great choice for people who love to be on the cutting edge of fashion. This model uses wired frame with sleek plastic side pieces. Calvin Klein maintains 835 striped crystal eyeglasses, which have clear frames added by a bit of personal flare. Vogue now provides striped brown 49mm eyeglasses under its 2574 model. Marc Jacobs MJ097 women’s fashion sunglasses are also a striped model. It takes brown lenses and brown striped plastic frames.

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Tags: colored eyeglasses colored glasses striped eyeglass frames Striped glasses

Tinted eyeglasses for additional visual benefits

June 24th, 2010

Many people may have not imagined that prescription eyeglasses can also be tinted in their lenses. Believe your eyes that these products have been around for many years and they are gaining popularity in recent years. When searching a pair of Rx eyeglasses at a local store or an online one, most options come in clear crystal lenses. These are the traditional products for vision correction. However, the current market offers another solution to correcting a vision condition. Tinted eyeglasses are also feasible to compromise myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism, because they use prescription lenses. Even if these lenses are tinted, modern lens technologies have made it a reality to incorporate needed powers into them. In simpler words, these are prescription eyeglasses with colored lenses. Most people know that regular sunglasses utilize tinted lenses, and optional colors include black, green, orange, gray, rose and etc. Now, all these tints can be applied to prescription lenses.

Those tints applied in Rx lenses can offer similar functions as they are used in sunglasses. UV protection is the fundamental functionality they should provide. Since this special type of eyewear combines both UV protection and vision correction together, there is actually another popular name. From the perspective of Rx eyewear, they are tinted eyeglasses. But from the perspective of sunwear, they can be named prescription sunglasses. Knowing this may help customers get a clearer understanding of these products. For people who have to rely on eyewear for vision aid, such a pair brings extra benefits whey they participate in an outdoor activity or sport. Tinted glasses make a statement, provide anonymity, enhance performance and also increase quality of life.

There are many tints that are feasible to be applied to prescription lenses. Before starting to discuss detailed tints, it is necessary to educate patients on a fact that the pigment alone does not block out UV light. Some special materials or UV coatings are the exact part that provides this functionality. Lens tints only bring extra visual help, like improving contrast, enhancing depth perception and offering higher acuity. And different forms of tinted eyeglasses using specific tints are thus suitable for varying situations involving different light conditions.

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Enjoy advantages of titanium glasses for men

June 23rd, 2010

As a chemical element with atomic number 22, titanium is sometimes called the “space age metal”. This strong, lustrous and corrosion-resistant metal has a low density. But it has wide application in many different industries, such as sporting goods, orthopedic implants, dental instruments, jewelry, mobile phones and many others. In addition, titanium can be alloyed with many other materials, like iron, aluminum, vanadium etc. These titanium-based alloys have even wider applications. In particular, titanium and some related alloys can be used to make eyeglass and sunglass frames. In the current eyewear market, it is easy to find frames that are made of pure titanium, meta-titanium and titanium-based alloys. The popularity of this material in eyewear industry is due to its good features or attributes. These frames are more durable and stronger than other metal frames. And due to these features, there are especially titanium glasses for men.

Compared with female customers or eyewear users, gentlemen usually pay more attention to eyewear fit, comfort and durability. And women especially fashion-oriented girls usually put stylish appearance at the first place. Why are titanium glasses particularly popular among male buyers? We can get an answer from the explanation of their considerations while choosing eyewear. It is widely known that eyeglass and sunglass frames can be made of various materials. Plastics are generally lighter than metals. However, they are not as competitive as some quality metals like titanium and stainless steel in terms of durability and strength. The key point is that most men value these features greatly. Thus titanium glasses for men are particularly favored.

Pure titanium is a good material to produce eyeglass frames. Yet there are some other variations which offer even better benefits. Currently, many eyeglass manufacturers take use of memory metal as a frame material. And Flexon owned by Marchon Eyewear is a typical example. This is a titanium-based alloy. An extra advantage kept by this material is the extreme flexibility. This metal can return to its original shape after being twisted, bended or crushed. In other worlds, it can remember its original shape. This is why this material is widely used to make titanium glasses for men.

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The upside and downside or wireless glasses

June 23rd, 2010

According to the basic frame structure, all of the currently available eyeglasses can be grouped into full-frame, semi-rimless and rimless types. While full-frame glasses are the most traditional, the other two categories are more modern. Yet one point is true that all of these three types exist in parallel and support different demands from customers. In this article, the focus in wireless glasses, another name of frameless or rimless glasses. Like semi-rimless glasses, three-piece rimless eyeglasses do not completely encircle the lenses. In some cases, these two styles are considered as variations that differ from regular glasses. In fact, it is more precise to say that rimless spectacles do not have any frame around the lenses. Their bridge and temples are mounted directly onto the lenses. The connection part is usually some tiny screws. Currently there is a rare variation that is attached to a piercing at the bridge of the wearer’s nose.

The current situation of the eyewear market is that wireless glasses develop in parallel with other two categories. It is easy to hear some people praising rimless spectacles, and meanwhile some others complaining these products. This actually reflects a fact that this primary style has both advantages and disadvantages. They have been around for many years due to the upside. And the incapability of replacing other two types is due to the downside. Recognizing both of these two aspects would help us get a comprehensive evaluation while considering rimless spectacles.

In many people’s mind, rimless eyeglasses will bring a more attractive look than semi-rimless and full-frame ones. The reason is that wireless glasses have nearly no visible frame, thus the whole face can be visible. Prescription glasses use crystal clear lenses so that no part of the front face will be shielded. For people who are confident with personal facial features, this effect granted by wireless glasses is really valuable. Yet what is the downside of these products? Since there is no frame holding the lenses, frameless eyewear is quite delicate and is easier to broken. They require particularly careful insertion and removal as well as daily care.

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Tags: frameless eyeglasses Rimless Glasses wireless glasses

Unbreakable glasses using durable materials

June 22nd, 2010

Eyeglasses for vision correction are needed by a large number of people in the world. They come in a wide variety of styles and countless models. Before reaching a certain age, people who have a visual refractive error or presbyopia will continue to suffer deteriorating eyesight. In this case, it is an inevitable action to buy new lenses if they use prescription eyeglasses. The practice is similar if vision-defected individuals use prescription contact lenses. This need for a higher degree of vision correction will occur especially in the first years after getting a vision problem. This has been widely complained by lots of people. And a small group of eye care doctors even believe that the use of Rx eyewear or contacts is the root cause of the deteriorating eyesight. Regardless of the correctness of this saying, unbreakable glasses are a natural and popular choice among most eyewear users.

The reason for unbreakable eyewear’s extreme popularity is that a durable frame can continue to function even if the lenses should be replaced by heavier ones. In most cases, Rx eyewear users in their 10s and 20s need to have their lenses replaced every year. This is because the old lenses can no longer provide adequate vision correction due to the poorer eyesight. Buying new lenses frequently means much expense. However, this is largely indispensible for clear vision is a necessary condition in lots of tasks. For people who have not an adequate budget for eyeglasses, choosing a durable frame is a good choice. A pair of unbreakable glasses can last several years until it is too old to use. Even if the lenses have been replaced for several times, the durable frame can hold the lenses stably and function well.

The selection of unbreakable glasses depends mainly on the frame material. Eyeglass and sunglass frames can be made of metals, plastics as well as unusual materials like horn and leather. Some of them can hardly be considered durable. Most plastics are flexible enough, but are not durable. One category of materials includes memory metal and memory plastic. These are really advanced materials featuring extreme durability. Moreover, titanium and related alloys are also good options.