Now that you have picked up your new pair of prescription eyeglasses, your focus becomes taking care of them. This is a task many disregard, but it is absolutely imperative that you make sure you are following a couple simple steps to keep the quality of your vision with your new spectacles. We are all guilty of using a garment when in a rush to wipe away a pesky smudge on our glasses. This act is unfortunately the worst thing you can do for your lenses. No matter how clean your clothes are, dust particles and even small bits of sand and debris cling to them. Since eyeglass lenses are not made of diamonds, these tiny little particles can do tremendous amounts of damage to your new lenses. The smallest little crumb can grind a scratch directly in your line of vision, which in turn can render your glasses almost useless. Most of us know what it feels like trying to concentrate on the world in front of you when there is a little scratch distorting and distracting your vision. A majority of the time, these little scratches can be avoided by following a few simple steps. You may have noticed while shopping in your favorite store that they sell a variety of eyeglass cleaners. You need to be careful because the sprays and wipes which you can purchase in retail stores are not necessarily approved for all types of eyeglass lens materials. This factor makes them fall under that category of products that many eye care professions cannot recommend. Most of these liquids contain a form of acetone or other cleaning agent that is too harsh for plastic lenses. Many years ago, when all eyeglasses were actually made out of crown glass, these products would have worked just fine. Now, during a time where they have developed thinner, lighter materials like cr-39 plastic and polycarbonate, these products have proven to be too hard on the lenses. Over time, the lenses will start to break down if exposed to the chemicals used in these sprays, causing a fogging effect. Once again, you are left with a pair of glasses that are now unable to be worn. Now that we have gone over the two main culprits in the destruction of eyeglass lenses, other than accidents, let’s focus on some tips to extend the life of your glasses. Most importantly, you should use an eyeglass case. For the large portion of patients who wear their glasses all day, it’s understandable how awkward it can be to carry a case around. But it’s nowhere near as frustrating as realizing the new pair of eyeglasses you just purchased is becoming scratched and ruined. Also, you do not need to carry the case with you everywhere you go. Strategically leaving a case on a bedside table, in your car, or in a purse is the difference between “life or death” for your glasses. This is also a simple way to clean your glasses that does not require you to purchase anything you probably don’t already have at home. Using lukewarm water at the sink, place a small, pea-sized dab of dish soap on your fingers. Gently rub the soap on both lenses from side to side, and then rinse with warm water. A disposable paper towel is recommended to dry the glasses. Disposable towels work because they are just that, disposable - which guarantees they are not carrying dirt or sand from a prior use. Taking care of your glasses today means you have them for clear vision tomorrow and into the future. Article contributed by Richard Striffolino Jr.
A quick explanation and background of a progressive addition lens is necessary in order to understand the importance of choosing the proper lens for your needs. A progressive lens gives people an array of prescriptions - placed in the proper positions throughout the lens - to best imitate normal vision. Imagine having the precise correction needed to see a television screen more than 15 feet from you, while reading this article on your desktop computer, and then looking down at your keyboard in order to start entering the address to your favorite website. This, in a nutshell, is exactly what the progressive lens is ideally capable of accomplishing with one pair of glasses. Having the least amount of peripheral distortion, and one of the wider ranges in both distance power, astigmatism, prism, and add power availability, we find this lens to be very versatile. The most important thing to you is that this product feels very natural in front of your eye. For first-time progressive lens wearers, there is a stigma that it takes a bit of time to adjust to a lens that holds multiple prescriptions. This is often still an issue if places use old technology lenses or don’t take careful measurements to assure the proper placement on the lens in the frame. However, with modern technology, the use of computers to fine tune this amazing product, and careful measurements and lens positioning by your optician, this lens does the best job we have seen in mimicking perfect 20/20 vision at all focal lengths. Along with the progressive lens itself, there are other additional treatments, or “add-ons” that can immensely improve one’s experience with their glasses. These options include photochromic lenses, anti-reflective coatings, and polycarbonate scratch-resistant lenses. Talk with us about what options might work best for you! Article contributed by Richard Striffolino Jr.
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