Monday, April 20, 2009

What is Prescription? and How To Read An Eyeglass Prescription?


When ordering prescription eyeglasses on
line, be sure your eye doctor writes your pupil distance (PD) measurement on your prescription. T
his ensures the optical center of your lenses will be exactly in front of your p
upils.

sample of a prescription:


How To Read An Eyeglass Prescription:

When you have your eye exam and the doctor gives you a copy of your eyeglass prescription, do you know how to read it? What does OD, OS, and OU mean?

An eyeglass prescription is written in a standardized format with standardized notation so it can be interpreted worldwide. Let’s look at one and break it down:

-2.00 -1.00 x 180. The first number (-2.00) tells us the spherical refractive error (farsightedness or nearsightedness). In this case, because there is a minus sign in front of the 2.00, this patient is nearsighted. A plus sign would indicate farsightedness.

The second number (-1.00) is the astigmatism. If there is no astigmatism, we generally write the letters DS or SPH after the first number to let the optician know that we didn’t just forget to write in the astigmatism.

The final number (180) is the direction (AXIS) of the astigmatism. Astigmatism, a football-shaped eye, can be measured in any direction around the clock. We use the numbers from 90 to 180 to indicate the orientation of the football shape.

There may be additional numbers in a glasses prescription. For instance, if the basic prescription is followed by a small number with a superscript (1^) it indicates prism correction. There may be more than one set of prism numbers for each eye.

Lastly, there can also be numbers denoting the amount of near reading strength needed (bifocal or progressive). They usually go from +0.75 to +3.00, depending on age and visual need.

The letters OD and OS in front of a prescription let us know which eye each string of numbers is for. OD (Oculus Dexter) stands for right eye and OS (Oculus Sinister) for left eye, while OU (Oculus Uterque, Oculus Unitas or Oculus Uniter) means both eyes.



  • Sphere: This number measurement reflects the extent of the nearsightedness or farsightedness.
  • Cylinder: This number measurement refers to the amount of astigmatism (an irregularly shaped cornea which causes blurring) in the eye.
  • Axis:This number measurement describes the astigmatism in degrees from the horizontal (most left and right eyes have the same axis in astigmatism) axis.
  • Friday, April 17, 2009

    Kids Eyeglass Brands

    There are some specific prescription eyeglass brands that focus on making frames for children. For the most part, these brands are great for helping kids ease into wearing glasses, making them more comfortable. Kids' eyeglass brands can make having to wear prescription eyeglasses seem fun, while making the fit easier to achieve. Some popular kids' eyeglass brands include:
    - Barbie 
    - Captain America (by Marvel) 
    - Childs View 
    - Disney 
    - Dora the Explorer 
    - Fairly Odd Parents 
    - Fisher Price 
    - Garfield 
    - Hershey's 
    - High School Musical 
    - Incredible Hulk (by Marvel) 
    - Jimmy Neutron 
    - Kool Kids 
    - Rugrats 
    - Scooby Doo 
    - Spongebob 
    - Whiz Kid

    Sporty Eyeglass Brands

    For the athlete or person with a more active lifestyle, there are a variety of brands that accommodate your way or life. These styles may be more durable or resilient: ready to take on any challenge that puts them to the test. Some of the more popular sports-related eyeglass brands include the following:

    - Adidas 
    - Body Glove 
    - Columbia 
    - Converse All-Star 
    - Golf Club 
    - Nautica 
    - Nike 
    - Oakley 
    - Puma

    Thursday, April 16, 2009

    Sunglasses buying tips

    Regardless of style, sun glasses should protect your vision. Recent scientific advancements have greatly expanded understanding of the eye, creating materials to defend them.

    The bright light of a cloudless day can be painful and distracting, so most people wear sunglasses when outside, especially while driving. At the other end of the spectrum, fog and smoke decrease visibility. The amber-colored lenses of recent decades filter out the additional blue light scattered by low-lying clouds, giving drivers a more balanced, clearer view of the road. Polarized sunglasses help cut down the glare of reflected light.

    Ultra-violet radiation (known as UVA and UVB) has been shown to be a contributing factor for cataracts and many other eye problems. Look for UV-rated sunglasses, which block at least 70-percent of UVA and 60-percent of UVB light. Some sun glasses claim to block 100-percent of both.

    The other main danger is impact damage. Flying debris ranges from annoying (specks of dust) to sight-threatening (pebbles kicked up by passing cars). The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private organization dedicated to producing quality goods in the USA. For sunglasses, ANSI requirements include dropping a 1-inch steel ball on the lens from four feet high and shooting a quarter-inch ball at 150 feet per second. If no part of the lens touches the eye when impacted, the glasses pass the test and may advertise themselves as ANSI compliant. This is especially useful in sport eyewear.

    Sunglasses are one item where the highest price doesn't always mean the best product. Some designer glasses may not include the safety features that your eyes deserve. Of course, at Overstock.com, discount sunglasses and designer sunglasses can be synonymous.

    By the way, when buying sunglasses online, you may find that so-called discount sunglasses, allegedly from top designers, are, in fact, cheap knock-offs instead of the real deal. If so, the chances of a refund are pretty slim, so buy from a reputable dealer like Overstsock.com, one with a long history of selling authentic, quality products.

    Saturday, April 11, 2009

    Designer Eyeglass Brands

    There is no shortage of options for the fashion and label conscious when it comes to eyeglass brands. Virtually every well-known fashion designer has at least a modest line of eyeglass frames that proudly tote their label. If you have a signature style that coincides with one of these fashion houses: the choice may be easy! Even if you aren't necessarily a fashionista, frames from a designer label may suit your style. Below is an abbreviated list of very popular designer eyeglass brands:
    - Anne Klein 
    - Burberry 
    - Bvlgari 
    - Calvin Klein 
    - Dolce & Gabanna 
    - DKNY 
    - Fendi 
    - Gucci 
    - Prada 
    - Ralph Lauren 
    - Versace


     


    Wednesday, April 8, 2009

    Popular Versace Glasses Guide

    Versace eyeglasses are on the cutting edge of fashion and offer a diverse collection of distinctive models. Versace is a fashion icon known throughout the world for the bold statements that their unique apparel makes. When it comes to eyeglasses, they do not hold back on their creativity and attention to detail. Versace eyeglasses are designed for those who demand more than just functionality from their frames. They are designed for people who demand style.

    The latest line of Versace eyeglasses provides many options for the consumer to choose from. You can purchase them with a variety of different frame choices. Lightweight metals, made of such materials as titanium, and high quality plastics are used to construct eyeglass frames. These frames are available in many different colors that are suited to complement your personal style. Wraparound frame styles, classically round styles, and frames with square and rectangular lenses are all available.

    The colors that Versace uses for its glasses are unique in their own right. Daring color combinations of striking colors and hues are used to make their frames stand out from the competition. You can choose from a number of models that feature colors that are only available with Versace: variegated blues and greens, bright turquoises, muted hues like yellow and pink, and brilliant reds and oranges are only a few examples of what it has to offer.

    It is not simply the aesthetic quality of Versace glasses that make them special. They utilize the latest safety technology to make their glasses both stylish and practical. They are available with 100 percent UV protection from the sun in order to prevent eye damage as a result of long exposures to sunlight. They also use high quality, shatter proof plastics in their lenses that will not cause facial injuries in the unfortunate event of an accident. Of course,Versace glasses are also very comfortable to wear due to their light materials and rounded detailing.

    With so many different models to choose from featuring brilliant colors, high quality materials, and frame shapes, it's only a matter of finding the pair that fits you and your style the best.

    Tuesday, April 7, 2009

    Types Of Prescription Lenses


    • Single vision lenses :
    Your eyes might require vision improvement only for distance, only for reading purpose, or even for both. If you require correction only for distance vision, then you probably only want single vision lenses. With single vision lenses, you could look through all areas of the lens and it is visible clearly. If you desire vision improvement only for reading and in case you do not have astigmatism, then you could even purchase non-prescription reading glasses. If you do have astigmatism, you should go for prescription reading glasses. In either case, these are only considered single vision lenses.
    • Progressive lenses :
    Progressive lenses are sometimes as well recognizedas no-line bifocals, which are in fact trifocal lenses without the visible lines. Progressive lenses were urbanized as many people required the convenience of not having to change their prescription glasses for reading purpose, but they did not like other people to see the visible line. Progressive lenses do have an additional benefit however, which is that you sense a soft transition when you move your eyes from far away objects to close up objects. With a lined bifocal, the transition among viewing areas could even be somewhat uncomfortable.

    • Multifocal lenses :

    If you require vision adjustment for both distance and for reading purpose, then you could use two pairs of glasses, and swap depending on what you require to see. Or, you could even choose multifocal lenses (bifocal lenses, trifocal lenses, or progressive lenses). Many people find it not convenient to swap every now and then to another pair in order to read something.

    Multifocal lenses divide the lens, so that part of the lens is kept for reading and another part of the lens is kept for distance vision. Bifocal (two areas) and trifocal (three areas) lenses have visible lines, which separate the diverse areas of the lens.

    • Prescription reading glasses :

    Non-prescription reading glasses just enlarge objects that are close to us, like the letters in a book. Your eye doctor could only decide the magnification power, which is most excellent for you, or you could figure it out by yourself through test and error. A doctor’s prescription is not sometime necessary in order to choose a reading lens. Drugstore reading glasses are just eyeglasses frames with enlarging lenses pre-loaded in a range of powers with stock lens powers. It is typically less costly to buy reading eyeglasses this way, but stock lens powers hardly ever offer an optimal vision correction. For best results, reading lenses with magnification customized to your requirements could be installed in any pair of eyeglasses frames.