LENSES FOR EVERY LIFESTYLE:

WE 100% GUARANTEE YOUR SATISFACTION ON OUR RECOMMENDATIONS

Designing attractive eyewear needs to take into consideration many factors. Our experienced staff of over 125 years in the optical field will know what questions to ask to determine your specific desires. They will help you determine what frame shape and size will best fit your prescription to give you the lighted, thinnest, most attractive pair of glasses ever. For success and satisfaction, proper measurement and selection of eyewear is as critical as the correct prescription determined by the doctor. All this, at prices equivalent or below that of the major chains.

Lens Materials:

Plastic lenses- These lenses are the lightest, thinnest, most attractive. They are half the weight of glass, but scratch a bit more easily.  To protect plastic lenses from everyday use, request scratch resistant coating. Plastic lenses are prescribed probably 95% of the time.

Diane making sure a comfortable fitting frame

High Index Lenses- New thinner, lighter high-index lens material are used for higher prescriptions. They are considerably thinner, and lighter than regular plastic, and have all the same benefits. Those of you that have always had “coke bottle” lenses are now a thing of the past. We will design a pair of glasses for you that will look fabulous. We guarantee it.

Polycarbonate-This is a type of plastic that we give to children for safety reasons. They are UNBREAKABLE. These are also used for sports goggles.

Glass lenses- Glass offers scratch resistance, but is twice the weight of plastic. If dropped, they can break.

Sunsensor - these are photosensitive lenses that change from light to dark when you go outdoors. They darken to a gray or a brown color. It is the ultraviolet light from the sun that causes the transition.

  • Glass lenses are called photogrey or photobrown
  • Plastic lenses go by several different proprietary names; most popular are Transitions or Sunsensor
  • Outdoors, they get about 90-95% as dark as prescription sunglasses
  • They take about 90 seconds to completely lighten up indoors (no residual tint)
  • Plastic lenses have improved greatly so that they are as good as the glass photogrey
  • They don't get as dark behind a car windshield (the windshield itself absorbs ultraviolet light)
  • They begin to loose their “changing” ability in about 3-4 years (they don't darken or lighten as much)

LENS DESIGNS:

SINGLE VISION LENSES- Single-vision lenses offer a single vision correction for people who are nearsighted, farsighted, astigmatism, or who need reading glasses.

MULTIFOCAL LENSES

What is a multifocal lens?

A multifocal lens contains two or more lens powers for correcting vision at different distances.  These include bifocals, trifocals, progressive addition lenses and special occupational lenses.

Why are multifocals lenses prescribed?

Because of their specific vision problems, some people need different lens powers to see well at all distances.  Bifocals (“bi” meaning two) are prescribed to aid both near and for vision.  Trifocals (“tri”
meaning three) are prescribed to aid near, far and middle distance seeing.  Progressive addition lenses are designed to focus at a variety of ranges between distance and close. As people reach there early to mid forties, their eyes gradually lose their ability to focus on objects that are close up.  As a result, multifocal lenses are often prescribed to adjust for these changes.

TYPES OF MULTIFOCAL LENSES

Bifocals

  • Has a prescription ground in the lens for both reading and distance vision.
  • Depending on your age, the mid range distance between 3ft and 10ft may be blurred
  • The lined bifocal offers a larger reading area.
  • The line is not as visible as before
  • We can apply coatings that almost make the line almost invisible

Trifocals

  • Has a prescription in the lens for distance, midrange (computer), and reading
  • Serves a good function, but has lost popularity to the progressive lenses over the years

Progressive lenses

These are also called: invisible bifocals, invisible trifocals, lineless bifocals, bifocals without the lines

trifocals without the lines, progressive bifocals, progressive trifocals, no line bifocals, no line trifocals

Allows focusing at many different levels, distance, mid-range, and close, and distances in between

  • Gradually changes power as one looks down through the lens
  • Reading area is much smaller than lined bifocals
  • Imperative that these are measured and fit by a skilled technician to work properly
  • There are many different “brands”, some much better than others (we only use the best)
  • One has to move their head from side to side instead of their eyes when reading
  • More initial peripheral distortion when reading
  • Not advised for people who suffer from motion sickenss (can't read in a moving car)
  • All bifocals take some getting used to, but we feel these are eventually the most natural
  • Popular because people feel the lineless is cosmetically appealing

How will multifocal lenses affect my lifestyle?

It will probably take you a couple of weeks to a month to adjust to your new lenses.
Here are some suggestions for wearing multifocal lenses:

  • Don't look at your feet when walking.
  • Hold reading material closer to your body and lower your eyes so that you are reading out of the lowest part of your lenses.
  • Fold your newspaper in half or quarters and move it, rather than your head when reading.
  • Wear your multifocal eyeglasses as much as you can for the first couple of weeks or until your eyes are accustomed to them, even though you may not need them for every task.

Don't bifocals/trifocals indicate a serious vision problem?

The gradual decrease in the ability of the eye focus is a natural part of the aging process called PRESBYOPIA.  Multifocal lenses can correct for these changes.  Currently, over half of all lenses worn in the US are multifocals.

Why do multifocal eyeglasses cost more than regular eyeglasses?

Eyeglass lenses are precision optical devices and must be made with the outmost care and skill.  Additional time and skill is also needed in the measurements taken to accurately order the lenses and dispensing them to you. There are two or more prescriptions ground into one lens.

Can persons who need bifocals wear contact lenses?

Bifocal contact lenses are available.  In addition, the monovision contact lens correction (using one eye for close vision and one for distance vision) is very common.  We have methods during the examination that would indicate if this would work for you. Reading glasses may also be used in addition to contact lenses to adjust to vision changes. We will discuss all the options available to you during your examination.

SPECIAL TREATMENTS:

Scratch protection- Protects lenses from scratches caused by everyday use.  Scratches look unattractive and can affect the optical quality of your lenses.

Ultra violet (UV) protection- Protects eyes against the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun.  Polycarbonate and most high index lenses have built-in UV protection.

Tints and coatings- Special color tints and coatings can enhance your vision and your appearance.

  • Any dark color can be ordered for prescription sunglasses.
  • Polarized lenses cut the glare. These are great for fishing, and great for daylight driving.
  • Mirror coatings for sunglasses
  • “Blue blocker” type of coatings
  • Yellow coatings for hunters, and night driving

Anti-Reflection coating- Virtually eliminates distracting reflections off your glasses, enhancing your appearance and improving vision, especially at night.
Take notice that you can hardly see the lenses. However, these need to be taken care of more gently. They can scratch more easily, and be harder to keep clean.
(See our section on care for your glasses)
However, they do provide superior vision. Normally only 92% of light gets to the eye because of reflections. With the anti-reflective coatings, up to 99% percent of the light reaches the eye. Not only is this coating great cosmetically, but is also enables those with cataracts or macular degeneration, to see better at night.

 

EYEGLASSES FOR SPECIAL NEEDS

Many eyeglass wearers have hobbies or job needs that require a special pair of glasses.  For example, regular bifocals do not work well for many special activities.  People who are outdoors a lot may require prescription sunglasses with special UV protection to block ultraviolet light.  Also, special athletic glasses offer both protection and freedom of movement for the sports-minded.

Sports goggles: providing the ultimate eye protection.

Computer glasses: These are glasses designed to be used while on the computer. They have half the bifocal prescription on top and the remainder on the bottom. That way, you look out of the top at the computer instead of having to tilt your head back to see the monitor clearly.

Occupational glasses: These glasses have a bifocal both on the top and bottom. These are used for people who have to do a lot of close work ABOVE their head, like electricians, telephone workers, plumbers, or car mechanics.

From single vision to the invisible multifocals to plain reading glasses, to prescription eyewear, we can provide you with special eyewear to fit YOUR lifestyle. All at an affordable price.

That's what we do best at Skowron Eye Care.