In simple terms, High Index lenses are lenses that bend light at a greater rate than conventional plastic.  If you have a strong eyeglass prescription, this has several benefits.

By choosing a high index material, your lenses will be thinner

By choosing a high index material your lenses will be lighter.

By choosing certain high index materials, your lenses can be stronger.

If you want a detailed explanation of what High Index lenses “do,” just come in to the store and we will be happy to explain the science behind the products.  However, you probably just want to know that we strongly believe in these products, and it will be money well spent.  When choosing high index materials, there are also different types. This list is not all-inclusive, but the main types are:

High Index 1.60.  Great for moderately strong prescriptions.  This material generally cuts about 30% of the thickness and weight off of your lenses.

High Index 1.67.  Incredibly thin lenses.  This will remove an additional 20% of thickness over 1.60.  This material has special additives that also perform very well for rimless frames.

High Index 1.74.  As of now, this is the thinnest lens material available.  It should be about 10% thinner than a comparable 1.67 lens.  Since it is relatively new, it is only available in a few lens designs.

Polycarbonate.  This material has been around for a while, and is a great performer for impact resistance and drill mounting.  It is lighter, thinner, and stronger than standard plastic.  Polycarbonate is an excellent choice for children’s eyewear because it can help protect them during their “active” lifestyles.

Trivex.  One of the newest, lightest, and clearest high index materials.  This is the absolute best lens for drill mount rimless frames.  We believe in it so much, that we offer a 2 year breakage guarantee.  If you can manage to crack these lenses in that time, we will replace them at no cost.

TAG Heuer’s innovative and avant-garde spirit is not only found in the originality of its creations, but also in the way in which it manufacturers and assembles them.  Luxury eyeglass production combines manual craftsmanship with the most advanced technology to guarantee quality, precise function, and enduring sophistication.

To view the TAG Heuer website and view their technologies, click the following link:

http://www.tagheuer.com/int-en/eyeglasses#/int-en-en-eyeglasses

To try the products on, or to order your unique pair today, please come visit the store and see for yourself.

When the sun shines it’s rays towards the earth, the light is bounced off each uneven  surface at uneven rates.  The light becomes “scattered” causing reflected glares that makes vision difficult.  A polarized lens uses a series of micro-thin filter to block out the glare and only allow organized waves of light to reach you eyes.  Polarized lenses act as a “visual filter” for your eyes making every situation where the sun is present look clearer and richer by blocking blinding glare.  What does that mean to you?

• Polarized lenses help your eyes to relax.  By reducing reflected glare, your eyes will become less fatigued under bright sunny conditions.

• Polarized lenses can make driving safer by blocking out blinding and harmful glare.

• If you spend time around water either boating or fishing, polarized lenses will visibly reduce the reflections from the water’s surface.  This means your eyes will relax more, and you can actually see down through the surface of the water more easily.

• For a sports enthusiast, polarized lenses will help you to make out fine details while golfing, skiing, cycling, or running.

• Camera enthusiasts have known for years that a polarized filter makes their pictures look better.  Colors become richer, truer, and clearer.

Come in to Empire Optical, and we can help you select the perfect polarized lenses for you.  We can make a new pair of polarized lenses for your sunglasses, or we can even make a custom polarized clip-on sunglass to fit over your favorite clear pair.

Most everyone these days has heard of Transitions lenses.  These are the lenses that change colors when exposed to UV light (exposed to sunlight).  Did you know that there are several choices in the “Transitions Lenses" family?  Here are the three main lines of Transitions lenses:

 Transitions ® Lenses 

Just like ordinary clear lenses, original Transitions lenses are clear when indoors and at night. Once outdoors, and depending on the amount of UV light present, these lenses change automatically to become darker in either gray or brown activated color options.

These everyday lenses provide continuous comfort and peace of mind by decreasing glare, reducing eye fatigue and delivering UV 400 protection with every pair.

Transitions XTRActive ® Lenses

These are the perfect lenses for eyeglass wearers who seek everyday eyewear that delivers superior darkness outdoors. That’s why they’re so popular with active adults who enjoy being outside.

Transitions XTRActive lenses are the darkest everyday lenses from Transitions Optical. They get very dark in bright outdoor light conditions and will even activate moderately behind the windshield of a car.

Transitions SOLFX ® Lenses

These are sunwear lenses that reduce glare by automatically adapting to the outdoor light conditions and eliminate the need to put on and take off sunglasses as lighting conditions change.

Using advanced photochromic technology, Transitions SOLFX sun lenses self-adjust, enhancing visual performance by automatically changing and optimizing their degree of darkness or color with the sun.

To see demonstrations of all the Transitions technologies, click the following link to visit their site.

® Transitions is a registered trademark of Transitions Optical, Inc.

Almost always a new eyeglass prescription for lenses works well for the patient, letting the patient see better than with his/her old prescription. After all, it is the patient who helped select the new prescription in the doctor’s office. When you said, “Better,” after the doctor said, “Better/worse . . . better/worse,” the doctor believed you, and wrote your answers down as your new prescription.

Most patients, when they try out their new lenses for the first time, know that they can see better, even if they realize that they see differently, and that they may have to get used to the new way the world appears. That adaptation time period varies from a few hours to a few days.

But the new prescription “working” does not mean that the patient has comfortable vision when he/she first looks through the new lenses. Many patients are sometimes startled at how different the world looks at first sight through their new lenses. They assume that because everything appears so different, that they are not seeing well.

Usually that is not the case; in fact, at Empire Optical we hand you a reading card so you can check your near vision, and let you look across the room at a wall chart that tells you how well you are seeing. Far and away most patients, even when their prescription has been changed quite a bit, will check out 20/20 for near and far vision right away. Seeing well is not usually the problem; getting comfortable with the new vision is most often the struggle.

The key to getting used to a new prescription is to wear the new lenses. Most doctors do not want you to contact them for seven to ten days after you have received your new lenses. Doctors know, as opticians know, that 90% of the patients who experience real trouble initially with their new prescription will be doing fine after a week. However, if you wear your glasses for a week, whatever vision you have at the end of that week is probably the vision you will keep. Even very good doctors sometimes have to change the prescription. If the new prescription does not work out, Empire Optical will work with you to get you into something you can see with. For 60 days after your purchase, Empire Optical will change your lenses because of a doctor’s new prescription at no additional charge.
At Empire Optical, we will do all we can to help you get used to your new prescription.

Teka Eyewear

In keeping with current fashion trends, Teka Eyewear frames are creative and exude vitality. Teka Eyewear appeals to the classy, fashion savvy customer base by incorporating sleek sophistication into the temple and frame shape design. Teka Eyewear is fashioned for people who value comfort and quality just as much as chic classiness.

Our frames are affordably priced yet fashioned from top quality Buffalo horn, exotic wood, aluminum, and leather. Our designer has carefully selected the supple, sinuous look of leather in a wide selection of colors to develop a look of understated elegance. Buffalo horn frames are hand-crafted for connoisseurs and lovers of that special one-of-a-kind item. These natural frames are also renowned for their harmonious colors, characteristic, fibrous structures, and anti-allergenic properties. Exotic woods with varying grains and colors are imported from across the world and emphasize natural earth tones, letting Mother Nature style a design of her own. Innovative frames delicately adorned with jewels lend a feminine allure.

The timeless, classic grace of Teka Eyewear means they can be worn by anyone, anytime, at any place.

Macular degeneration affects the retina. The retina is the paper-thin tissue lining the back of the eye. Light-sensitive cells in the retina are responsible for converting light into electrical impulses, which are then sent via the optic nerve to the brain for interpretation. In the very center of the retina is the macula. The macula contains the highest concentration of the light-sensitive cells, called cones, which are responsible for sharp, detailed, central vision that is used when driving and reading, for example. In macular degeneration, cells in the macular region begin to die, which results in blind spots and distorted vision.

There are two forms of macular degeneration: dry and wet. It is possible for a person to suffer from both forms, for it to affect one or both eyes, and for the disease to progress slowly or rapidly. Dry macular degeneration may advance and cause loss of vision without turning into the wet form of the disease. However, it is also possible for the early-stage dry form to change into the wet form of macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 60.

Dry Macular Degeneration

The dry form is the most common type of macular degeneration. This form, in which the photosensitive cells of the macula slowly break down, is diagnosed in 85-90 percent of cases. Yellow deposits called drusen (extracellular waste products from metabolism) form and accumulate under the retina between the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) layer and the Bruch's membrane, which supports the retina. Drusen are often found in the eyes of older people, but an increase in the size and number of these deposits is frequently the first sign of macular degeneration. Over time, drusen are associated with deterioration of the macula and the death of RPE and photoreceptor cells, resulting in a blurring or spotty loss of clear, straight-ahead vision. This process does not cause any pain. In the early stages of the disease, the patient may notice slightly blurry vision. However, as more and more of the cells die, central vision worsens. In its most severe form, dry age-related macular degeneration can cause profound vision loss, severely affecting a person’s quality of life. The dry form of macular degeneration has three stages:

• Early - patients have several small drusen or a few medium-sized drusen. There is no vision loss or symptoms at this stage.
• Intermediate - patients have many medium-sized drusen or one or more large drusen. Some people may need more light for tasks such as reading. A blurry spot may appear in the center of the visual field.
• Advanced - patients exhibit a large number of drusen deposits, and a breakdown of RPE, photoreceptor (light sensitive) cells, and supporting tissue in the retina. A large blurry spot occurs in the center of the visual field and can become larger and darker, eventually causing a complete loss of central vision.

Wet Macular Degeneration

Wet macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow behind the macula as RPE and photoreceptor cells die. The Bruch’s membrane begins to break down, usually near drusen deposits, and new blood vessels grow. This growth is called neovascularization. These vessels are very fragile and can leak fluid and blood, resulting in scarring of the macula and the potential for rapid, severe damage. Straight-ahead vision can become distorted or lost entirely in a short period of time, sometimes within days or weeks. Wet macular degeneration accounts for approximately 10 percent of the cases of age-related macular degeneration, but it results in 90 percent of the cases of legal blindness. All wet macular degeneration is considered advanced.

For the link to the original article including more resources, demonstrations, and additional information, click the following link: AHAF Macular Degeneration.

• See Better Crizal lenses mean safer, more comfortable nighttime driving by reducing glare from headlights, taillights and street lights
• Look Better Crizal lenses are clean, clear, and glare-free so they're virtually invisible to those around you. People see you instead of your glasses
• Feel Better Crizal lenses mean fewer headaches and less eye fatigue caused by reflections from computer screens and daytime lights

Crizal No-Glare lenses provide you with clearer vision by reducing:

• Glare
• Scratches
• Smudge
• Dust
• Water

To view their website and see the full line of products, visit them here: Crizal Website.