SpecsPost Blog

Should you ditch your optician?

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Goodness no! Your local optician not only provides your prescription, but also checks for any eye problems. Your optician will keep an eye (excuse the pun) on your general health (a sight test can detect problems like high blood pressure and diabetes) and can also spot eye diseases in their early stages so any treatment can be given promptly.

So should you buy your glasses from your optician?

It is worth remembering that your optician is obliged by law to give you a copy of your prescription. You do not have to buy your glasses from the shop where you had your eyes tested. A good optician will appreciate that they can only stock so many brands and styles of glasses; and it is important to choose a pair which you are happy with, a pair which suit your face and your pocket!

If you are buying for anyone under the age of 16 then no you cannot buy glasses online. If your prescription is strong then online retailers may not be able to help (check their Frequently Asked Questions for limits).

Even bifocals and varifocals can be purchased online. Glasses are sold at much lower costs from a website; as with no shop, there are fewer overheads and the savings are passed on to you.

If you are unsure about buying glasses online, you can buy just the frames from a website and have your lenses put in by your optician. You will still save a considerable amount of money.

If you have seen a designer style in an opticians shop which you like but find to be too expensive, note down the product name or code (this can be found inside the arm of the glasses) and have a look online; it is likely that you will find the exact pair for much less from a website.

If you are concerned about the lack of fitting, many opticians will still fit your glasses, even if they were bought online. Some will carry out this service for free, others will charge a small fee.

Many online retailers will allow you to try a pair at home, so you can be sure they are right for you before adding the lenses. Always remember, your vision is important, so don’t be afraid to ask any questions if you are unsure. Always make sure there is a telephone number for the company, a good retailer will have staff who are happy to answer any questions.

Which are greener, glasses or contacts?

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

If you wear contact lenses, you also need to wear glasses to give your eyes a rest.
So how environmentally friendly are contacts?
According to one article, wearing “daily disposables (contact lenses) for a couple of years could contribute 22 times more greenhouse gas emissions than wearing glasses over that time”.
Join the debate, and read the full article at http://slate.me/dURO9T

5 ways to reduce puffy eyes

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Most of us can be guilty of burning the candle at both ends, having a few too many to drink and not looking after ourselves; and it shows in our eyes.
Puffy eyes are brought on by dehydration, water retention, lack of sleep, stress, even too much crying.
These are some of the best (and cheapest!) remedies for puffy eyes:

Cold tea bags

Put two used tea bags in the fridge to chill, and when cold place over the eyes for 15 minutes, and relax.
Tea contains caffeine, which helps with fluid retention by draining the water from the tissue under the eyes.
Tea is also rich in antioxidants, which can help prevent premature aging of the delicate skin around the eye area.
You can use black or green tea, or chamomile tea, which has anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce those puffy eyes.

Potato juice

Sounds strange but really works! Like chamomile tea, the starch in potatoes has anti-inflammatory properties, and sooths irritated eyes.
Simply peel one potato, then wash, dry and grate finely. Place the grated potato in a clean cloth and place over both eyes.

Cucumber

Probably the easiest remedy, however this only works because it is cold. You could use cold spoons placed over the eyelids instead, but both of these are quick fixes and only provide a temporary solution.

Water

Drinking lots of water will keep you hydrated. Often, puffy eyes are caused by your body storing water when you are dehydrated. Drinking plenty of fluids will stop your body from retaining water.

Salt

Excess salt can also cause water retention, so cutting down on salt should also help reduce puffy eyes.

Top 9 reasons why glasses are better than contacts

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Including avoiding a shiner, earning more money, saving the world...

You might not be able to afford an Armani suit or a Gucci handbag, but you can have a designer pair of specs. There is no such thing as a designer contact lens! Glasses are fashion accessories; even people who don’t need corrective lenses are wearing them!

Glasses are better for camping trips. No sterilizing solutions are needed for glasses and you don’t need to wash your hands before you put them on!

Continuing on this theme – you can use the lenses from your glasses to light a camp fire, although not at night time and only about 3 weeks of the year in the UK when the sun is actually out.

Dropped contact lenses are much harder to find than a misplaced pair of glasses (especially in a field of cows on your camping trip.)

Specs are genuinely reusable - more than 1 billion people in developing countries need eyeglasses but cannot afford them. You don’t need to throw your old glasses away there are a number of charities which revamp and redistribute specs to the 3rd world.

Glasses may be a more environmentally friendly option than daily disposable contact lenses. Just think about the amount of packaging you throw away with daily disposables clogging up a landfill site near you.

Glasses can earn you money! You could be more successful in job interviews; studies have shown that glasses-wearers are perceived to be more intelligent.

More flexibility - Glasses can be taken off and stored more easily. You can match your glasses to your personality, whether you’re stylish, practical or fashionable. You can also have more than one pair of glasses to suit your mood.

Glasses can stop you getting hurt – no one punches a man wearing glasses, for contact lens wearers it’s another story! Although please don’t try this one out at the pub on Saturday, exceptions can happen.

3 things you should know when buying glasses online

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Top tips for buying mail order or online glasses

Do they suit me?

As a rule, your glasses should be the opposite to the shape of your face. For example, people with round faces suit angular frames, and vice versa.
Your glasses should complement your skin tone, hair and eye colour, and your personality.

Are they comfortable?

Occasionally, people can find some frames quite heavy, and feel uncomfortable after wearing them for a long time.
Some companies will let you try the frames at home before adding the lenses, so you can see if they fit nicely and suit you.

Are they versatile?

Can you wear them with everything? Probably not, so you may want to think about having more than one pair.
Luckily, modern ways of buying glasses means that you can save up to 70% compared to high street prices, so it is affordable to have different pairs of glasses for various outfits and occasions.

Specs in the press

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

We all know how expensive glasses can be, and you’d be pretty upset if someone broke yours. If it was you who broke someone’s specs, you would probably feel very bad, maybe even offer to pay for a replacement pair.
In July, a man was imprisoned for a scam in which he would weaken or break his own budget eyeglasses, then accuse people who passed him in the street of breaking them. He then used threatening behaviour to obtain up to $100 a time from unsuspecting people, in order to make his living.
You can read the full article at Wall Street Journal

5 things you must know when buying online

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Before buying anything online, there are a few things you should know.

How to contact the company

You need to be sure that the company you wish to buy from is trustworthy and legitimate. After all, online businesses often don’t have a physical shop you can visit.
You should make sure the company has a telephone number so that you can easily speak to someone about your order, should you need to.

Returns policy

Check the returns policy. Companies are not obliged to give refunds for custom-made items (such as glasses with prescription lenses), however, some sites will offer a money back guarantee, so you can buy without worrying.

Shop around

You can expect to save up to 70% by purchasing your glasses online, so shop around and make sure you’re getting the best deal! But remember, it’s not about cheap glasses online, it’s about great value glasses online, so make sure you trust the company, and can return the item if you’re unhappy with the quality.

Research and reviews

Do your research! Look for testimonials on the website, speak to someone at the company if you are unsure, see if they have other happy customers.

Your Pupillary Distance measurement

For you to see clearly, when your glasses are made up, the centre of the lenses should be in line with the centre of your pupil.
For this to be accurate, your pupillary distance measurement is needed.
You can ask your optician for this during your sight test, or take it yourself with the help of a friend.To get your measurement, hold a millimetre ruler just above your eyes and measure the distance. The average distance is 63 millimetres.
Some companies are happy for you to send in an old pair of specs for them to take the measurement from.

For more advice and tips on buying online, visit ConsumerDirect.Gov

IPhone apps for glasses

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

A new app for the IPhone allows you to easily take your pupillary distance measurement yourself, no friend with a ruler or optometrist needed!Pupil Meter is available for £2.99 from the IPhone store.

If you’re really stuck and you’ve lost or broken your glasses, you could try IGlasses, an app which turns your IPhone into a magnifying glass…

Why 12 pairs is never enough

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There’s boots for the winter and sandals for summer,
Two pairs of “work shoes”; one comfy, one smart.
Heels for each dress when you need to impress,
Pumps for the gym (help for looking the part!)

There’s wellies for bonfire night, festivals, snow,
Jellies and flip flops for sun, sea and sand,
Slip on your slippers for nights by the fire,
(Slip on kinky boots for that night in you planned…)

But just one pair of glasses? Well that can’t be right,
One specs, twenty shoes, for two feet and two eyes?
They used to be pricey, but now I can see,
Online is much better, now you can buy three!

Rimless glasses

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Rimless frames are fast becoming a popular choice for fashion conscious glasses wearers.
With framed glasses covering up to 25% of your face, a rimless frame allows people to see your fabulous features.
With rimless glasses, you never need to worry that your glasses clash with your outfit; although if you like to accessorize, many people choose to experiment with various inexpensive frames to match their different looks.
These frames are usually supplied with thinner lenses, however they may be unsuitable for people with a very strong prescription, who might prefer to try a semi-rimless frame.

Reading glasses

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

You may at one time have lost or broken your glasses, and been tempted to opt for a pair of ready-readers.
With reading glasses available for as little as a pound, it’s no wonder people take a chance on them, but are these bargain specs too good to be true?
Which?, the leading provider of independent reviews for consumers, had their optometrist check out some of the specs on offer from high street stores, and found that most of them would be unsuitable for the majority of people and could even lead to eye problems.
Many of the ready-readers tested had large distances between the lens centres; and as our eyes adapt quickly to changes in our vision, wearing these glasses could cause problems when you return to wearing glasses with a correct lens distance.
To see the full review, visit Which? .

Non prescription glasses

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

We've seen celebrities wearing glasses with blank lenses, high street stores selling geek chic specs purely for fashion, even teens recreating the look by removing the lenses from their 3D glasses!
Designers are creating eyewear collections and many of us now see our specs as our "face jewellery".
So is it ok to style it up with non-prescription specs?
Some people are still unsure. There are forums online with people asking the question "is it silly to wear glasses if I don't need them?"
I think this trend is here to stay. Fashion is taking the stigma out of specs, making them into desirable accessories for fashionistas worldwide; so if you are blessed with 20/20 vision but want to wear glasses, give them a go! Those of us who wear glasses already know it's a great way to update your look (and less risky than home hair-colouring!).

Glasses for kids

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

I recently came across a fantastic site for parents of children who wear glasses.
It is described as “a community for family and friends of little ones in glasses. A place to share experiences, tips, tricks and pictures”.
As a former wearer of patches myself, I particularly like their advice and support on patching.
If your little one needs glasses, check out Little Four Eyes and find even more links to useful websites for looking after little eyes.

False eyelashes

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

False eyelashes have become increasingly popular. Once a favourite of 60’s starlets, false lashes have made a comeback; with celebrity endorsement from Girls Aloud and in particular, the ever- popular Ms Cheryl Cole.
Last year, X Factor’s Katie Waissel and Cher Lloyd both showed a fondness for falsies and girls everywhere copied the look.
According to Debenhams, they have seen a year on year increase of 1,000% in the sale of false eyelashes.
Even if you don’t wear them yourself, there’s every chance your daughter/niece/cousin will, so here are a few tips on caring for your eyes when using false lashes:
Be sure to apply them with clean hands.
Always stick them to your eyelids rather than your eyelashes; and make sure you are using a good quality glue (usually supplied with your false lashes)
Keep them in a clean, dry case and always wash them before using again.
Don’t share them with anybody!
And even if the rest of your make up stays on; always take your lashes off before bed.

ICaps

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Macular degeneration is a condition which results in age-related vision loss.
It is the most common cause of vision loss in people over 50 years old.
The macular is an important part of the retina, at the back of the eye. It is essential for central vision, which enables us to recognize faces, read, drive and partake in other activities which need straight-ahead vision.
Because of the lutein and zeaxanthin content in the macular, it is yellow in colour, which absorbs excess UV light and therefore acts as natural protection for this part of the retina.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids, which are naturally occurring pigments, responsible for the red, yellow and orange colour of fruits and vegetables, and are also present in many dark green vegetables.
Carotenoids are a source of vitamin A, which helps vision in dim light.
Studies in recent years have found lutein and zeaxanthin to be essential micronutrients for eye health.
The National Institution of Health (NIH) commissioned the Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), which found that taking a combination of vitamins and zinc had a beneficial effect on participants with moderate to advanced macular degeneration.
At this time, lutein and zeaxanthin were not commercially available, and so were not included in this particular study.
The vitamins used in the AREDS formula are vitamin C (which protects cells and keeps them healthy), vitamin E (which protects cell membranes) and vitamin A (which helps vision in dim light).
These are all antioxidants, which protect the eye from free radical damage; and when taken with zinc, participants of the AREDS were found to have the lowest risk of developing advanced stages of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and the accompanying vision loss.
The vitamins which are essential for good eye health, can be found naturally in foods, although in much smaller doses than used in the study.
These can be found in foods such as broccoli, kale, spinach, green and orange peppers, and sweet potatoes.
Lutein is present in leafy, green vegetables, egg yolk, peas, red peppers and beetroot.
However, in order to maximise the effect of antioxidants and carotenoids, you would need much higher doses than can be found in food alone.
The formula of antioxidants and carotenoids used in the AREDS is now available as a daily supplement. It is also available with added lutein and zeaxanthin.
The supplement is sold under the name ICaps and is aimed at people aged 40 years and over.
This supplement is frequently recommended by opticians, pharmacists and nutritionists.
Always consult your doctor before taking any supplements.
For more information about ICaps and where to purchase them, you can email us at sales@specspost.co.uk

Make-up tips for glasses wearers

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

When you wear glasses, you have to be careful when choosing your make-up; and any flaws in your application will be magnified through your lenses.
Start with neatly shaped eyebrows. This is even more important when wearing glasses, as the attention is drawn to this area. There is nowhere for unruly brows to hide…
Ladies, I know this is a hard habit to break, but try not to wear much mascara on your upper eyelashes. Your lashes will constantly brush the lenses (which can be very annoying) and may even leave flecks of mascara on the inside of the lens. Not a good look.
Using mascara on your lower lashes, and a little white eyeliner on your inner eyelid will give you a wide-eyed look.
If you own a statement pair of specs like these here, you will need very little make up. Start with a flawless base and accentuate your lips!
Use a powder blusher for a softer, more delicate appearance.
It’s best to avoid too much eye-shadow; and no harsh lines around the eyes please…
Go down a shade of your usual eye-liner and try smudging it slightly using an angled eye-brush.
For a modern-vintage look, try wearing a green eye-shadow under a rounded, tortoise shell frame.

History of Glasses

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Did you know it took almost three hundred and fifty years after the invention of glasses, to find the best way to keep them on!
Keep reading to find out why…

Today glasses are seen as a fashion item; helping us to express our personalities as well as correcting our eyesight, but it wasn’t always like this.

It was in the 1930’s that people first began to see spectacles as accessories, and no longer felt there was such a stigma attached to having less than perfect eyesight.

Sunglasses also became popular at this time, with Hollywood stars wearing them during filming to reduce glare from the studio lights.

Before this, pince-nez were worn by both men and women. This style of spectacles have no earpieces, and were designed to stay on by pinching the nose. These were popular at the end of the 19th century, but were still worn by older generations until the 1930’s.

In the 19th century, women used lorgnettes. These are glasses with handles, designed to be held rather than worn. They were considered to be more like items of jewellery than visual aids.

In the 1800’s, the monacle was introduced in England. It was connected by string to the wearers’ clothing to avoid losing it, and it could be hidden quickly, as many people in those days were ashamed of their bad eyesight.

In the 1780’s, bifocals were developed by Benjamin Franklin. He was frustrated by needing two pairs of glasses; one for distance and one for reading. He had the lenses from both cut in half and had one half from each placed in the same circle, allowing him to wear one pair of glasses by moving his eyes up or down accordingly.

In 1752 double-hinged side pieces were invented.

In 1730 rigid side pieces were invented.

In the 17th century, silk ribbons were used to keep glasses on, with loops tied over the ears. Later, weights were fixed to the ribbon, so it would rest over the ears instead of tying loops.

In 1306 a monk of Pisa said “It is not yet twenty years since the art of making spectacles was discovered.”

In 1268 an English philosopher wrote how examining letters through glass or a similar material, makes letters appear larger and more clearly; if it is shaped like “the lesser segment of a sphere, with the convex side towards the eye”.

Trends in eyewear

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

This year has seen a growing popularity in the geek chic styles favoured by celebrities. Once primarily a fashion for men, wearing these black, rounded spectacles has now become just as crucial a trend for women. Non-prescription frames can be found in many high street stores (something many of us never thought we’d see, having spent our childhood days trying to lose/break/forget our own geeky glasses!).

As the style has evolved, perhaps due to influence from the media and shows such as Mad Men, there is more emphasis on the 50’s style cats’ eye for women, and angular frames for men.

Another key trend is to have cut out detail on the arms of your spectacles, a design feature which has been used by all the main designers and fashion houses this year.

Frames using a mix of materials are very popular this year, as are plastics in either white or translucent colours.

We have all these new styles in our current collections, so that you can be on trend, for much less.

From top to bottom: Jill Stuart £95.00, Missoni £79.00, Emporio Armani £85.00, Intensity by Sammy G £35.00

Up close and personalized

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Most of us like to feel that we have something unique to us, that nobody else has and that complements our personalities. Which led me to look into spectacles which can be customized.

Now, we all grew up with Lego - Actually, some of us never grew out of it...- JP

They’ve made cameras, MP3 players, and now even glasses.

Using the iconic bricks, you customize the arms for your personal pair of Lego frames.

For the less nostalgic among you, there are the Prada Private.

These decidedly more grown-up frames come with letters, numbers and symbols to create a design classic of your own.

A Spectacular New Year

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

So it's January. Christmas is over, and here in Hertfordshire our wallets are almost empty and our trousers too tight.

Lucky for me, there are two things I wear that will always fit; shoes and specs. Even after all those mince pies and chocolates, my glasses still look fabulous!

At the moment, I'm wearing these gorgeous glasses by Guess:

which give me some much needed glamour on these cold, dark mornings.

And although our purses are feeling the pinch, we can still treat ourselves to some new specs for the new year.

So now the eyewear's sorted, that just leaves the shoes...

Happy New Year from all at SpecsPost

Bespoke Your Specs!

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Want your glasses to be a little different? There are a whole range of options to give you something that is unique to you. From getting existing frames gold plated through to having your glasses hand painted! Over the coming months we will run through the excited, weird and wonderful options available to spectacle wearers in 2011.