Find the Answers You Seek

Believe it or not, it does matter. Eyeglasses are specifically manufactured for an individual. Its are not like a prescription drug. You can choose any pharmacy to get a drug and it's the same drug. Not so for glasses. 

Lenses can be made from about a dozen different materials, most of which are various types of plastics. All materials have different properties including thinness, weight, heat and chemical sensitivity; and most importantly, optical clarity. 

One of the most commonly-used plastics also has the worst optical performance. That means you don't see quite as well out of it. So, you could have the exact same prescription made from two different materials, and you would literally see better out of one than the other! Yet, they would both pass inspection. The idea that prescriptions are all the same is false. 

All of this sounds expensive, but it costs me less to make glasses in this fashion. Then I can pass these savings on to you, the patient. I'm proud to offer quality workmanship at low prices. 

Additionally, I take other considerations such as the wearer's height and posture into account when I design their lenses. 

Think for a moment: a 6'3" person views the world from a different perspective than a 5'2 person. As does a person with poor posture versus a person who stands more erect. 

Most glasses, regardless of where you get them, are made in giant labs that produce five thousand pairs a day or even more! They are made with reckless abandon, thrown together with no thought of the user. 

Often the lenses will be warped upon insertion into the frame. On the other hand, I literally adjust the frame around the lens, to prevent warpage. Labs fit a lens into a frame, on the contrary, I fit a frame into a lens. Warpage is a huge issue and it is rarely if ever, checked. in fact, probably one-third to one-half of all lenses being worn right now probably has some warpage. 

Are your lenses too thick? Most labs build in a little extra thickness. Too thin and they must be thrown away. I take great pride in making my lenses as thin as the laws of physics allows while ensuring they meet all safety requirements. 

In short, everything!! The purpose of a lens is to bend light in such a way, that it focuses perfectly on the retina which is in the back of the eye. The need for glasses means your two natural lenses, the cornea and crystalline lens, are somewhat out of focus so you need additional focusing help. 

The power of a lens is derived from the different curves of the lens. A lens with no power has identical curves on the front and the back. Any deviation in the curves creates power. The greater the curvature difference, the greater the power created. 

All materials not only bend light but also scatter a small percentage of light. Additionally, all materials will break down light into the color spectrum. These are called aberrations. Some materials scatter and break up much more light than others. Hence, the aberrations are great in some materials than others which has a huge effect on optical clarity. Once again, even though the prescription is the same. You will see better out of lenses that have fewer aberrations. 

This is the best part. Because I make them myself, I'm not paying a lab mark-up price. I save money and therefore, you save money. It is a rare day that I am beat on price; and when it happens, it isn't by much. In fact, I will usually beat or will at least be close to the so-called insurance discount price. These are usually grossly over-priced; then given a huge discount. 

Insurance for glasses usually pays very little actual money towards a pair of glasses. But instead, promises big savings. In fact, probably the largest driving force in the explosion of prices in insurance companies demanding huge discounts. So, in order to accommodate these demands, providers had to greatly increase prices just so they could accept these insurance plans. I would rather just give you a great price without all the games. 

Most lenses today are made from some form of plastic. Even with the most advanced Scratch-Resistant Coatings lenses can and will scratch if not properly cared for. Most scratches come from improper cleaning. Consider that a lens gets dirtier and dirtier throughout the day. When you finally clean them, most of us will wipe them off with some form of cloth. 

Whatever is on the lens, especially some type of fine grit, and you will quite simply grind that grit into the lens. Grit, dead skin, makeup, etc. collect in the fine crevices between frame and lenses. This dirties your lenses faster and will be prone to scratching your lenses. Therefore, proper cleaning is so important. You should always wet your lenses and gently rub them with your fingers. Then dry them with a clean lint-free cloth. 

I offer ultrasonic cleaning of your glasses taking everything apart to clean individual parts and remove accumulated gunk. 

Glass is another option that is certainly more scratch-resistant than any plastic. However, glass can and will scratch, and when scratched becomes much more prone to shattering, and is therefore not as safe to wear. Also glass never comes with a warranty and most plastics do. I do more glass than most, but it is still an extremely small percentage of materials selected. 

There could be many reasons for this...some glasses-related...some medical. 

Glasses: when an eye doctor gives you a prescription for glasses it is usually for "General Use". This is fine for "general use" but most of us have tasks that require something different. 

Computer users, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, musicians, and certain hobbies usually require other specialty glasses. You have different tools for various tasks. You also need different tools to see with depending on the task at hand. Fortunately, 2-3 pairs of glasses will cover most of your vision needs. 

Another potential problem is how they are made, what they are made of, and how the optics line up. (See Above) The prescription may be perfect but how it is made can make a huge difference. Also, you usually do not need another eye exam to get specialty glasses. I can take your general use prescription and extrapolate what is necessary based on your needs. 

Medical: Cataracts, corneal or macular issues, diabetes, and dry eye are a few more common reasons for less-than-adequate vision. In fact, dry eyes can be a very bad problem. Watery, itchy, burning eyes are very common symptoms, but even without those symptoms, poor vision related to dry eye is a problem. Your eye doctor can discuss all your medical options concerning these issues. 

We all know There is no such thing as something for nothing. It's another game people play. Essentially, if you will allow them to double charge for the first pair, they'll give you a second pair too. Also, if you read the fine print, it doesn't include any extras and if you want any extras, they are greatly overpriced. Additionally, you are usually limited to certain frames. (*Almost always cheap and/or discontinued frames. Usually, both pairs are a very cheap variety)