Archive for December, 2006

Posted on Dec 31st, 2006

There are millions of people in the United States alone that wear prescription glasses on a daily basis. Of these millions of people a large majority of them work in fields that require them to wear protective eye equipment. For these workers there are two basic choices, they can wear goggles over their street glasses or they can get a pair of prescription safety glasses to where at work.

1- Thankfully, for those who wear prescription glasses, the choices of safety frames has gotten more mainstream in recent years. While they still tend to be larger than fashion allows, they are no longer always made from a light blue, light pink or some other "nobody wears it" color, nor are they necessarily made from plastic.

2- If you are lucky enough to work for an employer that pays for your prescription safety glasses, you may be able to choose a pair that can double as a set of emergency street glasses. Some types of frames are made with side shields that pop off, allowing you to use the glasses in your daily life without the shields impairing your peripheral vision.

3- If at all possible, when you are choosing the frames for your safety glasses, have the scratch resistant lenses used. This may cost more money initially, but will save you eye strain and money in the future. Scratched up lenses are difficult to see through and need to be replaced more quickly.

4- For those people who need to purchase their own pair of prescription safety glasses, be sure to keep your receipts. Normally, the glasses can be deducted from your taxes as an expense related to employment. Speak with your tax professional regarding this, but keep your receipts.

5- While prescription safety glasses may not be the most attractive item that you will ever purchase, they are a necessity for anyone who works in a manufacturing environment. Get all the details from your employer and make your choice of frames carefully. The safety glasses that you choose now, may need to last a while, so get the most you can from them.

Visit http://safety-glasses-online.info or http://best-safety-glasses.net to learn more about bifocal safety glasses and uvex safety glasses.

Posted on Dec 30th, 2006

Millions of people through out the world wear prescription eyeglasses. Thankfully for them fashion is no longer out of their reach. Several clothing designers are now catering to eyeglass wearers everywhere. For those of us who remember when eyeglass frames were made in basic black, these new frames are a wonderful addition to the showroom choices. However, with all of these great choices come some questions that need to be answered. What color, shape, style is best for you? Some answers to these important questions can be found below.

1- When you are in the beginning stages of choosing your next pair of glasses, it is important to first check with your insurance company’s policies. You need to know the amount that they will cover and if anything is not covered under your particular plan.

2- After you have had your initial eye exam, it is time to choose your new frames. There are several types of materials to choose from, all with their own attributes. For example, titanium and aluminum frames are lightweight, durable and can be custom fit, but they are also on the expensive side. While plastic frames are also durable and lightweight, they do not offer the same fitting options, but are less expensive.

3- Another important element to choosing the right prescription eyeglasses for you is the type of lenses that you choose. A general rule is that the smaller the lens the better, this is because a smaller lens tends to be lighter weight. There are also several choices of materials from which lenses can be made; again, they all have pros and cons attached to them. Lenses made of glass are heavy, but tend to be naturally scratch resistant. While plastic (polycarbonate) lenses are lighter, they do require extra care to prevent scratching. Thankfully, there are an array of options that can be added to the lighter weight plastic lenses to make them more user friendly.

4- It is a good idea to bring a friend along with you. The doctor’s office will generally have someone there to help you pick the right frames for your facial shape and coloring, but a friend will be able to help you choose the right frames to fit your personality.

5- Ask for your prescription if you do not see the right pair of frames in your doctors’ showroom. You can take the prescription to other stores and choose your glasses there. This is also helpful if you want to have your eye exam performed at a local doctor, but would like to take advantage of a sale at a larger national store.

Visit http://find-eye-glasses.info or http://best-eye-glasses.info to learn more about kate spade eye glasses and eye glasses.

Posted on Dec 29th, 2006

Every celebrity out there knows the real value of a pair of designer sunglasses. Whether it’s to hide the effects of a late night out on the town or an effort to blend in on the street, a pair of quality sunglasses is absolutely indispensable. We’ve seen a lot of trends come and go, but a great pair of sunglasses will always transcend the passing fads of the day.

With the summer just around the corner, we have begun our fashion trend spotting efforts for 2006. Like years passed, celebrities are on the forefront of eyewear fashion. One of my favorite pastimes is to monitor the fashion trends of my favorite celebrities. As with last season, big sunglasses are all the rage for the ladies. God bless you, Jackie O!

Carmen Electra is one of my favorite celebrities, and one of the most stylish women in entertainment. While I could do without another season of her dreadful "reality" television show, I am dying to get my hands on a pair of the Missoni shades she was recently spotted in. They are oversized and oh-so-glamorous!

Catherine Zeta-Jones may have a thing for old, outdated actors but her fashion sense is as fresh as a spring breeze. I recently saw her sporting a pair of Dolce & Gabbana glasses that were out of this world! I suspect they were the utterly amazing "4005" model. They were black, with the D&G logo designed into the arms of the glasses. The shades are big, bold, and beautiful!

Heidi Klum, our favorite supermodel and partygirl, has incredible fashion sense. I saw a picture of her earlier this week wearing a classic pair of Aviator shades. While a number of people in the fashion industry have been lamenting the prevalence of Aviator shades, I couldn’t imagine a world without them. Heidi was wearing a pair made by Ray Ban, and they were absolutely fabulous!

Speaking of partygirls, how could I go on without mentioning Paris Hilton? I adore Paris. She may not be taken seriously as an actress or singer, but she reigns supreme over the fashion world. She was recently spotted wearing a pair of the new Oakley glasses for women. That’s right, kids. Oakley just launched a new line of shades exclusively for women, and they are the must-have item for this fashion year. Believe the Hype!

Nick Albert is obsessed with celebrity fashion trends, with a particular fondness for designer sunglasses. When he is not busy reading the latest celebrity gossip rag, he writes for topsellingsunglasses.com – a stellar site with extensive information about designer sunglasses from Armani, Gucci, Ray Ban and more.

Posted on Dec 28th, 2006

As the skin surrounding the eyes is sensitive compared to the other parts of the body, more attention is required. The darker your scars appear, older you look and your pretty face turns unkempt due to these circles. Besides the dark circles you may come across other problems like conjunctivitis, swellings and there are many severe problems like lymphoma, cataract, inflammation of iris, etc. There are a few suggestions mentioned for simple eye problems below. Your eyes are the index of your face value. The prettier your eyes look the more speedy attention you may attract from the public.

Regular skin care is required to maintain the area surrounding your eyes. Use a gel or a cream and rub it gently around the orbital bone. The orbital bone is the area that falls directly under the eye structure. Be careful not to rub harshly when you rub around the eye area. The harsh rubbing can only lead to more irritation.

Apply the cream to the skin and relax for sometime. If you have to put on a facemask, then soak the little cotton pads into the soap water and place it on the eyes when they are closed. Otherwise, you may use them around 2 cucumber slices to make your eyes cooler. In this way you can provide a pleasant feeling to your eyes. And you can get rid of your dark circles around your eyes quickly. Your skin will glow when these circles vanish.

Whenever you experience problems like sore eyes due to harmful infrared rays, wind or after using water with chlorine, then rinse your eyes thoroughly with enough distilled water. Mix rose water with about 1-2 tablespoons in distilled water. Give a suitable bath to the eyes.

Sometimes you may develop mild swelling on your eyes. This mainly occurs due to the excess fluid that is accumulated or the toxins that are present within the eye. In this case, gently rub around your eyes so that the lymphatic nerves are activated. By doing this you will be able to relax faster. If you still want to provide a soothing and a cooling effect to your eyes, then apply cream or gel. Keep them in the fridge for nearly one day and rub them around your skin delicately.

If you think the pain is getting severe then consult a physician.

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Posted on Dec 27th, 2006

Decided to go for some contact lenses? Good for you, but before starting to wear them you simply must know something about these wonderful inventions.

The history of contact lenses started in 1500 when Leonardo Da Vinci brought into discussion the concept of contact lenses. Much later, in 1823 a British astronomer discovered that eyesight could be adjusted by wearing lenses applied directly on the cornea. The history of contact lenses evolved from William Fienbloom who created, in 1939, the first contact lens from harsh plastic. It was applied onto the eye with some kind of glue. In 1971, soft contact lenses were invented and, in 1979, the permeable contact lenses first appeared. It was in 1983 that detachable contact lens revolutionized the market. They were invented by a Danish producer who sold his copyrights to Johnson&Johnson. The Company started selling contact lenses on a large scale in 1987. They soon become very popular and remained so until today.

Being a little familiar with the history of the contact lens is not enough. The most important details refer to the situations when it is advisable to wear contact lenses:

- To correct myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia and astigmatism. The most important advantage of contact lenses is that they can correct anisometropy. A person is diagnosed with it when the eyes do not have the same distance point refraction. Even when there are differences over 3 dyoptrics between the eyes, the correction cannot be done by wearing eyeglasses.

- For therapeutic purposes – as a substitute for bandage, after a surgical intervention.

- For esthetic and cosmetic purposes.

There are a few steps that need to be followed when you decide to go for contact lenses:

-First of all, the medical consultation takes about an hour to complete. There are a few things that need to be taken into consideration: the reasons you decided to wear contact lenses instead of glasses and whether you can afford them or not.

-The next step is an exam that you’ll have to take, an exam called “refractometry”. Contact lenses are prescribed together with the spare eyeglasses. Another series of medical exams will follow after this one.

-The distance and diameter of each contact lens has to be carefully measured (Keratometry).

-The testing of the contact lens (which varies from 5 to 30 minutes) is necessary for the individual establishment of the curvature and of the diameter of the contact lens.

-The last step is the periodical exam which varies depending on the type of the contact lens.

Nowadays, we benefit from a large variety of contact lenses so you should have no problems in choosing the right ones for you. There are: -PMMA contact lenses – this type was the first one and it was made in 1960. The contact lens is made from a very durable plastic, polymethyl methacrylate. The disadvantage consists in the fact that it doesn’t allow oxygen in the air to reach the cornea. Instead, when you blink, the oxygen from your tears reaches the cornea. This type of contact lens is preferred for its durability and low cost.

-Gas-permeable lenses – RGPs – allow oxygen in the air to go directly to the cornea. They are made of plastic in combination with silicone and fluoropolymers.

- Soft contact lenses made of plastic that incorporate water have as main attributes flexibility and softness and they allow oxygen to reach the cornea.

-Among the most popular types of disposable lenses are the Acuvue contact lenses. The acuvue contact lenses are designed for people with little or no astigmatism and should be replaced every two weeks. Some acuvue contact lenses are approved not only for everyday use, but for overnight wear too. The advanced version of the acuvue contact lenses is made of materials that allow oxygen pass in even greater amounts than the other types of contact lenses.

Depending on the number of times the contact lenses will be worn, they can be divided into:

- Long term lenses that can be used for up to one year, but not continuously and

- Short term lenses made only for a one time wear. They can be useful for one day and one night, but afterwards they have to be thrown away.

Nowadays, more and more people change their eyeglasses for contact lenses because the latter are more comfortable and esthetical. People can wear them in almost every situation: when practicing sports, at work, in front of the computer, at the beach, when swimming, etc. Not only do they make you healthier, but they can give you the eye color you always wanted.

The contact lens is another proof of how far we’ve come: we have the power to change our own eye color. If you want to find out more information about acuvue contact lenses, please you can visit this site.

Posted on Dec 26th, 2006

You have decided to go for contact lenses, but you’re not sure if you’ll be able to wear them all the time or if you can handle them properly? Here are some recommendations that you should take into consideration…

- You must wash your hands before using contact lenses;

- A progressive wearing of your contact lenses is needed (from a couple of hours in the first day, to a 12 hours period later on);

- You should avoid wearing them in the week-end or at least one day per week;

- Store the contact lenses in their special boxes and if you have different dyoptrics, be careful not to mix them up;

- Every morning after putting on your contact lenses, throw away the solution in which you kept them overnight and refresh it in the evening;

- Make sure that you always keep your contact lenses in their special solution; if not, they dry and become useless. You must use the special solution that comes with your contact lenses and not some improvised solutions like those with water and salt.

These recommendations are everyday steps that must be followed for a proper hygiene of your contact lenses, but when it comes to going away on vacation you should also consider the followings:

-You must not use any cream soap because the cream will remain on your hands and can be easily transferred to your contact lens;

- After swimming, the contact lenses must be removed, cleaned and disinfected. You must know that not all contact lenses can be worn at the beach or at the pool. The rigid ones can get lost easily; therefore those flexible and soft ones are more suitable for these situations. There are also special contact lenses for swimming, but you should make sure that they are appropriate for this before actually going swimming. You can easily find out if your contact lenses are made for swimming, by diving with your eyes wide open, into a bowl full of water. Move your head around a few times and, if your contact lenses don’t move, then you’re good to go!

When you get out of the water you have to blink often in order to eliminate the excess liquid from your eyes. You shouldn’t rub your eyelids very hard.

Nowadays, when we can change almost every part of our body that we dislike, our eyes don’t make an exception. We can actually choose the color of our eyes, due to a simple contact lens. Since this option is often adopted by women, being regarded as one of the easiest change-of-look tricks, these women must remember the followings:

- Put on your contact lenses before putting on your make-up.

- If you use fixative for your hair, do it before you put on the contact lenses, and close your eyes while you spray it.

- Keep away the nail varnish, your perfume or the acetone because these can affect the plastic in your contact lens.

- Blink often when you dry your hair so that your eyes don’t get dry.

- Use a liquid foundation cream, so that it doesn’t affect the contact lens.

There are various colors of contact lenses, adapted to everyone’s needs and wishes. You can even get a contact lens for Halloween and for a Vampire look or blank contact lens to make you look blind. You can simply choose a contact lens of a color and another contact lens of a different color for a strange, funny way of looking.

A large variety of colors is offered by acuvue contact lenses. Some acuvue contact lenses – ACUVUE 2 are available in various cosmetic tints like hazel, green, violet, amethyst, blue and even gray. There are also opaque acuvue contact lenses for darker eyes and enhancers for lighter eyes.

In the rush for a new change of “look”, people should consider that the contact lenses have its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are that you benefit from a constant correction of your eyesight, you can wear lenses overnight (such as acuvue contact lenses), your binocular eyesight improves and your visual field gets larger. Unlike eyeglasses, they are excellent for bad weather and can even change the color of your eyes. Last but not least, you can get rid of those annoying spectacles which leave traumas to the children.

On the other hand there are disadvantages as well: contact lenses need more care than spectacles. Their purchase and maintaining cost is higher. Contact lenses are not recommended to children, old people or to those persons who suffer from severe allergies, eye infections, the syndrome of the dry eye or who work in an environment that doesn’t allow a proper handling of the contact lenses. However, if the person is mature enough to take care what he buys and wears, the contact lenses can be an answer to a prayer.

As you can see, contact lenses are made to fit everyone’s necessities and desires, from a simple change of “look” to a medical prescription. So, no matter what you’re looking for, be sure that there’s a suitable pair of contact lenses for you!

If you are interested in buying acuvue contact lenses or in finding out more information about contact lens, simply click this link.

Posted on Dec 25th, 2006

Everyone should wear some kind of eye protection from the sun. This is true for all people of all age groups, and for any time of the year, even on cloudy days. Too much exposure of the eyes to the sun’s rays can result in severe damage, for example cataracts, vision loss, or even cancer. So it is important to not only wear sunglasses, but to choose the proper kind.

Luckily, most sunglass manufacturers display the protection the sunglasses offer from the sun. They do this by illustrating the "UV Protection" percentage, and perhaps "UVA" and "UVB" on their labels. UV stands for Ultraviolet Radiation, and UVA and UVB are different wavelengths of UV.

UV causes skin aging and cataracts, so sunglasses must offer complete protection from it. The best sunglasses offer 99 to 100% protection from harmful UV rays, and so it is prudent to look for sunglasses that offer this degree of safety.

Also important is to get sunglasses that will guard against the sun’s rays from going into the sides of your eyes. Light can sneak in through the sides of some sunglasses if the lenses are too small, causing potential eye damage. But wrap-around types of sunglasses, that go around to the sides of ones head, help defend against that problem.

Sunglasses should not have lenses that are too dark. That is because, besides being important to block the sun’s rays, sunglasses should allow one to see reasonably clearly, especially when driving. Further, dark lenses are not necessarily the best at blocking rays, since the color itself really has nothing to do with UV protection. So it is of the essence to choose a lens color such as green or gray, that will not be too dark to weaken one’s vision.

Finally, don’t be misled into thinking that high-priced sunglasses are best at protecting the eyes from the sun. They may look the coolest, but may not necessarily offer the coolest protection. Then again, cheap sunglasses may offer good protection, but be more susceptible to shattering (besides looking shoddy and second-rate).

It is always best to check the label first to see the UV protection offered, and if the sunglasses feel comfortable and are easy to see from, then they are the ones to purchase. If unsure, it is best to check with your eye professional for further assistance.

For more about sunglasses, as well as articles featuring designer brands such as Chanel, Oakley, etc, visit Super-Sunglasses.net - The Place for Chanel, Gucci, Oakley, and Other Designer Sunglasses.

Posted on Dec 24th, 2006

With the great popularity of sports, wholesale sports sunglasses have also become popular. Every sports lover or player wants to have a good pair of sports sunglasses. Their popularity has grown with the popularity of outdoor sports. Whether you are a biker, rock climber, diver, cyclist or skier, these sports sunglasses are a must for you. They provide protection from harmful UV rays, and reduce the effects of glare. Even race-car drivers wear sports sunglasses during the race, not only to provide glare protection but also to shield their eyes from high winds.

Sports sunglasses are generally made of light frames, so as not to weigh down the person wearing them. They are generally sleek and streamlined, and very flattering to the person wearing them. Wraparound sunglasses are popular, since they are considered to have a futuristic appeal. They generally have polycarbonate lenses, which are safer than glass lenses. Sports sunglasses are now worn in most sports, be they biking, golfing, cricket or tennis. There are many sunglass manufacturers who have lines of superior eye gear equipped with an array of extra features and benefits.

Sport sunglasses are now made in keeping the sport in mind; a golfer will require different sunglasses than a biker. Every sport has different needs, so sunglasses should be made to cater to those needs. Their lenses should be able to handle changing levels of sunlight throughout the day, so that the person’s eyes are safe and his vision unimpeded. Even people who don’t play sports will buy sports sunglasses in order to make a fashion statement and stand out from the crowd.

Wholesale Sunglasses provides detailed information on Aviator Sunglasses Wholesale, Designer Sunglasses Wholesale, Motorcycle Sunglasses Wholesale, Polarized Sunglasses Wholesale and more. Wholesale Sunglasses is affiliated with Polarized Sun Glasses.

Posted on Dec 23rd, 2006

Lasik Vision or lasik plus is a procedure to correct many vision problems usually corrected by eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Although a common procedure, eye surgery is not for everyone. Still there are some important benefits that should be considered when thinking about Lasik surgery. One big benefit is that after the sugery, the need to the daily routine of contact lens maintenance is eliminated.

There are 3 main types of contact lenses sold. There are the Daily wear hard lenses, the daily wear soft lenses and the extended wear contact lenses. The care for these lenses is simple but care must be taken to make sure you do it properly for the health of your eyes. Misuse of contact lenses can damage your eyes permanently. Proper care will also make wearing the lenses more enjoyable for the lifestyle you enjoy.

Below you will find some simple yet effective ways to take care of your contact lenses.

General self care contact lens guidelines:

1. You should always wash your hands before handling your lenses or touching your eyes. Chemicals or residue on your hands can not only harm your eyes but ruin your contact lenses.

2. Put your lenses in your eyes before applying any makeup to your eyes. Especially before applying any to the edges of your eyes like eyeliners. If your lens touches the makeup it will then get on the lens and may cause you discomfort or damage the lens completely.

3. Make sure you always keep your lens case clean. You never really know when you may need to remove your lenses. If you keep your case with you and clean you will be able to quickly remove your lenses without worry of damaging them in a dirty case.

4. Don’t use hairspray while wearing your contact lenses. This should be obvious you don’t want hairspray residue coating your eyes.

5. Be sure to remove your contact lenses before going swimming. The lenses will absorb chemicals from the water. This will destroy your lenses and you will be ordering new ones.

6. Do not sleep in your daily wear contact lenses. This is bad for your eyes as well as the lenses. It is easy to lose them in the bed and recovery is almost impossible. You could also damage your eyes this way.

7. Limit the amount of time you wear your lenses. There is a recommended amount of time you should wear your lenses to protect the health of your eyes.

Your eye doctor can let you know what is best for you The benefit of a simple, modern procedures like Lasik Vision should be clear. By having laser surgery, the need to adhere to a daily routine of contact lens care is eliminated. No more cleaners, insertions and other mess to deal with. Laser surgery can free us from the trudgery of yet another daily routine in our lives.

Abigail Franks writes on many subjects. She has done serious study on vision options like understanding Lasik Eye Surgery Risks and Lasik Eye Surgery Costs.

Posted on Dec 22nd, 2006

People use contact lenses for a lot different reasons. Some have them for convenience, because they’re relatively less weighty to wear than regular glasses, while some get contacts for their aesthetic value — because they simply look good and make people look more natural.

So far, around 125 million people all over the world use contact lenses. As opposed to glasses, contact lenses don’t fog up, are not affected by wet weather and provide a wider field of vision (with regular glasses, you hardly have peripheral vision at all).

But contact lenses are not just that. If you visit your eye doctor and have some prescribed for you, you will find out that there are actually various kinds around, depending on your requirements. They differ in terms of function, material, shape, disposability, number of focal points and wear periods.

Functions of contact lenses

Contact lenses have three basic uses: cosmetic, corrective and therapeutic.

Corrective contact lenses are made to help improve vision. Such kinds of lenses neutralize refraction discrepancies in the eye, that is, the lack of balance between the eye’s length and its refractive abilities. Corrective contact lenses usually address problems like near/short sightedness and far sightedness, presbyopia and astigmatism.

Cosmetic contact lenses are made to, well, change your eye’s appearance, whether it’s for an aesthetic reason or for theatrical/costume-related purposes. They come in different styles and designs. Because they are cosmetic, not all can correct vision. Some of them, depending on the complexity of the prints, can even obstruct or blur vision.

Therapeutic contact lenses, or soft lenses, are commonly used to help in the healing of certain eye-related surgeries and treatments. Some of the treatments such contact lenses are used in are corneal ulcers, dry eyes, corneal edema and keratitis.

The different makes of contact lenses

When contact lenses first came into the market, they were initially made of glass. It was eventually phased out because they caused eye irritations and were not made for longer use. They were replaced by contact lenses made of PMMA or plexiglas, which were easier and lighter to wear. They are commonly called "hard lenses".

However, soft contact lenses are more often used nowadays. They are made of silicone hydrogels, which have high oxygen permeability, so your eyes don’t tire out easily and feel suffocated. Soft contact lenses are normally used for extended or overnight use.

How long can you wear contacts?

It varies. Extended wear contact lenses may be used overnight or for a couple of days (to as long as a month, for continuous wear lenses), while there are some contact lenses that have to be put on and taken out everyday. Also, contact lenses differ based on disposability. This means, there are some lenses that are designed just for single use, others need to be changed after a few months, while others can last up to a year or so.

Contact lenses are taken cared of using a special cleaning solution available in all optical shops and pharmacies. These solutions will help take out the dirt in your contacts, particularly the proteins that have lodged themselves in during use. Some contact lense solutions work with just one washing, while there are others that require your lenses to be soaked for a particular amount of time.

Once you have decided to get contact lenses for yourself, always keep in mind that your vision is one of your greatest indispensable assets. So you should take of this gift by choosing only the best and doctor-prescribed products for your eyes.

Khieng ‘Ken‘ Chho is author and owner of Online Contact Lense Resources. For related articles and other resources, visit Ken’s website: http://contact-lenses.onew3b.net

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