October 2014 - Vision Care

6 Tips on Choosing the Right Spectacle Frame

Posted on October 29, 2014 by VisionCare

Your choice of glasses frame is a stylistic one but there are a few hard and fast rules to make your choice that much easier. There are a few options you can use to screen out unwanted frames some factors to bear in mind as you make your selection. With this in mind let’s look at a few tips to help you make the best choice for you.

glasses-frames — We have hundreds of spectacle frames in stock

Peripheral Vision

If the frame you choose allows you to see around it, choose a different one. A good frame will hold the lens close to your eye, so you cannot see anything around the frame. Frames which fail to do this will lessen your vision and make it harder to focus on objects. Once you have chosen a frame which covers your entire field of vision, you probably will forget you are wearing them.

Your Facial Shape

Facial shape will influence your choice of frame. Small, dainty features normally work best with curved frames, while a more masculine jaw line is more suited to chunkier, rectangular frame. The trick is to choose a design which draws attention to your eyes and does not hide your cheekbones or eye brows.

Skin Tone

Choosing glasses for some of you will be a fashion statement. You go for big colourful lenses as they suit your overall look and personality. In this case you want a bright coloured frame which is there to make a statement.

For others, you want a frame which compliments your natural skin tone, and so becomes part of your face rather than make a bold statement. We cater for both.

Prescription Strength

The frame of your spectacles will be influenced to some degree by your prescription strength. The thicker lenses will not really be supported by thinner frames and can look out of place. This is one of the reasons we carry plenty of product choice where frames are concerned. You can never have too many options when choosing the right frame.

Ensure your Spectacle Frames are Comfortable

Above all ensure your frames are comfortable. Even if you only wear your glasses for reading, you should ensure they not only fit well but are also comfortable to wear. Ideally, you should put your glasses on and forget about them. You want them to become part of you.

A Quick Note on Children’s Spectacles

As with clothes and shoes, children grow frighteningly fast and often outgrow their glasses. When this happens they should be replaced to ensure your son or daughter can see correctly and their glasses are comfortable to wear.

Our Frame Selection

We carry plenty of choice for your spectacle frames, and our staff are on hand to help with their fitting. This way you know you will be choosing a frame which is stylish, well suited to your facial shape and skin tone, and is fitted correctly. Book an eye examination today here , and find your new look today.

Why Which? Recommends Independent Opticians over High Street Chains

Posted on October 27, 2014 by VisionCare

independent-opticians-which? — Independent opticians were recommended in the Which? report

Last July consumer organisation Which? focused its considerable and extensive product and service testing on opticians. Which? tested and compared both independent and High Street chains to determine which opticians offered the best service. It may surprise you to learn that High Street chains were lagging behind their independent competition. Read on to discover how we were tested, and why as an independent optician we offer by far a better service than the more well known household names.

The Which? Optician Survey 2014

The survey was carried out over a three year period by 5400 Which? members. They all required either glasses or contact lenses. On the most recent visit to their opticians, the Which? members scored the opticians on a set criterion. This included:

Customer Service
Staff Skills
Product Choice
Product Quality
Timekeeping
Aftercare

The Which? report gave a satisfaction score of 88% on average to independent opticians, with their High Street counterparts struggling to match it. The best High Street score came out at 72% while the worst had a disappointing 59%. The Which? survey also highlighted that in terms of product quality, product choice, and timekeeping the High Street chains were languishing behind independents.

Aftercare too highlighted the flaws in High Street chains with many of them unwilling to fix product problems without making a charge. Independents however, were more than happy to fix problems for free.

The survey also pointed out that it is a good idea to buy glasses and contact lenses from the same practice where your eyes were tested. This makes resolving issues far easier than if you use different opticians for eye tests and product purchases. This was acknowledged by Don Grocott, chairman of the Optical Confederation.

He said: “The eye examination that determines the correct glasses and contact lenses…provides the essential precise measurements to ensure that new glasses and contacts are exactly right.”

You can read the survey results by clicking here.

Why Independent Opticians did Well in the Which? Survey

Although the High Street chain opticians are household names and their television commercials are regularly broadcast, there are a few aspects to remember about all chain stores. They normally have centralised services such as purchasing which restricts product choice. They often opt for a cheaper more profitable option which impacts on quality. They also take a similar profitability approach to the staff they employ, and often do not invest in the staff they have. Again, your service is impeded as a result.

Independent opticians however, have no such restrictions and subsequently we focus on giving you the best service, the best products, and the best eyesight care we can. Make your appointment with us, and see the difference for yourself. Click here and give us a ring.

Be Aware of the Dangers of Cosmetic Contact Lenses this Halloween

Posted on October 15, 2014 by VisionCare

With Halloween approaching fast, many of us are running out and buying suitable outfits for the inevitable Halloween parties. A recent trend is to insert coloured novelty contact lenses into our eyes to change our look. These can give a very frightening, almost Hollywood style affect. There are however, dangers of wearing contact lenses without professional advice and fitting.

With Halloween approaching, we want to point out some of the potential dangers of using novelty contact lenses.Standard prescription contact lenses must be purchased from a registered optometrist, medical practitioner, or dispensing optician by law. There are implications of wearing contact lenses, with hygiene and correct fitting instructions being highly important to your eye health. Ask a regular wearer of contact lenses about their rituals for wearing contact lenses, and it will soon be apparent that a lot of care is needed to ensure eye health is unaffected by using contact lenses.

Novelty contact lenses however, can be obtained from beauticians, online sites, and even market stalls. They are zero powered lenses and will not correct vision. They place an opaque tint over your iris and or the whites of your eyes to change their colour. The problem with purchasing and inserting this kind of lens is that you do not receive proper instructions from a qualified professional. Sometimes, instructions that come with the lenses, if there are any, are not clear and can cause confusion when you try to follow them. They are often sold without any form of solution to ensure proper hygiene, or advice on how long you should wear them.

Without these the following eye conditions may occur:

• Red eye

• Sore or gritty eyes

• Headaches

• Light sensitivity

• Blurred vision

• Watery discharges

• And in some cases sight loss

The implications of wearing these lenses are potentially severe.

To help combat these symptoms, check out the following advice:

• Have an eye examination from your local optometrist with regard to your suitability to wear them, and what kind of lenses are best for you

• Purchase only from professionals, avoid online shops, beauticians, and market stalls

• Follow all guidelines including length of time you can wear the lenses, and never swap lenses with someone else.

• Never use lenses for longer than intended

• Ensure all hygiene guidelines are followed to the letter

• If you experience problems with your eyes remove the lenses and seek medical help immediately.

To stay safe whilst wearing novelty contact lenses at Halloween contact the professional staff at Vision Care Medical Eye Centre for advice.

Beccy Rose Patient Testimonial

Posted on October 7, 2014 by VisionCare

Mrs Beccy Rose ( pictured above with senior optometrist Mr Prakash Rughani) who has been a patient of Vision Care for more than 20 years recently sent us this kind testimonial.

If like Mrs Beccy Rose you would like to become a delighted patient of Vision Care Medical Eye Centre, please contact us today and our friendly professional staff will be happy to provide further information on the wide range of eye care services we can provide for you.