The short spell of sunshine we recently experienced has come to an end and summer has very quickly moved into autumn. The days are getting shorter, colder and unfortunately wetter. But on a positive note, with the night’s drawing in we can start to settle into cosy evenings watching some of our favourite shows which have just returned to our TV screens.
Contact lenses have been available from optical practices for as long as the NHS has been operating their spectacle voucher scheme. They are steeped in history, with the first and most basic concept of a contact lens being credited to the great inventor, Leonardo da Vinci.
Whilst he was unable to produce a working contact lens, his understanding and hypothesis about a ‘bowl shaped’ device with variable water content is a premise that has remained throughout the development of the contact lenses manufactured today.
There are many different types of spectacle lenses available on the market. As we age, there will most likely come a time when your optician recommends switching to a varifocal lens. Varifocal lenses are the most advanced type of lens you can buy. They provide vision for all distances in a single lens and are an option for people over 40 who have presbyopia.
A lot of people cringe at the prospect of wearing varifocals. Even when they are the best solution for a customer’s prescription and lifestyle needs. We frequently get told they have tried varifocal lenses in the past and didn’t get on with them. For example, they made the wearer feel odd or sick, they struggled to find the reading area or felt a swimming effect. Another popular comment is that the intermediate area isn’t big enough for the computer work they do.
Many of our clients fall into the 40 plus age category. So we thought we would talk about the many different varifocal or progressive lenses available. And why sometimes wearing them doesn’t always go to plan.
It’s a different working world we find ourselves living in since restrictions lifted in what we refer to as ‘freedom day’. Talking to our customers, many are still working from home and probably will continue for the foreseeable. With remote working becoming a long term or even permanent switch for many people, businesses have had to re-evaluate how people work. There have been positives to come out of these restricted times in our lives.
Our small family-run independent optical practice is excited to announce that we have welcomed a new addition to the Respectacle team here in Market Harborough.
With over ten years of optical experience, Chris will be working in a dispensing capacity. He has worked in both independent optical practices and for a well-known chain of high street optical stores. Chris holds a degree in Ophthalmic Dispensing, which he obtained from Canterbury Christ Church University. And with NVQ qualifications in the optical sector to his name, Chris has a solid base knowledge for products and spectacle designs. We feel lucky to have him join our team.
We often talk about the importance of having regular eye examinations because we can see so much about our general health through the health of our eyes. Many eye conditions can be treated or controlled if diagnosed early enough. If left undetected, they can cause sight loss. Regular eye examinations can also detect diabetes and tumours.
At Respectacle Company, we take the time to get to know our customers. We’ve always got time for a chat and a catch-up. During a recent conversation with a couple of our male clients, it came to our attention that our eyewear collections are focused heavily on our female client base. So clearly, we needed to reassess the diversity of our eyewear collections and make some changes to address the needs of our male clientele.
So, the sun has finally decided to shine, and now that summer is upon us, we can look forward to at least a few weeks of better weather. Many of us will be holidaying in the UK this year. So some hot sunny weather will be a treat.
We have noticed a lot of people have experienced difficulties with their eyesight during lockdown. After seeing a consultant and receiving treatment, they were all advised to purchase a good quality pair of sunglasses to protect their eyes against damage from the sun.
Although we’ve not been able to travel to the usual trade fairs and exhibitions for the last 15 months or so, it hasn’t stopped us scouring the optical world for new and exciting eyewear collections. And the latest we’ve found, called Lamarca eyewear, is a real gem.
In our previous blog post, we talked about how to find the perfect pair of glasses to suit your face shape. You may not realise that different face shapes suit different spectacle styles and shapes. But that is not all we consider when advising our customers on the best and most suitable pair of glasses for them.
