Eyewear Talk

I was Googling for glasses the other day and stumbled on a number of web sites that offer eyeglasses and prescription sunglasses for around $39.95. I thought, heck, even I can afford a low-risk gamble like that. I checked them out and the selection of styles, including some classics that my trendy local eyewear chain wouldn’t be caught dead carrying, made me excited. At that price, I could be really irresponsible and order a cutting-edge fashion frame and a pair just for reading.

I showed the web sites to a co-worker and she said I should find out what their return policy is. I thought this was a good suggestion because, along with not wanting to toss my money into the virtual unknown of the internet, I am concerned about who gets my personal information and credit card number.

Alas, my research on the companies cooled my burning desire to be cheap chic. Basic information, such as return policy, phone number or e-mail address, was sometimes missing and this did not give me a warm-fuzzy. I was not sold by the companies with unclear pictures or little information about the frames. Some stores looked like fronts for drop-ship operations that might confuse my order with the tube-socks they sell on another site.

The jury is still out. If I find a style I can’t live without and I get a sense the company’s real business isn’t stealing credit cards, I might give it a try. I would definitely pursue it if I was buying for someone else who is in a low income situation, especially with the classic, long-lasting frame styles some of these stores offer.

At OpticsPlanet, we don’t have prescription eyewear for $39.95, yet, but we do have the best world-known brands of Sunglasses, Prescription Sunglasses, top-notch customer service and a Return Policy.

I will keep you informed if I decide to take the leap and try the others.

Ray-Ban has launched some new gorgeous styles this season. Check out Ray-Ban RX5099, RX5132Q and RX5091. Ray Ban frames from ophthalmic collection is now available in titanium, memory metal and titanium-acetate frame material combinations. Ray Ban frame colors are pleasing to the eye as always. Most this season’s popular eyeglass frame colors are violet, blue and red, as well as classic gold, black and gunmetal frames. Classic is always in high demand!

This season’s Ski Goggles and Snowboard Goggles from Bolle and Spy Optic offer professional-level performance in optics and frame ventilation. An advancement that I appreciate is how well the new Ski Goggles fit and how comfortable they are. However, there are days when goggles are more than necessary and a good pair of Sunglasses will do the job.

A durable plastic frame and shatter-resistant polycarbonate lenses are the best choices for safe Sunglasses for sports. The plastics come in a variety of colors so you should be able to find something to go with your outfit.

Choosing lens color can be tricky.

Pink and yellow lens are recommended for overcast days because the colors provide a brighter view and enhanced contrast to bring out the contours of the slope. However, for bright days you need a darker lens. You should also consider light conditions changing throughout the day and changes as you go in and out of the ski house.

Related to lens color is polarization. Polarized Lens are great for minimizing glare off flat surfaces like snow. However, polarized lens naturally have a darkening effect so they might not be right in overcast or after early evening.

To block wind like a goggle, consider a “wrap-around” frame style which fits closer to your face and has lens that extend back on the sides. Many people appreciate the way wrap-arounds block light from the side.

Bolle excels in Sunglasses for sports. The Bolle Parole and Bolle Vigilante sunglasses offer plastic frames and polycarbonate lenses for safety. The lens are interchangeable and are easily swapped as light changes. Parole Replacement Lens and Vigilante Replacement Lens are available in a range of colors. The two glasses are similar in style but the Vigilante has a slightly larger design. An Rx Adaptor is available for prescription wearers.

Body Specs has a great deal on a flexible package that offers the best of goggles and sunglasses. The Body Specs BSG comes with a pair of clear lens and a pair of yellow, a removable foam gasket around the lenses that seals out wind and snow, and they can be used as goggles with a strap or as sunglasses with temples. The frame is plastic and the lens are polycarbonate. The BSG lens are polarized to control harsh glare and provide a sharp view. The Body Specs BSG-2 is the same package except in a size that fits a small face. The BSG-2 with Photochromic Lens have lens that become darker or lighter according to conditions.

Like Body Specs, Wiley-X offers styles that mix goggle and sunglass features. The Wileys have a foam gasket to keep out wind, and there are models that convert between a goggle strap or temples. Wiley X sunglasses are popular with the military, emergency services and motorcycle riders for durability and safety, so they make excellent sports sunglasses. Models that feature interchangeable lens include the Wiley-X SG-1, the Wiley-X JP-1 and the Wiley-X XL-1.

More powder to ya’!

As a Product Specialist in the Eyewear Group at OpticsPlanet, I like to think our superior customer service is what brings people to our store. Of course, good customer service doesn’t hurt, but our main attraction may be great prices on the best name brands.

Our commitment to the best prices on the best brands is what guides us in the Eyewear Group, and we are proud to announce that we are an authorized distributor of the eyewear collections of the Luxottica Group. These collections represent some of the most prestigious designer names including Ray-Ban, D&G by Dolce & Gabbana, DKNY Donna Karan New York, Anne Klein, Brooks Brothers and Arnette, among others.

Of course, each label has it’s own personality. In general, all of the Luxoticca Group labels tend to appeal to people who appreciate quality craftsmanship and leading-edge fashion, but there are certain names that especially express a unique identity. Anne Klein is famous for innovative fashion for women, DKNY Donna Karan New York is edgy urban and Arnette is California cool.

We are constantly trying to make it easier for you to find what you want. We have grouped our glasses into categories such as gender, age, frame color, lens color, etc., and included menus to quickly display a selected style. See the drop-down menus on the Rayban Brand Page or on the D&G by Dolce and Gabbana Brand Page for samples of this feature.

As an authorized dealer of every brand we sell, our glasses are 100% authentic, brand new and come with the full manufacturer warranty. We do not sell replicas, imitations, fakes or cheap sunglasses. The lenses for our Prescription Sunglasses and Rx Eyeglasses are prepared to manufacturer specification by a manufacturer authorized lab. See Luxottica Group Designer Sunglasses & Fashion Eyewear for a list of our Luxottica labels.

Think of OpticsPlanet when you think of the top names in Designer Sunglasses, Prescription Sunglasses, Eyeglasses and Fashion Frame Eye Glasses.

At OpticsPlanet, a big part of our work is helping customers get the right size glasses. Of course, size is important when it comes to how the glasses look on you and how comfortable they are. Most glasses are not available in a wide range of sizes, but the limited range fits most people very well. In this blog, I will suggest some of glasses using a small, medium and large size guide.

Serengeti offers their superb lens technology in small, medium and large sizes with different frame and lens colors in their Serengeti Aviator standard sunglasses. The different sizes of the Aviator are also available with prescription lens at Serengeti Small Aviator Prescription Sun Glasses, Serengeti Rx Prescription Medium Aviator and Serengeti Large Aviator Rx Sunglasses. The Aviator with progressive bifocal lenses is only available in small and medium sizes at Serengeti Small Aviator Progressive Rx Sun Glasses and Serengeti Rx Progressive Medium Aviator.

American Optical offers their AO Original Pilot standard sun glasses in a variety of colors with different temple options in 52mm, 55mm and 57mm sizes that correspond to small medium and large.

Adults who need to fit a smaller face should consider glasses that are sized to fit children. The AO Original Pilot 45mm Sunglasses are suggested for adults with smaller faces as well as for children. The Ray-Ban Juniors from Ray Ban are an excellent choice for those with smaller faces who want to wear classic Raybans!

Here in the Eyewear Group at OpticsPlanet, we have special expertise in glasses for larger faces. One of our Product Specialists, Pam, has been trying to find glasses for her husband, Rich, who has a larger face. His is a larger face and not just a large-average.

According to Pam, people with larger faces must make sure their glasses are big enough for proper appearance. The rule-of-thumb is that glasses should be as wide as your face. Rich has had glasses that were too narrow for his face and they left marks where the temples rubbed his skin. Pushing your glasses up on top of your head will widen a frame but doing this too much can overly stretch them. Glasses with spring hinges such as Serengeti’s S-Flex offer a little more give for the larger-average faces.

The only glasses that fit Rich well are the Spiral from Bolle. The SG-1 from Wiley-X was close but not comfortable. The Coopers from Spy Optics weren’t big enough and neither were any of the Serengetis.

Even with the best information, it can be hard to be sure you are getting the right size. If you order online, check that the dealer has a Return Policy.

Knowing your glasses size is especially important when you buy glasses online. If you haven’t had a chance to try on the frames in a store, you want to make sure the glasses will fit for comfort and looks.

When I try on glasses in the store, I always look at the measurement information that is printed on the inside of one of the temples or on the bridge. You don’t have to try on too many glasses before you begin to know your size.

The size information is a set of three numbers that are measurements in millimeters. For example, I recently bought frames that are size 54-19-140. The first number (54) is the horizontal width of one lens. The second number (19) is the distance between lenses, and the third number (140) is the length of one of the temples. I am a larger person and this is the bigger size in this style. The smaller frame is 52-17-140.

At OpticsPlanet, we provide this size information on each page that describes our Sunglasses, Prescription Sunglasses and Eyeglasses.

The first thing I consider when choosing the right size is to make sure the glasses are at least as wide as my face. Otherwise, the glasses will look and feel too small. The width of glasses includes the horizontal width of one lens times two (one for each lens) PLUS the distance between the lenses PLUS the distance the temples stick out which can be a few millimeters. It is helpful if you know the width of your face, otherwise, after you try on a few pairs, you’ll know the minimum horizontal lens width you need.

I don’t use the value for the distance between lenses as a guide for fitting over my nose. The number can be misleading especially if the shape of the lenses bring them close together at the bridge. I use the number to get a sense of the overall width of the frames.

Sometimes, there isn’t a lot of choice in the length of the temples. A number like 140 is common. However, for myself, I have found that a temple that is longer than 140 is more comfortable and provides greater stability. A temple that is too short may not have enough length for proper final fitting and adjustment. Also, a temple that is the proper length looks better by going straight back across your head and not angled up. The temple length number can be misleading. A frame that wraps may have a temple length that appears to be short, but you need to take the wrap into consideration which pushes the temples back over your ears.

When you know the size that fits you best, you can confidently by glasses online and take advantage of great savings on the best brands. See our Sunglasses Guide and our Rx Prescription Guide for more information about choosing glasses that fit well.

At OpticsPlanet, we have a flexible Return Policy and many of our customers order several pairs of glasses at a time with the idea to keep what they like and return the others for a full refund. This is a good way to try glasses you buy online.

We have a lot of experience helping customers with special size needs such as smaller or larger frames. I will talk about our recommendations for those situations in a future blog. In the mean time, people with smaller faces should consider child size frames such as the Ray-Ban Junior. The junior Raybans are way cool smaller versions of the classics. For larger faces, see the Ray Ban Highstreet, the S-flex models by Serengeti and the Bolle Spiral.

The Bolle representative was here recently giving us an update on their latest styles. He had trays of sunglasses laid out on the table and no one could resist grabbing glasses and seeing how they looked in the mirror.

Glasses are fun. Some people have closets full of shoes for every occasion and many of us are just as ga-ga over glasses. Elton John must have a whole wing of his house for his collection.

I like eyeglasses. Sunglasses are more utilitarian for me and I wear them, basically, to protect against UV radiation. But, if I had the chance, I’d love to mix it up and present a fresh look everyday with eyewear that matched my mood. Now that prescription glasses can be ordered on the internet at more affordable prices, I thought my dream of a closet full of glasses would come true, but I’m not sure yet.