Eyeglasses & contacts

CONTACT LENSES

For many people, contact lenses provide greater convenience and more satisfying vision correction than eyeglasses. Here's what's involved in a typical contact lens exam and fitting:

A COMPREHENSIVE EYE EXAM COMES FIRST

Before being fit with contact lenses, a comprehensive eye exam is performed. In this exam, your eye doctor determines your prescription for corrective lenses (just a glasses prescription at this point) and checks for any eye health problems or other issues that may interfere with successful contact lens wear.

If all looks good during your eye exam, the next step is a contact lens consultation and fitting.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING A CONTACT LENS FITTING

The first step in a contact lens fitting is a consideration of your lifestyle and your preferences regarding contact lenses, such as whether you might want to change your eye color with color contact lenses or if you're interested in options such as daily disposables or overnight wear. Although most people choose soft contact lenses, the advantages and disadvantages of rigid gas permeable (GP) lenses will likely be discussed as well.

If you are over age 40 and need bifocals, your eye doctor or contact lens specialist will discuss ways to deal with this need, including multifocal contact lenses and monovision (a prescribing technique where one contact lens corrects your distance vision and the other lens corrects your near vision).

CONTACT LENS MEASUREMENTS

Just as one shoe size doesn't fit all feet, one contact lens size doesn't fit all eyes. If the curvature of a contact lens is too flat or too steep for your eye's shape, you may experience discomfort or even damage to your eye. Measurements that will be taken to determine the best contact lens size and design for your eyes include:

Corneal curvature: An instrument called a keratometer is used to measure the curvature of your eye's clear front surface (cornea). This measurement helps your doctor select the best curve and diameter for your contact lenses. If your eye's surface is found to be somewhat irregular because of astigmatism, you may require a special lens design of lens known as a "toric" contact lens. At one time, only gas permeable contact lenses could correct for astigmatism. But there are now many brands of soft toric lenses, which are available in disposable, multifocal, extended wear and colored versions. In some cases, a detailed mapping of the surface of your cornea (called corneal topography) may be done. Corneal topography provides extremely precise details about surface characteristics of the cornea and creates a surface "map" of your eye, with different contours represented by varying colors.

Pupil and iris size: The size of your pupil and iris (the colored part of your eye) can play an important role in determining the best contact lens design, especially if you are interested in GP contact lenses. These measurements may be taken with a lighted instrument called a biomicroscope (also called a slit lamp) or simply with a hand-held ruler or template card. Tear film evaluation: To be successful wearing contact lenses, you must have an adequate tear film to keep the lenses and your cornea sufficiently moist and hydrated. This test may be performed with a liquid dye placed on your eye so your tears can be seen with a slit lamp, or with a small paper strip placed under your lower lid to see how well your tears moisten the paper. If you have dry eyes, contact lenses may not be right for you. Also, the amount of tears you produce may determine which contact lens material will work best for you.

TRIAL LENSES

In many cases, trial lenses will be used to verify the contact lens selection. Lenses will be placed on your eye and your doctor will use the slit lamp to evaluate the position and movement of the lenses as you blink and look in different directions. You will also be asked how the lenses feel.

You'll typically need to wear these trial lenses at least 15 minutes so that any initial excess tearing of the eye stops and your tear film stabilizes. If all looks good, you will be given instructions on how to care for your lenses and how long to wear them. You will also receive training on how to handle, apply and remove the lenses.

FOLLOW-UP VISITS CONFIRM THE FIT AND SAFETY

Your contact lens fitting will involve a number of follow-up visits so your doctor can confirm the lenses are fitting your eyes properly and that your eyes are able to tolerate contact lens wear. A dye (like the one used to evaluate your tear film) may be used to see if the lenses are causing damage to your cornea or making your eyes become too dry.

Often, your doctor will be able to see warning signs before you are aware a problem with your contact lens wear is developing. If such warning signs are evident in your follow-up visits, a number of things may be recommended, including trying a different lens or lens material, using a different lens care method, or adjusting your contact lens wearing time. In occasional cases, it may be necessary to discontinue contact lens wear altogether.

YOUR CONTACT LENS PRESCRIPTION

After finding a contact lens that fits properly, is comfortable for you, and provides good vision, your doctor will then be able to write a contact lens prescription for you. This prescription will designate the contact lens power, the curvature of the lens (called the base curve), the lens diameter, and the lens name and manufacturer. In the case of GP contact lenses, additional specifications may also be included.

ROUTINE CONTACT LENS EXAMS

Regardless of how often or how long you wear your contact lenses, your eyes should be examined at least once a year to make sure your eyes are continuing to tolerate contact lens wear and show no signs of ill effects from the lenses.

For more information on contact lenses or eye exams, visit All About Vision®.

Article ©2009 Access Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction other than for one-time personal use is strictly prohibited.

BIFOCAL AND MULTIFOCAL CONTACT LENSES

Bifocal and multifocal contact lenses are designed to give you good vision when you reach your 40s. Beginning at this age, you may need to hold reading material - like a menu or newspaper - farther from your eyes to see it clearly. This condition is called "presbyopia."

Bifocal and multifocal contact lenses are available in both soft and rigid gas permeable (GP) materials.

BIFOCALS, MULTIFOCALS - WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

Bifocal contacts lenses (like bifocal eyeglass lenses) have two powers - one for seeing clearly far away and one for seeing clearly up close. Multifocal contact lenses, like progressive eyeglass lenses, have a range of powers for seeing clearly far away, up close and everywhere in between. ("Multifocal" is also a catch-all term for all lenses with more than one power, including bifocals.)

TYPES OF MULTIFOCAL CONTACT LENSES

Based on design, there are basically two types of multifocal contact lenses:

1. Simultaneous vision lenses. With these lenses, both distance and near zones of the lens are in front of your pupil at the same time. Although this might sound unworkable, after a short period of time your visual system learns to use the power you need and ignore the other lens power(s), depending on what you are looking at. Simultaneous vision lenses are the most popular type of multifocal contact lens. They are nearly always soft lenses, and are available in two designs:

• Concentric ring designs - These are bifocal lenses with either the distance or near power in the center of the lens, with alternating rings of distance and near powers surrounding it.
• Aspheric designs - These are progressive-style multifocal lenses, with many powersblended across the lens surface. Some aspheric lenses have the distance power in the center of the lens; others have the near power in the center.

2. Alternating vision (or translating) lenses. These are GP multifocal lenses that are designed like bifocal eyeglass lenses. The top part of the lens has the distance power, and the bottom part of the lens contains the near power. When you look straight ahead, your eye is looking through the distance part of the lens. When you look down, your lower lid holds the lens in place while your pupil moves (translates) into the near zone of the lens for reading.

WILL MULTIFOCAL CONTACT LENSES WORK FOR ME?

Most people who try multifocal contact lenses are happy with them. But some compromises may be necessary when you wear these lenses. For example, your distance vision with multifocal contact lenses may not seem clear enough, or you may have troubles with glare at night or not being able to see small print.

In some cases, a better solution for presbyopia may be a monovision or modified monovision fitting of regular ("single vision") contact lenses.

In monovision, you wear a single vision contact lens on one eye for your distance vision and a single vision contact lens on the other eye that has a prescription for your near vision. In modified monovision, you wear a single vision "distance lens" on one eye and a multifocal contact lens on the other eye to help you see better up close.

To determine the best contact lenses for your vision needs when you reach "bifocal age," call our office for a consultation.

For more information on bifocal and multifocal contact lenses, visit All About Vision®.

Article ©2009 Access Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction other than for one-time personal use is strictly prohibited.

GAS PERMEABLE (GP) CONTACT LENSES

Gas permeable (GP) contact lenses, also known as rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses, are hard contact lenses made of silicone-containing compounds that allow oxygen to pass through the lens material to the eye. Though not as popular as soft contact lenses, GP lenses offer a number of advantages over soft lenses.

ADVANTAGES OF GAS PERMEABLE LENSES

1. GP lenses allow your eyes to "breathe" better. GP lenses allow more oxygen to reach the front surface of the eye. This reduces the risk of eye problems caused by hypoxia (reduced oxygen supply). Gas permeable lenses provide a better oxygen supply than most soft lenses because:

• The silicone-containing lens materials of GP lenses are more permeable to oxygen than many soft lens materials (though new "silicone hydrogel" soft lenses are comparable to GPs in oxygen transmission).
• GP lenses are smaller in diameter than soft lenses, so they cover up less of the front surface of the eye (the cornea).
• Gas permeable lenses hold their shape and move on the eye with each blink. This movement pumps oxygen-containing tears under the lens. Soft lenses conform to the shape of the cornea and have only minimal movement with blinks, so little or no tears circulate under soft lenses.

2. GP lenses provide sharper vision. Because they are custom-machined to a smooth surface and maintain their shape on the eye, GP lenses provide sharper vision than soft lenses, which can fluctuate in shape and clarity if they start to dry out. Gas permeable lenses also provide a more stable and accurate correction of astigmatism.

3. GP lenses last longer. GP lenses are rigid, so there's no worry about ripping or tearing them. They are also easier to keep clean and don't need to be replaced frequently like soft lenses. With proper care, a single pair of GP lenses can last a year or longer. And since they're long-lasting, GP can be less expensive than soft lenses in the long run.

4. GP lenses may slow the progression of nearsightedness. In addition to their other advantages, some research suggests that wearing gas permeable lenses may slow the progression of myopia (nearsightedness) in some children. GPs are also used for orthokeratology, where specially designed contacts are worn during sleep to reshape the cornea and improve vision.

THE DOWNSIDE OF GP CONTACT LENSES

So why doesn't everyone wear GP lenses? Potential disadvantages of GP lenses (compared to soft lenses) include:

• Need for adaptation. Unlike wearing soft lenses (which are comfortable right from the start), you may need few weeks before you can wear GP lenses comfortably all day. Initially, you may be able to wear the lenses only a few hours daily until your corneas adapt to them. But if you can tough it out for those first few days, you may be pleasantly surprised at how comfortable GP lenses become. Many people who switch from soft lenses to gas permeable lenses say GP lenses are more comfortable than soft lenses (after their eyes fully adapt) and their vision is noticeably clearer.
• Inability to wear part-time. To fully adapt to GP lenses and to stay comfortable wearing them, you have to wear them every day. If you stop wearing them for several days, you will be more aware of the lenses on your eyes and you'll have to re-adapt to the lenses.
• Increased possibility of dislodging. Because they are smaller than soft lenses, gas permeable lenses can dislodge from your eyes during contact sports or if you rub your eyes aggressively.
• Vulnerability to sand and dust. GP lenses don't conform to the shape of your eye like soft lenses do, so it's possible sand or dust can get under your lenses at the beach or on a windy day. (You can minimize this risk by wearing wrap-style sunglasses outdoors.)
• Higher lens replacement costs. Unlike soft lenses, which come in limited sizes, GP lenses are custom-made to the shape of your eye. This makes GP lenses more expensive to replace if you lose them. Also, it can take up to a week to get a GP lens replaced.So it's a good idea to purchase a spare pair to avoid the inconvenience of being without your GP lenses if you lose or break one.

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS?

Since comfort is the primary barrier to GP use, an interesting innovation is the hybrid contact lens. These lenses have a GP center, surrounded by a soft lens "skirt." The goal of hybrid lenses is to provide the clarity of a gas permeable lens and wearing comfort that rivals that of a soft lens.

CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION AND A TRIAL FITTING

To see if gas permeable lenses are right for you, call our office for more information and to schedule a trial fitting.

For more information on GP contact lenses, visit All About Vision®.

Article ©2009 Access Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction other than for one-time personal use is strictly prohibited.

CONTACT LENSES FOR THE "HARD-TO-FIT" PATIENT

Not everyone is an ideal candidate for contact lenses. If you have one or more of the following conditions, contact lens wear may be more difficult:

• Astigmatism
• Dry eyes
• Presbyopia
• Giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC)
• Keratoconus
• Post-refractive surgery (such as LASIK)

But "difficult" doesn't mean impossible. Often, people with these conditions can wear contacts quite successfully. Let's take a closer look at each situation - and possible contact lens solutions.

CONTACT LENSES FOR ASTIGMATISM

Astigmatism is a very common condition where the curvature of the front of the eye isn't round, but is instead shaped more like a football or an egg. This means one curve is steeper or flatter than the curve 90 degrees away. Astigmatism won't keep you from wearing contact lenses - it just means you need a different kind of lens.

Lenses specially designed to correct astigmatism are called "toric" lenses. Most toric lenses are soft lenses. Toric soft lenses have different corrective powers in different lens meridians, and design elements to keep the lens from rotating on the eye (so the varying corrective powers are aligned properly in front of the different meridians of the cornea).

In some cases, toric soft lenses may rotate too much on the eye, causing blur. If this happens, different brands that have different anti-rotation designs can be tried. If soft lens rotation continues to be a problem, gas permeable (GP) lenses (with or without a toric design) can also correct astigmatism.

Contact lenses for dry eyes Dry eyes can make contact lens wear difficult and cause a number of symptoms, including:

• A gritty, dry feeling
• Feeling as if something is in your eye
• A burning sensation
• Eye redness (especially later in the day)
• Blurred vision

If you have dry eyes, the first step is to treat the condition. This can be done a number of ways, including artificial tears, medicated eye drops, nutritional supplements, and a doctor-performed procedure called punctal occlusion to close ducts in your eyelids that drain tears away from your eyes.

Once the dry eye condition is treated and symptoms are reduced or eliminated, contact lenses can be tried. Certain soft contact lens materials work better than others for dry eyes. Also, GP lenses are sometimes better than soft lenses if there's a concern about dry eyes since these lenses don't dry out the way soft lenses can.

Replacing your contacts more frequently and reducing your wearing time each day (or removing them for specific tasks, such as computer work) can also reduce dry eye symptoms when wearing contacts.

CONTACT LENSES FOR GIANT PAPILLARY CONJUNCTIVITIS (GPC)

Giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC) is an inflammatory reaction on the inner surface of the eyelids. One cause of GPC is protein deposits on soft contact lenses. (These deposits are from components of your tear film that stick to your lenses and become chemically altered.)

Usually, changing to a one-day disposable soft lens will solve this problem, since you just throw these lenses away at the end of the day before protein deposits can accumulate on them. Gas permeable lenses are also often a good solution, as protein deposits don't adhere as easily to GP lenses, and lens deposits on GP lenses are more easily removed with daily cleaning.

In some cases of GPC, a medicated eye drop may be required to reduce the inflammation before you can resume wearing contact lenses.

CONTACT LENSES FOR PRESBYOPIA

Presbyopia is the normal loss of focusing ability up close when you reach your 40s.

Today, there are many designs of bifocal and multifocal contact lenses to correct presbyopia. Another option for presbyopia is monovision. This is wearing a contact lens in one eye for distance vision and a lens in the other eye that has a modified power for near vision.

During your contact lens fitting we can help you decide whether bifocal/multifocal contact lenses or monovision is best for you.

CONTACT LENSES FOR KERATOCONUS

Keratoconus is a relatively uncommon eye condition where the cornea becomes thinner and bulges forward. The term "keratoconus" comes from the Greek terms for cornea ("kerato") and cone-shaped ("conus"). The exact cause of keratoconus remains unknown, but it appears that oxidative damage from free radicals plays a role.

Gas permeable contact lenses are the treatment option of choice for mild and moderate keratoconus. Because they are rigid, GP lenses can help contain the shape of the cornea to prevent further bulging of the cornea. They also can correct vision problems caused by keratoconus that cannot be corrected with eyeglasses or soft contacts.

In some cases, a soft contact lens is worn under the GP lens for greater comfort. This technique is called "piggybacking." Another option for some patients is a hybrid contact lens that has a GP center, surrounded by a soft "skirt".

CONTACT LENSES AFTER CORRECTIVE EYE SURGERY

More than one million Americans each year have LASIK surgery to correct their eyesight. Sometimes, vision problems remain after surgery that can't be corrected with eyeglasses or a second surgical procedure. In these cases, gas permeable contact lenses can often restore visual acuity and eliminate problems like glare and halos at night.

GP lenses are also used to correct vision problems after corneal transplant surgery, including irregular astigmatism that cannot be corrected with eyeglasses.

GP lenses prescribed after LASIK and corneal transplants sometimes have a special design called a "reverse geometry" design to better conform to the altered shape of the cornea. The back surface of these lenses is flatter in the center and steeper in the periphery. (This is the opposite of a normal GP lens design, which is steeper in the center and flattens in the periphery.)

PROBLEM-SOLVING CONTACT LENS FITTINGS COST MORE

Fitting contact lenses to correct or treat any of the above conditions will generally take much more time than a regular contact lens fitting. These "hard-to-fit" cases usually require a series of office visits and multiple pairs of trial lenses before the final contact lens prescription can be determined. Also, the lenses required for these conditions are usually more costly than regular soft contact lenses. Therefore, fees for these fittings are higher than fees for regular contact lens fittings. Call our office for details.

FIND OUT IF YOU CAN WEAR CONTACT LENSES

If you are interested in wearing contact lenses, call our office to schedule a consultation. Even if you've been told you're not a good candidate for contacts because you have one of the above conditions or for some other reason, we may be able to help you wear contact lenses safely and successfully.

For more information on contact lenses, visit All About Vision®.

Article ©2009 Access Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction other than for one-time personal use is strictly prohibited.

TORIC CONTACT LENSES FOR ASTIGMATISM

If you have astigmatism - a common condition where the eye isn't perfectly round, but more football- or egg-shaped - then you'll need a special design of contact lenses called "toric" lenses for clear vision.

Toric contact lenses are available in both soft and rigid gas permeable (RGP or GP) lens materials. Most contact lens wearers who need toric contacts choose soft toric lenses.

HOW DO TORIC LENSES WORK?

When you have astigmatism, different meridians of your eye need different amounts of correction for nearsightedness or farsightedness. Imagine the front of your eye is like the face of a clock: A line drawn from the 12 to the 6 is one meridian, a line from the 1 to the 7 is another, and so on.

Soft toric contact lenses have different powers in different meridians of the lens to correct the eye's astigmatism. They also have design elements to keep the lens from rotating on your eye, so the meridians of the lens stay aligned with the meridians of your eye.

Today, you can choose from many brands and styles of soft toric lenses. So if Brand A doesn't fit properly or rotates too much, Brand B may perform better. And if soft toric lenses don't adequately correct your astigmatism, gas permeable lenses will often do the trick.

TORIC CONTACT LENS COST

Properly fitting a toric contact lens takes more time and requires more expertise than fitting regular soft contacts. Several office visits are required, and sometimes several different lenses must be evaluated. Consequently, our professional fee for fitting toric lenses is higher than our fee for a regular contact lens fitting. The lenses themselves also cost more than regular soft lenses. Call our office for details.

GAS PERMEABLE LENSES FOR ASTIGMATISM

If you have a mild to moderate amount of astigmatism, you may want to consider gas permeable contact lenses. GP lenses usually provide sharper vision than soft toric lenses. And because gas permeable lenses are rigid and maintain their shape on the eye, a toric GP design usually isn't needed. The astigmatism due to unequal curves on the front surface of your eye is corrected by a layer of tears that forms between your eye and the spherical back surface of the GP lens.

If regular gas permeable lenses fail to adequately correct the astigmatism, customized toric GP lens designs are also available.

MANY OPTIONS IN SOFT TORIC LENSES

Today, many brands of soft toric lenses are available and you have a choice of lenses approved for daily wear (lenses you remove before sleep) and extended wear (lenses approved for overnight wear). There are also soft toric lenses to enhance or change your eye color and multifocal toric lenses if you have presbyopia.

CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION

Call our office today to learn more about contact lens options for astigmatism and to schedule a contact lens consultation to find out which lenses are the best solution for you.

For more information on toric contact lenses, visit All About Vision®.

Article ©2009 Access Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction other than for one-time personal use is strictly prohibited.

SAFETY AND SPORTS GLASSES

Today, sports eyewear can be spotted on almost anyone who picks up a ball, bat, racquet or stick - whether they play in the major leagues or the Little League. Fortunately, coaches, parents and players now realize that wearing protective eyewear for sports pays off in several ways. The risk of eye damage is reduced or eliminated, and the player's performance is enhanced by the fact that they see well. In fact, many clubs today do not permit their members to participate without wearing proper eye gear.

Initially, there was some resistance by children to "looking funny" when they wore protective eyewear. Today, sports goggles are an accepted part of everyday life, much the way bike helmets have become the norm. In addition, both children and adults like the image that wearing protective eyewear gives them: it shows they mean business on the playing field.

IF YOU'RE NOT WEARING PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR, CONSIDER THIS...

Prevent Blindness America reports that hospital emergency rooms treat 40,000 eye injuries every year that are sports-related. Sports such as racquetball, tennis and badminton may seem relatively harmless, but they involve objects moving at 60 miles per hour or faster. During a typical game, a racquetball can travel between 60 and 200 miles per hour. Another potential danger is that the racquets themselves move at high speed in a confined space and often make contact with one another.

Flying objects aren't the only hazard. Many eye injuries come from pokes and jabs by fingers and elbows, particularly in games where players are in close contact with each other. Basketball, for example, has an extremely high rate of eye injury.

These are great reasons to wear protective eyewear. Another aspect has to do with performance. It used to be common for people with mild to moderate prescriptions to simply participate in sports without wearing their glasses or contacts. But sharp vision is a vital ingredient to performing well in nearly every sport, and participating in sports when you have less than 20/20 vision is counterproductive.

FEATURES TO LOOK FOR

Prescription glasses, sunglasses and even on-the-job industrial safety glasses don't provide adequate protection for sports use. Sports goggles are made in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some are even designed to fit in helmets used for football, hockey and baseball. Sports goggles should allow the use of helmets when the sport calls for it.

Lenses in sports eyewear are usually made of polycarbonate. Since polycarbonate is such an impact-resistant lens material, it works well to protect eyes from fast-moving objects. Polycarbonate lenses also have built-in ultraviolet (UV) protection and are coated to be scratch resistant - valuable properties for outdoor sports.

Polycarbonate is the material of choice for sports lenses, but the eyewear frame plays just as important a role. Different sports require different types of frames, which has led to development of sport-specific frames. Sport frames are constructed of highly impact-resistant plastic or polycarbonate, and most come with rubber padding to cushion the frame where it comes in contact with your head and the bridge of your nose.

Some sports styles are contoured, wrapping slightly around the face. This type of goggle works well for biking, hang-gliding, and sailing. Contact lens wearers especially benefit from the wraparound style, which shields your eyes from wind and dust.

A NOTE ABOUT HANDBALL GOGGLES

At one time, handball goggles for those with no need for vision correction were simply goggles with small openings in place of lenses. It was eventually recognized that the high speed of handballs compressed the ball enough to protrude through the opening and cause serious eye damage. All goggles worn for handball and racquetball should include impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses for adequate protection during these sports.

IMPORTANT FITTING CONSIDERATIONS

Sport goggles must be properly fit to the individual wearer. This is particularly important with children, because there is a temptation to purchase a larger goggle than what is needed today so the youngster has "room to grow." Some growing room is acceptable, since sports goggles are made to be somewhat flexible in their width adjustment. If the frames are oversize, however, they will not protect the way they were designed, leaving a potential for damage when there is impact to the head or the face. It's a risk not worth taking.

By the same token, permitting a youngster to continue wearing goggles that he or she has outgrown can be just as dangerous. First, the frames will be uncomfortable, tempting the child to take them off. Secondly, the frames may obstruct peripheral vision, leading to poor performance with a potential for impact from unseen sources to one side or another. Review the fit of your youngsters' sports eyewear each year to ensure that they are still providing proper protection and are fitting comfortably. Make sure the padding inside the sides of the goggle rests flush with the face and the eyes are centered in the lens area.

For more information on sports eyewear, visit All About Vision®. Article ©2009 Access Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction other than for one-time personal use is strictly prohibited.

SCUBA MASKS AND SWIM GOGGLES

When they're in the water, swimmers and scuba divers who wear eyeglasses or contact lenses could benefit from prescription swim goggles.

These special types of sports eyewear require a prescription that is different from a regular eyeglasses prescription because of the unique characteristics of an underwater environment. Water itself acts as a magnifier, which is why fish in a tank or other underwater objects sometimes appear larger than they actually are. Since light travels and bends differently through water than it does through air, your eye care professional will need to modify your eyeglasses prescription so your underwater sports eyewear gives you the same clear vision your glasses provide on dry land.

Also, depending on the style of diving mask or swim goggles you choose, an adjustment to your prescription may be necessary because the corrective lenses may be positioned closer or farther from your eyes than the normal position of your eyeglass lenses.

SCUBA DIVING MASKS

Prescription lenses for scuba diving masks are available in one of two forms: either the entire front of the mask is a prescription lens, or corrective lenses are inserted separately between the mask and your eyes. If the dive mask comes with prescription lenses, they may be either custom-made for your vision correction needs, or they can come pre-made in a prescription for nearsightedness or farsightedness that is the same for both eyes.

Most people who require corrective lenses have a similar prescription for both eyes, so a dive mask with pre-made lenses will usually provide adequate vision for reading gauges and maneuvering around underwater. Even though pre-made prescription lenses don't correct astigmatism, most people who have astigmatism can function quite well with a spherical (meaning "without astigmatism") correction in the water.

Dive masks made with lenses designed specifically to your measurements and prescription are generally more expensive than their pre-made counterparts.

Some diving masks are designed to allow customized prescription lens inserts to be attached to the inside of the front of the mask. This option provides a more accurate vision correction. But, depending on the depth, temperature and type of water that you're in, fogging may be a bit more problematic with lens inserts.

If you're a contact lens wearer, however, you might benefit from a diving mask that allows prescription lens inserts because they provide the option of wearing or not wearing contacts. If you have the contact lenses in for a dive, there's no need for the prescription insert. If you go diving without your contacts on, you can put the prescription lens inserts in the mask for a clear underwater experience.

Because of the potential risk of contamination of contact lenses underwater, it's generally a better idea to dive and swim without them. Another option is to wear one-day disposable soft contacts, and discard them as soon as you're back on dry land.

SWIM GOGGLES

Swimming goggles are much smaller and fit closer to your eyes than a diving mask. They are designed to protect your eyes from the water and be sleek and unobtrusive at the same time, so as not to interfere with your speed and motion. A rubber or silicone seal surrounds the lenses to keep water away from your eyes.

As with dive masks, swim goggles are available with pre-made prescription lenses that are the same power for both eyes. Because swim goggles generally are used in a pool setting, these pre-made prescription lenses will usually provide adequate vision. However, custom-made prescription swimming goggles are also an option.

For more information on sports eyewear, visit All About Vision®. Article ©2009 Access Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction other than for one-time personal use is strictly prohibited.

SHOOTING GLASSES AND HUNTING EYEWEAR

Hunters and gun enthusiasts require eye protection, whether at a shooting range or in the woods. All firearms have a certain amount of recoil, and many shooting activities take place outdoors, where wind, sun, dust, tree branches and brush all can cause eye injuries.

Pre-made nonprescription sports goggles are usually acceptable if you don't require vision correction or if you wear contact lenses. Most of these goggles have a wraparound style to shield the eyes from wind and dust. However, lens quality can vary in pre-made goggles. Make sure the lenses are made of polycarbonate, which is the most impact-resistant material available.

FRAME FEATURES TO LOOK FOR

If you need prescription lenses in order to focus well, or if you simply want to use the best shooting eyewear available, shooting glasses in styles similar to aviator sunglasses are always popular.

Eyewear designed specifically for shooters, however, has a few more features than the traditional aviator-shaped frame for everyday (or "dress") wear. Most importantly, the frame should be a safety-rated model, with a strong rim to hold the lenses in place. Some styles have a "sweat bar" that runs the width of the frame above the lenses to add more stability to the frame and keep it steady on the face. Others have special padding on the frame around the eyes to cushion the frame against your face in case the gun recoils too far. It also helps to shield your eyes from wind and dust.

The temples of shooting glasses are often designed with spring hinges that allow the frame to flex without breaking when recoil occurs. Also popular are temples that wrap around the ear in the "cable" style to help keep the frame in place.

Adjustable nose pads are a good idea so the frame can be fit in the optimum position, and softer silicone pad materials provide additional comfort.

The frames of shooting glasses are constructed of any number of ophthalmic materials, including titanium and other metals, regular plastic and tough polycarbonate.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT LENSES

Polycarbonate lenses with a scratch-resistant hard coat and built-in ultraviolet protection have been the lenses of choice for shooting glasses for many years. This lens material is highly impact-resistant to provide you with maximum "blow-back" and "bounce-back" protection. Recently, new lens materials have been developed that are also very impact-resistant.

Many nonprescription shooting glasses come with several pairs of interchangeable lenses for use under different lighting conditions. Prescription lenses can be made to order in whatever color you deem most appropriate.

Many shooters are comfortable in lenses that are yellow or orange. Lenses in these hues block haze and blue light and enhance the orange color of the target. The brighter yellow the lens color is, the better it is for use in foggy or low-light conditions.

Alternatively, a light purple color, which is actually a combination of a neutral gray and vermilion, is good for enhancing the orange of the target against a background of tall trees. Vermilion itself is useful to highlight conditions where there is poor background, such as trees, and to enhance the target against the background. Gray is a neutral, or "true," color that lets you see all colors as they are. Gray shooting lenses do not enhance the target, but they are good in bright sunlight.

Polarized shooting lenses can be made in almost any color. Polarized lenses reduce glare from light bouncing off highly reflective surfaces, making them an excellent choice when hunting near bodies of water.

For more information on protective eyewear, visit All About Vision®. Article ©2009 Access Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction other than for one-time personal use is strictly prohibited.

CONTACTS & GLASSES THAT ENHANCE PERFORMANCE

Good vision is critical for nearly every sport. To determine the effect of visual acuity on sports performance, British optometrist Geraint Griffiths and others in 2003 tested the performance of Wimbledon tennis players and UK national clay pigeon shooting champions when their vision was blurred with special goggles. Overall, the tennis players and marksmen showed a 25% worsening of performance when their visual acuity was only slightly blurred by the goggles.

In addition to providing sharp vision, sports eyewear offers a number of additional benefits to help athletes and sports enthusiasts of all ages perform at their highest level:

Protection from impact-related injuries No one can perform at their best during sports if they are worrying about an injury. Compared to regular eyewear, sports eyewear offers a primary benefit of superior impact resistance and eye protection.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, more than 40,000 sports-related eye injuries occur annually in the United States, and approximately one-third of those affected are children.

Experts agree that many if not most of these injuries can be prevented with protective eyewear, such as safety goggles with polycarbonate lenses. Polycarbonate lenses are up to 10 times more impact-resistant than regular eyeglass lenses and can withstand impact from a ball or other projectile traveling at up to 90 miles per hour.

Contact lenses alone offer no protection from sports-related eye injuries, and regular eyeglasses designed for everyday wear are not strong enough nor are they designed to offer adequate eye protection during sports.

While safety eyewear should be considered for every activity that has the potential for eye injury, it is essential for the following sports: baseball, softball, basketball, hockey, football, handball, racquetball, squash, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming and pool sports, fishing, tennis and volleyball. Paintball "war games" are another activity for which safety eyewear is a must.

PROTECTION FROM UV

Another danger during outdoor sports, even in winter, is ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Excessive exposure to UV rays has been associated with eye diseases such as cataracts and ocular tumors. You can also get a "sunburn" on your eye - called photokeratitis - which is very painful and can cause long-term damage to the cornea (the clear front surface of the eye).

Skiers should always wear tinted goggles or sports sunglasses that block 100% of the sun's UV rays, since these harmful rays are stronger at higher altitudes. UV also bounces off snow (even on cloudy days) to increase one's exposure. Anyone participating in outdoor water sports also needs UV protection, since UV rays reflect off bodies of water.

Some contact lenses offer UV protection. However, since contacts cover only the center part of your eye and can't do anything for uncovered areas, you should still wear UV-blocking sunglasses, preferably with a close-fitting, wraparound style. Wide-brimmed hats are also helpful to reduce exposure of your eyes and face to UV rays.

COLOR ENHANCEMENT

In some lighting conditions, "keeping your eye on the ball" is not as easy as it sounds. Sports eyewear with special tints can help. Amber-colored "shooting glasses" are popular with hunters because they increase the contrast of birds, clay pigeons, etc. against an overcast sky. In recent years, several eyeglass lens manufacturers have created special tints for sports sunglasses that improve visibility in a wide variety of indoor and outdoor lighting conditions. Your eye doctor or professional optician can show you samples of these lenses and help you decide which tints are best suited for your needs.

LIGHT CONTROL

Polarized sports sunglasses reduce glare from reflective surfaces, making them extremely beneficial for fishing and other water sports. They can also reduce glare from sunlight reflecting off a sandy beach or light-colored pavement, such as an outdoor basketball court.

Anti-reflective (AR) coating is another glare reducer. AR-coated sports glasses reduce lens reflections at night if you're playing under bright lights. AR coating is also a good idea for the back surface of sport sunglasses. It reduces glare from "bounce-back" reflections that occur when sunlight hits the back of your lenses.

Photochromic lenses are another way to control light for optimum visibility and performance. These lenses darken automatically outdoors in response to UV rays from the sun. They reduce the intensity of light reaching your eyes to a more comfortable level, and provide 100% UV protection at the same time.

CONVENIENCE AND COMFORT

Many people choose to wear contact lenses for sports, even if they prefer eyeglasses at work and for other daily activities. Contact lenses offer unobstructed peripheral vision and more natural-appearing vision, with no unwanted changes in image sizes that eyeglasses can sometimes produce.

One-day disposable soft contact lenses are an excellent option for sports, because they don't require cleaning. You wear them just once, and then throw them away. This makes them especially attractive to someone who normally wears eyeglasses.

And because they are made of a soft, oxygen-permeable material, one-day soft lenses require little or no adaptation. So even if you haven't worn contact lenses for a week or longer, you can usually wear a pair of one-day disposable lenses comfortably for a full day of sports or other activities.

Remember, though contacts offer visual and other advantages over glasses for sports (you don't have to worry about them fogging up or falling off when you're perspiring, for example), you still need to wear protective eyewear over contact lenses to protect your eyes from injuries and/or UV damage.

For more information on protective eyewear, visit All About Vision®. Article ©2009 Access Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction other than for one-time personal use is strictly prohibited.

TRANSITIONS LENSES ARE FOR EVERYBODY.

Innovative photochromic technology offers unparalleled lens performance in nearly every lens design and material available today; including shatter-resistant lenses, bifocals, trifocals, progressives, and standard and high index materials. All this, plus the benefits of 100% UVA and UVB protection, glare reduction, and everyday high performance, makes Transitions lenses the #1 recommended photochromic lens worldwide!

So no matter where you live or what you do—day in and day out—Transitions lenses are the ideal everyday prescription eyeglasses for children, adults, and patients with special eye care needs.

HEALTHY SIGHT IN EVERY LIGHT.

• Automatic UV protection and glare control that's convenient and effortless
• Virtually as clear as regular, hard-coated clear lenses indoors
• Even clearer with an anti-reflective coating
• As dark as most sunglasses outside in bright light
• Fast to activate
• Fast to fade back
• Block 100% of the sun's eye-damaging UV rays
• Reduce painful, discomforting glare
• Reduce eye fatigue
• Improve contrast
Offer the right tint at the right time in changing light

SEEK 100% UV PROTECTION, AND CONSIDER A SECOND PAIR.

Research shows that only 13% of people associate extended exposure to the sun with damage to their eyes—as compared to 70% who recognize the danger to their skin. Make sure you select photochromic lenses that block 100% of harmful UV rays for your eyes, an important factor when considering eye health and healthy sight as a vital part of a lens purchase. See if Transition Lenses are right for you.

Special thanks to the EyeGlass Guide, for informational material that aided in the creation of this website. Visit the EyeGlass Guide today!

ORIGINAL TRANSITIONS LENSES

Original Transitions lenses are designed to meet the needs of the majority of those who appreciate the value of eyewear offering adaptive lens technology. With the widest variety of lens designs and materials to choose from, original Transitions lenses quickly adapt between indoor and outdoor conditions, offering a distinct advantage over ordinary clear lenses.

• Changes from clear indoors to dark outdoors
• Clear as an ordinary clear lens indoors and at night
• Blocks 100% of the sun's harmful UVA & UVB rays
• Available in Gray or Brown
• Compatible with leading frame brands and styles

Special thanks to the EyeGlass Guide, for informational material that aided in the creation of this website. Visit the EyeGlass Guide today!

TRANSITIONS XTRACTIVE

If you spend more of your day outdoors than indoors or enjoy a lens with a slight tint indoors, then Transitions® XTRActive™ lenses may be right for you. Transitions XTRActive lenses are the darkest everyday photochromic lens--even in warm weather—and have a moderate tint behind the windshield.

• Lenses change from light tint indoors to very dark outdoors
• Designed for those who spend most of their day outdoors
• The darkest everyday Transitions lens available - even in warm weather
• Moderate tint behind the windshield
• Blocks 100% of the sun's harmful UVA & UVB rays
• Available for most frames and with non-glare treatments.

Special thanks to the EyeGlass Guide, for informational material that aided in the creation of this website. Visit the EyeGlass Guide today!

TRANSITION SOLFX SUNWEAR PRODUCTS

Transitions SOLFX sun lenses are high-performance sunwear specifically designed for outdoor use. Traditional sunwear remains the same level of darkness regardless of the level of sunlight. This is why in certain situations some sunglasses can seem too dark, while other situations the same pair may not seem dark enough.

Transitions SOLFX sun lenses self-adjust, changing the level of darkness with the changing amount of sunlight so you can see better, look great and perform at your best.

• Sun lenses that adjust from dark to darker depending on the sun
• Offers a variety of colors and tint ranges by outdoor need
• Multiple unique product offerings designed for specific outdoor activities.
• Blocks 100% of sun's harmful UVA & UVB rays.
• Compatible with many frame brands and styles to create custom look.
• Available in prescription and non-prescription.

Special thanks to the EyeGlass Guide, for informational material that aided in the creation of this website. Visit the EyeGlass Guide today!