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Optical Department |
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Our Optical
Department
Purchasing a quality
pair of glasses is not an easy decision. With current technology,
the options are seemingly endless. That's where we can help.
Tallahassee Eye Center offers a full service optical
dispensary with a wide variety of high-quality frames to choose
from. In addition, we offer all the latest lens material and lens
options, including high index plastic, anti-reflective coating,
photochromics (Transitions), computer lenses, and the most
technologically advanced progressive lenses available. Our opticians
will consider your eyeglass prescription, occupation, and
recreational activities in order to help determine which options
will best suit your needs.
Thinner and Lighter (High Index) Lenses
High index lenses are lighter in weight and thinner than traditional plastic lenses. The benefit is that if you have a strong prescription, you are no longer forced into "Coke-bottle" lenses. Just about everyone can get attractive eyeglass lenses that complement their appearance rather than detract from it.
High index lenses are usually classified by their "index of refraction". Generally, the higher the number, the thinner and lighter the lenses will be. Popular materials are the 1.60, the 1.66, and the 1.71. The 1.71 is the thinnest material currently on the market and is most appropriate for moderate to high amounts of nearsightedness or farsightedness.
Polycarbonate lenses are another form of high index lenses. Although not nearly as thin as traditional high index lenses, they offer the added advantage of impact resistance and are therefore an obvious choice for children.
Anti-reflective Coatings
No matter what type of lens, glass, plastic, polycarbonate, or Hi-index, all lenses benefit from an anti-reflective coating (AR). Anti-reflective coating is a hard coating applied to both sides of a lens to help eliminate annoying reflections, such as those caused from computer monitors or oncoming car headlights when driving. The AR coating makes a lens clearer for the wearer to look through, and also clearer for others to see an individual's eyes. The AR coating also serves as an additional scratch resistant coating.
Transition Lenses
In addition to lens material and AR coatings,
other options available include tints for sunglasses or Transitions®
lenses. Transitions lenses darken in the sunlight and lighten
indoors. This is a plastic lenses that is also available in
polycarbonate or hi-index material, with either a gray or brown
tint.
Multifocal Progressive
Lenses
Noticed that your arms
are “getting shorter” lately? Not quite excited about the idea of
wearing reading glasses or lined bifocals? No need to panic –
progressive addition lenses are a great solution.
Progressives, also known as “no-line bifocals” are the most popular way to compensate for the loss of focusing power that occurs in nearly everyone after the age of 40. Until recently, patients over 40 did not have many options to choose from. The choice was limited to lined bifocals, trifocals, or two pairs of glasses – one for distance and one for near. With standard lined bifocals, the lenses have two distinct focusing ranges – the top part for distance and the bottom part for near. Bifocals do not a have an area for intermediate (computer) viewing. To get the intermediate area clear, a trifocal would be needed, adding yet another line. Also, with lined bifocals and trifocals, the prescription changes suddenly when moving from the distance to near portions of the lenses. Fortunately, we now have over 150 brands of progressives, which have eliminated many of the visual annoyances that occur after age 40.
Progressives combine the distance, intermediate, and near prescriptions into a single pair of lenses. The smooth transition between prescriptions provides the most comfortable and natural vision possible. As you look straight ahead through the lenses, the distance vision will be clear. As you look very slightly down, the intermediate (computer) distance becomes clear, and as you continue to shift your gaze down, the reading distance becomes clear. And the best part? NO LINES! Progressive lenses look identical to single vision (non-bifocal) lenses so no one needs to know that you are wearing “bifocals”.
Computer and Desktop
Lenses
These days, people are
spending more time in front of a computer screen than ever before.
Sometimes, bifocal wearers who do a large amount of computer work
may discover that a lined or a no-lined bifocal does not work very
comfortably. For these individuals, an occupational lens, or a lens
designed specifically for computer work, may be the best option. One
of the newest lenses, the Tact, offers exceptionally wide
intermediate (arm's-length) and near zones with little or no
peripheral distortion.