The eyeglasses are advanced technology that are made with a thin layer of liquid crystals that are positioned between two plastic layers.  The eyeglasses are powered by a rechargeable battery that within a blink of an eye alters the focal power.  The breakthrough is revolutionary as wearers are able to switch between different prescriptions.

PixieOptics will be sold for about $1,000 to $1,200.  PixieOptics estimates that the glasses will be nationwide by the end of the year.

Many parents have found that shopping online for their children’s eyewear not only saves time and money, but that they have an equally satisfying shopping experience as they would in a bricks and mortar store.

When shopping online for your child’s eyewear online there are several things to consider to ensure you have the best online shopping experience possible:

Prescription – make sure your child has had a proper eye exam, and that you have an up to date prescription for him or her.

Frames – you’ll need to select from different materials; plastic, metal, etc., as well as different designers, colors, styles, etc.

Type of lens; polycarbonate, high-index or plastic?

Lens treatments; ultraviolet (UV) coating? Anti-reflective coating? Scratch resistant? Tint?

Size and shape of your child’s head and face – consider what will be most comfortable, fit properly, as well as what will look best on your child. Some online sites actually enable you to upload a picture of your child so he or she can ‘model’ different styles of eyewear. Most children will love this part!

Online return policies – make sure you look into the return policy. If the glasses aren’t what you wanted, or expected, for any reason, it’s best to know you can get your money back if necessary.

Research – as with any purchase you make, it’s always a good idea to do some research before buying. Shop around, letting your fingers do the walking. Perhaps some sites are running a sale, or a friend or family member had a good, or bad experience at a particular site.

For many reasons, it’s convenient to purchase your child’s eyewear online. Making sure you’re informed about the many choices available will help you have a good experience, as well as enable you to find the best eyewear for your child. Essentially, shopping online puts you in control, and lets you shop at your leisure. It’s a win-win situation, for you and your children.

Extreme Sports

With all of this in mind there are ways to prevent injuries which is done by using the correct eyewear depending on the sport. For example, with winter sports the athlete will be most protected with goggles. Also consider how helpful contact lenses can be. Although the cold can dry and irritate the athlete’s eyes, they can use both. They also have the option to purchase goggles that are prescribed. Many designs will block out the harsh winds, will not slip off of the athlete, and are available in various tints. Designers have enhanced goggles for snow related sports so that they are resistant to scratches, offer UV protection, and overall allow the athlete to fully participate in extreme sports.

Not only can athletes of winter sports benefit from prescription goggles, but so can the participant of extreme water sports. For example, those who like to participate in water skiing, surfing, and any other water sports that goes beyond your typical boating experience. While regular sunglasses may be ideal for the driver, the athlete holding onto the rope doing flips with a board is going to require something else. Goggles in this case will grip on the athlete and stay in place. They come in various sizes, colors, and shapes so the athlete stays protected, yet is comfortable.

Other Sports

Many athletes of basketball, football, soccer, and baseball can be found wearing eyewear. More and more so, wearing goggles that correct their vision, yet properly protect their eyes. Goggles outdo glasses because of the fact that they are so resilient. They stay put during the activity, look good, and serve multiple purposes. For example, the band on the goggles can act as a sweat band.

Fishermen and hunters will not require goggles simply because they are moving like athletes in extreme sports. They will not require a tight grip to stay in place. Prescription sunglasses would be ideal for these individuals. The sunrays can be blocked with shields and a polycarbonate lens is very durable. It is also lighter in weight and there are difference lens colors available that can help in certain environments.

Those who participate in motor sports may decide upon eyeglasses or goggles. The more extreme, the more likely the athlete will benefit from prescription goggles. For example, while off-roading or riding dirt bikes, goggles will protect the driver from debris. Shatter and scratch resistance goggles will certainly help as well as protect the rider from the sun. For motor sports athletes that sweat a lot, a sweat absorbent foam on the lens will be extremely helpful when it comes to visibility.

Some sports will require goggles to ensure the athlete is as safe as possible, while with other sports, sunglasses are enough. With extreme sports, the potential danger of the sport itself is dangerous enough never mind having to worry about losing eye ware. That is why prescription goggles are the best option.

When you read a book, do you have to hold it further away from yourself in order to focus on the words? Generally people hold a book, or a menu, about a foot away. If you have presbyopia, you need to move the book further away to focus on it, versus bringing it closer. This is because your eye muscles may have lost some of their ability to focus.

Do your eyes feel tired all the time? Are you experiencing a lot of headaches? These are general symptoms that could be caused by a variety of issues, but if you take a break from reading or computer work for a while and it alleviates these symptoms, it’s possible you’re experiencing presbyopia.

Do you frequently drop or spill food from your plate when you’re eating?

Are you unable to see tiny details when you’re drawing, working on crafts, or sewing, or performing other close up work?

Do you find yourself squinting, straining your eyes, or feeling fatigued?

Make an appointment with your optometrist to determine whether you need reading glasses. He or she will perform a series of painless tests to evaluate your vision.

Reading Glasses

If you do need reading glasses, take heart – there are hundreds of colorful, trendy styles from which to choose, online and in stores, and often, they’re relatively inexpensive. Often, people who wear reading glasses own several pairs, keeping a pair at home, at work, in the car, and so on.

In general, reading glasses come in two styles. With full frames, the entire lens contains the reading prescription. With half-eyes, only half of the lens contains the prescription. These are the smaller “Ben Franklin” style glasses. If you spend a lot of time focusing on things close up, full frames may be best for you – but things in the distance will appear blurry, forcing you to remove the glasses to focus. Half eyes allow you to see near and far without having to remove the glasses.

Remember, that while presbyopia is easily corrected, it’s important to continue regular eye appointments. While not common, the inability to focus up close may be a sign there is a serious problem with your eyes. Fortunately, if this is the case, it can be treated if caught in time. For example, glaucoma is a debilitating eye disease that has no initial symptoms, but that can cause blindness if not controlled with medication. Visit your eye doctor today, and take a proactive approach to your health.

Some guidelines for purchasing discount sunglasses:

• To protect your eyes, sunglasses should block 99 to 100 percent of UV rays. You may also see this as “absorbing UV rays up to 400nm”.Nanometers, or ‘nm’ is a measure of all visible light and ultraviolet (UV) light.
• Don’t settle for cheap quality sunglasses. The frames should be comfortable, the hinges should move easily, and the lenses shouldn’t distort your vision.
• Check for scratched lenses, twisted frames, or other damage before you buy anything.

Where you can find discount sunglasses:

• You’ll find discount sunglasses at brick and mortar stores, as well as online.
• Discount and closeout stores can be a great place for you to find discount sunglasses. These stores, and consumers, benefit from overstocks and sometimes discontinued lines. Here, you may find brand names at a much cheaper price.
• Big name retailers generally have sunglasses for sale at reasonable prices, which may be even lower during a sale. You may be able to find a good deal on sunglasses at department stores as well, especially during a sale.
• Online, you can find hundreds of sites selling discount sunglasses.
• Of course, we encourage you to visit our online store – eyeglassexpress4less.com and check our collection of sunglasses.

How you can find the best deals:

• In general, one of the best times to buy a pair of discount sunglasses is towards the end of the season, or mid-summer. You may be able to find marked down inventory.
• Consider signing up for email alerts for sales. Often, as a preferred customer, you may also receive promotions, coupons or codes via email, or regular mail.
• Another great way to be in the know about discount sunglasses is to sign up for bargain forums such as Fishing For Deals. In forums such as these, members share information about the bargains they’ve found, many of which are unadvertised.
• Buying replica sunglasses is another way to get a good deal on sunglasses. Replica sunglasses are found mainly online, so make sure the retailer is reputable and that you are buying a quality product. Do some research – read reviews, as well as the return policy.

Happy shopping!

Lenses were originally made from glass. However, since these can break more easily than other materials, they have to be manufactured to meet certain safety standards. Glass tends to be less desirable, as the thickness of the lens increases with the strength of the prescription, making the lens heavier and less attractive.

Today, the majority of lenses are made from plastic. Not only are they flexible and light weight, they are less likely to shatter than glass. In addition, high-index plastic lenses are thinner and flatter than conventional plastic lenses and are a good choice for people with strong prescriptions, as they reduce the thickness of the lens necessary for strong prescriptions.

Polycarbonate lenses are lighter than regular plastic ones, are impact-resistant and are considered the safest lens material. For people who participate in sports, this type of lens is considered the best choice.

Scratch resistant lenses are covered in a protective coating, and are an excellent option for children and adults alike.

Anti-reflective lenses help reduce glare and reflections. They are coated with a substance that allows light to pass through, alleviating glare and reducing eyestrain. High definition lenses, available in free form and wavefront formats, also help to minimize glare. Both types can be beneficial when driving.

Photochromatic lenses, otherwise known as transition lenses, darken when exposed to sunlight and lighten indoors. These lenses eliminate the need for separate sunglasses and offer UV protection from the sun, which can cause retinal damage, macular degeneration and photokeratitis, which is a sunburn of the eye.

In addition to the types of materials from which lenses are made, there are a multitude of lenses designed for specific eye conditions.

Myopia, or nearsightedness, means you can see up close, but not far away. Corrective lenses for myopia are thinner in the center, thicker at the edges and concave to bend light so it reaches further back into the eye to attain the retina.

Hyperopia, or farsightedness, means you can see far away, but not up close. Corrective lenses for hyperopia are thicker in the center, thinner at the edges and are convex to bend light to reach forward into the eye to attain the retina.

Astigmatism causes blurred vision as a result of an irregularly shaped cornea. This is a very common condition. Corrective lenses for astigmatism alter the way light enters the eye.

People can obtain reading glasses with or without a prescription. These glasses contain single-vision lenses that improve near vision for farsighted people or those with presbyopia, which is a progressive condition associated with aging.

Multi-focal lenses provide distance and near vision correction without the need for two different pairs of eyeglasses. There are bi-focal lenses, which correct distance vision on the upper portion, and near vision on the lower. A tri-focal lens has an additional intermediate distance correction directly above the near vision correction. Some multi-focals have noticeable lines dividing each area of correction. With progressive lenses, the lines are nearly invisible, and the distance and near corrections are blended in a gradual progression.

First, good vision is a precious gift. Getting regular eye exams is one of the best ways to protect that gift, and take a proactive approach to your overall health and well-being.

According to The Vision Council, approximately 12 million Americans have an uncorrected vision problem! In addition, an eye exam can often detect the beginnings of many health conditions, including cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and serious vision problems, many of which have no warning signs. Left untreated, these problems can cause permanent vision loss.

If you haven’t had an eye exam for a while, here’s what you can expect during a routine exam.

Your eye doctor will ask about your medical history. This includes your health, your family’s health, the medications you take, and other information about your vision.

Your eye doctor will then perform a series of tests to examine all parts of your eyes, both internal and external. That includes examining the retina, optic nerve, muscles, cornea, blood vessels, pupils, lens, iris, conjunctiva, eyelids and eyelashes. Often, your eye doctor will want to dilate your eyes. This test – which many people find unpleasant, because of the resulting sensitivity to light – consists of the eye doctor putting special drops in the eyes which enlarge the pupils, making them easier to examine. The good news is your pupils will be back to normal in just a few hours.

When the eye doctor asks you to read an eye chart at a distance, this enables him or her to measure your ability to see clearly and focus, and helps the eye doctor know if you need eyeglasses or contacts.

When the exam is over, the eye doctor will make a final evaluation of your overall eye health, and work with you to determine a treatment plan, if one is necessary. If you need corrective lenses, you can discuss contacts, eyeglasses, or other options, such as Lasik surgery at this time.

People of all ages should seriously consider getting an annual eye exam. Not only is it a proactive approach to your overall good health, the way we live today affects our vision. For example, in today’s technology driven society, millions of people suffer from computer eye strain. In addition, workplace eye injuries are all too common. And, every time we are outside, we expose our eyes to ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Fortunately, scores of good eye doctors are readily accessible in cities all over the country. Contact one today.