Lens options at Seventeen The Opticians 

Single Vision

These are a one-power lens designed to give one accurate focus, i.e. for distance, computer or reading. For many this is all that is required until over 40 years old when age plays a part in the eyes depth of focus abilities. For example having just a set reading lens would be frustrating in a lecture or meeting environment. Hence for convenience the bifocal was introduced.

Bifocal

These are a two-power lens designed for 2 focus distances . Generally it is for distance/reading use i.e. for that meeting at work, however any focus can be selected. For the computer, depending on the person’s age a middle distance/reading bifocal is often used to prioritise the depth of focus problems associated with different working distance on a desk-computer environment. For some there is a need to have their distance vision clear in the top of the frame, thus the trifocal was invented.

Varifocal

Varifocals also called no-line bifocals have been with us now since 1959.They have replaced bifocals for most people. Varifocals have three main areas of vision blended into one. Wheras bifocals are like steps then varifocals are like a slide which allows us to see at all distances easily. There are many different types of varifocals and we will be glad to help you to decide which one is suitable for you.

Occupational Specials

These have a desk priority set up with far greater emphasise on widening the intermediate/reading fields. Some brands depending on the frame size selected even have a distance window in the top area of the lens for walking around the office. However it must be realized that nothing is 100% perfect and this lens is not designed for walking outside or driving.

Thinner and lighter lenses

Today there are many different types of thin and light lenses. Generally the thinner the lenses the more they cost. As the high index materials can loose up to 15-20% of the light off the surfaces, most thinner lenses come with an anti-reflection coating and 100% UV protection as standard.
Due to increased technology and research in the high index plastic lenses, the days of high power prescriptions only being made in hi index glass is now almost a thing of high power prescriptions only being made in hi index glass is now almost a thing of the past.
Considering that standard plastic lenses are 50% lighter than glass and safer, all but the really high power prescription lenses can utilise the new thin plastics for their incredible lightweight characteristics for general comfort on the nose and safety.

The obvious benefits are:
*Comfort- they are so light that you can say good-bye to those large indentations on your nose
*Plastic lenses can be made approximately 50% thinner and 40% lighter than standard plastic lenses.
*The overall appearance of the frames and lenses is greatly improved due to the frame being more of a feature than the lenses, especially when most come standard with an anti reflection coating.
• As the material is thinner and flatter, there is less magnification to a plus lens and a reduction in the “gold fish bowl” effect. A result that certainly attributes to giving your eyes a more natural appearance.
• A far safer option to glass. They are not necessarily unbreakable, but to do so is very unlikely. Hence, for people with only good vision in one eye, it seems only natural to better protect that eye in case a freak accident happens. 
•


Here is a list of the main lens materials available today. The higher the refractive index the thinner the lenses will be. In plastics the weight generally gets lighter, whereas in glass the material is denser and therefore heavier.

Glass (standard minerals=1.523) then 1.7, 1.8, 1.9 
Plastic (standard CR39=1.5) Then : 1.55, 1.6, 1.67, 1.71, 1.74

The right lens material for you depends a lot on the prescription, frame size, frame type and pupil distance (P.D =the distance between your eyes).

Generally:
For short sightedness (-ve power lenses) – the bigger the frame the thicker the lenses at the edge . Hence, small frames cut away more unwanted lens thickness resulting in far thinner lens edge. 
For long sightedness (+ve power lenses)- the bigger the frame the thinner a lens can be made for you. If however you use a standard stock lens, the thickness at the center can be quite noticeable, the reason for having the lens surfaced for you to minimum thickness

Anti reflection coatings

Are designed to reduce the light lost by reflection off the front and back of a lens. The result, depending on the lens material, is an improvement in vision of approximately 8-12% as this is the extra amount of the light your eyes receive through the lenses. Other benefits are:

- Improved cosmetic appearance –better eye-to-eye contact with other people as attention is taken away from the reflections on the lenses. Also lenses look less thick and bulbous (curved) purely because they are less obvious.
- -Safer Vision – due to a reduction in distracting back reflections a lot of annoying ghosts images/shadows movements are eliminated making the wearers vision seem far more natural. i.e. those annoying eyelash shadow movements disappear. Anti-reflection coatings are especially useful with driving at night due to the reduction in dazzle from car headlights and streetlights. They are also helpful in computer/ offices environments with all the lighting and VDU’s. Also when indoors. Especially if there is poor light, the contrast on paper is improved dramatically when reading. 
- More comfortable vision- Reduced eyestrain and headaches- There are two forms of glare, brightness and reflective. Anti-reflection lenses in contradiction to light sensitive eyes can be benefit. They make you see brighter and clearer but at the same time reduces the annoying glare off the back of the lenses which to many is one of the main reasons for eye fatigue and headaches (other than the lens type or prescription). A tint needs to be applied before this coating is done for those that have a more serious problem with sensitivity.


Tints

Spectacles are normally clear or photochromic (transition). Tints can be used for cosmetic purposes, specific environments or sensitive eyes to help reduce the glare.

• Pale tints (cosmetic) take out a hint of brightness. Often done to complement your natural colouring or give that fun and creative fashion appeal. Also the lens edge takes on the colour tint to reduce the white edge of a lens, particularly useful in rimless frames. The tints are still safe for night driving as they only block a small portion of the available light (5-10%).
• Dark Tints- A lot of people do not realise the importance of prescription sunglasses (65-85% absorption of light). Too often we hear of spectacle wearers putting on their “normal sunglasses to drive on a sunny day at the sacrifice of their vision and safety.

The tints can be any colour and darkness, although generally, for a prescription wearer you don’t want the tint too dark, as you cannot just take them off while driving through a tunnel.

*Generally brown, when looking through it, is chosen for its “warming” effect and added contrast on overcast days, particularly useful for driving and as all year round sun protection.
*Grey has a more neutral effect that is more “cooling” in hot climates.

Everyone has their own opinion on what colour they like to look through and how dark it is. You are always best to ask your optician for a few examples to try and enquire about polarised lenses for an even better quality and comfortable vision.

100% UV tints – generally anyone wearing clear plastic lenses (not if clear glass) is better protected from harsh UV rays from the sun compared to those without any glasses on. For those that like 100% protection a special UV inhibiter tint can be put in your lenses if the material doesn’t have it inbuilt already.

Polarised lenses

There are two types of glare, brightness glare that is controlled by the absorption level of the tint, and reflective-shiny glare off surfaces, which can be controlled by polarised lenses that are 100% UV and available in single vision, photochromic, bifocal and progressive type lenses.

For example, the uncomfortable glare off wet roads when the sun comes out and reflected glare from car windscreens can be eliminated making driving a real pleasure. Also, for fishing the glare or glistening off the water can be eliminated making seeing through the water to see the fish much easier and far more restful on the eyes.
There are 2 colours generally available, grey and brown.

Photochromic - Transition Lenses

Spectacles are normally clear or photochromic (transition). Tints can be used for cosmetic purposes, specific environments or sensitive eyes to help reduce the glare.

• Pale tints (cosmetic) take out a hint of brightness. Often done to complement your natural colouring or give that fun and creative fashion appeal. Also the lens edge takes on the colour tint to reduce the white edge of a lens, particularly useful in rimless frames. The tints are still safe for night driving as they only block a small portion of the available light (5-10%).
• Dark Tints- A lot of people do not realise the importance of prescription sunglasses (65-85% absorption of light). Too often we hear of spectacle wearers putting on their “normal sunglasses to drive on a sunny day at the sacrifice of their vision and safety.

The tints can be any colour and darkness, although generally, for a prescription wearer you don’t want the tint too dark, as you cannot just take them off while driving through a tunnel.

*Generally brown, when looking through it, is chosen for its “warming” effect and added contrast on overcast days, particularly useful for driving and as all year round sun protection.
*Grey has a more neutral effect that is more “cooling” in hot climates.

Everyone has their own opinion on what colour they like to look through and how dark it is. You are always best to ask your optician for a few examples to try and enquire about polarised lenses for an even better quality and comfortable vision.

100% UV tints – generally anyone wearing clear plastic lenses (not if clear glass) is better protected from harsh UV rays from the sun compared to those without any glasses on. For those that like 100% protection a special UV inhibiter tint can be put in your lenses if the material doesn’t have it inbuilt already.

Children’s Eyewear at Seventeen The Opticians

CHILDREN

They only have one pair of eyes

Poor vision can hinder a child’s development. And failure to spot and deal with any inadequacy in young eyes can often lead to even bigger difficulties in later life. So it’s vital that children are taken for regular eye checks.

All newborn babies should be screened before they leave hospital to ensure that their eyes are working properly. The Health Visitor then carries out a 39 month assessment and their excellent work is a major source of prompt referral to optometrists for more detailed investigations.

All children should have a full eye examination before they go to primary school, and regularly thereafter. Research has shown that the development of a child’s visual ‘system’ is largely complete by the age of 8, after which age there is little scope for improvement in lazy eyes. So, the earlier treatment is started, the better the possible results.

Remember that all children’s eye examinations are paid for by the NHS and all of our optometrists will be delighted to look at your child’s eyes, no matter how young the child is.

CHILDREN’S STYLES

Children’s frames

For the child, there is nothing scary about having an eye examination. And if glasses are ever needed, you’ll find they are a lot funkier than they used to be. Good quality plastic or metal frames are ideal and flexible hinges are a very good idea. And, for our tougher customers, Flexon® frames are the ideal solution.

CONTACT LENSES

Contact lenses for children

Contact lenses can do wonders for a child’s self esteem and can be a safer option than glasses for recreational use and for the smaller athlete! If you feel your child would benefit from contact lenses our experienced optometrists will be happy to discuss the options with you.

NHS EYE EXAMINATION

Free NHS Eye Examinations for children

Children up to the age of 16 (or 19, if they’re in full-time education) are entitled to free eye tests under the NHS. If they need glasses or contact lenses, you’re also entitled to a voucher to use towards the cost.

Whatever eyewear your child needs, involve them in the choosing process. You may think that sober, neutral frames will be best for school and the like, but if they really, really want those pink frames, why not say yes? At least they are likely to be worn more readily!

CHILDREN’S EYE CARE

What you can do to look after your children’s eyes

There are three ways you can help keep your children’s eyes healthy:

        Take breaks when looking at a computer screen. Some problems are caused by bad positioning of the screen, or the keyboard, or the chair, or sometimes all three. But most often there’s too much light bouncing off the screen, which starts to hurt the eyes, without it being noticed. So encourage your child to take short breaks every so often. At the very least, look away from the screen every hour or so and focus the eyes on objects that are close and then far away.

        Protect the eyes from UV light. When it’s sunny, there’s a lot of ultraviolet light about, and it can damage the retina. So do whatever you can to make kids wear a hat and/or some cool sunglasses! But make sure that the sunglasses have the CE mark: it means they conform to safety and quality standards set by the European Union and will block out harmful UV light.

Eat the right kinds of food. You will have heard about carrots helping you to see in the dark! Well, that’s not exactly right, but we do know that fruits and vegetables, particularly dark coloured ones, are very good for the eyes. That’s because they contain lutein or zeaxanthin which help the eyes to stay healthy into older age. Especially good choices for kids are kiwi fruit, grapes, oranges, mango, papaya, peaches, sweetcorn and every child’s favourites: spinach, broccoli and Brussels sprouts!

About La Loop

La Loop is available at Seventeen The Opticians

In 1999, businesswoman, Debbie Zoullas, became so fed up with misplacing her eyeglasses and sunglasses-at home, in the office, on the go-that she finally decided to do something about it. Putting her career in finance (Morgan Stanley, Sotheby’s Holdings) on hold, she created the model for a hinged loop that could attach to a necklace and hold her glasses in place. This innovative piece of technology was soon granted US patent #5.893.198 and la LOOP, an exciting new accessories business was born. 

Next Zoullas created a partnership with Elizabeth Faraut, whose background in product development and marketing (Guerlain, Guess Jeans) help set the tone for stylish and elegant seasonal collections of la LOOP necklaces that integrated the highest quality materials with international fashion trends. 

In a remarkably short period of time, not only did la LOOP become the premier accessory in the eyewear industry, but it also attained cult status among the thousands of devoted customers, collectors and celebrities who discovered la LOOP around the world. Now available in over 500 high-end stores throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and the United States, la LOOP also attracted the attention of the international press, including Vogue, Elle, InStyle, The New York Times, London Times, Le Figaro, to name a few. 

With the extraordinary, rapid success of la LOOP, the design, manufacturing and distribution partnership of Zoullas and Faraut became firmly established which intensified their mission to provide creative solutions to everyday problems with products of high quality and sophisticated styling. From the outset, they believed that a vast marketplace of overextended and style-conscious professionals, parents, students and homemakers, was not being addressed with modern accessories that both served a function and looked great on. Into this mix, two other product launches in the past year have attracted great attention and extended sales further. 

SportLOOP, an over-the-head, stretch-cord and molded-plastic, colorful, washable and fun version of la LOOP was the hit of the summer with the trendy, active crowd. 

La LEASH was created to keep the obvious list of other necessities always within reach, most notably the cell phone, but also iPOD, pen, keys, ID, MetroCard and more. Designed with Italian leather cord and a Sterling Silver clasp, la LEASH is also available with attachable pochettes, iPOD holders with more attachments to come… 

Everything about us is really about providing you with just the right tools for the modern-day life of ease and style

Heidi Klum in La Loop

Rod Stewart in La Loop

Demi Moore in La Loop

Award winning Mykita, Gotti and Paul Frank available at Seventeen The Opticians.

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Award winning Mykita, Gotti and Paul Frank available at Seventeen The Opticians.