What to Expect During An Eye Exam

During a routine eye exam, you’ll receive a range of comprehensive tests in order to make sure that your eyes are healthy and working properly. In addition to that, your doctor will also evaluate your current prescription for vision correction and make sure that it is still working for you. If you haven’t had your eyes examined in a while, or just want to know more, here is what you can expect to experience during an eye exam:

1) A check of your overall eye health

Usually, your doctor will start an exam by asking you some questions about your current health. In particular, they’ll want to know about any vision issues you might be experiencing. If you are having trouble seeing far away or up close, or your eyes are prone to redness or dryness, they’ll want to know about that right away. From there, they’ll use different instruments to look into your eyes. Some machines use light to allow us to see more clearly into your eye. Other equipment contains microscopes so that they can magnify different parts of your eyeball, ensuring accurate diagnoses.

2) A  check of your vision

Next, your doctor will check your vision without your corrective lenses, and then with your corrective lenses on if you need them. They’ll want to evaluate how well you see with and without your vision correction. They might have you read a letter chart, or read words as a way to ensure your vision is tested accurately.

3) A  check of your eye coordination and movements

After that, your eye doctor will  make sure your eyes are working together properly and that your eye muscles are balanced. Staring at screens, as most of us do all day, can throw your eye muscles off balance so it is important to do this check. This coordinate is evaluated through different tests where you answer questions about what you see on a screen, board or chart.

If you have a more specific eye issue, or you’re over a certain age, you might need more specific tests like a glaucoma test. For most examinations your eyes don’t need to be dilated- only if a better look inside of your eye is needed. Eye exams are painless and easy, and an important part of your routine health care! Make sure you get your eyes examined every year for optimal health. 

If you’ve received your new prescription and would like a stylish pair of new glasses to match, we are here! Contact the Optical Shop at Westport at (203) 222-7870 or OpticalShopofWestport@gmail.com to make your appointment.

3 Tell-Tale Signs That It’s Time for New Glasses

If you’ve worn the same pair of glasses everyday for years, you have probably become very attached to them. As far as you’re concerned, they are a part of your face and a quintessential reflection of your personal style. However, you’ve been noticing your vision isn’t quite as good as it used to be, and you’re wondering if it’s time to make a switch. Here are a few signs that it’s time to replace your glasses:

1.You are having problems with your vision

This sounds like the most obvious reason, but it’s incredibly important. Not all vision changes are sudden; they can happen slowly over time, making them harder to notice. If you find yourself increasing the font size on your devices, having difficulty driving at night, or if you’re squinting more often than you used to, you might need new glasses. Headaches are also a common sign that your prescription isn’t working for you anymore, as your brain and eye muscles are working overtime to help you see. If this is happening to you, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor ASAP.

2. Your frames are older and worn out

If you’ve had your frames for several years, they might be intact and work just fine, but the effects of everyday wear and tear on your glasses can build up over time. If you find yourself having to clean your lenses more often, the lens coating on them might be breaking down, making it harder to keep them smudge free. While these small scratches and smudges might not present a big problem, they can still affect how you see through your glasses. If this describes your glasses, it might be time to explore getting a new pair.

3. It’s just time for an update!

Sometimes, you don’t have a big reason to get new glasses- you just simply want to get a new pair! Eyeglass manufacturers are constantly developing new technology to improve the experience of the wearer and provide further eye protection. Plus, like every other accessory, fashion trends for glasses change all the time, so a new pair could enhance your personal style and your entire look overall!

If you think it’s time to get new glasses, we would love to help you pick the perfect pair! Contact the Optical Shop at Westport at (203) 222-7870 or OpticalShopofWestport@gmail.com to make your appointment.

5 Sunglass Styles You need for Fall 2021

Summer may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean the sun is going to disappear! It’s just as important to protect your eyes in the other three seasons, from both UV rays, and from having to squint all the time (hello, wrinkles!).

With fall on the way, what style sunnies will fit best with pumpkin picking, cider tasting, corn mazes and strolls in crisp air?

Try some of these classic styles on for size…

1. The Cat Eye

Cat Eye sunnies are basically a timeless, forever look. Bright colored frames and narrower lenses, make this staple style fresh for this year.

2. Round and Retro

These specs are always a sight to behold. Reminiscent of the Beetles, these retro style frames never seem to go out of style. Funky colored lenses can bring these into this decade, and put a modern spin on this classic.

3. Chunky and Funky

Chunky rectangular frames are a fab find for this year! Modernize them by choosing a fun color frame, or a minimalistic neutral that can pair with any outfit. Let your personality pop by dressing these up any way you like!

4. The Classic Aviator

Ahhh hello Tom Cruise in Top Gun. You may not be flying anywhere except a commercial jet to a warmer place this fall, but these classics just never seem to soar out of style. They look amazingly flattering on almost any face shape, and you can modernize these beauties with subtly colored lenses for a light pop of flare.

5. Sporty

Ski goggle vibe anyone? This year, we’ve seen super sporty sunnies gracing faces. Even if you have the athletic ability of a snail, you can still rock this trend. These sleek, sporty frames can feature fun lenses, crazy colors, and of course, will acutally work wonderfully for sports of all types as well, from tennis to running.

There we have it, 5 sunglass styles you NEED for fall 2021. Its a guarantee you’ll find something that suits your personality and personal tastes, (and who says you can only get one pair/style?!)

We stock all of the frame styles listed here, and we’d love to help you find your next pair of sunnies! 

To inquire, check our homepage for the hours we are open and come stop by! Or, email us at opticalshopofwestport@gmail.com to schedule an appointment with Margharet.

Blue Light Glasses: A Necessity in a Remote Work World

With the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions slowly easing back, many people who realized the practicality and freedom of working from home, are continuing to remain in positions that let them do just that.

While our commute times may have gotten shorter (as in, from the bedroom to the home office), the time spent in front of our computers has not.

It can be tricky to know when to shut it down, and step away from electronics for the day.  With a more heavily blurred line between work and play, and sometimes working odd hours around kids and family, we might be looking at a screen later than we should, resulting in a harder time getting to sleep, and trouble with headaches and vision due to blue light.

What’s a work at home aficionado to do?

Invest in a pair of blue light glasses of course! Not being able to step out of the confines of home for the last year might have had you putting off a visit to your optometrist to look into a pair of these lifesavers. However, with remote work not nearly over and probably here to stay, being as comfortable as possible at your home work station can result in a more productive, stress free life both on and off the clock.

How do blue light glasses work?

Blue light glasses may help ease eye strain by blocking the high energy blue light rays emitted from our phones and laptops. The sun emits these rays too, and we all know its tough to sleep when the sun is shining! Our bodies aren’t meant to sleep when blue light is plentiful.

These rays may also interfere with melatonin production since our brains register our screens like they register a sunny day, keeping us awake longer than we should be, and interrupting our bodies natural rhythms. If possible, avoid using devices too close to bedtime. If you’re working after dark however, a pair of blue light glasses can ease the strain, and help keep you feeling more calm at your computer.

How can the Optical Shop of Westport help me find blue light glasses?

Now that you’re ready to nix headaches, and make sure you’re getting your rest at night even in your work from home environment, Optical Shop of Westport can help you find a pair of glasses that helps block blue light.

They don’t have to look unfashionable, like the typical picture of plastic textured blue light glasses we often envision.

We can help you to find beautiful stylish frames that will have the added benefit of looking great on all of those Zoom calls and remote meetings you still have to attend!

Choose from tortoiseshell, round, rectangular frame styles, and more. We can help craft a bespoke pair of blue light glasses to add to your work from home wardrobe for both fashion and function.

You may be still only be wearing leggings, but you can certainly feel stylish and confident just the same!

To inquire, check our homepage for the hours we are open and come stop by! Or, email us at opticalshopofwestport@gmail.com to schedule an appointment with Margharet.

Healthy eating protects your eyes along with your heart and brain

The great news about sticking to food that benefits your heart and brain is that your eyes will benefit, too, without any special additions or deletions to the healthy diet you have already chosen. 

So if you are nutritionally sound already, you don’t have to do anything extra to protect your eye health.

The cautionary news is that the things your doctor tells you to stay away from – sugar, fats and other good-tasting items – can also harm your eyes if you over-indulge.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology has investigated how food affects your eyes, and it came up with a list of 36 vision-healthy foods, featuring fruits, vegetables, beans and fish.

Harvard Medical School promotes a similar eye-healthy diet, with an added focus on yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, plus egg yolks. They feature antioxidant vitamins and minerals (A, C, and E, and the mineral zinc). Although there is not yet solid proof, studies have suggested that these vitamins and minerals may help prevent the progression of macular degeneration and cataracts.

As the Academy of Ophthalmology points out, it is no surprise that a diet to help your heart would also help your eyes. Tiny arteries provide oxygen-filled blood to eyes, a key to their health.

Like Harvard, the eye physicians recommend fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C, including:

• Oranges

• Tangerines

• Grapefruit

• Peaches

• Red bell peppers

• Tomatoes

• Strawberries

Vitamin E, an anti-oxidant, may help prevent or delay macular degeneration and cataracts, according to an Age-related Eye Diseases Study, first conducted in 2001 and updated in 2011.

Vitamin E is found in:

• Avocados

• Almonds

• Sunflower seeds.

Omega-3 fatty acids, as you no doubt have already heard, are considered heart-healthy because they lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol. That trait is good for eye health as well. The best fish to supply these chemicals:

• Salmon

• Tuna

• Halibut

• Trout

• Sardines

Beans and legumes offer zinc, which may help your eyes reduce the harmful effects of natural light. (You should also always wear sunglasses that block all ultraviolet rays when enjoying the outdoors.) Excellent sources of zinc that are also easy to find in the grocery store are:

• Black-eyed peas

• Kidney beans

• Lima beans

Another plus to eating healthy is this: You don’t need to buy bottled vitamins and minerals. An exception is made for those who already have macular degeneration. In that case, your doctor will probably recommend supplements.

There is a flip side to eating to support the healthy functioning of all parts of your body. You can make yourself – and specifically your eyes – sick by indulging in the usual suspects:

• Instead of fat-filled mayonnaise, try a squirt of lemon juice to spice up your next sandwich.

• Fill up with whole grains breads and even pasta instead of carbohydrates based on white flour.

• Keep your intake of red meat and sausage to a minimum

• Keep your hand away from the French fries and potato chips. Skip the bowl of ice cream. Instead, enjoy an apple and a single cookie for dessert

Your eyes will thank you, and you will be thankful for the extra years of eye health you will enjoy.