Buy Smarter
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A guide to choosing and using eye care products correctly |
Tips on purchasing kids eyewear |
Buying Tips & Lens Options |
Consumer Confusion
A guide to choosing and using eye care products correctly
Walk into a typical American pharmacy these days, and you might be amazed by the huge array of eye care products stacked along the shelves. Is it any wonder that many of us use the wrong products on our eyes?
"With hundreds of different products sitting on the drugstore shelf, it's quite easy to become confused about which cleaning solution is most appropriate for cleaning the contact lenses you wear, or which artificial tear product to buy for dry eyes," says David Jones, O.D., of Santa Rosa, California. Here are some tips from Dr. Jones on using eye care products correctly:
- If your eyes frequently look red and bloodshot while also itching and watering, the problem could be allergies. Ask your doctor if you need an anti-allergy medication. Don't use redness relievers, which are cosmetic preparations that only mask the symptoms.
- For people who work on computers all day, dry eyes are a continuing problem. Solution: Moisten your eyes with artificial tear products, which contain many of the lubricating agents produced naturally by the human eye.
- When storing your eye care products, reduce the chance of confusing them with other non-medical products by storing items such as small glue bottles away from the medicine cabinet.
- If you wear contact lenses, make sure the solutions you choose for cleaning, disinfecting and storing them overnight are compatible with one another. "The best approach is to ask your eye doctor for a list of contact lens preparations," says Dr. Jones. "If you stick with the list, you won't have to worry about incompatibility."
Purchasing Kids Eyewear
Let's face it. Walking into a doctor's office is not high on kids' "To Do" lists. They'll bring with them memories of vaccinations, drilled teeth, tongue depressors, and brightly lit sterile offices. Therefore, in order to help your child enjoy their eyeglasses there are some important things to take into consideration before buying.
The Right Fit is Important
The most important aspect of a pair of glasses is how they fit. Children's glasses are not miniature versions of adult glasses. Grown-up noses and cheeks are proportioned differently than children's, and spectacle frames need to reflect this in order to fit properly.
Remember that your child is undergoing rapid growth and an improperly fitted frame can cause alterations in developing bone, breathing problems and even create further damage in the vision - a problem the glasses are supposed to correct.
As a child grows, the nose and cheeks change in shape and prominence, so don't expect a child to grow into a pair of glasses. Ordering glasses a little bit too big can cause discomfort, inadequate vision and the frames slide down the nose. By the time they grow into the frame, it will no longer fit due to changes in facial features.
Because they are more active, children are going to be tougher on their glasses, so look for good quality metal or plastic frames with flexible spring hinges - and a good warranty. It is worth spending a little more to get a better quality frame with a good guarantee as it often leads to savings in the long term.
Lenses made of polycarbonate, a very strong plastic are a must. Regular plastic and glass lenses can shatter and possibly lacerate delicate eye tissue.
Polycarbonate lenses are more shatter resistant and therefore much safer. Of course, any lens can scratch if not cared for properly, so here again it's a good idea to compare warranties on lenses. Spectacle lenses can be replaced; children's eyes can't.
Often the biggest initial concern of a parent is whether their child will wear the glasses once they've received them. If a child sees better out of the glasses, at least up to the age of ten, there probably won't be any problem, even with toddlers.
If you are having trouble getting your child to keep their glasses on, first check to see if the glasses fit properly. Children tend not to complain about sore ears and noses as an adult might, so check for redness behind the ears or on the sides of the nose to be sure the frames aren't rubbing uncomfortably or sliding around.
Make sure the glasses aren't falling down on the nose, which can cause distorted and decreased vision. Often it only takes a simple adjustment of the nose pads or ear pieces to make things comfortable again.
If you are still meeting with resistance and the glasses are fitting well, a re-check visit with the prescribing optometrist may be necessary to be sure the child is seeing well through the lens power that was prescribed.
Glasses for children are often like medicine and sometimes the strength of the medicine, or lenses, needs to be adjusted to get the desired results.
Kids Need to be Decision-Makers, Too
If the frame fit and vision is not the problem, your child may be unhappy with the appearance of the glasses. This can be avoided with some steps in the initial stages of frame selection.
First, let your child have some input in deciding on their eyeglasses. Frames they help to select are more apt to be worn than those selected without their input. Remember that most frames are made in several different colors
Second, if your child has a strong prescription the glasses can look thick and uncomfortably heavy. Talk to your eye doctor about special polycarbonate lenses in an aspheric design which cut down on thickness, weight and distortion. In stronger prescriptions, these lenses are more cosmetically pleasing.
Lastly, anti-reflective coatings on the lenses not only cut down on discomforting glare but also remove reflections from the front of the lenses, again making the glasses more cosmetically acceptable. All these options add to the price of the glasses, but paying a little more for eyewear that will be worn is a better investment than getting a pair of glasses that end up shoved in the back of a drawer.
Purchasing Ski Goggles
Ski goggles for skiing are essential. The glare off the snow exposes skiers to glare and harsh UV rays. A day on the slopes can be very miserable without decent ski goggles especially in extreme weather conditions such as snow, sleet and heavy rain.
Ski goggles, however, provide protection for the face as well as for the eyes. Many ski goggles are large, covering most of the upper portion of the face. The lens area is intentionally large so you have a wide field of view and good peripheral vision.
Many ski goggle frames are designed with the use of softer, more flexible materials. Nylon, rubber and propionate materials are popular. These materials hold their shape and do not become brittle in the cold. Therefore ski goggles tend not to injure the face if you should fall while traveling at high speed. The majority of ski goggles are held in place on the head with a thick strap designed to make sure that the eye protection stays in place.
When looking for ski goggles insist on ultraviolet protection. It is beneficial to look for anti-fogging features such as double lenses, anti-fog coating and wide vents. As important is choosing the right lens tint; weather, light and activity will all affect your ski goggles performance.
Lens Options
If you have ever been skiing through the woods, you know it is important to see objects in the shadows. Many ski goggles have interchangeable lenses for use in varying conditions. Here are things to keep in mind regarding your lenses:
- Choose a mirrored lens on sunny days for solar and snow glare protection.
- Choose a gold-colored lens as an all-around versatile lens capable of providing contrast in most conditions.
- Choose a rose-colored lens for increased definition and contrast in low-light and flat-light situations.
- Choose a pale yellow lens for activities during low-light periods - dawn and dusk.
- Choose a clear lens for activities such as night skiing.
Buying Tips
- Try on several pairs of goggles. Some brands have a tendency to fit certain head shapes better than others.
- Check out the ventilation system of the goggles you're thinking about purchasing. The nemesis of goggles is fog, so you want an adequate ventilation system that allows air into the goggles.
- Make sure the goggles fit your head snugly. Keep in mind that most days you'll be wearing a hat of some sort or a helmet.
- Determine whether the lens is removable. Certain lens colors are better than others for different light and snow conditions.
- Find out whether the goggles have a warranty, and what type it is.
- Avoid purchasing goggles at a ski resort, as the markup can be considerable.
- Early season swaps sometimes have the previous season's model at lower-than-expected prices.
