Tag: lenses

What You Should Know About Fort Wayne’s Only All-digital Onsite Optical Lab

Making glasses in the Longe Optical lab

Our lab here at Longe Optical is vastly unique! We are the only fully digital lab found within the entire state of Indiana, utilizing the ZEISS digital technology and the Schneider world-class equipment!

When you buy a pair of HD lenses created in our digital lab, you’ll experience up to 50% clearer vision, sharper images, and brighter colors. In addition, our lenses fit in most frames and because the process is completely in house, our costs are similar to traditional frames.

Our unique ZEISS technology system takes the 60 second digital profile of your eye during your comprehensive eye exam to create an ultra-accurate prescription. Your eye’s refractive power distribution is analyzed and represented across the entire pupil aperture. This means you’ll be able to see better than you ever thought possible!

Using our world-class equipment through Schneider in our lab, we’re also able to deliver a customized pair of frames with anti-reflective coating to you in five days or less, when the industry standard is usually 12. Schneider’s precision machines offer pre- and fine-polishing methods to create the best lenses in a very economical way, allowing us to also keep your costs down while still giving you the best product. Within our in-house lab, we are able to apply anti-reflective coating and blue-protect coating to nearly every pair of frames.

Longe Optical’s lab has been fully digital for eight years, bringing a high level of expertise to our guests. Our lab technicians are also highly experienced with some having over 42 years of experience!

We’re proud to offer this entirely digital eye care experience in-house and we want to make sure you are seeing your best while also providing you with the best care possible. To schedule your eye exam today, visit longeoptical.com/request-an-exam or give us a a call at (260) 469-3937.

Protecting Your Eyes from Blue Light — Why Quality Matters

Have you heard different terms thrown around for “blue light” protection and wondered what the difference is between these terms? Have you wondered if blue light is even harmful to your eyes?

A lot of optical companies refer to the coating they use to protect against blue light with their own branded term. Here at Longe Optical, we utilize the ZEISS DuraVision BlueProtect on our opticals. This coating has been specifically developed for people who spend a lot of their time indoors and are exposed to blue-violet light from LED light bulbs, TVs, computers, and tablets. For example, if you work at a computer for long periods of time your eyes would definitely benefit from this product.

We can also add an anti-reflective layer on the back of the lens to reduce the indirect light reflected into the eye. This allows our technology to block UV rays coming into the eye from all directions.

All digital devices emit blue light, a low wavelength, light energy light that can potentially damage your eyes over a long period of time. Although there is an element of blue light that we’re exposed to on a regular basis, for example from the sun, the concern with digital devices comes from their close proximity to users and the amount of time they’re used. Although not all blue light is bad, overexposure can lead to things like digital eye strain and retinal cell damage that can increase your risk for issues like macular degeneration. It’s important to know what blue light protection you are purchasing because not all blue light protection is the same. If your glasses aren’t protecting against the right kind of blue light or if they have a cheap coating, they won’t effectively protect your eyes.

Make sure to check out Longe Optical’s unique ZEISS DuraVision BlueProtect lens coating! Adding this feature to your lenses can ensure you have comfortable vision, even when there is a high level of blue light present. This BlueProtect filter reduces portions of the blue light spectrum from reaching your eyes, and many eyeglass wearers with the BlueProtect report greater visual comfort thanks to this coating.

Sun’s Out, Shades On – Take Care of Your Eyes This Summer

According to our independent optometrists, too much UV light can raise the risk of various eye diseases over time, so knowing how the sun can affect you and your children this summer is important! Proper eye protection during the summer is vitally important to maintaining overall eye health.

Proper exposure to the sun can also be great for your vision when you’re properly protected! According to a study done by the Ohio State University College of Optometry, children who are exposed to more sunlight throughout the day are less likely to develop nearsightedness over time.

Understanding Types of UV Radiation

The sun emits two major types of UV radiation that can cause damage to the eye: UV-A and UV-B.

Overexposure to UV-A radiation can damage the macula, hurting your central vision. Too much UV-B radiation exposure can lead to damage in the corona and the lens of your eye. Understanding what you are trying to avoid will help you take steps to prevent damage to your eyes.

Four Ways to Protect Your Eyesight

Although the sun can be harmful, it’s still important to make sure you and your family are able to get great exercise and spend time outside. Here are a few tips for maintaining good eye health without having to hide from the sun completely.

  1. Choose sunglasses carefully

Not all sunglasses function the same way! It’s important to consider more than just style when grabbing a new pair of sunglasses. Look for sunglasses that are labeled with “100 percent UV protection” or glasses with larger lenses that wrap around the sides of your eyes. Just because your pair of sunglasses says it offers “UV protection” doesn’t mean it is protecting against both kinds of UV! If you’re not sure how efficient your sunglasses are, ask your doctor.

  1. Wear a hat

A hat with a 2- to 3-inch brim is ideal because it specifically protects the eyes. A dark underside to the brim can lower the amount of damaging UV rays your eyes and skin are exposed to. Many bucket hats and floppy hats are available for even the youngest of children to wear.

  1. Wear proper eye protection even when it’s cloudy

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, 80% of the sun’s UV rays can pass through clouds. It’s important to make sure you still wear your sunglasses even if the sun isn’t visibly shining.

  1. Limit exposure to the sun during peak hours

The sun’s rays are most aggressive from 10AM to 4PM. It’s important to stay in the shade, apply sunscreen frequently, and wear other protective gear — especially during these hours.

At Longe Optical, we offer a wide variety of high quality, name brand sunglasses that can be purchased with non-prescription or prescription lenses. Let us help you have a safe and happy summer by scheduling your annual eye exam today. While you’re here, pick up a pair of stylish sunglasses that will keep you safe this summer!

 

 

 

Helpful Hints for Selecting Sunglasses

At Longe Optical, we are passionate about eye care, which includes the eyewear we wear during the summer months! Many of our customers don’t realize how important sunglasses are and that they function as more than just a fashion accessory. When shopping for sunglasses, it’s important to understand exactly what types of UV protection you are looking for and what might happen to your eyes if you’re not properly protected.

 

Types of UV Radiation

The sun emits two major types of UV radiation that can cause damage to the eye: UV-A and UV-B. Overexposure to UV-A radiation can damage the macula, hurting your central vision. Too much UV-B radiation exposure can lead to damage in the corona and the lens of your eye.

 

UV Protection

When picking out a stylish pair of glasses, Longe offers a wide variety of frames that also provide protection for your eyes at an affordable price. It’s important when you’re looking for a good pair of sunglasses to not just grab the cheap promotion glasses you got from a local parade: quality is important.  When looking for a pair, make sure your glasses say “100% protection against UV.” A pair of glasses that just says UV protection most likely will rub off after one cleaning, as the UV protection is just coated over the lenses, not embedded into it.

 

Polarized Lenses

Not all polarized lenses provide active UV protection! Polarized lenses have a unique chemical coating that is designed to reduce glare from reflected light. Although it is true that polarized glasses and UV protection are often paired together in high-quality glasses, this is not always the case. Many cheap polarized sunglasses on the market don’t have any UV protection which is why checking for 100% protection in your pair is important.

 

Serious Conditions

Prolonged unprotected exposure to UV rays can lead to cataracts, pterygium, and macular degeneration in the human eye. Cataracts involve a clouding of the eye’s lens resulting in blurred vision; pterygium involves painful tissue growth on the eyeball; and macular degeneration leads to destroyed central vision when the macula in the retina deteriorates. If not prevented, these conditions can require surgery or cause loss of vision.

 

Although serious conditions in your eye might not be occurring now, be sure to schedule your annual eye exam today and while you’re here, pick up some stylish sunglasses with lenses that will both protect your eyes and keep you looking great this summer!

 

Helpful Hints for Selecting Eyewear

Girl wearing glasses
Now that you’ve scheduled back to school eye exams for the kids – what do you do if they need glasses?
Children’s eyes can change rapidly, so be sure your child has an up-to-date eyeglass prescription for the best possible vision and comfort before investing in new glasses.

There is no shortage of children’s eyeglasses and it’s important to keep factors like fit, quality, and fashion in mind. It can be difficult figuring out which glasses your child will be willing to wear — and if they will last longer than the ride home. Here are some shopping tips to help you choose stylish and durable glasses your child will love.

Choose a modern, attractive style
Eyeglasses have become a staple in the fashion world and kids frames are no exception. Ray-Ban, Candies, Lily Pulitzer, and others offer styles from classic to trendy, perfectly sized, and designed for any cool kid on campus. For a more sporty look, Nike, Oakley, and Puma all offer superior durability along with stylish design. And with a wide range of color options and modern shapes to select from, you can match your team colors in style.
Select the perfect lenses 
Children’s lenses should be made of polycarbonate. These materials are significantly more impact-resistant than other lens materials for added safety. There are a few ways to enhance your look and at the same time protect your eyes. One option is photochromic lenses, which darken automatically in sunlight outdoors in a range of colors to choose from. Another choice is anti-reflective coating, which not only enhances cosmetic appearance (no glare on lenses in those school photos), but they can reduce eye strain caused by digital device use.

Purchase a “backup pair”
Because children can be tough on their glasses, it’s a good idea to purchase a second, or backup, pair of eyeglasses for them — especially for those with a strong prescription who cannot function without his or her glasses.

We would love to see you and share with you what makes us special. With our one-of-a-kind kids package, all-digital eye care experience, exclusive frame designs, and personalized service, we are passionate about providing the best care to allow you to see and be seen!