It really is good for you

Despite the downfalls of my job, I do enjoy it. I enjoy helping people to see. Especially when they didn't know the options out there to help them see better.

When I started working there years ago, I rarely wore my glasses. I wore my contacts almost non stop. This is because I liked the ease of the contacts and I saw better. As part of my job, it was really in my best interest to get a new pair of glasses, so I did. Since it was my first pair, they let me get all the 'bells and whistles' as you might say. I got thinner aspheric lenses (I have a -7.75 rx, and that means my ass is damn near blind without glasses or contacts), I got photocromatic lenses and I got an anti-reflective coating. I know these things probably mean nothing to you, but they have become second nature to me. I could do without the photocromatic, but the thinner aspheric lenses and anti-reflective coatings are no longer options. I can see better, and I can't give them up.

This is why I have no qualms with telling my patients about it. It is worth it. So I am sharing with all of you, because chances are I will never talk to you about glasses, but you should know the differences just the same. I won't get into the technical talk (yet) but I will share the basics about some of the options out there. Tonight, anti-reflective coatings.

This coating is good for everyone, but if you have anything above a +/-2.00 you should have it. Why? The coating (ok, actually its not a coating, but is actually part of the lens if you don't get one of the cheap versions) allows more light through your lens. Sounds weird, but this lessens the visual noise for your eyes, allowing you more sight. Due to the manufacturing and basic nature of materials, once you have light hitting the lens, it bounces off, reducing visual clarity. When you have an anti-reflective coating (AR) it lets the light through. You actually get 10-20% of the rx back and it is closer to what you had when you were in the doctor's room.

When I first learned about this, I thought, "ok, sure, it makes the lenses clearer, I don't see why that would make a difference." I sold it, I liked it on mine, but it was no big whoop to me. Then one day I tried on a pair of glasses, with my rx, that did not have the AR. OMG. I thought the glasses were horribly scratched up and dirty and the edges were so distorted (that's from them not being aspheric). That's when I noticed the lack of AR. My vision was cloudy and strained looking through the non AR lenses. I have never doubted the benefits of it sense.

AR 'coatings' are great cosmetically, as they make your lenses disappear. They help with night driving in reducing the 'halos' you see around lights. They reduce eye fatigue at computers and when you are under florescent lights. ...and generally, depending on what kind you have and where you get them, they have a very strong scratch coating, which also gives you a very good warranty.

Not all AR is created equal. Some manufacturers do coat the lens. The ones we like to work with the most 'bake' it into the lens. Various minerals are broken down and bonded to a sterile lens. This process takes about 24 hours usually. These are the coatings you should get. They ARE worth the money. If someone offers you Super Hi-Vision by Hoya GET IT. So far that has been the best coating that I have worked with. The longest and best track record. Essilor makes a good coating too, Crizal Avance w/ Scotch Guard, or Crizal Alize. The Avance has only been out for a little over a year, so I can't tell you the track record, but so far it has been working very well for people. These coatings also do better then others because they have an aquaphobic and oliophobic layer. That means it repels water and oil, making the lenses easier to clean. Think of it as RainX for you car.

Some people have had AR before and they hated it because it was 'hard to clean and got dirty so easy'. One, the above mentioned brands have those coatings to help against that, but more importantly with all of the AR coatings, they don't smudge any more than your everyday non coated lens, you just see it. Remember me saying the coating lets more light in? Well, if you have a big ol finger print on the lens, it is blocking the light, that is what is bothering your vision. Those plain plastic lenses have smudges on them too, you just don't notice because the vision already has a 'hazy' look anyway.

I just thought you all should know, without someone trying to sell you something.

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The Sweater

An ordinary day
Just trying to find something
To wear and get on the way
Nothing seems to work
Everything seems to not fit
Or it looks wrong
Just feeling off
Pick up the sweater
The old standby
The one that was going
To be given away
The one that would
Not be worn again
Feel the fuzzy of it
Envelope in the warmth
Then hit with the memories
Slapped with why it was
Going to go away
Then see the date
See what it means
Sit in awe
Wallow in a bit of sadness
Take it off again
And start all over