Spectrum Optometry provides the finest quality in both the products we sell and the services we offer. Our doctors and staff are trained to listen to your specific visual needs and to help you choose the design which best meets those needs.

Spectacle Frames
Spectacle frames are available in a large array of materials. Metals such as stainless steel and titanium are generally more expensive than plastics such as cellulose proprionate and zylonite. Titanium frames are stronger, thinner and lighter than many other metals but they are more difficult to manufacture which increases the cost. Soldering equipment used for nickel and steel frames will not work on titanium. There are also different grades of titanium depending on the purity of the metal.

Plastic frames are made either by plastic injection moulding (cellulose propionate) or they are cut out of sheet of plastic (zylonite). Cost differences between plastic frames will depend on the material, colouring, trim and country of origin. A new plastic which has recently been developed is SPX. This material is very lightweight, flexible and durable. It is setting a new standard for plastic frames.

Nose pads, hinges and screws are features of the frame that affect the wearer on a daily basis. Silicone nose pads are more expensive than plastic but they reduce the slippage of the frame. Spring-hinges also help to keep the frame aligned and in shape regardless of how often the glasses are on and off in a day. Quality frame manufacturers are starting to use polymer-coated screws so they are less likely to come loose. This has become necessary as the frame designs become more delicate and the screws have less thread grip than on the older more industrial frame designs.

Lens Coatings
All of our lenses come with a standard 2-side scratch resistant coating called TD2 which stands for Tough, Durable, 2-Sided. This is a superior formula that combines the hardness of plastic with the flexibility of plastic. TD2 has a two year warranty against scratches that occur during normal use of eyeglasses.

Spectacle lenses can provide UV protection to reduce your risk of macular degeneration, cataracts and skin cancer of the eyelids. The UV protection can be added as a clear coating on the lens which is called UV400. Some lens materials such as safety plastic have UV protection as an inherent quality of the material. Alternatively Transitions lenses are clear indoors and go dark outdoors when exposed to UV. Transitions provide full UV protection at all times.

If you are looking for a pair of sunglasses, the lenses can be tinted with a variety of colours with grey and brown being the most popular. Polarized sunglasses are especially helpful to block glare from the water and are preferred by boaters and fishermen.

Lens Designs
A single vision lens is the same power through-out the lens. Most commonly the focus is set for distance vision and your eye muscles adjust to allow you to focus up close.

Once people reach their 40's the eye muscles that used to help change focus gradually lose that ability and it becomes difficult to read when wearing your distance lenses. At this time it is often necessary to use either a bifocal or progressive lens design.

Bifocal lenses have a line separating the top of the lens which focuses in the distance from the bottom of the lens which focuses at one near point usually 40 cm from your eyes. There is a distinct change of focus as your eyes switch between the different sections of the lens. This lens design does not have any area that is specifically focused for a computer screen which is usually about 70 cm from your eyes.

Progressive lenses look like single vision lenses in that they have no lines separating the different areas of focus. The top of the lens allows clear distance vision and as you turn your eyes down the focus changes gradually to intermediate (computer distance) and then near (reading). In order to get the gradual change in focus, this lens design does have some areas of distortion which are placed to the side of the lens. As a result, when wearing a progressive lens you will have to turn your head slightly when you want to look to the side.

There are many different designs of progressive lens. The early designs which were made about 20 years ago are still available on the market today but they do not work well as they have large amounts of distortion throughout most of the lens. Fortunately newer progressive designs allow a much larger area for clear vision and are generally easy to adapt to. At Spectrum Optometry we will discuss with you how you use your eyes on a daily basis so we can recommend the best progressive lens design for you. Some progressives are best for people who use a computer full time. Other progressives are designed to be used in a smaller frame size.

The doctors and staff at Spectrum Optometry are committed to Bringing Vision to Life. We want to help you find the best solution available for your specific visual needs.