Non-prescription color contact lenses

To CC,

Is it hard or expensive to get a hold of contact lenses that have no prescription? Simply for color?

I'm twenty, always have had perfect vision and I don't know much about contacts or glasses. Sunglasses however... that's a different story haha...

Anyways, I wanted to get my hands on a pair of gray, non prescription, contact lenses. Any suggestions or price suggestions..?

jsn
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Hi,

It is easy to get non-rx contacts. You can buy them in most opticals, optometrist offices and even online. There are several brands on the market and they have their pros and cons.

The only thing is when you wear them your vision is limited because of the color. What I mean by that is that your peripheral vision will be slightly affected. Also, you have to understand that will contact lenses wear, there are any "problems" that could arise, but as eye infections, problems, lack of oxygen and so on.

Another thing to remember is that you will need to learn how to put them in and take them out. Sure your neighbor's daughter can help you out, BUT it is best to learn from a eye care professional because they will have more knowledge in contact lens wear as a whole and they will share knowledge with you. I discourage you from buying online because IF anything were to happen to your eyes, at least if you bought them in a store you can go to them and ask for help. When you buy them online, you're on your own. Don't even think about call an online company because they dont care about your eyes, they care about your money.

In any case, hope that helps.

Howie
CityConnection

How contact lenses are made

Take a look at this YouTube clip I found and how contact lenses are made.

To lens or not to lens

Hey CC,

I was thinking of getting a pair of old vintages glasses at a shop. I don't need lenses because I don't have a prescription. The shop wants to charge me $50 to put in lenses with no prescription. I think it's a rip off, so I'm just going to keep the current lenses in the frame. Are the lenses that are in there bad? I think that it would be better than having no lenses or even playing $50 for new ones that I don't even need. What do you think I should do? Thanks.

Eric G.
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Hi Eric,

You have brought up a few good points about the lenses. First off, I would suggest that you do not use the "demo lenses" (the lenses that are in the frame when you buy the frames). The quality of the lenses are generally terrible. There are a few companies that have good demo lenses in the frames like Kio Yamato, Paul Frank and Lindberg, to name a few, but for the most part, they are very low quality lenses that are not for optical use. Next, do not wear them without any lenses in it. It looks terribly silly. I have seem people do it and it just looks ridiculous. Finally, my suggestion is to get new lenses put in them. If $50 is too much for you, look around and find a better price. Don't hassle them about price if it's out of your price range, just look around for other stores that may be able to do it for less. There is no point of wearing them without any benefits. At least with lenses with anti reflection coating, it will ease your eyes when using the computer or even night driving. Look around and shop around, it will make the glasses that much more satisfying to wear.

Hope that helps,
CityConnection

Interesting Articles on Lenses

I have been reading up on several different companies websites about their lenses and I wanted to share them with you guys. A lot of the manufacture websites describe their products and their advantages. Take a look at some of the following websites to educate yourselves about lenses. I could regurgitate all the info but it is probably better if it is from the source. Take a look at some of these good reads...

Salt Optics' Polarized Prism Free Lenses

Serengeti's selection of lenses and a little info on photochromatic

Maui Jim's colors and different materials as well as the benefits of polarized lenses

Oakley's site describes how they differentiate themselves from the pack

Ray Ban's site describes what colors are good for contrast and their G-15 lens

Adidas has many colors that are sport specific. It is a good guide to what colors work well with what sport.

How lenses are cut into your eyewear

Lenses come in all stages of "readiness". Which means, some already have a prescription ground into the lens whereas other come as a block of plastic. For simplicity, let's just assume that the lenses come finished and ready to cut. So how do we get this block of plastic into the frame?

1. Trace the shape of the frame in the "tracer".
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2. Next dot the lenses for the focal points and the correct prescription in the "lensometer"

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3. Put the dotted lenses into the "blocker" and put a chuck on it so that it will hold the lens

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4. Next take the lens and put it into the "edger", which cuts the lens to the shape

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5. Take out the lenses and voila, they are the shape of the frame. Now just insert them.

How to Find the Perfect Pair of Vintage Eyewear

To some finding a vintage pair is a hobby and to others it is a way of life. The satisfaction you get when you find that pair of vintage Dunhill with the perfect shape and size that you know your friends will never be able to duplicate. But to some, it is easy to identify a good bargain from a rip off and others can think that a rip off is actually a good deal.

So how do you find a great deal?
How do find a style you like?

Buying vintage eyewear is a lot like finding vintage clothing. BUT vintage eyewear is usually easier to find online. There are certain things to keep in mind when buying vintage eyewear.

1. Brand
-What brand is it?
-Is it a well known brand? Cazal, Dunhill, Silhouette, Carrera, Dior and so on, are well known brands that are known. Sticking with a name brand company will insure that the quality is good.

2. Country of Origin
-In the 80s the best frames were all made in Austria. They had the best machines and the highest of quality control. That is not to say that other countries did not make good frames. A simple comparison is to compare it to Italian Sports cars. Sports cars can be made anywhere and there may be better ones, but an Italian sports car is a staple and where a true sports can should be made.

3. Style and Design
-Obviously the style was different earlier on, but some styles have come back today. Of course there is a crowd that follows the vintage style but there are others that just like thst style regardless of it being a "vintage". The edges are generally sharper or very round. The shapes were over exaggerated without many of our more recents styles of being rounded squares.

4. Price
-Price is subjective. Because there is no longer a manufacture retail price, it seems like prices are all over the board. I have seen true vintages go for as little as $20 and up to $920. So what makes a price low and what makes it high? DEMAND. Have a style or brand that everyone knows, then the price increases. Have a brand that nobody knows about, and the price decreases. So how much should you pay? Depends on the style, brand and quality. Personally, I would say, if you like it and you have the money, drop it on something you like. If youre on a tight budget, but like a certain style, find something in your budget. If you have a certain style you like and dont mind paying, find something you like and buy it.

5. Quality
-Check the quality of a frame to make sure that even if you dont know the name, you know that it is well built.

Things to Check...
-The solder points to make sure there are no holes in it and smooth.
-The paint to make sure it is painted on parts that are not generally visible to the named eye. -The spring hinges should be smooth without any jerky movements
-The barrels should line up perfectly.
-Open and close the temples to make sure they are smooth

Some of the above can be easy quick fixes and others demonstrate problems. But until you can make the quick fixes I would suggest to stay away from anything with problems.

6. Material
-Until the 80s, plastic frames could not be produced cheap. They were all relatively expensive but also well made. Metal frames were made much better back then. They were made much more solid and had much more intricate designs.

Hopefully this will give a look into buying vintage frames. Let me know if there is anything that I missed.

Profile: Mykita

Established: 2003
Location: Berlin, Germany
Founders: Daniel Haffmans, Philipp Haffmans, Moritz, Kreuger, Herald Gottschling
Training: Industrial Design, Architecture and 10 years of experience in the eyewear sector
Philosophy: Constant search for new materials, creative use of materials, technical solutions and a wealth of knowledge in the eyewear sector are contributing factors to their success. All frames are handmade in Berlin.
Inspirations: The globe that surrounds Mykita; Automobiles and Planes
Notes: Mykita celebrates it's 5th year anniversary by realeasing a publication by the name of "5". It takes you through their milestones as a company. It also has a decription of their manufactorying process as well as an insite on the people behind the operation.
One thing that you love: Our family

www.mykita.com

Profile: ic! Berlin

Founded: Oldenburg, Germany
Founders: Ralph Anderl
Training: Each morning, when in Berlin at Holmes Place
Inspirations: Sometimes yes and sometimes not. Someones when speaking, sometimes when listening. Sometimes when cooking, sometimes when sleeping
Crucial Steps: Learn to walk properly was a great step for me. Also stop drinking and stop living will be a big step for me. .
One thing that you love: I love the movie "destroy after reading". And I love water! and I love chai-tea-latte, and somehow I also love ic! Berlin and all the followers.

As you can tell, this has been written by Ralph Anderl in the first person when asked the following questions. Also, his attitude and creativity also show in his art, which we see as eyewear.

www.ic-berlin.de/

How to Develop your own Sunglass Line

There are many things to consider when making your own sunglasses line. Let's assume you have weighed all your options and you think it makes sense to make it and you're gonna make a million bucks with your super good designs. Let's start from the beginning.

1. Draw out the design you want to achieve with a paper and pen OR make a CAD design
2. Send it into a sample maker or custom frame builder, assuming you can't make it yourself (there are people who can make a sample of what you want to make)
3. Receive the sample and see if it is the look you were trying to achieve . If not, send it back and make the neccessary corrections.
4. If it is up to your standards, look into factories to see if they can make it
5. All of them will say they can make it, so you have to determine how much you want to spend on each frame. You can tell them you are willing to pay $1 or $100 per frame. They will make it accordingly, and the quality will reflect that. Try to ask for previous frames they have made and judge the quality.
6. Once you have picked your factory, put in your order. Keep in mind that you will need to produce minimum orders. (Minimum is usually 600 pieces per color per frame)
7. They will probably make a small lot for you to see if you like them.
8. If you like it. Great! Finish your order and you are now the owner of 600 pieces of 1 color of 1 model.
9. Get the model out to your distributor and put them out across the country and across the globe.

Things to consider...
-Which factory are you going to use?
-Can they produce it the way you want?
-How are you going to unload 600 per color per model?
-Are you willing to sell only a few and take a hit on the rest as a hobby?
-Can you get the factory to maintain your quality if you decide to make more?
-How are you going to keep producing more IF you cant sell the first lot?
-If you sell to stores you will have to take take-backs (warranty issues, return on frames)?
-Factories don't offer warranties. Will you take a hit on it?
-Will anyone buy it from a store if they provide no warranty?
-Can you release new models every season?
-Can you afford to launch this project?
-Will people buy your product, even if you have no prior experience and you're not a name brand?
-Can you design something that will look good and more importantly FIT comfortably?
-If they don't sell do you have somewhere to dump them and make SOME money back?

-What will you do with all that money when you hit it BIG TIME?

How to Care for your Eyewear

Wearing glasses doesn't necessarily mean you know how to take care of your glasses. I have seen tons of glasses bent out of shape or broken and the wearer claims they did nothing wrong and it was always like that. But like anything else, when you know a little about something you can tell what the problem is.

Most complaints about a plastic frame is that the temples (legs) spread wide apart. People see that as a problem and complain about the quality of the frame, but actuality it's ability to spread like that is great, because it allows adjustments to be made to suit/fit a lot of people.
Reason: 9/10 people take it off with 1 hand. This stretches the frame out
Solution: Take your glasses off with 2 hands! Sounds simple, but make a note next time you take them off.

Rimless frames are quite light and have a tendency to twist very easily.
Reason: sit on them, drop them, push them and so on
Solution: Leave them in your hard case when you are not using them.

The side of the lenses chip and break on semi-rimless frames
Reason: The lenses are exposed on one side and more vulnerable
Solution: Don't drop them. Also when you put them down on a table or counter, but them with the frame side down (upside down).

Occasionally you can get chips on the side lenses of a semi-rimless frame under the frame.
Reason: Taking your glasses off with 1 hand. The frame stretches to the side and puts pressure on the lens
Solution: Use 2 hands to take them off and put them on.

Eyewear all bent to one side
Reason: You slept with your glasses on
Solution: Take them off before sleeping on the couch.

Best way to fix all eyewear with problems:
Take it into your local optical! Don't try to mess around with the frames if you don't know what you're doing.

Quality of Frames

There are many things to look for when judging quality, whether is it a posh name brand or little guy trying to start his own line. Dollars don't necessarily translate into quality. Next time you look at some eyewear, judge it and see how they compare to what you have or what you would like to have. Comparing the following details will help you determine if the eyewear is going to be worth your hard earned dollars.

1. Material
Metals
-Stainless is the least expensive, then monel, then Aluminum, then Titanium being the most expensive (Other than gold and so on).
-Keep in mind there are many in between that I have not mentioned, but those are the most that you'll see.

Plastic
-There are cheap reading glasses made out of polycarbonate and plastic injection which are by far the worst. They have no flexibility and adjustability.
-Acetate is the best because it is adjustable making them more comfortable.

2. Color/Paint
-How uniform is the paint? Does it have thick and thin parts? Make sure it is smooth.
-Did they paint the undersides? the insides? The more painted parts on the frame the better.
-How easily does it scratch? can you take a nail and rip through it? The difference between a good paint job and bad is that a good one will be painted in 11+ layers and a bad will be painted 7 times. That is not all that much difference considering how thin it is.
-How fine is the paint? The finer the better. Is it chunky or can you see drip marks?

3. Edges
-How square are the edges? Are they cut clean or are they rounded? Make sure if it is a corner, that it is cut like a corner and not rounded off.
-Do the lines meet up well? Are there gaps when you look at the temple and front from the side?
-Does the paint run off of it or is it painted well off the edges?

4. Demo Lenses (the lenses in the display)
-Are the demo lenses cut well? Are there gaps between the frame and lens? Are the lenses warped?
-Do they have an anti-reflection coating? If they do, it cost them more to make it, its good! The demo lenses reflect the quality control in the manufacture.

5. Printing
-How is the printing on the lenses and the frame? Is it clear and clean or is it smudged on?
-It's small details, but usually copies/fakes are smudged a bit. They basically produce it faster and cheaper than the original companies.

All of the above reflects the quality control of the manufacture. Sure some could be defects, but if the whole line looks like that, you know what you are buying. Paying big bucks doesn't necessarily mean good quality. Sometimes it's more about the quality than price. Hope this helps you guys judging frames. Now you can compare frames while having a "scale" on which you can judge, instead of being a "I like" or "I dislike". Questions why you like it and if it is worth your dollars to pay for that brand. Good luck and happy shopping!!!

Lenses that Contact the Eye

Contact lenses come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

1. How long can you use 1 set of lenses?
-2 week disposables
-1 month disposables
-daily disposables
-conventional (6 months with 1 pair)

2. Can I sleep in them?
NO! Some lenses are FDA approved for extended sleep wear, but think of it this way, you can wear a t-shirt for 1 month straight, but do you really want to? Sleeping with contact lenses will reduce wear time by half. For instance, a 2-week disposable will be good or 1 week.

3. Are they dangerous for my eyes?
Yes and no. Yes it can go wrong if not used properly. No, if you are using them in a hygienic manner.

4. Whats so good about a daily disposable?
They are convenient to use. You carry a pair of contacts and use them when you need them. They also reduce your chances of reinfecting you eyes.

5. What can I not do with my contacts?
No swimming, no sleeping, no hairspray, and no showering.

6. My eyes get red and itchy...
It is most likely due to a lack of oxygen supply to your corneas. Switch to something that allows more oxygen permeability. Like Acuvue Oasys, Cooper Biofinity, Encore 100 and so on.

7. I'm scared to put them in my eyes...
It will take you a while to get use to wearing contact lenses. It is basically a foreign body in your eye. It will also take you a while to get them into your eyes. It will take practice and determination.

8. Color Lenses
Don't be fooled by all the commercials. They enhance the colors of eyes but they are slightly more uncomfortable that regular contacts. Also, it will affect your peripheral vision.

This is a short list of contact lens related questions. If you have any more let me know and I will update the blog.

CityConnection eywear (CCe)

These are a few test pieces that I have for sale. I picked out a few styles to see how they would sell. If you are interested or have questions about them, let me know.

CCe Plastic 1
$120
Features: Heavy duty hinges, clean finish, handmade acetate, PRICE, simple design.
Colors: matte black and black
Size: Eye size 50-18, B 34mm, Temples 140mm

CCe Faux Wood 1
$120
Features: looks like wood, feels like wood, but made out of acetate. Allows adjustments to be made to the frame.
Size: Eye size 55-16, B 25mm, Temples 140mm

CCe Faux Wood 2
$120
Features: looks like wood, feels like wood, but made out of acetate. Allows adjustments to be made to the frame.
Size: Eye size 54-16, B 29mm, Temples 140mm

Anti Fog Tricks for Lenses

There are a few things that you can do to keep your glasses and goggles clean. It might not work all the time, but try it because it works with some applications. If your lenses fog up or get dirty from dirt. Next time, try one of these.

To keep dirt off:
Put clean liquid soap on the lenses, a very thin clear film. This will keep the dirt off.

Fog:
Anti fog cream or spray. It will probably work for up to an hour or so.

Swimming goggles:
Clean them as often as you can, without scratching them. Also, clean them occassionally with alcohol. Rubbing alcohol and NOT vodka :)

Lenses:
Get lenses withOUT anti-reflection coating. The A/R coating attracts dust and makes it hard to clean. Also, keep them clean and free of oils and sweat.

Vocabulary Lesson 101

There are certain things that eye care practitioners use that you might not know. Well, take a look at these words and tune into their "secret codes".

PD: Interpupillary Distance, the distance between your eyes that a practitioner will measure in order to make the focal points on your lenses right over your eyes.
Edge: To cut the lenses
Groove: The side of the lens is in a semi-rimless frame. It is grooved out in order to be held with the nylon line.
Bevel: The side of the lens that is held into a full frame. It looks like a "V".
Bifocal: The name given to set of lenses that correct both distance and near
Flat-top: A bifocal lens that has a "half-moon" on the bottom of the lens that corrects for near
No-line Bifocal: A bifocal lens that corrects both distance and near without a line. Also known as an invisible bifocal
Progressive: A no-line bifocal
Photo-Chromatic: Lenses react to UV and turn darker
Transition: A branded Photo-Chromatic lens. (Think Kleenex, actually being facial tissue)


And how you know a little bit more about their "secret language"