RAY-BAN WAYFARER: TIMELESS EYEWEAR

Bausch & Lomb, a U.S. eyeglass manufacturer, introduced the Ray-Ban sunglasses brand in the late 1930s. One of their designers invented the Wayfarer with all-plastic frames in the early 1950s.  Soon, the Wayfarer became the first sunglasses variety to meld style and functionality. All sunglasses do the same thing, but the Wayfarer made choosing shades a declaration of fashion consciousness. Bausch & Lomb sold the Ray-Ban brand to Italian eyewear manufacturer Luxottica in 1989. Since then, Ray-Ban has tweaked and reshaped the Wayfarer to suit modern tastes, but Ray-Ban hasn’t changed the Wayfarer’s essential fashion mission.   

The Wayfarer is essentially the standard plastic-framed sunglass shape. It has a horizontal bar that rests at the top of the nose, with rounded lens frames. The top corners of the frame fronts jut out a bit. They’re mostly flat in the front and do not curve to the contours of the face.  If you’ve seen the 1980s classic films “Risky Business” or “The Blues Brothers,” you’ve seen Wayfarers.

Edwards Eye Care is an authorized dealer for Ray-Ban.  Stop in our office and check out The Wayfarer and other styles we carry.

The Importance of Protective Eyewear for Sports Safety

When I was growing up there was not much of an emphasis on protecting the eyes during sporting competitions.  At that time many did not have the knowledge of how simple protective sports eyewear could help prevent eye injury and in many cases save vision and prevent blindness in the unfortunate event of a serious sports related eye injury.

Today, many more individuals and parents are diligent to make sure they and their children are properly protecting their vision during sporting activities, and furthermore there are many choices in today's protective eyewear market that allow athletes to play safely and look good at the same time.
Here are some important Tips from Prevent Blindness America on the importance of Sports Safety.

Eye Safety News

Tips for Keeping Your Kids' Eyes Safe During Spring/Summer Sports

Each year in the United States, 25,000 kids under 15 have sports-related eye injuries, most of which are preventable (source: Prevent Blindness America).

• Children in sports need protective eyewear, just as they need helmets and protective padding. Balls, bats and jabs from other participants can cause both temporary injuries and long-term vision problems — even cataracts and blindness. Choose protective eyewear with wraparound frames, to protect the eyes from all sides.

• Regular eyeglasses and sunglasses don't protect the eyes, because they are not strong enough to withstand flying objects and hard blows; your kids need protective eyewear as well. You can get it with or without a prescription, but be sure the lenses are both impact-and scratch-resistant.

• Sun exposure damages the eyes, so kids need protection from both UVA and UVB rays with either good-quality sunglasses or protective eyewear. If the labels don't specify UVA and UVB protection levels, you can find out how protective the products are by having your eye doctor check their UV blockage with a spectrophotometer.

These tips can help you and your family remain as safe as possible when engaging in sports this spring and summer.

UV Eye Alert! Protect Your Eyes with Polarized Sunglasses!

Just as the sun’s rays can damage your skin with sunburn, premature aging and skin cancer; these rays can also potentially have bad consequences for your eyes.  Growing evidence shows that long-term exposure to UV rays can lead to macular degeneration and cataracts, serious eye conditions that can cause vision impairment or loss.

            As you begin preparing for your vacation destination be sure to take these basic precautions when in the sun this spring in order to protect your eyes from damage associated with UV exposure.  When possible, limit your time in the sun and take breaks often throughout the day.  Also make sure to wear a wide-brimmed hat, and polarized sunglasses that filter 99% of UV rays.

            Polarized sunglass lens technology is often a great choice for your day at the beach as they effectively filter out horizontally polarized light reflected from the surface of the water that is often the cause of harmful glare.  Due to this fact, Polarized lenses have long been the standard in sunglasses for fishermen but now all those that love the outdoors are enjoying their tremendous benefits as well. 

            Remembering to protect your children’s eyes is also important as studies now show that children may receive up to 80% of their exposure to damaging UV rays by age 18.  To keep them safe, follow the same precautions as you would for an adult, while making sure to choose sunglasses that properly fit their smaller faces, have impact resistant lenses with quality frames, and have lenses large enough to shield their entire eye. 

            Stop in to see your eye doctor before you head out on your trip to the beach.  We are the experts that can help you have your day in the sun while safely protecting the eyes as well.  We can recommend the best in quality polarized sunglasses in both prescription and non-prescription that meet the highest standards for sun and safety protection our industry has to offer.     

Protective Eyewear and Sports Safety

When I was growing up there was not much of an emphasis on protecting the eyes during sporting competitions.
At that time many did not have the knowledge of how simple protective sports eyewear could help prevent eye injury and in many cases save vision and prevent blindness in the unfortunate event of a serious sports related eye injury.
Today, many more individuals and parents are diligent to make sure they and their children are properly protecting their vision during sporting activities, and furthermore there are many choices in today's protective eyewear market that allow athletes to play safely and look good at the same time.

Please read the information below from Prevent Blindness America and All About Vision about the importance of Sports Safety.

Eye Safety News

Tips for Keeping Your Kids' Eyes Safe During Spring/Summer Sports

February 16, 2011 — Each year in the United States, 25,000 kids under 15 have sports-related eye injuries, most of which are preventable (source: Prevent Blindness America).

To protect your children's eyes, follow these valuable tips from Dr. Scott Lambert, a professor of ophthalmology at Emory University and a member of the advisory council for the
Pediatric Cataract Initiative:

• Children in sports need protective eyewear, just as they need helmets and protective padding. Balls, bats and jabs from other participants can cause both temporary injuries and long-term vision problems — even cataracts and blindness. Choose protective eyewear with wraparound frames, to protect the eyes from all sides.

• Regular eyeglasses and sunglasses don't protect the eyes, because they are not strong enough to withstand flying objects and hard blows; your kids need protective eyewear as well. You can get it with or without a prescription, but be sure the lenses are both impact-and scratch-resistant.

• Sun exposure damages the eyes, so kids need protection from both UVA and UVB rays with either good-quality sunglasses or protective eyewear. If the labels don't specify UVA and UVB protection levels, you can find out how protective the products are by having your eye doctor check their UV blockage with a spectrophotometer.

These tips can help you and your family remain as safe as possible when engaging in sports this spring and summer.

Tis the Season for UV Protection

While spending the Memorial Day weekend at the beach this year, I couldn't help but notice the lack of sunglasses for so many beach goers. It always amazes me that everyone on the beach remembers to protect their skin with sunscreen while in the sun, but the majority have not thought about the importance of sunglasses for eye protection.

UV-A and UV-B rays produced from the sun represent the largest danger to your eyes in both the short term and long term. Large amounts of UV radiation over a short period of time can result in photokeratitis, or a "sunburn to the eye". This can be extremely painful giving extreme light sensitivity, burning eyes, and excessive tearing to someone on a summer vacation, and can also be common in snow skiers without sunglasses. Over the long term, conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration are more common with extended UV exposure.

A high quality pair of polarized sunglasses will block 99 percent of UV rays and help reduce glare when outdoors. These tips from the AOA explain how to properly protect your eyes from the sun this summer.