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• Recently Written on Eye Zone

  • Angel Eyewear’s Pink Promise to Fight Breast Cancer
  • Sally Hansen Eyeglasses: Pour on the Color
  • A Conversation with Laurence Lafont
  • Scheyden Eyewear Soars Over AirVenture 2008!
  • Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor in Bolle Sunglasses
  • 10 Facts About Contact Lenses
  • ACUVUE Contact Lenses Keep Goals in Focus
  • Top Eyewear & Optical Tools
  • Polo Ralph Lauren Olympics Styles
  • Celebrity Eyewear Sightings: August 2008

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Angel Eyewear sends a Pink Promise to you this season to aid in Breast Cancer awareness and prevention.

Because everyone needs an Angel watching over them, this season Angel Eyewear has adapted one of its most popular styles, Imagination sunglasses, to reflect the company�s dedication to the fight against breast cancer. A portion of all proceeds generated by the Pink Promise Imagination sunglasses sold will be donated to nonprofit Keep A Breast Foundation�s youth awareness and outreach efforts.

Pink Promise Imagination consists of two distinct color options that will evoke awareness while reflecting personal style. Nude (QAG3234) and Black Pearl (QAG1176) will both feature rose-colored heart designs at the hinges as well as a pink ribbon charm on the temple tip. Blending style and cause, Imagination also adorns a pink ribbon theme in the lining of the frame case and lens-cleaning cloth.

�Angel is an advocate of regular screenings and a promoter of early detection. With help from our customers, we believe there can be a day when we find a cure and those diagnosed can fight and survive,� said Scott Sorensen from Angel Eyewear.

Related posts & pages: Sunglasses Roundup - Persol, Nike, Police, Costa Del Mar, Angel, Sunglasses

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The Sally Hansen eyewear collection, which consists of six ophthalmic styles, is targeted to teens and women of all ages who want products they can trust. Shapes include rounded ovals and rectangles in semi-rimless and full-rimmed designs. Frames are made of double- and triple-zyl laminates, metal and metal/zyl combinations with such embellishments as rhinestones and metal studs. Spring hinges and adjustable nosepads add comfort.

"Fashion and color are important when it comes to eyewear and cosmetics. We are taking those elements and creating fashionable eyewear in seasonal colors like Sally Hansen does with its products," says Wayne McGee, McGee Group president and CEO. "It?s a natural fit to partner with a brand that has such a strong heritage and popularity at the retail level."

For a limited time only, we will be giving away a FREE gift with any purchase of the Sally Hansen eyewear collection. When you purchase Sally Hansen eyeglasses,you will receive free coordinating nail polish, a Sally Hansen case and a cleaning cloth.

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Parisian-born Laurence Lafont began designing eyewear in the '70s out of necessity, she says. After marrying into the optical business - her husband, Philippe Lafont, is the grandson of the founder of the Lafont boutiques in Paris - she began noting the lack of interesting eyewear. "I said to my husband it's a pity there isn't any eyewear for our generation. There were a few designer collections, but the styling was old-fashioned and really boring. We and our friends bought antique frames at flea markets because they were a lot more interesting than what was available in optical shops," Lafont says. To add interest to the eyewear, she and her husband hand painted some Ray-Ban frames sold in the Lafont shop. "At that point everyone was wearing the Wayfarer in black. We started offering it in a lot of different colors with tinted lenses. That was our first adventure with eyewear design."

Then her husband suggested she design a few frames for the Lafont boutique, which at that time only retailed products by other manufacturers. The first collection sold so well opticians throughout France began to call the boutique to purchase frames. This led to the couple's decision in 1979 to go into eyewear design in earnest.

Although the majority of the collection was designed for adults, almost from the beginning Lafont also designed frames for children, also out of necessity. "We had young children of our own and the eyewear available for them was ugly - a nightmare," she explains.

So Lafont started a small collection of colorful frames, some with floral prints, for four to seven year olds, then expanded to include seven to 12 years olds. The first style Lafont designed for kids was the P-3. Not a perfect shape for very young children, she notes. "It's more suitable for seven or eight year olds and older because their face shapes are developed enough to handle that shape. But we learned and our kids' styles have always done very well."

However, the children's collection did not include styles for infants to four year olds. "Now we have two granddaughters - one is six months and one is under two," Lafont notes. So once again she is designing out of necessity. "We felt it was time to reach out to one more generation." The result: Lafont Pour les Bebes, an eight-piece collection, together with a presentation kit, which launched at MIDO in May.

Designing for babies presents its own set of challenges. "You need a totally different approach for babies," Lafont says. The materials have to be soft and flexible so she uses two layers of acetate: the bottom layer is a rubbery substance that will adhere to the face; the top layer is a transparent acetate. The temples are molded - molding is necessary for this age group so that the frames stay put, Lafont explains. Two designs are available, a mini-round for those under two and a small oval for those two to four. She does not use cable temples, but the temple tips have small openings and a rubbery type of ribbon is available, which parents can use to secure the frame if they want. "We actually used our grandchildren as fitting models for the designs to see what worked and what didn?t," Lafont says. "Now the little one wears the round and the older one the oval, as sunglasses."

Whether designing for babies, children or adults, the foundation of the Lafont collection has always been color. "A rectangular frame is a rectangular frame. The personality of any collection is in its colors," Lafont explains. "The number-one color for girls is pink. I always ask why do we have to do so much pink?" the designer says. "But that?s what girls want - pink, pink, pink. And they like purple, too. For boys we do two-tone blues, blue and green, blue and red, brown and kaki or brown and orange. The girls can wear the blues and reds if they like, but they usually want pink." Of course, the new collection, Pour les Bebes, features a lot of pink and blue and green, many with floral and geometric accents on the temples.

The response to the new babies collection has been great - "better than we expected," Lafont comments. "Our biggest children's market is in Europe: France first and then Belgium, where we have had a strong children's business almost since we started. We have a good kids' business in certain locations in the U.S., but there is some resistance because we are considered expensive for kids," she says. "But I always use the analogy that good shoes for kids can be almost as expensive as shoes for adults. Children's shoes and glasses are smaller in size, but the same quality materials and same amount of design and technology - if not more - go into the children's product. Actually our older kids' styles are often sold to petite adults so that helps expand the market a bit, too. With the babies, though, my goal is to provide good quality and attractive styling for parents who want nice things for their infants," Lafont emphasizes. "Those are the customers we want to reach."

Her next step is to do "mini sunnies," sunglasses for babies. This will be a challenge she realizes because of the cost. "We?ve tried in the past adding sunglasses to our collections for the older kids and found them impossible to sell. But that is our next step. It is really important for children of all ages to have quality sun protection." As Madame Lafont so aptly puts it: "Voila - a new generation."

Reprinted Courtesy 20/20 magazine

Related posts & pages: Lafont sunglasses, Lafont eyeglasses, Lafont Eyewear, Lafont Soledad Panther in Teen Prom Magazine, Lafont Kids eyeglasses added.

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The air show performance & sky-writing team of Suzanne and Steve Oliver were so pleased with the quality of their new Scheyden sunglasses that they spelled out the company name in the skies over EAA's AirVenture, the world's largest General Aviation air show held annually in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. In the eyes of air show performers, aviation professionals, and pilots of all types, Scheyden Eyewear has quickly become one of the industry's favorite brand names.

Product sales for Scheyden, as well as their associated luggage affiliate Club Glove, were so brisk at Oshkosh that event attendees and aircraft manufacturers couldn't help but notice the constant buzz of excitement and activity at the Scheyden display area.

Pilots and professionals within in the aviation community have discovered that the customized function, unmatched quality, and unique styling of these glasses foster a safer and more comfortable cockpit environment. By instantly adapting to changing light conditions with their patented flip function, Scheyden Flip-Up Sunglasses help pilots stay hands-free while blocking reflectivity and erasing glare. There's also no need to switch eyewear for "readers" or a prescription lens.

Prescription wearers applaud the Rx versions of these glasses because they are able customize the lenses to fit their own eyesight requirements. Part of Scheyden's formula for success is due to this kind of unparalleled customer service and attention to detail.

Aviators wearing headsets or earpieces have commented how comfortable and lightweight these glasses feel underneath their listening devices. In fact, Scheyden Eyewear and a large headset manufacturer realized the harmonious relationship between their products by promoting them together at AirVenture 2008. The results were an enormous success.

Scheyden has also been involved with sponsoring EAA's Young Eagles, a flight program enthusiastically supported by actor Harrison Ford which gives kids their first taste of aviation.

Scheyden and sister company Club Glove also contributed to the AirVenture Celebrity Golf Tournament as well as the TBM Aircraft Owners Gathering at Oshkosh.

2006 U.S. National Aerobatic Champion and Team Scheyden Member Debbie Rihn-Harvey attended the event flying her Cap 232 monoplane in some of the most spectacular aerobatic displays of the entire air show. Mike Niccum, who is another Team Scheyden Member, Air Show Performer, 2004 Advanced World Team Member and Unlimited Competition Pilot displayed his beautiful Staudacher aircraft at the aerobatic facility while signing autographs and answering spectators' questions about National and World Competition.

It seems nothing is holding Scheyden back when it comes to functional eyewear coupled with great styling. Scheyden?s superb quality, unique features, and custom lens designs are also marking their popularity in other industries such as fly fishing, boating, and golfing.

Watch for Scheyden and Club Glove to support future causes and events like AirVenture as customers continue to tailor a pair of Scheyden glasses to suit their specific eyewear needs.

Related pages & posts: Scheyden Sunglasses, Aviator Sunglasses, Scheyden Flip-Up Sunglasses.

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What kind of sunglasses do Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor wear in their Olympic beach volleyball matches?

While playing, Misty wears the Bolle Rattler and Kerri wears the Bolle Serpent.

If you purchase a Bolle Sunglasses frame from FramesDirect, we also include the gift with purchase, which includes the Collector's Catalog, Logo Sticker, Case, Cloth, T-shirt and two posters. Kerri Walsh is on one poster and Lance Armstrong is on the other.

Check out Kerri in our Bolle Sunglasses video.

Related post: Protective Sports Eyewear.

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1. A contact lens is designed to rest on the cornea, the clear outer surface of the eye.

2. Contacts are held in place mainly by adhering to the tear film that covers the front of the eye and, to a lesser extent, by pressure from the eyelids.

3. As the eyelid blinks, it glides over the surface of the contact lens and causes it to move slightly. This movement allows the tears to provide necessary lubrication to the cornea and helps flush away debris between the cornea and the contact lens.

4. A contact is an optical medical device, primarily used to correct myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and reading problems. In these conditions, light is not focused properly on the retina, the layer of nerve endings in the back of the eye that converts light to electrochemical impulses. When light is not focused properly on the retina, the result is blurred or imperfect vision.

5. When in place on the cornea, the contact lens functions as the initial optical element of the eye. The optics combine with the optics of the eye to properly focus light on the retina. The result is clear vision.

6. What causes farsightedness? Hypermetropia most commonly occurs because the eyeball is too short; that is, shorter from front to back than is normal. In some cases, hypermetropia may be caused by the cornea having too little curvature.

7. Replacing contact lenses frequently usually means better eye health. Other obvious advantages are having spare ones immediately available should one get torn or lost.

8. Be sure you wear your back up eyeglasses at least once a week to give your eyes and cornea a chance to reoxygenate.

9. Symptoms of overwear include burning eyes, dryness, blurred vision and seeing halos around lights. This can lead to serious corneal problems and infections. Consult your eye doctor regularly for eye examinations and follow up care.

10. Frequent and Planned Replacement contacts are replaced on a planned schedule, most often every two weeks, monthly or quarterly. These items usually come 4 to 6 per box. Eye care professionals may recommend enzyming them if they are used longer than one month. A popular brand is the Focus Monthly from Ciba Vision.

Related pages & posts: Bifocal Contacts, Toric Contacts, Contact Lens Catalog, Eyewear & Optical Glossary.

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The U.S. National Soccer Teams are getting the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in focus thanks to Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, which manufactures ACUVUE contact lenses. The company is an official sponsor of the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF), the national governing body for the sport of soccer in the United States and sponsors the U.S. Men?s National Team, the U.S. Women's National Team and the U.S. Youth National Teams this year. In addition, it is providing national team members with ACUVUE contacts.

Through the USSF sponsorship, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care educates athletes and fans about the important role vision plays in sports performance. The outreach also extends beyond sports by showing the benefits of better vision in other aspects of daily life, such as driving, working on a computer or in the classroom.

U.S. Women's National Team member Heather O?Reilly (shown in action) plays a leading role in the efforts to educate athletes and other performance-minded individuals by sharing her personal story about the valuable role of vision in life. "I didn't realize how much my bad eyesight was affecting me on the field, until an eye exam revealed that my vision was less than it should be," says O'Reilly. "With proper vision correction, I've noticed a change in my game. I can actually see the spin of the ball, which helps me anticipate where it's heading and makes my shots and passes more precise."

"Good vision is critical to achievement in athletics and life," notes Gigi Garcia, head athletic trainer for the Women's National Team. "While training and practice are important to hone and refine skills, it's not possible to fully apply these skills at a high level without good vision."

-Jackie Micucci
Reprinted Courtesy 20/20 magazine

Related posts & pages: contact lenses catalog, Contact Lens FAQ, Protective Sports Eyewear, Bolle Tips for Wearing Goggles over Corrective Eyewear .

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We've built a number of handy tools and written lots of informative articles to help our readers and site visitors in their search for optical information and those oh-so-right contact lenses, eyeglasses or sunglasses. Here are some of our top resources.

1. Optical Glossary - Want to know what PD means (Pupil Distance) or what a Prism is? Just check out our online glossary for definitions to a ton of vision related terms.

2. FrameFinder Virtual Try On - The ultimate in online convenience. Just upload a photo of your face and try on our top eyeglasses and sunglasses.

3. Lens Options Guide - Need information on the various types of lenses available - Progressive, Plastic, Polycarbonate, Drivewear, Transitions, etc.? This is where you'll find it along with information on coatings, tints and some pages with informative videos.

4. What's My Eyeglass Frame Size? - Want to know how to find out what size your eyeglasses frames are? Check out this informative, easy to understand article.

5. Eyewear Insider - Our library of eyeglasses frames and sunglasses brands. Read more detailed information about the companies that make designer eyewear, their products and watch videos on many of the pages.

6. The Eye Zone Blog Site Map - Want to scan all of the posts on The Eye Zone by category? Easily find all of those celebrity sunglasses, eyewear and optical news posts that you missed or want to read again.

7. Eyewear Videos - Online videos are big and we've made it our goal to make optical information videos available to our visitors. Check out our current videos with more to come!

8. Get a FramesDirect.com Google Button - You can grab a button for your Google toolbar that not only will zip you right back to the FramesDirect.com web site, but will keep you up to date on new posts at The Eye Zone Blog.

9. The Eye Zone RSS Feed - Get nearly instant notification of new posts, news and articles in your RSS feed reader or receive e-mail alerts. It's free and easy to subscribe or unsubscribe and your e-mail address is safe. It is only used for this feed.

10. Ask The CEO - For optical and vision questions beyond the norm, our CEO, Dr. Dhavid Cooper, will answer your questions on this page of the blog. How's that for a personal touch?

Related pages & posts: Contact Lens FAQ, Face Shape Guide, Contact Lens & Eyeglasses Examinations, Inserting and Removing Your Contact Lens, FramesDirect.com Facebook Fan Page.

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Inspired by the rich past of the Olympic Games and in keeping with the time-honored tradition of this historic event, Polo Ralph Lauren brings an elegant and contemporary style to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams. Reflecting Ralph Lauren's trademark sporty sophistication, the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Closing Ceremony outfits feature timeless Polo knits tipped in bright red and royal blue piping and chino Bermudas in crisp white, all adorned with the iconic Polo pony and the 2008 U.S. Team logo. The ensembles are accented by Americana-infused accessories with red, white and blue ribbon belts and classic canvas sneakers in white with red and blue lateral stripes.

The Village Wear designs offer a more casual sportswear look with zip-up hooded sweatshirts, sleek track jackets and brightly colored cotton polo shirts all displaying the official U.S. Olympic Team logo and the classic Polo pony logo. Incorporating the theme of the Games' location, Chinese characters reading "Beijing" also decorate the apparel. Completing the Village Wear range, athletes will receive limited-edition Ralph Lauren eyewear. The sunglasses feature a sleek navy blue acetate frame with red interior enhanced by a small Polo pony logo metal insert on the outer side of the temples. They are commemorated with "2008" and "Polo Ralph Lauren" written inside one of the temples. The wardrobe should make for a true American Olympic moment.

- Jackie Micucci
Reprinted Courtesy 20/20 magazine

Related pages & posts: Polo Eyewear, RALPH Sunglasses, Polo Eyeglasses, Ralph Lauren Sunglasses.

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