Vision & Voice
“ Why is it important that a quality lens be used when selecting a fashionable frame ?”
“ Spectacles have the job of providing clear vision while framing the eyes . Low-quality lenses act as a barrier between the wearer ’ s eyes and the world ; they distort the wearer ’ s vision and detract from the beauty of one ’ s eyes . It is only with a good-quality , anti-reflective coating that the wearer ’ s eyes will be fully visible behind the lens . Design should be practical , functional , then look good- in that order .”
“ Wearing fashionable eyewear frames does not exclude safety and achieving optimal vision . This can be easily achieved by using quality lenses . A quality lens will have built-in features to protect the eyes from harmful radiation ( such as UV , etc .), will possess impact-resistance qualities to protect the eye from the lens shattering and will be biocompatible ( made of non-toxic materials and not injurious to the eye ). A quality lens will have to possess all this in addition to excellent qualities for light transmission to produce the sharpest images on the retina .”
Dr . Sam Markowitz MD FRCS ( C ), Canadian Ophthalmological Society member , professor of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences , Faculty of Medicine , and director of low vision rehabilitation program in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Toronto .
Graham Cutler , Founding optometrist at Cutler and Gross .
“ As fashionable as a frame may be , it ’ s ultimately a device to hold a patient ’ s lenses . Lenses should be thin and light , with UV-protection and additional treatments based on the patient ’ s needs . Opticians are taught to talk lenses first , then find a fashionable frame to put them in , so the patient doesn ’ t select a frame only to find it isn ’ t appropriate for their prescription . Having quality lenses suited for the prescription will ensure the glasses function correctly — and look their best .”
Jessica A . Lutz , The Vision Council .
08 Optical Prism | March 2017
“ Although eyewear is more and more becoming viewed as a fashion accessory , it is important to not lose sight that the principal purpose of eyewear is to help consumers see better . High-quality lenses are important in ensuring that they not only look good in their eyewear , but have the visual acuity that today ' s knowledgeable consumer expects .”
Beverly Suliteanu , Vice-president of product development at WestGroupe .