American Optical Company is the first American company in the area of design, manufacturing and distributing of high-end eyeglasses and sunglasses. Even by today, American Optical is still one of the largest optical manufacturing companies in the world.

The history of American Optical can be traced back to 1826 when a Connecticut farm boy named William Beecher germinated an idea of producing better quality spectacles. This represented the birth of American Optical Company and the American optical industry.

American Optical gained quick expansion in the early 20^th century by exporting AO eyewear to Europe. AT that time the precious metal frames made of silver and gold was popular, American Optical was the most active player in this field. During the WWI, American Optical shipped 2.5 million eyeglasses and sunglasses for the war efforts. In WWII, about 1.4 million pairs of prescription glasses were sent to the US Forces. American Optical was rewarded by US government for its contributions.

American Optical sunglasses also had a story of legend. The first pair of American Optical sunglasses was made in 1876. The proudest part of the story was that styles of special American Optical sunglasses made for US military forces, and by today these AO eyewear sunglasses are still popular among the youngsters.

American Optical is considered to the pride and witness of American optical industry. AO eyewear, both prescription and sunglasses, still represent the highest level of quality, craftsmanship and fashion design. AO eyewear remains the legend of American dream.

Computer focus has unique visual demands that are unlike with other activities, so that a prolonged computer use may bring eyestrain and fatigue more easily. Some of the people under 40 can not remain accurately focused on the computer screen for a long period, or get tired from the frequent switch between the screen and the keyboard. Presbyopia on people above 40 may also cause CVS symptoms such as blurry vision and headache.

The simplest way to address CVS (Computer Vision Syndrome) is the special computer glasses, which are superior to regular prescription glasses. All those commonly used prescription glasses such as reading glasses, bifocal glasses and single vision glasses for myopia are not designed to suit computer use. The reason is that computer focus needs the intermediate zone of vision, which is closer than distance vision and farther than near vision. Even trifocals and progressive glasses can only cover a small portion of this area.

The University Of Alabama School Of Optometry has conducted a research of participants between 19 and 30, who either wear computer glasses or non-corrective glasses. Researchers recorded the performance of these people in finishing font tests. The result showed that people with computer glasses had higher work productivity than the other individuals.

Computer glasses have special designs that are not suitable for regular wear. A single vision lens with special power provides both the most comfortable computer vision and the largest vision field. This type of computer lens design reduces the risk of eyestrain, blurred vision and unnatural posture. For people with presbyopia, occupational progressive lenses or lined trifocals with larger intermediate zone provide the right solution. But they are not suitable for driving since the distance zone is narrowed. Occupational bifocal lenses offer a top lens part for intermediate vision and a bottom part for near vision.

Eyestrain can also come from bright office lighting. Anti-reflective coating can be used to reduce glare and UV absorbing coating can be used to block blue light emitted by fluorescent lights.

Chicago Optical, also known as Spex, is the local optical retailer in Chicagoland area. Presently Chicago Optical operates 14 optical stores in the major locations in Chicago.

Chicago Optical provides a variety of international designs and local styles of eyeglasses, sunwear, lenses, contacts and optical accessories. Major brands in the Chicago Optical Spex include Sama, SCOJO, TAGHeuer, I.A.Eyeworks, Lafont, Lindberg, Ray Ban, Liver Peoples, Chanel and handful of others.

In Chicago Optical, Spex, optometrist can examine eyes for the customers. The eye exams in Chicago Optical are not only for eyeglasses prescriptions, but also check the early symptoms of diseases and disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, glaucoma and others.

As the famous optical retailer in Chicago, Chicago Optical believes that for customer finding a proper optical store is only the half battle, and that the other half is to find a pair of suitable frame and lenses. The well-trained professional opticians in Chicago Optical can help you through the selection and trying-on process.

Like other optical retailers in the country, Chicago Optical also offers perfect customer services. Its return policy maximizes the ease of its customers in purchasing eyewear and other vision needs from Chicago Optical, Spex.

Unlike bifocal contact lenses, a monovision-treated lens has only one power. Since bifocal contact lenses have two focal points on a single lens, people may take a period of time to adjust to the power change during vision switch. The fitting technique monovision provides another effective solution to prescription eyes.

Using monovision, you can wear a contact lens for distance vision on your dominant eye and another lens for close vision on the other eye. With proper coordination, the two eyes perform well in seeing at all distances, creating acceptable and comfortable vision. Although monovision is rarely used, they fit most of the people without awareness of “distance eye” or “close eye”.

Two monovision variations are designed to suit personal vision demands. First type is mini-monovision. Some people may find that standard monovision can not provide clear distance vision. Mini-monovision adds a slight magnifying power to the close lens. People with mini-monovision can get a perfect vision if they spend much of their time in distance vision and only a little close vision. The other variation is modified monovision, which combines a single vision lens for the distance eye and a bifocal lens for the close eye. This type offer satisfying distance vision as well as acceptable close vision.

Monovision is sometimes a dilemma for some people, that it may bring neither perfect distance vision nor close vision. In addition, the two eyes may be not in perfect coordination so that depth perception is affected.

Monovision contact lenses’ fitting requires more skills and more time. The wearer’s vision dissatisfaction can be magnified even by a slight change in the lens power, which may also spend several days to adjust. In this consideration, monovision contact lenses fitting may be mostly charged twice the fee for a standard contacts fitting.

Monovision contact lenses can also be used for a test to refractive surgeries, such as LASIK, conductive keratoplasty and so on. These surgeries may realize monovision for your eyes. But a prior two-week test of wearing monovision contact lenses is necessary. You can ask your doctor for more information about the difference between monovision and bifocal lenses, and then choose the better one for your personal needs.

Nowadays, toric contact lenses are available in nearly all lenses types, such as soft materials, disposable, frequent replacement, multifocals and colored types.

Toric contact lenses are similar with bifocals in focal points, which have two different powers resulted from different curvatures. So that toric lenses can correct both astigmatism and myopia or hyperopia. The difference between toric lenses and spherical lenses lies in that they can not rotate on eyes under blink or looking around. Toric lenses can be soft and RGPs and require more time and skills so that their prices are unavoidably higher.

If you only have a mild astigmatism between zero and 1.00 diopter, toric lenses is not a necessity. The rigidity of common spherical RGP lenses offer a comfortable shape for your cornea thus reduces the need for astigmatism correction. ECPs may also use high-power spherical soft lenses to achieve a same effect. Both of these two ways require some trials. A third type of lenses that reduce eye spherical aberration can also “correct” astigmatism without a need for toric lenses.

As mentioned before, toric lenses can be soft and RGPs. Most people neglect the shape-maintenance performance of RGP toric lenses and choose more comfortable soft lenses, even if RGPs provide a sharper vision.

Among the wide options of toric colored lenses, multifocal toric lenses and branded toric lenses, your ECP is the judge based on your eye conditions. While toric colored (both enhancement and change types) lenses are provided in both disposable and non-disposable types, multifocal toric lenses are mostly non-disposable and in RGPs type.

Toric contact lenses are offered by many brands in silicone hydrogel lens, including monthly disposable type and quarterly replacement lenses for special prescription. Customers always need to choose ECPs who offer fitting toric lenses for your personal vision welfare.

Contact lenses always need careful cleaning and storing. If the wearer has poor health habits, a serious infection named Acanthamoeba may be aroused, which is very difficult to treat. To prevent this bothering infection, contact lenses wearers must follow the codes required by doctors and manufacturers.

First found in 1973, Acanthamoeba has been mostly related to contact lenses, with a 90 percentage. Acanthamoeba Keratitis that infecting the eyes come from the natural occurring amoeba. These tiny and single-cell animals mostly appear in tap water, well water as well as sewage systems. Fortunately, Acanthamoeba Keratitis occur an average of two times among one million wearers. Exception also exists ever found by the US centers for Diseases Control and other researchers. In 2007, the contact lenses solution named Complete MoisturePlus aroused a wide spread worrying about infection. The CDC reported that this product had a seven times risk of conventional products.

Good lenses hygiene is the most effective way in avoiding Acanthamoeba Keratitis. And Acanthamoeba can be killed by rubbing off the lens surface.  But there are may unhealthy factors that may cause this infection, such as using polluted tap or well water and homemade products to clean lenses, showering or swimming without removing your contact lenses, as well as dirty cases. Nowadays, some manufacturers pay less attention to the contact lenses cleaning upon removal, which also brings more Keratitis cases.

It is difficult to diagnose Acanthamoeba Keratitis, even if they have obvious symptoms such as red eyes, eye pain, tearing, blurred vision etc… These signs are common and may be caused by other eye diseases. The way to diagnose Acanthamoeba Keratitis is using antibiotics, which may cause different reactions from Keratitis. Another ensured sign of Acanthamoeba Keratitis is ulceration on the corneal tissue. Corneal transplant surgery is the widely used solution to reduce the risk of permanent vision loss by Acanthamoeba Keratitis.

Acanthamoeba Keratitis and eye infections can be significantly minimized if the wearer uses them properly. Some tips are easy, such as washing hands frequently, following doctors’ instructions, using recommended products rather than wetting or saline solutions, and regular lenses cleaning. They should never use tap water for cleaning. If customers like wearing lenses while swimming, airtight swim goggles is a necessity.

Your lenses cases also need equal care with lenses themselves. The first factor evolves cases cleaning. You can simply clean them using hot water or carefully brush them using disinfecting products, then let them air dry. Sometimes, a complete sterilization weekly is needed using hot boiling water or a microwave oven. Contact lenses should be replaced within every three months even with most frequent cleaning.

For Acanthamoeba Keratitis, prevention and early detection are critical.

Currently, Americans in all 50 states can buy contacts both from ECPs and other sources such as optical chains, warehouse clubs and online stores. This privilege originates from a 2004 legislation that patients are entitled to obtain a copy of contacts prescription from ECPs without extra cost, which was only available in certain states before that time. This law profoundly separated fitting and lenses buying. You will never be forced to buy contacts from ECPs after been fitted. Today, contacts prescriptions are just like ones of other medical products like medicines that may provide more information than eyeglasses prescriptions. With a prescription, customers can buy disposable lenses regularly.

An accurate prescription is needed for contacts. Poorly fitting contacts and lenses made of unsuitable materials may cause discomfort, inflammation, swelling, and most severely, permanent vision loss. Sharing contacts may also bring dangerous infections. In US, optometrists, ophthalmologists as well as opticians are entitled to fit contact lenses.

Subtle eye problems may have developed even you are still feeling good with your eyes and contacts. Some ophthalmologists have ever found eye problems during regular eye exams, so that you must update the prescription within a certain period, which is also listed by either federal law or state law. Another point worth mentioning is that you can change your contacts size, material or design if you are diagnosed with a lens-related problem.

Contacts prescriptions use standard terms, abbreviations and measurements, which look like secret codes yet easy for recognition. Besides regular items, your prescription may also tell the recommended replacement period or the expiry. By US law, the expiry normally is at least one year and in most of the cases it may be longer than this. However, you should always follow your ECP for final decision, rather than the products instructions.

Also called RGPs, rigid gas permeable or oxygen permeable lenses, gas permeable (GP) contact lenses are less-known than soft lenses. RGPs are different from “hard” contact lenses, which have disappeared today, although they were popular before the invention of soft lenses in 1971. PMMA hard lenses are uncomfortable and prohibit oxygen from passing through the lenses.

Invented in the late 1970s, GP lenses contain silicone, which is more flexible than PMMA and allows more oxygen to pass through, creating more comfort and better vision. They also have many other advantages, such as more durable and deposit resistant, easier to clean, and less expensive. However, GP lenses demand a longer adapting period than soft lenses.

GP lens is the right solution for people unsatisfied with soft lenses, such as vision fussy individuals, people with astigmatism, presbyopia or keratoconus, or individuals after a refractive surgery. GP lenses offer the best answer for bifocal lenses for people with presbyopia. Ortho-k lenses also use GPs.

GP lenses are not flawless. They require a regular wearing for most comfort and a longer time to adjust, which never happen to soft lenses. GPs may still cause blurry eyes when they are removed, even if the situation will soon disappear. GP lenses also need more careful cleaning and storing since they last at least one year.

Currently, new versions of lenses that combine the visual clarity from GPs and comfort from soft lenses are available, which remove the most significant obstacle for GPs. These special lenses are used for presbyopia, keratoconus and LASIK recovery.

If you are above 18, you can resort to LASIK for long term vision recovery, getting rid of daily removal, cleaning, and disinfecting of eyeglasses or contacts. There is actually another option to tackle these hassle problems: 30 days extended wear contact lenses that are approved by FDA.

Both LASIK and extended wear contacts have safety issues. In the early days of continuous wear contacts, many people were reported that they experienced eye infections so that the FDA reduced 30 days to 7 days for a maximum continuous wearing. Although the FDA has approved the new invented silicone hydrogel contacts for 30 days continuous wear because of its testified safety, these contact lenses are still not for some people who have previous eye problems.

Rich clinical experience may help surgeons screen out poor candidates for LASIK, but most of the people still suffer from nighttime glare and dryness during the several months after the surgery. The good news is that new refractive surgery technologies including femtosecond lasers, eye-tracking, new wave-guided laser treatments have significantly reduces the risks of LASIK.

Another aspect to make a comparison between continuous contacts and LASIK is effectiveness. If 30-day contacts can provide enough visual satisfaction for the wearer, they are the better choice than LASIK. Continuous contacts wearer can still move to bifocal lenses or reading glasses when they entering presbyopic ages. Statistics show that most patients after LASIK can get 20/20 visual acuity. An exception is that some LASIK-received patients may experience a visual change after a certain period. While some of them need eyeglasses during night for visual compensation, others even need a second LASIK. LASIK is less effective for people above 40.

Extended wear contacts require no lens care expense, but a 12-month supply of them needs almost $250 to $300. The surgery cost and subsequent expenses after LASIK are much higher than continuous contacts. An LASIK itself cost an average of $2000 for one eye, even if you can divide it into several installments. Patients after LASIK also need regular eye exams to check vision changes, nonprescription sunglasses for UV protection and safety goggles for sports participation.

It is all up to yourself if you are the right candidates for both 30-day continuous contacts and LASIK. There are some factors that may help you make a decision. Contact lenses have lower risks than LASIK, although the latter removes even the monthly lenses removal and replacement. 30-day contact lenses provide more flexible solutions that you can switch to other contacts according to vision change, and they are much cheaper than LASIK.

In fact, there are other options if you can not get enough satisfaction from either 30-day contacts or LASIK, such as Ortho-k contacts and daily disposable contacts. Ortho-k contacts free you from daytime lenses wearing, while daily disposable lenses eliminate lens care. A fact is that daily disposable contacts cost about twice the expense of 30-day lenses, although they also solve the dry-eye problem for nightwear.