QUESTIONS? CALL 1-407-335-2950

Aberrations are distortions that occur as light travels through the eye.

Acetate or more specifically cellulose acetate is a plant-based plastic that is hypoallergenic. Cellulose acetate is widely used today to make frames because it has the widest range for transparency, rich colors, and finishes. Acetate is hypoallergenic, made from a renewable resource, lightweight, and very strong. This material was first used for eye wear in the late 1940’s because previously used plastics were brittle. Today’s acetates are known for being strong, lightweight, and flexible.

Accommodation is the ability for the eye to increase optical power in order to maintain a clear image (focus) the longer a person looks at an image.  

Depending on your vision, this is a piece of your prescription that refers to the added magnification power you need to see clearly up close. Not everyone needs an add power, only people who have trouble seeing things close-up. If you need an add power and want to use one pair of glasses to see near and far, your glasses would be considered either progressives (Progressive Add Lens) or bifocals.

Amblyopia is the medical term used when the vision in one eye is reduced because the eye and the brain are not working together properly. It usually arises during childhood, the eye itself looks normal, but it is not being used normally because the brain is favoring the other eye. This condition is also sometimes called lazy eye.

All KEAGAN eyewear lenses are coated with the highest quality hydrophobic (water resistant) and oleophobic (oil resistant) coating that reduce glare. This treatment is especially important for those who work with computers. The added bonus is that it will also keep your glasses looking so clean and new!

The arm is the part of your glasses that runs alongside your head and holds them in place. It is also known as the temple.

Astigmatism is a common optical condition which results in blurry vision. While most eyes are more basketball in shape, some are more football in shape. This irregular shape prevents light from focusing properly on the back of the eye. This prevents you from seeing perfectly clear. Thank goodness for glasses! With the right prescription, glasses can correct your vision.

This is a machine that is often used to determine baseline prescription of your glasses. An autorefractor calculates your baseline prescription by shining light into your eye and measuring how the light changes.

If you have an astigmatism, the axis is the number on your prescription that determines the angle of your astigmatism correction (ranging from 0 to 180 degrees). The axis and cylinder are always together. You can say that they go together like peanut butter and jelly. You can't have one without the other!

The base curve is the amount of curvature on the front surface of a lens. It can also refer to a curvature of a contact lens.

BCVA or Best Corrected Visual Acuity is the best possible vision a person can achieve with corrective lenses. It is measured in terms of a Snellen chart, 20/20, 20/16, etc.

Bifocals are lenses containing two focal lengths. They are usually are arranged with the focus for distance on the top and the near focus on the bottom of the lens. They are different from PALs in that they have a distinct line (visible) between the two focal lengths.

The blink reflex, also known as the corneal reflex, is an involuntary blinking of the eyelids prompted by stimulation of the cornea. Such as touching or the introduction of a foreign body. It’s our body’s way of protecting the eye from any kind of threat, keeping them clean.

Cat eye glasses is defined by having an up sweep at the outer edges where the temples or arms join the frame front, mimicking the shape of a cat’s eyes.

​

American artist, Altina Schinasi, is credited with designing cat eye shaped glasses. Schinasi’s glasses were so highly publicized by magazines like Vogue and Life that she decided to establish her own company to distribute them. In 1939, she received an American Design Award from Lord & Taylor for the flared-frame Harlequin glasses.

Individuals with color blindness recognize colors differently from the way most of us do. Color blindness is very common, and the severity can range from mild to severe. People who are color blind are born with it. Typically, it is a genetic condition and is carried on the X chromosome, affecting more men than women. It is estimated that about 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women worldwide have some form of color blindness.

If you have astigmatism, this is 1 of 3 pieces of information that appears on your prescription. It refers to the lens power needed to correct for an astigmatism. If you have a cylinder, then you have an axis -- you can’t have one without the other!

Eye care professionals will sometimes dilate your pupils during an exam to get a better look at your retina. Simply put, this means that your pupils will be expanded (or dilated), using special dilating eyedrops. If you’ve ever had your eyes dilated, you know that it can make your vision blurry and your eyes especially sensitive to light for a few hours. If you have to have your eyes dilated, make sure you bring a designated driver! Driving isn’t recommended for several hours.

A diopter is a unit of measurement, like a centimeter or an inch. Instead of measuring distance, it measures the refractive or optical power of a lens. It is denoted as a “D” in your prescription. 

Most things have an expiration date. This includes your glasses prescription. As we get older, our eyes change. This means your glasses prescription can sometimes change over time. Make sure you keep your prescription up-to-date because we can’t start making your glasses without it.

Eye drops are any liquids that you apply to your eyeballs for any reason. There are several reasons why you may need eye drops, itchy eyes, dry eyes, etc. Some drops are medicated to treat glaucoma, eye infections, and other conditions.

Eyes are the round/globe shaped organs that provide organisms with vision or the ability to receive and process visual details. If they are not perfectly round, they cause your vision to become blurry and give you the perfect excuse to wear some super fashionable glasses!

Eyestrain is when your eyes become tired from too much activity, for example, reading or looking at a computer screen for too long or driving long distances.

Farsightedness or hyperopia, is a common vision condition in which one can see objects in the distance clearly, but objects nearby may appear blurry.

How to tell if your frames fit right:

• The frame should rest with equal weight on your ears and nose, gripping your temples (or sides of your head) lightly.

• The width of frame should be equal to width of face from ear to ear.

• There should be little or no gap between top of nose and bridge of frame.

• Your frames should not slide down your nose

• Smiling (or your cheeks) should not push your frames up

If you aren’t sure or if you think they don’t fit properly bring them into one of our locations or you can go to any optical store or optometrist office.

The things that go on your face and give you better vision (if we’ve done our job right!). Typically, a frame with lenses set in them. They can be functional or functional AND fashionable. A little glimpse into the wearers personality.

High-index lenses are a type of advanced thinner plastic lens that allows people with higher prescriptions that would normally have to wear “coke-bottle” lenses wear a lighter weight and thinner lens.

Hydrophobic refers to something that repels water.  All of our lenses are made with superhydrophobic coatings, which repel moisture to help reduce smudging.

See farsightedness.

The iris is the colorful part of your eye. The iris is like a shutter on a camera, regulating the amount of light that enters through the pupil.

Yellow coloring in the skin and eyes caused by a variety of conditions involving the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts, including hepatitis and cirrhosis.

A bridge is the piece of the frame that goes over your nose and connects the lenses. A keyhole bridge looks like an old-fashioned keyhole. Its slightly curved cutout gives a frame a little extra personality and vintage look. 

Low Bridge Fit frames are designed for those with low nose bridges. They are ideal for wide face or people with high cheekbones. The bridge of the frames tend to sit in-line with your pupils or lower than traditional frames.

A monocle is a type of corrective lens used to correct the vision in only one eye. It is a circular lens, surrounded by a wire ring around it. It is usually attached to a string or wire that attaches to the wearers clothes. Antiquarian Philipp von Stosch wore a monocle in Rome in the 1720s, in order to examine engravings more closely.

See nearsightedness.

People that are nearsighted have trouble seeing distant objects. Another word for it is myopia. It is probably the main reason you came to us for glasses.

Nose bridge refers to the part of the frame that connects the two lenses and sits just above the bridge of your nose.

The pads that rest on the sides of your nose and ensure they fit comfortably.

You may see this on your prescription. It is an abbreviation that stands for oculus dexter, which means right eye in Latin.

An optician is an eye care professional who is trained to interpret, fit, and dispense prescription eyewear. They don’t provide you with the prescription itself. Think of them as the pharmacist of the eye care world.

Optometrists are eye care professionals who provide primary vision care ranging from sight testing and correction to the diagnosis, treatment, and management of vision changes.

An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor in eye care that diagnoses and treats all eye diseases, performs eye surgery and prescribes and fits eyeglasses and contact lenses to correct vision problems. Some ophthalmologists are also involved in scientific research trying to discover the causes and cures for eye diseases and vision disorders.

You may see this on your prescription. It is an abbreviation that stands for oculus sinister, which means left eye in Latin.

A phoropter is the instrument that looks like a butterfly mask. Your doctor will use for refraction during an eye examination to obtain your prescription. They most likely will ask you, “Which is better? 1 or 2”?

Pince-nez means pinch-nose in French. This old-fashioned style of glasses is easily recognizable because the frames stay put on your face by pinching the nose. It does not have temples that go over your ears.

Plano means level or flat. In glasses it refers to a lens that does not need a prescription.

Polarized lenses deliver superior glare protection. These lenses contain a special filter that blocks intense light that is reflected, reducing glare. People with extreme light sensitivity can really benefit from a polarized lens.

Polycarbonate eyeglass lenses are 10 times more impact-resistant than glass or regular plastic lenses. All of KEAGAN eyewear’s standard lenses come with polycarbonate. Did you know that the polycarbonate material used for eyeglass lenses was developed by the aerospace industry for use in helmet visors worn by astronauts? If it’s good enough for the astronauts it’s good enough for us!

Presbyopia is a fancy word for farsightedness that is caused by a loss of elasticity of the eye’s lens, typically occurs in middle to old aged patients. Apparently it happens to the best of us as we age. Don’t worry, you’ll just need reading glasses, bifocals or progressives to correct it. Just another excuse to buy a cute pair of glasses if you ask us!