Check out these statistics on eyewear.  A perfect reminder for summer!  It is so important to protect your eyes from the sun in the summertime.  If you have prescription lenses, you still need protection!  This is a great article if you're interested in the numbers…or if you want to be inspired.  Before you leave the house, put on those lenses!

Photo courtesy of Virginia. Article republished from Vision Expo East.  

View the original article on Vision Expo East's website by clicking here.

SUNWEAR UPDATE: HOW DOES AMERICA PROTECT THEIR EYES?

What is the difference between Standard Bifocals and Progressives?  A Standard Bifocal has your distance prescription on the top half of the lens, and a magnified version of your prescription on the bottom half for reading.  A Progressive Bifocal has both distance and reading like a traditionl bifocal, but with the line blended.  

I realized how few visual examples of this concept exist on the internet.  This diagram illustrates how they both have magnification on bottom, distance on top; note the difference between the line on the standard bifocal and the progressive.

Just recently, we added polarized lenses and transitions lenses to our collection.  

This has lead many people to ask what Polarization is, exactly, and how it is different than an Anti-Glare Coating. Are they the same?

These are actually different, and you can get an AR coating on the polarized lenses. The AR coating basically reduces glare and "ghost" images due to reflections at the lens surfaces. It works indoors and outdoors. Polarized lenses are primarily for outdoor use, and you probably cannot work at a computer wearing them. Polarized lenses reduce glare from smooth surfaces. As an example, if you look at a lake when the sun is low in the horizon, you'll see a lot of glare. Polarized lenses will reduce that glare. Same thing for glare from roads while driving.

·    About 75% of TBIs that occur each year are concussions or other forms of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI).

Cost of brain injury care

·    Average hospital-based acute rehab is about $8,000 per day

·    Range for post-acute residential is about $850 to $2,500 per day

·    Day treatment programs (e.g., 4 hours of therapy) are about $600 to $1,000 with no room/board

·    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, direct medical costs and indirect costs of TBI in the U.S., such as lost productivity, totaled an estimated $76.5 billion.

The National Institute of Health keeps Public Access Archives.  This is great for those of us who don't have access to University-level research journals.  But once you have access, how do you know which articles to read?  The text isn't exactly easy reading, either – it's dense with scientific and medical jargon that means nothing to everyone else.

In fMRI evidence that precision ophthalmic tints reduce cortical hyperactivation in migraine, researchers studied migraineurs and healthy adults' brain activity with and without 'Precision Opthalmic Tints', or POTs.  Multiple tests demonstrated the value of POTs for migraine therapy.  It's compelling evidence.  Even if you don't like reading dense text, it's worth a glance.  

Hi everyone!  Virginia here!  

We have only 18 days left to reach our Rockethub goal. We're 17% of the way there.

We still have some Early Backer gifts of our lenses for those who are interested in these new frames. We have reached the maximum number of early backers for the 2/$100 gift, but we still have 18 slots for one pair at the $75 donation level; one pair for the $100 donation level and 2 for $200 are unlimited.

A personal note from Dr. Bradley Katz:

Migraine attacks? Sensitive to light? You are not alone. Over 30 million Americans have migraine or are sensitive to light. I'm Dr. Bradley Katz, a Neuro-ophthalmologist at the University of Utah and I have visited with over a thousand patients with these debilitating neurological conditions. Far from a bad headache, migraine and light sensitivity are accompanied by nausea, vomiting, dizziness, pain, and last 4 to 72 hours.

Having seen so much need for solutions in this area, I now research how light triggers pain in the human body. Through my research I've found that certain wavelengths of light can trigger migraine attacks and cause painful light sensitivity in many people. For years I have been prescribing lenses with a unique filter that blocks the light that has been implicated in triggering and exacerbating migraines. 80-90% of my migraine or light sensitive patients find relief by wearing these lenses. In fact, migraine attacks were reduced from about six a month to one a month using these lenses in a clinical study.

Recently I teamed up with Photonics Researcher Steve Blair and Marketer Ben Rollins to form Axon Optics to make our lenses more readily available to the public (so you don't have to come all the way to the University of Utah to visit me or my colleagues). We also continually develop and perform clinical studies on new light filtering techniques and products. Our team has prototyped the most advanced therapeutic eyewear for those suffering from migraine or light sensitivity.
Its features include:

• Therapeutic Lenses: Precisely designed to filter harsh wavelengths of light using cutting-edge coating techniques and injection molding.
• Featherweight Frame: So light you wont even notice they are there.
• Medical Grade Stainless Steel: Tough material to withstand abuse.
• Precision Geometry: Shape provides maximum coverage.
• Flex Hinge: Light can cause enough pain as it is so our hinges assure no pressure points.
• Silicone Nose Pad: Adjustable floating silicone pads provide soft fit for every person.

With our eyewear you will be able to step out of the dark room and work, play, and enjoy life again. We need your support to turn these amazing prototypes into a product. You funding will be used to manufacture our "Axons" so that more people can find some relief from their painful symptoms. Please lend your support today.