Way To Go, Optometrist Shawn!

Recently during an eye test, optometrist Shawn Loh found that half of the vision in a patient's right eye was blurry. That, compounded with her complaint of transient headaches, triggered warning bells for Shawn, who immediately performed a confrontation test (visual field screening) to investigate further. He realised that the patient was unable to see a particular quadrant in her visual field, and immediately diagnosed her condition as hemianopia or hemanopsia, a visual field defect usually caused by strokes, brain tumors and trauma.

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A hemianopia patient's vision may look something like the lower picture, or halved horizontally or vertically. (Picture courtesy of UCLA.)

Shawn immediately prepared a referral for the patient to see an ophthalmologist, and received this commendation for his swift and accurate diagnosis:

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Way to go, Shawn! (Patient details removed for confidentiality.)

Treatments for patients suffering from hemianopia range from vision therapy to surgery and radiotherapy for more serious cases. This particular patient was sent for an MRI scan of her brain and pituitary fossa. We are very proud of Shawn, who is based at our Parkway Parade location as well as boutique The Eye Site, as we are of all our optometrists, for their attention to detail, top-notch skills and resourceful experience. Regular patients and customers know that eye tests in our optical practices aren't just about getting prescriptions for their glasses and contact lenses, but a holistic check-up that can help our eye care practitioners determine everything from eye health issues to recommending specific vision correction solutions for individual needs. This may take a little more chair time in the consultation room, but we're more than happy to provide this value-added care - in fact, we highly recommend annual eye examinations for a peace of mind as many eye diseases often carry no symptoms until they get serious. Not only can they lead to complications such as eventual blindness, many serious illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, Alzheimer's disease and tumors are first detected through eye exams.

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Optometrist Shawn Loh, also a half-marathoner and parrot whisperer - a man of many talents!

Learn more about our eye exams here - to make an appointment with one of our friendly and caring optometrists - just give your favorite The Lens Men location or The Eye Site a call!

School's Out! Play, But Beware Of UV Rays

It's one of your kids' most favourite times of the year - school holidays! That means more outdoor activities and maybe even a holiday, and while the extended time away from books and homework is a great respite for their vision, it's important to make sure that their precious eyes are well taken care of when exposed to dangerous UV rays prevalent in the atmosphere.

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Courtesy of the American Optometric Association - thanks for the cool and very useful infographic!

UV rays are harmful components of sunlight - just as they can cause skin cancer, they also damage the retina, cornea and other parts of the eyes. Over time, this can lead to cataracts or macular degeneration, an irreversible ailment that leads to eventual blindness. New research has shown that the lenses of children's eyes allow as much as 70% more UV rays to enter as compared to an adult, which makes it even more necessary to ensure they have the proper protection.

Our optometrists share tips on how to take better care of your kids' eyes while they're having fun in the sun (adults should take note of these tips and use them, too!).

Allain: "The easiest way is to wear proper sunglasses with 100% UV protection - caps and umbrellas will help, but sunglasses are still the most effective way to keep harmful rays out of your kids' eyes." Just because it's a cloudy day doesn't mean UV rays aren't present.

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Kids love our Smarty sunglasses, which come in fun colours, look cool and are comfortable and lightweight. Parents will appreciate the polarised lenses, which provide the best and most complete UV protection for their children's eyes, plus helps cut out glare from the piercing sun.

Shawn: "Go outdoors as research shows that natural light can reduce the progression of myopia (shortsightedness). If your kids wear glasses, consider getting them Transitions lenses which will automatically darken according to the intensity of UV rays in the atmosphere."

Shahirah: "If your child is into sports, get him or her to wear protective goggles to prevent any risk of eye injury. Goggles are also recommended for the pool to prevent chlorine from stinging the eyes, and polarised lenses will cut out significant glare. Also, make sure they avoid touching the eyes after getting their hands dirty while playing with sand or in a field, for example, which can cause infections. Help them make it a habit to wash their hands with soap before touching their eyes, which can be very sensitive."

Hui Qi: "Being outdoors more often playing and perspiring can fog up and smudge lenses and get glasses dirty easily. Remind your kids to wash their spectacles with soap and water every night and wipe it clean with a lens cloth to better maintain them and ensure clear vision when wearing them."

Farah: "For the occasions that your children will spend time indoors reading, watching TV or playing computer games, help them remember to take vision breaks in between to relax the eye from strain."

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their school holidays, and if new glasses are needed, our in-house Moonlight frames are a great affordable option for school kids, who will appreciate how lightweight and flexible they are! They're 30% off during the Great Singapore Sale, with an additional $50 off lenses.

Moonlight Up Your Life

It's so much more fun to design exactly the kind of eyewear we know that you like! After listening to your feedback and taking into account the trends of each season, we launched our in-house label Moonlight at the start of 2013. Lightweight, flexible and durable in a variety of colours from tortoiseshell to red, we've spent a lot of time and effort to ensure these frames are made by a high quality manufacturer in Korea and are as fun to wear as they're comfortable. The black styles are great for N.S. guys or those who aren't afraid to show off their inner geek, while cool combos such as blue and yellow, red and white (Singapore love!) and glossy brown have been a hit from students to professionals. These won't break the bank, and we're always proud to never compromise on quality! By the way, if you recognise the names we've given to each model, it's because they are named in honour of our senior optometrists and opticians in our eye care family, as well as our invaluable HQ team.

See In C-Zone

Do you believe in serendipity? We sure do! Last September as we were visiting Silmo, the world's most important optical fair, we ran into our old friends Rob Maas and Jeroen Manders, whom we hadn't seen in more than five years. What were the chances of that in an event sprawling across two massive exhibition halls, and that we were looking for fun, vibrant eyewear to bring home so our customers can always stand out from the crowd? Most importantly, we wanted to be the only ones carrying such a line, so all of you would always be the most unique specs wearers out there. It turned out that Rob and Jeroen are now designing their own line, presenting innovative combinations of materials and colours in beautiful shapes every season!

Introducing C-Zone, an affordable eyewear brand that's all about the three Cs of Cool, Colour and Comfort. If you're familiar with Dutch creativity, you'll know how much they love bright hues and ingenious design. You'll find all of these in every C-Zone frame: think intriguing hinges that fit faces of all shapes and sizes seamlessly, the use of Ultem resins that offer maximum flexibility and durability, and paint from Berlac - the same Swiss company that paint BMWs. No wonder Rob and Jeroen call their collection fusion eye fashion.

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C-Zone designer and co-founder Rob Maas and their new collection visiting our Parkway Parade flagship in April hours after touching down from Amsterdam!

We had the great pleasure of hosting Rob when he visited us last month, and we learned so much more about C-Zone, especially the inspirations behind the newest frames, which will debut during our Great Singapore Sale:

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C-Zone's wood laminate-on-metal combo is their current bestseller, featuring thinner stainless steel for a lighter, more comfy fit.

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C-Zone's wood-metal combo is such a hit that they've now incorporated silk into acetate temples for version 2!

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Rob and Jeroen love playing with tiny details, such as little arrow motif on the temples, and a different hue on the inside. These aren't loud decorations, but there's always something unique that catches the eye from all angles, inspiring a second look.

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Laser-cut engraving is a prominent feature in C-Zone's latest collection, a subtle yet classy and quirky addition to the frame.

One of the things we love best about C-Zone is that every frame is designed for someone in mind, whether a teenager's first pair of glasses, a petite fashionista or a corporate executive who wants to add savvy to his or her suit. For the entire Great Singapore Sale, we'll be offering 30% off every C-Zone frame, PLUS an additional $50 off lenses! That's one more great reason to come take a look and in the meantime, here are our favourites from the newest collection for your virtual viewing pleasure.

C-Zone Summer 2014 For Men

C-Zone Summer 2014 For Women

We Love Eye Care!

But you already knew that. 8-)