Knowing what you are looking for ...

Sometimes people looking for new glasses already have an idea in mind about the type of glasses they would like.  It perhaps has come about through what are the current 'hot styles' in frames being sold, or it could be that they have seen a celebrity in a photograph wearing a particular frame.  There are even websites out there dedicated to telling you what glasses are being worn by which celebrities!
 
Having inspiration in your glasses selection can often be a good thing, but sometimes it can perhaps also be a restriction.

I was recently watching a television documentary and towards the end the producers had used the most wonderful incidental music to help capture the mood of the programme.  It was a simple series of about five chords, played on the piano.  It was melancholic, almost haunting, it was simple, elegant, beautiful ... and it was somehow familiar.  This was annoying - I thought that I knew the piece of music, but I couldn't remember where from, so the hunt was on.

I initially began to look for it having been used on some other television programmes, I searched all through all sorts of online forums relating to TV programmes and their incidental music (who'd have thought such a thing even existed!).  I was getting quite frustrated ... and quite distracted, but in a good way!

As I was searching for the source of the music I was finding many recommendations for other pieces by other composers and performers.  It is amazing how with only a few clicks of a mouse you can stumble on to something completely unknown to you.  To my delight I found a whole discography of albums that five minutes before were completely off of my radar.  I found out more about this music and was amazed at some of the performances on YouTube.  I was definitely going to have to find out more about this new discovery.

So what has this got to do with choosing new glasses?  Well it got me thinking ... and being an eye geek that means thinking about glasses!  While it's great to have an idea in mind as to what  you may like, but it's also good to be adventurous and open minded in your search.  Try on lots of different frames, look for styles around a particular theme, perhaps even try on something daring and different.  Whatever you do when you are choosing glasses, bear in mind that it is a tactile and a emotive decision, let your passion take over and enjoy the process!

Oh ... and that music ... well it was the piano chord progression from the song This Endless Rain, from the album Never Said Goodbye by Cerrys Matthews.

Yes, I did know it, we have that album on our music server at work!

New longer opening hours

It's been a great first four months here at Ocean Optometry, the time has really flown by.  We've had lots of lovely people come in and see us, with so many of them being incredibly flattering and gracious in their feedback about our office and about the frame ranges we carry.  It's all quite humbling to feel that we are doing something rather special and that it is being appreciated.

It is with great excitement, then, that we want to share the news about our new longer opening hours.  This will make it even easier for folks to come in and share in their little bit of Ocean!

Our new hours are:

• Mon  -  9:00  - 5:30
• Tues  -  9:00  - 5:30
• Wed  -  9:00  - 5:30
• Thur  -  9:00  - 8:00
• Fri     -  9:00  - 5:30
• Sat    - 10:00 - 4:00

Hopefully we will see you in Blowers Street real soon!

Great Review of SALT. Optic's Lodin sunglasses

Here at Ocean Optometry we love working with SALT. Optics, their range is designed for people who like simple things well made.

A great example of this is their Lodin sunglasses:

It's great to see that we aren't the only ones to think that SALT. make beautiful and trendy glasses, Men's Journal also agrees.

Dog Days of Summer

We're pleased to be part of the Dog Days of Summer event in Halifax.

 

The CNIB is coming in with a guide dog to provide information and also show some of the low vision aids available.

 

Leading up to and at the event we will happily minor adjustments, repairs, servicing and cleaning of glasses for a donation to CNIB.

 

We are also pleased to be a donation location for Litters 'N' Critters, so bring in some dog food and accessories.

 

The event takes place on Saturday 10th August and downtown will be a great place for your dog on that day!

 

 

For more information about this event, check out Downtown Halifax's website here.

 

Choosing your new glasses

Sometimes choosing new glasses can seem like a major task, there are all sorts of "rules" and style guides available to help you.

A really good example of one such style guide is available on the Salt. Optics website, http://www.saltoptics.com/fit-guide.php.

For many people this is a great way to start looking for new glasses, it gets you thinking about the shape of your face, about your own style and can also get you to think about things like colours - what colours do you wear, what is your skin tone like, what colours work well for you and which colours do you avoid.  What is a little worrying, though, is that some people in the eye industry use these guides as a method of almost choosing someone's new glasses by formula.

At Ocean Optometry, though, we like to think that life is not all about rules and guides.

So how would we recommend choosing your new glasses?

A lot has to do with what we do day to day in our office in Halifax.  Firstly we ask questions and, importantly, we listen to the answers.

Some questions we may ask can include:

• Are you currently a glasses wearer?  If so, what do you like about your current glasses and what do you not;
• What are you wanting to use your new glasses for?  For example are they for all day every day; for a bold statement to change things up a little; perhaps just in the evening when watching TV.
• Do you have any comfort preferences - some people like acetate frames or keyhole bridges, some prefer titanium or love nose pads.
• Do you use them for any specific tasks ...

... and so the questions can go on.  It isn't a formula, it isn't a questionnaire, it's a conversation.  During the conversation we will probably be having lots of fun trying on lots of different glasses.  Some will look great, some may be "What were you thinking!".  Going through this interaction will make sure that when you decide on your new glasses you will love them!

So throw away the rule book ... come on in ... and let's chat!