Have you been squinting at your computer monitor or your smart phone? 

Do words or numbers look fuzzy, even when you enlarge the font on your screen? 

In the last year I have noticed both of these things happening to me.  I tried to deny I needed prescription glasses by buying drugstore, non-prescription reading glasses.

I noticed even with drugstore reading glasses, I was still straining to see small print & numbers.

Which of the following excuses have you been using to postpone attending to your eyes?

I don’t have time to get my eyes examined.

New glasses are too expensive.

Glasses will make me look old.

I’m blind as a bat and can’t see well enough to tell  how a new frame looks.

1.  So busy, I could have gone blind

When I was 34 years old, my eyes were aching.  When I complained to a retired, physician friend of mine how often my eyes were hurting, he insisted I go see an eye doctor.

At first, because I was busy, I ignored him.

Fortunately for me, my pain persisted and this motivated me to visit an eye doctor.

I was diagnosed with glaucoma, a disease of high eye pressure that can cause blindness if it’s not diagnosed and treated.

Glaucoma is usually painless and it’s more common in people over the age of 40.

I am grateful that I had eye pain, that forced me to get my eyes checked, because untreated, Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness.

Fortunately, my glaucoma was treated, before I lost any of my vision.

Over the years, I continued to have my eye pressure monitored. If a member of your immediate family has Glaucoma, you are more likely to develop it.

You should be getting an eye examination every year or two, especially as you get older, to prevent progression of Glaucoma and a number of other eye diseases.

2.  Glasses are too expensive

Prescription glasses usually cost between $150 to $400, and if you need bifocals or progressive lenses, your glasses can cost between $300 and $700 or more — not counting the cost of an eye exam.

If you get all the extras and have a strong prescription, glasses could easily cost you over $700 or $800 every 2 or 3 years.  If you need a spare pair of glasses, it can cost even more.

Save 50% or more:

Save 50% or more by purchasing glasses or contact lenses at Costco or Wal-Mart or even more if you buy glasses from an on-line site.

(Consumer Reports gave Costco eye-glass department high ratings for service, quality and price)

(Keep reading to discover more about choosing and buying glasses on-line.)

 3.  Glasses will make me look old

Yes, glasses that are too large or have an unflattering shape can make you look older.

However, wearing glasses that are the right color, shape and size can actually help you look current.

As we get older, our eyes lose their defined shape.  Putting on flattering eyeglasses is like putting eyeliner on, giving your eyes back their definition and helping you look more alert and alive.

 4. Blind as a bat, without glasses

One of my”Personal Image,” clients, Marcia, could not see well enough without her glasses to choose a new frame.

So she came up with a creative solution.

She put the new frames on and then put her old glasses on top of these, so she could see how the frames looked.

Unfortunately, the layered glasses made it impossible to tell how the new frames looked.

Two Easy Ways to Choose Flattering Frames, Even If You Are Almost Blind Without Your Glasses

While searching for a solution to Marcia’s problem, I discovered two easy ways to choose flattering eyeglass frames.

1.  Have the salesperson take pictures of you in different frames with  your  digital camera or smart phone.  Some brick and mortar stores have computers available, so you can load your digital pictures and see which frames look the best.  Or if you have a computer, load you pictures at home and leisurely compare the pictures and even send the photos with the different frames to trusted friends and family for their opinion.  
2. You can also shop virtually for flattering frames 24/7, day or night online.  All you need is a computer, and a photo of yourself.  (You don’t need a prescription from your eye doctor until you actually order the eye-glasses.)

If you don’t have a recent photo, you can use your webcam to take a picture.

There are many online eyeglass websites with free virtual try-on capability. The one I found easiest to use is at:  http://www.Globaleyes.com/

Pro and Con of Purchasing Eyeglasses On-Line

    Pro:

   Lots of frame choices, colors and shapes.

A typical brick and mortar store can only display a few hundred styles of frames.  An online store can have over 1,000 frames.

You can try the glasses on without leaving home and without a salesperson  standing over you, waiting for you to make a decision.

You can e-mail your try-on eyeglass pictures to friends and family members to get their opinions.

You will save 60% or more on your glasses.

Con:

The jury is still out on how accurate the lenses in these on-line eyeglass stores are.  Also, the online store can’t adjust your glasses if they don’t fit correctly.

What can you do if you find a frame on-line you like, but you are not comfortable buying glasses on-line?

Print a picture of the frame and try to match it at a brick and mortar store.

Or buy only the frame, not the lens on-line, take it to Wal-Mart or another discount brick and mortar shop and get lenses put in the frames. (There will be a small extra charge because you have not purchased the frames at the Brick & Mortar store.)

 When I went shopping on-line at Globaleyes, I had a lot of fun virtually trying glasses on.  I saved and printed the photos of me in the eyeglass frames I liked the best.

After lining up my photos side by side, I was able to choose two frames I liked the best, but buying online still seemed too risky to me.

I took the photos shopping with me at a few discount eyeglass stores.  Taking the photos shopping allowed me to easily and instantly spot frames that would look good on me.

I ended up purchasing prescription eyeglasses at Wal-Mart.

My new reading glasses cost me $49, because my vision insurance paid $30.

Which frame do you think I chose?

(Hint: it’s the frame that follows my eye brow shape, and does not overpower my face)

         Here is a quick review of my previous suggestions.

1.           Get your eyes examined at least once every 2 years

2.         Save time & avoid confusion by using a virtual try-on site.

3.        To save money, purchase from an online site like Globaleyes or if you prefer to buy glasses from a brick and mortar store, consider going Costco or Wal-Mart for discounted prices.

4.        If you do shop at a bricks and mortar store, make sure you get pictures of yourself in the frames before placing an order.  The camera does not lie.  It will let you know if the frames are really flattering.

5.       Choose eye-wear that follows the shape of your eyebrows and does not overpower your face.

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“The Wardrobe Wizard,” is available to work with you, no matter where you live.

If you live in Baltimore, Maryland, or surrounding areas she can work with you in person.  If you live other places, she can work with you on-line using digital pictures.

Nancy Goldblatt, “The Wardrobe Wizard,” is a Color1 Personal Image Consultant.  She specializes in working with mid-life women whose size or shape has changed and who have too many clothes and “not much to wear.”

After a woman works with“The Wardrobe Wizard,” she will have a wallet of her best colors and styles, and a pared down closet.  She will learn how to mix and match her best looks so she can get dressed quickly and look great everyday.

“The Wardrobe Wizard,” also works with younger women and is available to work with men.  She was trained by Joanna Nicholson, founder of Color 1 Associates an International Image & Style Company.

e-mail or call  Nancy if you would like to set up a 20 minute FREE consult to find out if her services are right for you.  Nancy@WardrobeWiz.com, 410-513-9496