Eyewear and Healthy Lifestyles

As people all over the country continue to focus more and more on living a healthy lifestyle, eyewear professionals will need to learn to better understand the needs of their various customers.

Customer #1- The Cyclist. As gas prices continue to climb, more people are taking to their bikes, though the serious rider does it for the exhilaration, the adrenaline rush, rather than just a means of transportation. The cyclist needs a pair of glasses that provide good coverage to protect them from the elements: wind, bright sunlight, varying other light conditions. This customer benefits from a style that wraps, with impact resistant polarized lenses. I recommend a brown tint, which can be worn in a variety of daylight conditions without compromising good vision. Good coverage of the entire eye socket will keep the cyclist from developing dry eyes and from the possibility of getting dust and debris in her eyes while riding. I recommend that the cyclist bring her helmet with her while choosing eyewear, to ensure a good fit.

Customer #2- The Motorcyclist. While much of the above applies to this customer, motorcyclists ride longer distances and are more likely to ride at night. For this reason, I would recommend a well-fit frame with Transitions Brand lenses. These lenses are virtually clear indoors and at night, but outdoors during daylight hours they darken to protect the eyes from glaring light. They can be coated with an anti-reflective layer that increases the glare protection, providing the wearer with the clearest possible vision in all light conditions-a must for someone zooming down the highway.

Customer #3- The Athlete. Regardless of the sport, athletes need protective eyewear to insure that they are protected against accidental injury. Sports and recreational activities cause more than 40,000 eye injuries a year, (1) and most could be prevented by wearing the proper eyewear. Sports with a possibility of high impact, such as baseball, basketball, racquetball or martial arts should indicate the use of sports specific glasses with polycarbonate lenses. These lenses are the least likely to shatter in case of impact, and the frames are heavily padded and flexible to protect the face and eyes.

All Customers should be reminded of the need for UV protection. All the lenses recommended above have 100% UV protection. Even those customers who have no need for specialty sports or safety glasses, those who simply want the latest fashion looks, benefit by protecting their eyes from harmful UV rays.

We are members of a society that has learned to value good health and safety. Seat belts, bicycle helmets, knee and elbow pads for skaters-these items have found their way into households across the country. Since consumers are already focusing on these things, it is very important that eyewear specialists develop ways to educate them to include their eye health in their healthy lifestyle plan.