Placeholder Content Image

83-year-old crowned “Spectacle Wearer of the Year”

<p>An 83-year-old from Melbourne, Australia, has won the Specsavers Spectacle Wearer of the Year competition.</p> <p>Doreen McManis, from Brighton, Victoria, beat hundreds of entrants in a nationwide search by Specsavers to find Australia’s most confident and stylish spectacle-wearer.</p> <p>Doreen was prompted to enter the competition from one of the team members at Specsavers Brighton who noticed her unique, confident style. Doreen says, “After I picked out my new frames and she gave us all the details on how to enter, that evening my granddaughter and myself sat down and filled out the application form and the rest, as they say, is history!”</p> <p><img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/11094/alex-perry-and-doreen-mcmanis_500x333.jpg" alt="Alex Perry And Doreen Mc Manis" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><em>Judge Alex Perry and Doreen</em></p> <p>Doreen was one of eight finalists shortlisted for the competition and flown to Sydney for a makeover and professional photoshoot with judges Alex Perry and Brett Albury. Both of the judges were taken by Doreen’s confident, spirit and passion for spectacle style during her photoshoot.</p> <p>Doreen is now headed to LA, to meet actress Eva Longoria who was also one of the judges.</p> <p>Doreen also gave some style advice for other older Australians choosing a pair of glasses: “My one piece of advice for older spectacle wearers is that you don’t have to be young to make a trendy pair of glasses work for you! I love looking trendy and having that ‘wow factor’ and I think one way to achieve this is by wearing a pair of frames that suit your face. My other piece of style advice is to stick to a simplistic style, go for timeless pieces and remember that coordination is key.”</p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

Why you need transition lenses

<p>If you’re looking to update your glasses, you might want to consider the technology of transition lenses: lenses that adjust to the indoor and outdoor lighting for you so you don’t have to worry about sunglasses.</p> <p>We spoke to Specsavers’ Ophthalmic Lens Product Manager, Silvia Zutavern, to find out everything you need to know about transition lenses before you make your purchase.</p> <p>So, how do they work? “[Transition lenses] darken automatically when exposed to sunlight, then fade back when you return indoors. The lenses darken with the presence of UV light. They are designed to darken to just the right level depending on the available light,” Zutavern says.</p> <p>When it comes to transition lenses, the technology has both its pros and cons. On the positive side, “One pair of glasses can fill the function of both clear prescription glasses and prescription sunglasses and they provide eyes with full UV protection in any state,” says Zutavern. Transition glasses are also a great option for people of all ages, including the grandkids. “They offer convenience as you don't need to carry a pair of prescription sunglasses with you everywhere you go. They are also great and quite practical for children as they do not have to worry about a second pair that could be lost, and they will always have their eyes protected from UV rays.”</p> <p>However, transition lenses might not be the best option for those who seek to wear them while driving. “The lenses need UV light to activate, so the lenses tend not to react as quickly inside a car as they do in normal conditions. This is because the windscreen blocks the UV light needed to help the lens react. At night or in poor visibility, you must not wear tinted glasses when driving,” Zutavern explains.</p> <p>“If one of the intended use of the glasses is for driving, then a second pair in the form of sunglasses is recommended.”</p>

Eye Care

Placeholder Content Image

Dos and don’ts for looking after your glasses

<p>Whether you’re short-sighted or long-sighted, you’ll know the right prescription glasses certainly make life easier. And while modern advances in technology mean that spectacles can withstand a lot, glasses can still become scratched and damaged. It is therefore important to take proper care of your glasses so they’ll last you as long as possible.</p> <p><strong>DO use a microfibre lens cloth</strong></p> <p>For daily care of your glasses, it’s important to only use a microfiber cloth. They often come with your new glasses or you can purchase them from your optician. Microfibre cloths are ideal to clean spectacles as dust and dirt clings to the cloths and can be used while on-the-move</p> <p><strong>DON’T use your clothes to clean</strong></p> <p>When you’re on the go and your glasses get a bit smudgy, you might be tempted to reach down to your shirt or other piece of clothing to wipe your glasses. But clothing often has dust and grime on it, which while not obvious to the naked eye will scratch your lenses over time. And scratches unfortunately can’t be wiped away.</p> <p><strong>DO use soapy water</strong></p> <p>While you can grab those fancy glasses cleaning solutions at optometrist, some soap, lukewarm water and a normal cotton cloth is all you need for a thorough cleaning of your glasses. Pay particular attention to the frame and earpieces that don’t normally get a clean, and be careful not to use soap with ammonia, bleach, vinegar or window cleaner as chemicals in those products strip away the protective coating of your glasses.</p> <p><strong>DON’T place glasses face down</strong></p> <p>This seems like an obvious one, but it’s worth emphasising as lens down glasses often result in tiny scratches. Instead, fold glasses so they rest on the frame. Better yet, store your glasses in their case.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/health/eye-care/2015/08/why-wear-computer-glasses/">Why you should consider wearing computer glasses</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/health/eye-care/2015/07/are-carrots-good-for-eyes/">Can eating carrots actually improve your eyesight?</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/health/eye-care/2015/05/natural-remedies-for-tired-eyes/">6 natural remedies for tired eyes</a></strong></em></span></p>

Eye Care

Placeholder Content Image

A look back at glasses over the years

<p>Many of us take for granted the fact that eyeglasses exist. For those of us with vision issues, life without our glasses would be fuzzier to say the least.</p><p>It’s said that it was a combination of the work of many artisans such as jewelers, glassmakers and clockmakers that brought this invention to life.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But for many a time, glasses were seen as an unfashionable necessity. Over the last century though, glasses have become synonymous with fashion and style.</p><p>The 1950s and 1960s saw the rise in popularity for men of plastic glasses and the heavier brow bar frames. The thick black horn-rims such as those worn by Buddy Holly or Woody Allen were very common.</p><p>John Lennon’s signature glasses were thought to give an added sense of intellect as well as sophistication.</p><p><img width="198" height="272" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2776/woody-allen_198x272.jpg" alt="Woody Allen"><img width="185" height="272" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2777/john-lennon.jpg" alt="John Lennon"><img width="158" height="270" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2778/elton_158x270.jpg" alt="Elton"><img width="182" height="267" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2779/superman_182x267.jpg" alt="Superman"></p><p>For women, the cat’s eyes as worn by Marilyn Monroe were the height of cool, complete with rhinestones, glitter or other embellishments.</p><p>The 1970s saw the rise of the designer frames, with the likes of Christian Dior producing oversized frames for the masses, with faux tortoiseshell being ever popular. Celebs like Elton John were using big glasses as a fashion statement to match their big personalities; while Christopher Reeve as Superman even managed to turn glasses into a disguise.</p><p>The 1980s were still about designer frames, but the logo was even more prominent. Many styles were available to suit the wearer (and their 80’s hair), including bold solid colours to match their costume jewellery.</p><p><img width="170" height="247" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2782/diane-_170x247.jpg" alt="Diane (1)" style="float: left;">The<img width="137" height="244" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2783/depp_137x244.jpg" alt="Depp (1)" style="float: right;"> late 1980s and 1990s was all about introducing technology to create stronger yet lighter frames. Titanium was popular, as was the idea of retro style glasses.</p><p>From 2000 onwards, the look has been varied with a mix of older style glasses (for that retro chic look – think Johnny Depp or Dianne Keaton) and even the idea of wearing glasses with clear glass as a fashion accessory is common.</p>

Eye Care

Our Partners