Holy moly! Lots of news coverage today about Bright Eyes Family Vision Care and emPower, the new electronic eyewear.

Check it out:

• This morning  TBO.com featured a story about one of our patients who wears emPower, that includes a quote from me.
• WUSF called and wanted an interview about emPower for today’s 5:30 pm news show, Florida Focus.
• Then I find out that WFLA (channel 8 ) is also airing their story on emPower and Bright Eyes today during the 5:30 news.

So tune in and check it out. We have no idea what the segments will be like, but we’ve got our fingers crossed that they’ll be good!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

Check it out!

We wanted to let you know about an exciting new advancement in vision, now available at Bright Eyes Family Vision Care. We are one of the first few offices in the country to bring this amazing eyewear technology to our patients.

emPower lenses give you CONTROL of your vision!  With a swipe of your finger or a tilt of your head, you control the focusing power of this revolutionary progressive lens!

While you are free to come check out the emPower lenses now, we hope that you will consider joining us for a special event!

Join us on Thursday, October 13 from 5:30-7:30pm.

E3 Special Event: EmPower Electronic Eyewear

Try the new lenses for yourself and Save 25% to 50% this one night only!

Space is limited so Email or call to or use Facebook to RSVP early for this special event!

We found this infographic on the history of glass on The Optical Vision Site recently. Check it out. It’s cool!

If you haven’t heard yet, Bright Eyes Family Vision Care will be one of a few select offices in Tampa to carry the latest in eyewear technology: emPower Eyewear. These state-of-the-art glasses utilize a layer of liquid crystals that are activated electronically with just a touch or swipe of the finger to the temple, to create a near-focus zone. If you already wear progressives, you know of their shortcomings, such as peripheral blur, small computer and reading zones, and dizzying “swim” that is naturally created when blending the different zones together. Now, you don’t have to settle for these drawbacks.

The emPower lens will do just that; empower you with the latest technology to see clearly in all distances and in all situations. To help you understand the technology a bit and to see just how these lenses can benefit you and your lifestyle, the folks at emPower have launched a new interactive website at empowereyewear.com. There you will find out what life-activated really means. Under the How It Works tab, you will learn that tapping the temple once will manually turn the near-zone on and tapping a second time will turn it off, while swiping that same temple will activate the automatic mode which uses an accelerometer to turn the near zone on and off in response to head tilt. You can also see examples of the clarity of vision you can achieve in tricky circumstances like walking down stairs and playing golf under the Advantages tab.

The entire Bright Eyes staff is very excited to be able to offer this type of cutting edge vision in the near future. Stay tuned for announcements of when these glasses will go live here at Bright Eyes!

All the best,

Justin Schoonover, CPO

Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

Recently we closed the office and took the entire staff of Bright Eyes downtown to participate in  a day-long class on a new lens. We learned all about the features of the new electronic eyewear called emPower by Pixeloptix! I did know from seeing them at optometry meetings and reading about them in the news that this was an amazing breakthrough in bifocal lenses technology. But I did not know how exactly they work or try it myself.

Basically here is the just of it: You can put the glasses on and are able to see in the distance clearly without the same type of side distortion as with a lot of progressive multifocal lenses. Then you can touch the right temple of the frame and turn on the lens for reading. Tiny LCD areas in the lens change to bring whatever you are reading into focus. Just like that. See a demonstration here.

10 years ago, when I was an optician before becoming an optometrist, I remember having a patient tell me that they were not happy with their progressive multifocal glasses. She was annoyed that she had to move her head so much and that there was a small area where she could read it clearly. She said, “I wish there was just a button right here that I could press and change the glasses it from distance to reading.” At the time I thought that would be amazing but would probably never happen in my lifetime. Well, it has!

Another thing I learned about at this meeting  that I think is amazingly exciting is that Florida will be the one of the first places in the entire world that is going to be able to sell these new electronic lenses. Even more exciting is that we here at Bright eyes will be one of the first accounts in Florida to offer them! I’ll tell you… between treatment for macular degeneration,  electronic medical records, the Nintendo 3DS, and now these LCD electronic bifocal glasses,  I really do feel like we are living in the future!!

We will keep you up to date about how soon we will be able to offer the emPower glasses. It should be in the next few weeks. If you are interested in being among the first patients to try these lenses…. let us know!!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

We have had a great time with our UGLY GLASSES contest. There were some great entries and a lot of people got a kick out the idea. We got a lot of compliments on the contest and some other offices around the country are considering running the same type of contest.

So without further adieu…. the winners are……

Our Third Place winner: Jim’s Ugly Specs.

The only problem here is that some of the staff thinks that these glasses have come full circle and are actually too hip to win. I say that the glasses + hair + scanned picture is awesome! Jim wins a $25 Bright Eyes Gift Certificate!

Our Second Place Winner: Tortoise Shell Torture

This was our first entry of the contest. I knew when we saw this that we were on to something! I had a frame almost exactly like that! It’s only saving grace was that it was nearly indestructible. Michael wins a $50 Bright Eyes Gift Certificate!

Grand Prize Winner: Vote for Me!

Toni’s entry was called “Vote for Me” and boy did they. She got three times more votes than anyone else and a ton more comments! Toni wins a full glasses makeover of her choice of glasses worth up to $500.

Thanks everyone! The winners can stop by anytime to pick up their prizes!

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

You are invited to Bright Eyes Family Vision Care’s

February Eyewear Show

Saturday, February 12

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Featuring Lightec Eyewear by Morel of France.

Lightweight and durable, with an innovative high-tech hinge.

For Men & Women in a variety of styles and colors, including fully rimless.

25% OFF Lightec Frames, including lenses

50% OFF Any 2^nd Pair

And Bring a Friend for an additional $25 off your purchase.

For more information about the show and Lightec frames, click here.

25% discount may not apply with some vision plans.  Please call for details.

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

If 2010 has taught me anything, it is that our lives are becoming increasingly digital. Not only is more of our work performed on computers and online, but much of our leisure time, too. This is illustrated by the fact that Amazon has recently announced that it has sold more Kindles than any other book or product. But all of this time in front of screens can take its toll on our eyes. They may become irritated and red. Your vision may become blurry or double. And all this may make you less productive at work or reduce your gaming performance. All of these symptoms are elements of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Fortunately, there are things that you can do limit the effects of CVS.

Every new year I provide the Bright Eyes Family Vision Care Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions. In past years, I’ve covered eye health, children’s vision, and saving money. So for 2011, to help you keep your eyes in optimum condition at the computer or digital device, this year’s resolutions list will help you combat Computer Vision Syndrome.

1. Take Breaks – Your eyes work hard when using  the computer, e-readers, and phones.  Give them some time to relax. Use the “20-20-20 rule.” Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break, and look at something 20 feet away. Every hour or so, talk a longer break. I use and recommend a free application called Workrave that is fully customizable to help you remember to give your eyes (and hands) a rest.

2. Monitor Settings – Today most people have LCD screens. Generally, the larger the screen the better. Increase the font size if it helps.

3. Monitor Position – Position your monitor at least 22 inches away and at an angle that you don’t have to look up most of the time. Making it a natural, comfortable position can help limit eyestrain and neck problems.

4. Blink! – Research studies show that people blink less when using the computer, up to 1/3 less. Blinking washes your eyes in naturally therapeutic tears, so be sure to blink on a regular basis.

5. Glasses - Make sure you have proper lenses for the computer. Specially prescribed computer glasses may help significantly reduce the symptoms of CVS. Often these are different from glasses for driving and general activities like shopping.  Ask your optometrist if you would benefit from computer lenses.

6. Lighting – Keep bright lighting overhead to a minimum.  Keep your desk lamp or window light shining on your desk, not on your monitor. Try to keep window light off to the side, rather than in front or behind you.

7. Position your chair -  Your body position effects your eye position – and vice versa. Make sure you are sitting in a chair with adequate lower-back support. Position your chair so that you are comfortable. Each person has a preference for his or her chair, so take some time to find what’s best for you.

8. Eye exams – Be sure to discuss CVS with your optometrist at your annual eye exam. He or she will discuss your computer use and can perform specific tests to determine if you would benefit from computer glasses,  eye drops or medical treatment.

9. Gadgets – iPads, Kindles, Blackberries and other mobile devices are hugely useful, but have tiny screens and can cause even more symptoms than a desktop computer. Be aware of issues like glare and be sure and take frequent breaks.

10. Don’t forget the kids! – Keep in mind that children can experience CVS, too. And they are less self-aware and are less likely to tell parents if they are having problems. So set limits ahead of time and watch them for any signs of visual problems. This applies to hand-held games, too – especially soon to be released Nintendo 3DS.

If you didn’t have a thorough eye exam in 2010, don’t put it off any longer. Give us a call at 813-792-0637 to schedule your appointment. We’ll make sure your eyes are working their best at the computer! You can also read more about Computer Vision Syndrome on our blog.

Don’t forget!! Many vision insurance plans and flexible spending accounts(FSAs) expire at the end of the year.  Expenses for eye exams, contacts lenses and prescription eyewear are all eligible for reimbursement under FSA.  If you haven’t used your benefits or you still have money in your FSA, you may want to consider getting those computer glasses, sports goggles or a funky new pair of glasses to update your look!

UPDATE: I was just emailed this link with official FSA info: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p969/ar02.html#en_US_publink1000204190.

Image “Expired” via ®ian

Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD
Bright Eyes Family Vision Care
Located in the Westchase area of Tampa.

]]> http://www.brighteyesnews.com/2010/12/13/fsa-use-or-lose-it/feed/ 0 http://www.brighteyesnews.com/2010/10/04/introducing-the-new-99-sale-frames-and-lenses/ http://www.brighteyesnews.com/2010/10/04/introducing-the-new-99-sale-frames-and-lenses/#comments Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:35:43 +0000 Dr. Nate http://www.brighteyesnews.com/?p=2235

There are many great changes coming to the optical showroom at Bright Eyes! We are getting in some new exciting frames and need to make room!

So we are having our first  Frame Closeout Sale – includes brands such as Nike, Michael Kors, and others for men, women & children.

• Great as a second pair.
• Great for back-up glasses for contact lens wearers.
• Great for a dedicated pair of reading or computer glasses.
• Great for basic prescription sunglasses (for an additional $25).

So stop by and take a look! These are great frames at a great price!