A-Z Frame Picks

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Donna

A-Z Frame Picks

by Lori Bowman on 05/01/2012 in Eyewear, Fashion with No comments
A-Z Frame Picks

As your fashion and style blogger, I’m naturally excited by great eyewear and I love to explore a diverse range of shapes, materials, colors, patterns and trends. So you can understand that with an incredibly wide range of eye war brands, when perusing Pearle Vision’s product offerings I’m a kid in a candy store. While I could wax poetic on every spectacle in the catalog, today I decided to reign in my focus and spotlight a single frame pick from each of Pearle Vision’s designers viewable online! Which styles made the cut? Read on for the exceptional eyewear styles I love, alphabetically by brand from A – Z!

AK9109

Anne Klein New York
Starting the A-Z picks on a colorful note with Anne Klein’s AK9109 metal frames. They’re a unique purple hue that’s subtly poppy. With lightweight design and semi-rimmed lenses, they’re my choice for their modern vibe.

 


BE2066


Burberry
Ah, Burberry. The legendary British brand has so many amazing styles, how can I possibly choose? When in doubt, go with a classic. The BE2066 frames go with a timeless rectangular frame, with the brand’s familiar check logo adorning the arms. They’ve got the irresistible Brit-cool factor!

 

Jump

Converse
Converse is often automatically recognized for their iconic sneakers—but I’ve found they bring the same essence of their youthful, iconoclast brand to their eyewear. The Jump frames are diversely standard at first glance (a great thing), but a closer gander shows they have a bit of playful edge via lively turquoise accent. Jump for joy (…or joy for Jump…)!

 

DD1202

D&G
D&G frames are all decidedly fashion-forward—perfect for style seekers like myself. Since the style statements D&G glasses make are not shy, I decided to go with one of the most bold offerings, DD1202. The thick, bold cat-eye shape has all the right drama! They’re stand out in black or tortoise.

 

DY4607

DKNY
With a lineup of many unique and individualistic designs, DKNY represents New York style. DY4607 catches my eye for its beautiful blue frames! My choice was solidified by the architectural arms of the frames—they remind me of the steel beams of Manhattan’s skyscraper silhouetted skyline and strike a balance between fashion and the industrial.

 

ECO1002

Eco
Straight up, I am all about the two-tone style of the ECO1002 frames. The combo is truly unique: purple metal rims, and plastic tortoise arms. They’re the perfect hybrid of trendy and classic tastes!

 

EN9668

Essential Eyewear
I want to be a lady in red in the EN9668 frames from Essential Eyewear! While the can’t-miss-me color is bold, the fact it’s a uniform, solid color makes them sleek and easy to match. The rectangular shape is flattering to many—use the Try On Tool to see what they look like on you! These are red eyes I deeply desire.

 

OKSK12012

Oakley
Oakley is undeniably one of the most athletic lines of eyewear—ideal for a wide-range of sporting activities, with the design carrying a masculine pulse. While there are frames that suit different sports, my pick, Oakley Socket, can transition from athletic arenas to everyday wear. The carbon black metal looks sleek and smart.

 

PH2045

Polo Ralph Lauren
These are the coolest men’s frames, made for the GQ man. They have a slightly army-green olive hued, translucent plastic framing with gentlemanly brown tortoise arms, connected with a gold emblem at the temples. So standout and masculine!

 

PR06MV

Prada
 This was a tough pick. So many Prada styles are deserving of the spotlight—I’d venture to say this is probably purposeful and designed that way. But my pick of the Prada crop are the PR06MV Brc frames. With a classic rectangular tortoise frames from the front, at the sides is the evidence of Prada’s innovative design with sculpted, wavy cut arms complete with gold accenting the curved arms.

RX5206

Ray-Ban
Universally known as the hip and artistic eyewear line, Ray-Ban has some timeless and iconic styles I can’t get enough of (the Wayfarers, Aviators, Club Masters). But today I wanted to give some other dynamic frame designs by Ray-Ban a turn in the lime light. I chose RX5206—a black, retro frame with some show stopping bright coral red accent unexpectedly modernizing the style.

R32007

 

Rims Eyewear
These plastic frames are wholly feminine, and so perfect for spring. In a deep eggplant purple, about as neutral as black, the R32007 specs have some subtle petal overlay designs with crystal embellished centers.

 

TF1038


Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co.’s TF1038 frames are oval, silver metal that look unobtrusive yet completely luxurious. Solid metallic frames feel glamorous, and these have a sort of mesh finish at the arms and round accent at the temple that show the artistry is in the details.

 

VB3039

Vera Bradley
The “it’s what’s on the inside that counts” mantra flashed through my mind when I first saw the VB3039 frames’ bright and happy pattern adorning the inside of the arms. On the outside: well-tamed pink metal frames with an intricate lattice-work at the temples. These make me happy on the inside and the outside.

 

VE1136B


Versace
Italian decadence comes straight to a pair of eyewear in the VE1136B frames from Versace. An elegant, streamlined metallic frame, they feature a sparkling embellishment at the sides beside the namesake logo.

 

VO2597


Vogue Eyewear
Part retro, and part futuristic, my love for the VO2597 frames is transparent—just like the frames themselves! Clear plastic at the front—they blend seamlessly with your face. The semi-transparent arms have a cool swirl of brown and caramel colors that add some serious panache.

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Style Spotlight

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Donna

Style Spotlight: April Showers

by Lori Bowman on 04/16/2012 in Eyewear, Fashion with No comments
041612-lori

The sunny, blossoming nature of spring is often interrupted by the month of April, with forecasts dominated by partly cloudy and rainy day reports. As the saying goes, April showers bring May flowers, so the higher chance of precipitation this month is really actually a good thing! Inspired by the water droplets drizzling all around, I thought it was an appropriate opportunity to shine the style spotlight on blue and aqua colored frames. In my choice blue-ribbon winning styles featured here, you’ll be styling in the rain!

 

DKNY DY4607


DKNY DY4607
A rich, deep blue in substantial, blue plastic—DKNY’s DY4607 frames have a contrasting bit of angular, silver metal at the sides. I call it: blue steel.

 

Ray-Ban RY1021T

Ray-Ban RY1021T
These metal, slim rectangle specs are a fantastic blueberry blue! They’re equal parts studious and youthful. If you’re shopping for your child, they’ll love the fun color and you’ll love the resistant metal material!


Essential Eyewear EN6655

Essential Eyewear EN6655
The classic rectangular frame shape, in a striking, marbleized indigo blue, is perfect for the careerist who doesn’t like to blend into the sea of corporate gray and black.


Prada PR07NV


Prada PR07NV
Prada’s PR07NV style looks like April’s rainy skies themselves! The frames have a fading gradient coloring, starting in thundercloud gray and blending into a bright water-puddle blue. Ideal for those who are a little color shy but want to punch things up—the gray helps tame the inclusion of bright blue.

Polo Ralph Lauren PH1067

Polo Ralph Lauren PH1067
This blue is preppy, All-American style at its best! Sleek navy metal frames, with a red Polo emblem at the temples, in a clean rectangular shape that look totally smart.


Burberry BE1169

Burberry BE1169
The metal BE1169 frames from Burberry are conservatively gunmetal from the front, but at the sides they are a lovely translucent grayish-blue with the iconic Burberry check beveled into the arms. Sure to be your true blues!


Vogue VO2557B

Vogue Eyewear VO2557B
These black rectangular VO2557B frames by Vogue Eyewear are emboldened by a dazzling azure blue accent. The little bit of blue certainly steals the show! In this case, having the blues is a truly happy thing.


Rims R32004

Rims Eyewear R32004
I’ve got a bit of a blue crush on the R32004 glasses from Rims Eyewear. They’re minimalist, oval shaped frames that bring just the right amount of the hue to your face. Super-slim arms will have a little of the right contrast against the hair!

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Contacts of the Worst Kind: Help with Lens Issues

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Donna

Contacts of the Worst Kind: Help with Lens Issues

by Lauren Harris on 04/19/2012 in Contact Lenses with No comments
041912-lauren

Wearing contacts is on the whole a wonderful, freeing, and often life-changing experience. But true to “every rose has its thorns” philosophy, there can be some irritating issues lens wearers face from time to time. Problems range from the mild (dry eyes) to the serious (corneal ulceration/infection). Some of the problems with lenses can be prevented, and many can be alleviated or treated. Read through these issues to understand what causes some of these common contact lens matters and what you can do to prevent or solve them.

Corneal Ulcerations
Corneal ulcerations are a more common occurrence in soft contact lens wearers. This makes sense because soft contact lenses are often a lot more comfortable and forgettable to the wearer, allowing one to wear them for extended periods of time, and as a result, many times leading to overnight use. Out of all the contact lens wearers in the U.S., there are an estimated 12,000 corneal ulcers per year. Factors that lead to these infections include: prolonged wear time, poor cleaning habits and sanitation, and dry eye syndrome. Another error contributing to infection: lubricating your contact lenses with your own saliva or on your tongue if cleaning supplies are not immediately available. This is a big no-no. To prevent corneal ulcerations, clean your contact lenses regularly (also be sure to clean your contacts case) with the proper cleansing fluids and procedures. Give your eyes a break, and don’t keep your contacts in for over-extended periods of time. Your eye doctor can tell you the proper range of wearing time for your eyes.

Eye and/or Eyelid Sensitivity
Another common problem that frequently happens with soft lenses is that lens wearers develop sensitivity of the eyes and lids, to either the cleaning and maintenance solutions or to mucus formation on the surface of the lens. Those experiencing sensitivity as a result of their contact lenses may notice symptoms that include: increased mucus, decreased lens movement, and redness of the conjunctiva (clear tissue overlying the white part of the eye). Generally, lens wearers facing these sensitivity issues may simply be required to discontinue wearing their contact lenses for a period of time (up to several months in come cases) then resume lens wear with new contact lenses and an alternate maintenance solution. An eye doctor will determine your individual needs and determine a proper new lens and solution.

Abrasion of the Cornea
With rigid lenses, abrasion of the cornea can result due to the rapid buildup of wearing time during the adaptation period to new lenses, especially with a contact lens that is not a proper fit. Wearing contact lenses for too many can also cause the problem. Signs and symptoms of corneal abrasions include pain and tearing. If you notice these symptoms, see your eye doctor right away. Symptoms can improve in as soon as 24 hours with proper treatments from an optometrist that may include patching and/or antibiotics applied to eye(s). Preventative measures include abiding by a proper wearing schedule and not keeping your contacts in for an overextended amount of time.

In general, the proper cleansing, handling and care of your contact lenses can prevent most of the issues lens wearers face! Here are some helpful habits for all contact lens wearers to adopt to help ensure problem-free wear:

  • Wash your hands with soap before touching your lenses; avoid soaps with beeswax or lanolin which can irritate the eye.
  • Ask your eye doctor about the best daily cleansing solution for your lenses and needs. Things like mucus and environmental pollutants can build up on your lenses so it’s important to keep them cleaned properly.
  • Ask your eye doctor about an enzymatic cleaner to use weekly to remove residue from your lenses that your daily cleaner may have missed.
  • Ask your eye doctor if he/she recommends disinfecting your contact lenses daily with a heat, chemical, or hydrogen peroxide system.
  • Storing your lenses clean is just as important as wearing clean lenses; rinse your lens case and let it air dry on a regular basis.
  • If you need to use hair spray, perfume, or spray deodorant (and other spraying products that are potential eye irritants) use it in another room before you insert your contact lenses.
  • Apply eye make-up after inserting your contact lenses
  • Anytime you notice your eyes become red or irritated, err on the side of caution and remove your lenses at once. It’s good to always carry your glasses with you in case irritation occurs. Should symptoms persist, call your eye doctor immediately.

 

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Spring Fever: Get Relief For Spring Eye Allergies

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Donna

 

by W. KEVIN WRIGHT O.D. on 04/12/2012 in HEALTHY VISION with NO COMMENTS
041212-kevin

The tell-tale signs of spring are before our eyes—and I’m not referring in this case to the flowers in bloom or buzzing bees, but to itchy, red, watery eyes brought on by springtime allergies. While the season’s beautiful blossoms and warmer temps are a welcome change, with eyes swollen with irritation, how can you enjoy the sights?

When our bodies are exposed to allergens (this time of year that allergen is usually pollen), our bodies overreact to this allergen exposure, sending a flood of immune system cells to fight it, bringing on these annoying eye allergies. It can make so many areas of daily life miserable, from work to watching TV. So what do you do to relieve your eye allergies?

First, here a few allergy treatment options that don’t work. While there are oral medications for general and multi-symptom allergies, these aren’t necessarily appropriate for eye allergies. In fact, they can actually sometimes make symptoms a little worse for eye allergies by drying out the eyes. Another no-no for eye allergies are non-prescription drops, because they can cause a rebound effect—when the drop wears off your eyes could become more red and irritated than when you started.

Now that you know to avoid rushing out to the pharmacy for those treatments, here are a few things you can do to prevent, treat, and get some relief from eye allergy symptoms this spring:

-Don’t rub your eyes: when you rub your eyes, more histamine is released by the immune cells that are present & fighting the allergen, which causes the reaction to be worse (and prolong it). Even though it feels good, it’s making it much worse. Keep your hands away!

-Apply a cold compress to alleviate swelling as needed: If you find yourself wanting to rub your eyes for relief, this is a good time to go fix a cold compress and apply to your eyes. Did I mention not to rub your eyes?

-Run your air conditioner: make sure it’s properly filtered and clean, and running your AC will definitely help alleviate symptoms.

-Use an air purifier to help remove pollens from the air: this may not be a total solution, but will definitely help.

-Avoid morning walks or outdoor activities during early morning hours when pollen count is higher. Wait until the mid day when the sun burns off pollen in the air. It’s a small preventative measure that can help keep your symptoms from being extreme.

-Use appropriate prescription eye drops prescribed by your Optometrist: with medication suited for eye allergies specifically, there will be no rebound effect.

-See your Optometrist (even if you don’t wear glasses or contacts!)

W. Kevin Wright O.D.
EYE HEALTH

Dr. Wright joined the Pearle Vision family in 1985, and has been a Pearle Vision franchisee since 1986. He served as the Chairman of the National Franchise Advisory Council for two years and was on the Council for eight years. Additionally, Dr. Wright served on the state FAC for 16 years. His wife Starlet serves as his office manager, and they have three children and three grandchildren over 35 years of marriage. Dr. Wright is a 1984 graduate of the University of Houston College of Optometry, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

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When Is It An Eye Emergency?

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Donna

by W. Kevin Wright O.D. on 04/02/2012 in Healthy Vision

040212-kevin

When is an eye problem a true eye emergency?

Let me share my story with you.  Imagine you are sitting in the barber chair, handing the barber your glasses, when you notice something peculiar in your vision. By peculiar I mean I saw a shiny piece of something shimmery in my peripheral vision.  It was like I was looking through water in my peripheral vision.  But this “water-like” membrane was floating in and out of my vision.  This was not a typical floater (a tiny speck or string-like thread floating in your vision) that many of us see regularly in our vision.  If you saw this you would know it was something different.

It was not painful and I was pretty sure what it was.  I left the barber and went to the office and had my staff member do retinal photography on my eye.  Sure enough, I had a retinal detachment.  The membrane that lines the back of the eye was separating from the back of the eye.  This is a TRUE ocular emergency.  Since I had already been to my Optometrist (myself) to confirm what it was, I went straight to my retinal specialist.  He looked in my dilated pupil and said, “Kevin, what are your plans for this evening?”  I responded, “You tell me.”  He quickly told me to meet him for retinal surgery later that day.

I had successful retinal repair surgery that same day and all is now well. But if I had ignored the symptoms for 24-48 hours, I could have suffered permanent vision loss.

The more typical symptoms of a retinal detachment are:

  1. Seeing a curtain or shade coming across your vision.  This can come from the top, bottom or either side.
  2. Seeing flashes or lightning-strikes in your eye.
  3. Seeing any kind of new, usually large floater.

Numbers 2 and 3 will probably not be a retinal detachment but it must be ruled out by a professional, so make sure you see your Optometrist for a dilated eye exam to be sure.  Also, if you ever experience any kind of head trauma, even something like an air bag deploying, it is important to see your eye doctor for a dilated exam.  Detached retinas are pretty rare for the general public but those of us who have high near-sightedness are more at risk and need annual dilated eye exams.

Anytime you have rapid changes in your vision or see something in your vision that is out of the ordinary do not ignore it or wait for it to get better.  Go see your Optometrist so he can make sure everything is OK.  The key is to have it evaluated as soon as possible!

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Fashion Week Frame Forecast

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Donna

Fashion Week Frame Forecast

by Lori Bowman on 02/28/2012 in Eyewear, Fashion with No comments
Fashion Week Frame Forecast

If you’re not fashion-industry literate, let me fill you in quickly on the importance of Fashion Week. Each February, high fashion designers show their collections for the upcoming Fall season in a whirlwind week of shows worldwide in New York, Paris, London, Milan, Berlin and more. The same happens in September for the upcoming Spring season. While the spectacle may just seem a parade of sartorial entertainment, fashion week is much more. These shows are where many of the next season’s trends take shape, so industry insiders study and analyze each collection to determine the direction of what’s current in terms of style.

Eyewear plays a starring role in the accessories debuted at each Fashion Week, and just like clothes, recurring themes start to become apparent. A trend isn’t necessarily always a breakthrough idea (most are cyclical) but rather often a continuation or strengthening of a recent idea. For fall, we see reigning eyewear styles echoing their Spring 2012 predecessors. This means happily that a lot of the trends you buy now are safe bets to wear through to next season. Let’s look ahead at the trending specs seen at fashion week that are familiar extensions of what’s in now:

Cat Eye: exaggerated, dramatic interpretations of the cat eye continue to be key. Play into the drama with a bold beauty move like a bright shade of lipstick (red!) or a deep side part.

Get the look with: D&G DD1202

D&G DD1202

Pattern Play: patterned eyewear and print work are a fun way to get in the mix as done with materials or colors. Get quirky and go with an alternate pattern to an article of clothing (top, pants, jacket) in a coordinating color scheme. The juxtaposition will work and give fun dimension.

Get the look with: Vera Bradley Emily

Vera Bradley Emily


Smart Specs: minimalist, sleek black rimmed frames bring the brainy bravado in a most stylish way. They’ll offer popping contrast against streamlined white frocks for spring and partner well with autumn palettes via thick knits come fall.

Get the look with: Burberry BE2073

Burberry BE2073

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Dining in the Dark

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Donna

The Foundation Fighting Blindness will open guests’ eyes to the challenges of the visually impaired community at its inaugural Twin Cities Dining in the Dark, a distinctive sensory awareness experience in which guests participate in an unforgettable dining adventure. To get a glimpse into the lives of the blind, diners will wear light-blocking blindfolds and enjoy their entrée using only their other senses. The event will benefit research into vision-robbing retinal degenerative diseases.
$250 pp / Tables for 8 from $2500 – $10,000
We want to keep the research funding and progressing,,,,,,,!

MN inaugural event is on May 23, the Marquette Hotel Minneapolis

 

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Our customers love our service!

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Donna

Posted on Google recently:

I just wrote this 5 star review for the local store on Google and wanted to share it with you:I have been to the Maple Grove store and bought glasses two times over the last four years and I love it. They have great people who take time to recommend the best looks and the reason why. My visit was in mid- February, 2012 and Joe helped me. He was great! For the final fitting – Chad helped me and he was great also. When Joe was helping me with the selection he was transparent about pricing up front and also consciencious about what features are really needed and the ones I could live without. Their whole staff was very nice and friendly. They called for me to pick up my glasses within the timeframe they had originally given me. No surprises and they were spot-on in all areas of service and quality. I also received a handwritten thank you card from the owner after it was all done. I had the same expereince the first time I was there four years ago. Love my new frames and the folks at the Maple Grove store.

Deb

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Dining in the Dark Inaugural Event

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Donna

We are fundraising for the Inaugural Twin Cities Dining in the Dark event at the Marquette Hotel on May 23—this event offers a Glimpse into the Lives of the Blind to Support Sight-Saving Research.
Tables start at $2,500 up to $10,000.
For more information on this very important foundation:  www.blindness.org/

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Active Military Family Discount

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Donna

Pearle Vision in Maple Grove
Active Duty Military Family Discount
40% on prescription eyewear
30% on prescription sunwear
$25 off year supply of contacts
$60 eye exam
(Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. Proof of active
military duty must be presented.)

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