How about an Addams Family parody for Halloween? These guys may appear spooky at first, but you will feel like one of the family when you come in for your exam.

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnsoneye
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnsoneye2020
Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/johnsoneye2020/

Johnson Optometric Associates has two convenient Triangle locations to serve you.

Fuquay-Varina Eye Care Center
1340 North Main Street Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526
Phone: 919-552-3181

Garner Eye Care Center
918 Seventh Ave.
Garner, NC 27529
Phone: 919-779-3560

Drs. Martin and May have a special reminder and announcement for their presidential campaign in 2020. Just four more years!!!

You asked and we answered!! Here is the second segment of the “Ask the Docs” Answer Session with Dr. May and Dr. Martin. We hope you learn something and enjoy!

You asked and we answered!! Here is the first segment of the “Ask the Docs” Answer Session with Dr. May and Dr. Martin. We hope you learn something and enjoy!

Questions in this Answer Session:

1. Is there a cure for old eyes? AKA: Will LASIK fix presbyopia?

2. I’m diabetic and have trouble with my vision? Is there a connection?

3. I have been wearing my disposable contacts for a long time. Will this hurt my eyes?

4. My husband’s contacts are stuck in his eyes. How do I get them out?

Thanks to everyone that submitted questions!! We will continue to do these segments, so we will answer all of your questions. And keep them coming!!

With Halloween around the corner you can almost hear the rustling of eager trick-or-treater’s going door-to-door with their different costumes, eagerly anticipating sacks filled with goodies. But Halloween treats don’t have to be only for kids. With our wide variety of designer eyeglass frames including Nine West, Calvin Klein, and Christian Dior, we invite you to treat yourself to a little “Eye Candy” this fall.

With so many frame styles and colors it can be tricky to choose which pair of frames are the perfect fit for you. Here are a few tips and “tricks” to keep in mind:

First, determine your facial shape.

Usually faces are made up of a variety of different curve and angles but there are six basic face shapes: Round, Oval, Square, Heart, Triangle, and Diamond.

Oval: The oval shaped face is usually longer than it is wide with a jaw that is narrower than the cheekbones. Walnut shaped frames look great on oval shaped faces and help maintain the face’s natural balance!

Round: Characterized by a wide hairline with fullness below the cheekbones. Rectangular frames with a clear bridge can help widen the eyes and thin the face!

Heart: Cheekbone is usually slightly wider than the hairline, which then drops to a pointed chin. Rimless round and oval frames help to minimize the heart shape’s width!

Square: Usually characterized by a wide hairline and jawline. Narrow oval shaped frames with curved lines can also help soften and reduce angles of the square face!

Triangle: Characterized by a narrow forehead that widens at the cheekbones and chin. Cat eye frames, or frames with a lot of detailing and color can help add width and emphasize the narrow part of the face.

Diamond: Narrow at the eye and jawline but broad at the cheekbones. Oval or softly curved square frames can help to soften the contours of a diamond face!

Once you’ve determined your face shape and complimentary frame you can now move on to skin tone. Determining skin tone can help you decide which color frame will look best on you!

All people either have a cool (blue based) or a warm (yellow based) skin tone. It’s always best to compliment your personal coloring by picking a frame that’s in your color base.

• Cool based skin has a lot of blue and pink undertones. People with cooler skin tones look great in frames that are black, silver, blue, gray, plum and magenta.
• Warm based skin has a lot of peach and yellow undertones. People with warmer skin tones look great in frames that are gold, copper, brown, orange, off white and khaki.

By keeping these easy tricks in mind you’ll be looking great this fall in your new pair of eyeglasses that compliments you and your features. Visit Johnson Optometric Associates in Fuquay-Varina or Garner today and let us help you pick out some “Eye Candy”.

We all see change in different ways. Some change can be annoying, such as having to take off your everyday eyeglasses to put on sunglasses every time you step. Change can also be liberating, such as freeing yourself from always carrying two sets of eyeglasses. In the case of glasses, the solution is simple: Transition Lenses.

Transition Lenses are prescription lenses that adjust their tint based on the amount of UV light exposure. Indoors, transition lenses are completely clear and look the same as traditional lenses. When outdoors, Transition Lenses automatically adapt their tint to account for UV exposure. This does not mean the lenses shift directly from clear to dark as you would experience when putting on sunglasses. Rather, Transition Lenses will adjust within a range, only reacting proportionately to the current level of UV exposure. In bright sunlight, they darken and function as traditional sunglasses might. With lower exposure, the tint level will only be dark enough to protect the eyes from the current environment. For those of us who haven’t found Freedom From Frames with Contacts, Transition Lenses are a nice alternative for “simplifying change”.

Beyond the convenience of only one pair of frames, there are many benefits associated with the proportionate transition to darker lenses. The range of tints offered by a single pair of lenses allows you to see better in any light – not just in the sun.  As fall draws near and days get shorter, we do more commuting at daybreak and dusk. For those who need glasses for driving, you are familiar with second-guessing how dark it is and then fumbling between glasses and sunglasses while trying to keep your eyes on the road. Others find themselves just tolerating the light, squinting to avoid the sun or to see poorly lit signs. While low- to mid-level lighting seems innocuous, its impact on your vision, wrinkles around the eye, headaches, and eye fatigue can be significant.

Switching to Transition Lenses has many benefits to positively change your lifestyle:

• Convenience and increased flexibility – We could all use one less thing to remember as we walk out the door and one less item to carry.
• Lower cost – while Transition Lenses carry a slightly higher cost than traditional lenses, you save the cost of a secondary pair of prescription sunglasses.
• More thorough eye protection – 100% protection from damaging UV rays in any light
• Reduced eye strain – a seamless transition from light to dark and vice versa means less squinting regardless of which way the lenses are transitioning

Talk with your eye doctor today about switching to Transition Lenses. These lenses are available to fit with most frame styles and sizes, and are an excellent choice for most prescriptions. As with traditional lenses, there are a variety of options for customizing the look, feel and weight of your new glasses with Transition Lenses. Change can be very good when you are mindful of the Transition.

Dr. Barrett Martin

Eye Doctor Serving Fuquay-Varina and Garner, NC

Johnson Optometric Associates

Eyeglasses are a great way to complete your look, no matter the style you are going for – from fashionable and trendy to professional and sophisticated, frames help say it all. However, as the summer heat ramps up and you kick your active summer lifestyle into gear, those ever so trendy frames can become more of a hassle than a fun accessory.

Anyone who has spent a summer in North Carolina is accustomed to the thick humidity this time of year.  If you wear glasses, you know this means foggy lenses when leaving the cool AC to go outside and frames that have a tendency to slide off your nose, seemingly encouraged by the slick sweat brought on by our climate. There is an alternative to this frustration.

Free yourself from frames and enjoy the benefits of contact lenses.

There are many different soft contact lens options available on the market to fit just about every need and lifestyle.

Daily Contacts: wear them once and dispose of them that night. No need for cleaning solution or cases!

Daily contacts are a great solution, especially for kids and teens just learning how to maintain their eye health. A new pair each day ensures contact lenses are clean and fresh with little to no risk of bacteria getting in your eyes. Just remember to wash your hands before putting contacts in and throw them out every night. Many types of daily lenses are available to correct a variety of refractive errors including multi-focals (correcting distance and near vision) and astigmatism. Some of the most common brands include:

• Ciba Dailies with Aqua Comfort Plus
• Clearsight Dailies
• Acuvue 1 Day Moist
• Proclear Dailies
• Ciba Dailies Multifocals with Aqua Comfort Plus
• Ciba Dailies for Astigmatism with Aqua Comfort Plus.

Monthly Lenses: wear daily and clean nightly with fresh solution.

Monthly Lenses are another great contact lens option, whether wearing them all-day or just for a few hours.  Nightly cleaning with a contact lens solution keeps the lenses clean and fresh. They should always be replaced at the end of the month and, like dailies, most brands should not be worn over night. There are a number of options when choosing monthly lenses.  Monthly lenses are made to correct most refractive errors (multi-focals and astigmatism) while providing ultimate comfort for the user all month long. Some of the most common brands include:

• Proclear
• Frequency 55
• Acuvue 2
• Purevision 2

Extended Wear Contact Lenses –FDA approved for overnight wear!

Extended wear contacts are the best option for “forgetful” wearers. These contact lenses are designed to be worn 24 hours a day for 7 days or with some lenses up to a full month! There is little to no cleaning required with the lenses. They are available in multifocals and astigmatism (except the monthly extended wear night lenses). Most common brands include:

• Air Optix Aqua
• Biofinity
• Acuvue Oasys
• Air Optix Night & Day
• Purevision

Regardless of which type of contact lens you choose or which brand, there is style and comfort to fit everyone.  While we always recommend having a back up pair of eyeglasses, enjoy a little freedom and take a break from your frames with contact lenses. Schedule an appointment with one of our family eye doctors to find out which contact lens is best for you!

Dr. Andrew May,
Family Eye Doctor Serving Fuquay-Varina and Garner
Johnson Optometric Associates

The first rays of summer’s warmth bring about a remarkable change in our daily eyewear routine. Where glasses and contact lenses once resided, polarized prescription and non-prescription sunglasses fashion frames now sit. And while it’s easy to get caught up in the latest eyewear styles and trends, think of your sunglasses as much more than a simple fashion accessory.

Sunglasses first and foremost serve as a barrier between your vulnerable eyes and damaging UV rays, which can put you at risk for eye disease later in life. We all know what a good sunburn feels like. Now imagine that in your eyes.  Your eyes are just as much as risk for damage by UV rays as your skin, so think of your sunglasses as sunscreen for your eyes.

It is important to keep in mind that not all sunglasses are created equal. Give your eyes the protection they deserve by purchasing a high-quality pair of sunglasses that can protect up to 100% of UV rays from the sun. When shopping, look for stickers indicating 400nm or 100 percent of UV ray blockage.

At Johnson Optometric Associates, we urge our patients to protect their eyes by wearing sunglasses all year round but especially, during the summer months.

When choosing sunglasses:

•          Look for 100% protection from UVA and UVB rays (also known as UV 400).

•          Choose sunglasses with lenses dark enough to reduce glare without distorting images.

•          Check that lenses are large enough to block sunlight from all angles.

If you are unsure that your sunglasses meet these standards, come into Johnson Optometric Associates and we can help you pick out a new pair that meets the aforementioned standards (and help you find that new fashionable look you are going for!)

Some other things to make sure you are protecting your eyes:

•          Wear glasses even if it’s cloudy. Rays can pass through haze and thin clouds.

•          It’s particularly important to wear glasses in the early afternoon and at higher altitudes where UV light is more intense.

•          Harmful UV rays can also reflect off of surfaces like snow and damage your eyes, so they are important to wear all year round.

While good sunglasses are typically a little more expensive, you don’t have to go overboard in the price department to find a fantastic pair that make you feel comfortable while protecting your eyes at the same time.

Come in and check out the latest fashion sunglasses and make sure your eyes have the best protection! We look forward to seeing you.

Dr. May,

I have always loved skipping stones off the surface of water. As a child, my friends and I would have a competition involving the number of times our rock would skip before sinking. Understanding if a stone is horizontal or parallel to the water, and how that will effect its ability to skip off the surface, is the key to success when skipping stones. The more vertical or perpendicular the stone is to the water, the more likely it will sink.

Light rays are reflected or absorbed based on the same principle. Most people consider light rays as traveling in a straight line, but they actually spiral in a waveform. Sometimes the wave is horizontal and other times it is vertical. One can imagine the horizontal wave of light reflecting off of a surface much like a stone skips off the surface of water. This reflected light causes glare and visual discomfort.

Polarized lenses are designed to block the horizontally oriented light while allowing the more vertically oriented light to pass through the lens. This technology gives our eyes the benefit of seeing the image without the accompanying reflections and glare our eyes would normally experience. At Johnson Optometric we almost always recommend polarized lenses. The most common example of the benefits of polarized sunglasses involves a fisherman who is able to see down into the water. However, there are several other ways polarized sunglasses can be beneficial. A car hood or asphalt road can be an extremely reflective surface, so for someone traveling, polarized lenses can greatly reduce eyestrain and fatigue. Sometimes people confuse glare with brightness. Often, patients get a much darker tinted lens,
but they actually could use a lighter tint with the benefit of polarization.

Currently, there are two broad categories of polarized lenses. First, sunglasses can have polarized lenses. Second, Transitions Vantage lenses will change tint from light to dark depending on lighting conditions. These lenses are polarized, but the polarization only takes affect when the lenses are darkened.

Although most patients will benefit from polarized lenses, there are some situations where they may not be advantageous. Pilots rely on reflections to spot other aircrafts in the area so wearing polarized lenses could reduce their ability to notice their surroundings. Also, many planes are equipped with LCD’s (Liquid Crystal Displays). LCD’s usually emit polar light. Polar light means the light rays from the display are not a spiral, but instead they are only oriented at a certain angle. A keen observer will notice, if they are wearing polarized lenses, the LCD will “disappear” when they tilt their head.. This “disappearance” can be a major problem if a pilot is relying on instrumentation thousands of feet in the air. LCD’s are also found in car instrumentation. However, I personally wear polarized lenses when driving and the “disappearance” is rarely an issue.

All of that said, Summer summer is here!!! Enjoy the bright sunshine without the glare and eyestrain. Stop by and ask your Johnson Optometric Optician about Polarized Sunglasses. Remember, we can make Prescription Polarized Sunglasses as well.

Optical professionals hear it all the time… “Doc I used to see crystal clear when I was reading or working on the computer, but now MY ARMS ARE NOT LONG ENOUGH!!!!” Congratulations! You have reached a milestone in your life referred to as Presbyopia. When you were a child, the Crystalline Lens located behind the Iris (Colored portion of the eye) allowed you to change focus rapidly from distance to near. Over time, the Crystalline Lens becomes stiff which decreases the ability to change focus. This change usually occurs around 40 to 45 years of age. While this is extremely frustrating to patients, there are a number of Contact Lens options.

1: Keeping it Simple

You can continue to wear contact lenses that clear up your distance vision, and use some reading glasses for computer work, reading and sewing.

Pros:

• 100% of light focused for distance makes this option the best for distance vision

Cons:

• Reading glasses lying around your house, car, garage, desk, etc.
• You will ALWAYS need reading glasses to see ANYTHING up close

2: Use Newer Technology

Multifocal contact lens technology has come a long way over the past few years, and will keep improving as our lens options and wear time modality options increase. These sophisticated contact lenses work by having differing power zones in a circular pattern throughout the lens. Some zones are for distance focus, and some zones are for near focus.

Pros:

• Balanced vision as both eyes are seeing at all distances
• The need for glasses is typically minimal
• No decrease in contact lens comfort
• Friends will ask, “Why don’t you have to wear reading glasses?”
• Excellent for leisure activities when glasses are a hassle
• No need for Prescription Sunglasses

Cons:

• 50% of light focused for distance. 50% focused for near in each eye
• Distance vision may not be as “Crisp” as Option 1
• Some patients experience increased glare, especially at night
• Depending on your prescription, you may not be a good candidate for these lenses

3: Train Your Brain

“Monovision” is a technique that has been used for many years, and continues to help presbyopes today. This method uses the same contact lenses as Option 1, but with a major exception. The Non-Dominant eye is focused for near.  As you may imagine, there is some initial imbalance because the dominant eye is focused for distance and the non-dominant eye is focused for near. You must “train your brain” to use these lenses effectively, because one of your eyes will always be blurry.

Pros:

• The need for glasses is typically minimal
• No decrease in contact lens comfort
• Friends will ask, “Why don’t you have to wear reading glasses?”
• Excellent for leisure activities when glasses are a hassle
• No need for Prescription Sunglasses
• After “training your brain” to see with these lenses, most patients are very happy with the comfort and vision.

Cons:

• Reduced depth perception
• Some patients feel “off balance” initially
• Distance vision may not seem as “crisp” compared to Option 1