Troubleshooting Help

Common symptoms:

• Blurred vision
• Issues with only one eye
• Low vision at night

Each lens has an optical center where the "true" vision is and where the individual must look through to see with the proper correction. The optical center is positioned in the frame horizontally using the PD measurement and vertically using the OC height measurement. For lenses for astigmatism, it is also the axis rotation of the lens.

When there's an issue with the optical center, it means you're looking through the wrong part of the lens, which can cause many undesirable problems.

Common symptoms:

Locating the optical center:

Horizontal

If moving the lens horizontally left or right corrects the symptoms, it suggests that the PD (pupil distance) measurement is incorrect. Verify the PD measurement provided is correct.

Vertical

If moving the lens up or down corrects the symptoms, it suggests that the OC height is incorrect. The OC height is specific to the frame. Dotting the lenses or having this measured for the frame is generally suggested.

Rotate

For astigmatism only: If rotating the lens (clockwise or counter-clockwise) corrects the symptoms, it suggests the issue is related to an incorrect axis. Since the axis is part of the prescription and not just a measurement, refer to the Incorrect Prescription section for suggestions.

Material adaptation

Common symptoms:

• More common in older individuals
• Fuzzy vision or reduced clarity
• Fishbowl effects
• Inaccurate depth perception
• Dizziness or nausea

Design adaptation

Glare and stray-light issues are usually attributed to wearing thinner hi-index lenses due to their lower aberration values. Adding an anti-glare coating to these lenses is suggested to help reduce or alleviate specific lighting issues. Otherwise, symptoms are typically reduced when a lens material with a higher aberration value, usually a thicker lens material, is selected. Please see the Lens Thickness chart for each material's aberration value. Individuals who are considering higher index lenses should consider adding an anti-glare coating.
 

Common symptoms:

• Light sensitivity
• Eye-strain & fatigue
• Halos (mostly at night)
• Difficulty viewing screens and devices

Some electronic displays may have a "blacked-out" effect when utilizing polarized lenses. Consequently, it is recommended to refrain from wearing polarized lenses while operating airplanes or helicopters, where it is essential to view screens. Instead, opting for non-polarized tinted alternatives is advised if sun protection is a priority.

There are several reasons why it can be troublesome to adapt to certain progressive lenses. Focusing on the following issues should be considered to help reduce any undesirable symptoms.
 

Progressive lenses are advanced medical devices that require some practice and getting used to. The eye and the brain learn to adjust to the different refractive powers of the lenses. The adaptation period for progressive lenses generally takes 1-2 weeks, but the adaptation period may vary based on the wearer's frame size, lens design, viewing habits, and posture. Therefore, it is recommended for first-time wearers to consult with the eye doctor for the best possible training and solutions available for the individual.

Progressive lens areas:

 

The progressive lens has different areas for various viewing distances, with peripheral and distance focus areas that may vary depending on the lens design or brand, and the provided distance estimates are typical. Still, they can differ based on the specific progressive lens design or brand. The blending region or soft focus area is used for the transitioning distances but is not intended for looking through. The following table explains each area in detail.

First-time wearers may experience discomfort due to a required change of viewing habits. Therefore, training should always be done in a safe environment without putting the wearer in any compromising situation. The progressive lens training process usually takes around 1-2 weeks but may vary based on the wearer. Training and practicing to wear progressive lenses may include getting acquainted with the progressive lens design and changing viewing habits, as explained below.

• Developing new viewing habits based on the distance of the object.
• Moving the head further up or down based on the desired distance focus range.
• Getting acquainted with the areas for Distance, Intermediate, and Near by practicing viewing objects at different distances using different areas of the progressive lens.
• Getting acquainted with the horizontal vision range (viewing to the side). Areas of soft-focus are at the edges of the lenses, and sharper focus in the center.
• More head rotation and movement, and less moving of the pupils, especially for closer distances, since the near view field located at the bottom of the lens is narrower.

When climbing stairs wearing prescription lenses, the wearer would usually look through the lower portion of the lens to see the stairs. However, with progressive lenses, the lower portion of the lens is adjusted for reading distance of approximately 16 inches only, which are of course closer than the stairs. Therefore, the stairs viewed with the lower portion of the lens will be viewed with distortion. However, the sense of sight is highly complex and adaptable. Within a short period of time, the habits of the brain are able to learn and adapt to the different viewing conditions. So when climbing the stairs, a wearer simply points their head further downwards to gain better focus of the stairs using the intermediate or distance portion of the lens.

A prescription may be considered within tolerance when within the national optical tolerance guidelines. All prescription lenses provided within the national optical tolerance guidelines per ANSI Z80.1-2015 standards are considered accurate. Digital (Freeform) lenses are known to be more accurate and truer to the prescription than tradition non-digital lenses.

Prescriptions with astigmatism include a cylinder (CYL) power that may be transposed and appear different than the original prescription but will still be considered the same/accurate. The following steps are taken when transposing a prescription.

Tranposing instructions:

1. Cylinder (CYL) power is algebraically added to the Sphere (SPH) power. The result is the new Sphere power.
2. The Cylinder sign is changed from plus (+) to a minus (-), or vice-versa.
3. The Axis is changed by 90 degrees (maximum is 180)

Cleaning oil, dust, or dirt off lenses can be a common task. There are solutions available to keep the lens clean found in anti-glare coatings. Anti-glare coatings that include hydrophobic or oleophobic properties help repel dirt, dust, oil, and water.

Microfiber (silk) cleaning clothes or various lens cleaning solutions are available to clean your lenses. As well as blowing off or shaking off any excess dust. Warm water and mild dish soap are also commonly used to clean lenses. However, one should avoid using household cleaning products and paper towels since they may damage the coating on the lens.

All lens orders are manufactured, crafted, edged, and installed exactly to the order specifications. If the lens is thicker than expected or when compared to a prior pair with the same material, it may be due to various issues.

If the lens starts popping out of the frame, it could be due to the frame and lens curve. More common with thicker lenses or wrap-around/wrapped sunglasses. Some of the ways to resolve the issue depend on a variety of factors and should be handled by a repair store.

• Frames may need to be adjusted/altered to hold the lens securely.
• An adhesive may need to be applied to the frame/lens.
• Semi-rimless frames may require further grooving to secure the lens in position

For frame replacements, lenses may only be re-used or swapped into new frames if the model is the same. It is not recommended to re-use lenses with another frame.

It is important not to force a screw out if too tight because it may cause stripping and breakage. Since many screws may have Loctite (or glue) to seal the screw to the frame, it is recommended to have the frame slightly warmed and removed by an optical professional.

Loose screws may simply be tightened with an eyeglass repair screwdriver or by an optical professional. For recurring screw loosening issues,  the optical professional may apply Loctite (glue) to the thread of the screw before screwing it into the frame helps provide additional support and reinforcement to the frame.

If a screw has been stripped or broken, it must be drilled out and, in some cases, rethreaded. It is suggested to visit a jewelry repair store to help remove a stripped or broken screw, as jewelry repair stores generally have the proper tools necessary to remove broken or stripped screws from a frame.

A faulty spring mechanism hinge may cause the temple to have a loose or wobbly feel to it and also make the temples difficult to fold. Frames with faulty spring hinges are covered under the Warranty.

Sweat and body oils can have an acidic effect on the frames which can cause corrosion. Wearing frames without cleaning them for prolonged periods of time can cause corrosion or mildew. Each individual may have different hygiene or acidic levels therefore it is recommended for the wearer to keep the glasses as clean as possible for their particular circumstances to reduce any chance of corrosion. Many optical stores also have hypersonic cleaners that help remove corrosion but will not reverse any damage to the paint. Frame corrosion is generally considered standard wear and tear and is not considered defective.

Paint chipping is generally caused by the frames being scratched or damaged in some way. This can commonly occur while trying to install lenses. Although minor chipping can be improved with touch-up paint, paint chipping is generally a form of damage and not covered under the warranty. Therefore, it is suggested to be extra careful when having the lenses installed into the frames, as this can lead to chipping if done improperly.

Eyewear parts and components are generally produced in numerous batches from different factories across the world. Since we only offer new products they will generally be from the latest batch from the manufacturer. The manufacturer of a particular brand may opt to have a batch of eyewear produced by a different factory, which may result in minor changes in style, components, and overall quality of the item. Therefore, the same eyewear seen elsewhere may be from a prior batch and can sometimes have minor differences from eyewear that is produced in earlier batches. This issue is generally outside of the retailer's control as the retailer is not the manufacturer of the product. Although the merchandise may not be the exact same as an earlier batch, the eyewear is still considered to be authentic eyewear that is now being distributed by the manufacturer.

All frames without lenses will arrive brand new directly from the supplier. It is possible for these frames to sometimes arrive crooked or out of adjustment, especially when additional lenses aren’t purchased at the same time. A physical adjustment or fitting by a local optical store generally resolves any issues related to the frames being crooked along with making the frame more comfortable to wear. If having lenses installed by another optical store, they would generally also provide the adjustment and fitting which would resolve a crooked frame.

Crooked frames are generally not considered defective products, since they are meant to be adjusted and fit to the wearer in person. Although we pre-adjust all frames with lenses ordered from us to be as straight as possible before shipment, not all heads are shaped the same. Therefore, having the frames personally fit and adjusted in person at an optical shop is always recommended.

If unable to have the frames adjusted and fit at a local optical store, the frames may be sent back along with pictures of the wearer including any specific instructions, and we will adjust the frames to our best ability. Please see the Warranty section for details.