The Sweet Spot
"I got my new glasses on-line and something doesn't seem right! I have
eyestrain and blurred vision. What could be wrong with them?"
We have started noticing, especially when patients bring in
eyewear they have purchased online, that many of the online retailers have much
lower quality control standards and are shipping our patients eyewear that has
the “sweet spot” in the wrong place. We
have noticed the following reasons this is occurring:
- The on-line laboratories grind the lenses in error.
- Patients select a frame they like but it doesn’t fit their face properly.
- The eyewear is sent out of adjustment, as there is no live person to dispense the glasses.
Any of these factors can cause headaches, decreased visual
acuity, and even dizziness. It is then
up to you, at your cost, to determine where the problem occurred and how the
online retailer will make it right for you.
What is The Sweet Spot?
In sports “the sweet spot” is the place you know will take
the ball where you want it to go. In
movies, it’s the best seat in the house where the surround sound and view will
be at its best. In a garden, it’s where
your flowers always look the best.
Did you know that eyeglasses also have a “sweet spot”? This is known as the Optical Center of the
lens and it needs to be positioned exactly where your eyes need it to have for the
best vision possible from your glasses.
Many things must happen before your eyewear has the “sweet
spot” in the right place:
- First, you and an optician, must pick a pair of eyeglasses that are compatible with the prescription lens that your doctor has ordered, and that properly fits your face.
- Then, the optician measures your "pupillary distance" to the nearest millimeter. If you are getting a multifocal lens, there is an additional measurement called a segment height that tells the lab exactly where your multifocal lens needs to be placed.
- Next, a high-quality, trusted lab will take the doctor’s orders and the optician’s measurements and create the lens that will provide the perfect “sweet spot” for your unique eyes.
- Finally, a lab technician checks in the eyewear to make sure the requirements have been met before you are called to receive your eyewear. Sometimes our tech rejects the lens if they do not meet our stringent requirements and asks for a remake before you even see the finished product.
- Once it passes inspection, you are given a call from our office and an optician makes sure the eyeglasses are adjusted to your face so that the Optical Center is exactly where it needs to be.
