The debate about the p.d continues to rage on in Optics! When you have an eye test and they either use a ‘trial-frame’ (that odd looking pair of adjustable specs that opticians use) or the automated machine that swings down in front of you with all the lenses inside it (phoropter), the Optician must set the instrument up with the correct p.d to be able to test you properly, so it is routinely measured during a sight test, but it is never noted! So much so that if you request the measurement in most cases it is refused.

The p.d is needed so that the optical centre (the optimum vision point of the lens) is positioned directly in front of your pupils when your wear the specs as intended. This is very important both for visual comfort and clarity. If this is set incorrectly there may be visual consequences the higher the prescription the more important it is.

Some online retailers use average values depending on the gender of the customer, this may mean that the p.d could be many mm out! Some will give you videos and demonstration how to measure it yourself. It isn’t difficult to do, but it does need to be accurate. You can see this on You Tube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvO2gwt3Rak&feature=related 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o18-PIaIro4            

There is even now an ‘app’ for the iphone for measureing the p.d it will cost £3 to download and seems to work quite well.    http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id381060059?mt=8   This seems allot to pay when we can do it for nothing!     

As the p.d is a measurement between your eyes this is generally fixed during adulthood unless there have been changes in facial structure or characteristics. This is why ciliaryblue are happy to take this measurement from your existing glasses, old or new. We prefer to use p.d’s measured by your Optician, but this isn’t always possible. When we measure it we tell you what it is so that you can use it in future with us or other online retailers.

So please ask for your p.d during the eye test, as it has to be measured and the Optician will find it very difficult to refuse the information when put on the spot!

We have opened this particular blog as so many customers have wanted to leave feedback or testimonials and sometimes suggestions in ways that we may impove our service.  This way they can leave comments here.

Here are some that we have received in the last few weeks:

Sirs,

I rate the Ciliary Blue service and communication to be in the top 5 of 1000s of Internet Shopping experiences I’ve had over the past 10 years.

My new frames were posted on Friday afternoon, Ciliary Blue acknowledged receipt on Saturday morning, then advised they were ready for dispatch at 09:50 on Monday morning and received Tuesday, Wow!!

I unreservedly recommend Ciliary Blue to anyone looking for a spectacle reglazing service. Keep up the amazing glazing service.

Thank you, I’ll be back soon.

John Tinley-Howell   (john@tinley-howell.co.uk)   17/03/09  21:39

 I would  just like to thank you for your excellent service.  Glasses are perfect and I’m recommeding you all over Cambridge!!
Louise Tarrant       (loulout31@msn.com)      12/02/09  12:24 

Our owner (the Optician) designed a michine a year or so ago, for measuring and plotting the exact positioning of varifcoal fitting points. These measurements are taken from an existing pair of your spectacles that have varifocals fitted. Once the measurements are taken they can then be applied to any other frame, this can be done at the same time or any time in the future.

This, we feel, puts ciliaryblue right at the forefront of optics on the internet. The new machine we have, we think, is the only one of it’s type and gives our company a flexibility and an edge that few others have at the moment.

The Optician magazine this week reported that: sales of sunglasses have increased for the second year since the all time high in 2007. This equated to sales in May of over 87,000 pairs sold through optical preacticies. In reality this figure will be much higher if you add-in the number sold via the internet and non-opitcal stores. We have seen a huge increase in the sale of prescription tinted lenses and the reactions lenses too. This is said to be down to the great Summer sun!

The sales of prescription-type frames was still in decline generally, the only sector increasing was the frames below £45 and above £220, which just demonstrates how polarized the optical high street has become.

We’re still baffled why more of the public don’t buy the frames really cheaply on the internet  (after locating in-store on the high street) then have them glazed by us at ciliaryblue, the savings to be had are huge.

So please research and compare.

A leading lens manfacturer has release a new ‘app’ for the iphone so that you can test your own eyes. It may not be very accurate and doesn’t give any indication as to what you may need, but it is a good way of checking.

It is also a good way of testing if the new glasses you have had done are ok, if they are set up correctly then you should have near perfect eyesight and as such should pass all the tests?

Have a look at the video below:

Sight test

Give us your thoughts as to the accuracy or the relative merits of such an application.

We have seen a 10 fold increase in orders from France recently, all of the customers are English. I spoke with one of the customers today and found out why the increase. Cost, of course! He wanted to order uncoated bifocal lenses only for his own frame, the cost was a staggering 390 euros  in old money £325+! We charge £30! So if you live in France, call or email and we will beat any prices the French have to offer!

Most on-line spectacle companies sell hi-index lenses, as we do. What are they? And why have them? They are normally used for people that have higher prescriptions as they have similar optical qualities but are made from a more dense material so are thinner for the same power. In plastic we sell 1.50 (standard) 1.60 (thin plastic) 1.67 (super thin) and 1.74 (ultra thin). The higher the index the thinner the lens. 1.74 is the thinnest plastic available at the moment. The more dense the material the more reflections you get fom the lens surfaces, which is why all the hi-index lenses come with anti-glare/scratch included in the price. We have included photos showing all 4 different index lenses that we sell. All the lenses are the same power, that way you can see how much thinner they are! We can do hi-index/thin lenses in single vision as shown or in varifocals, where the effect is just the same.

1. This one shows a standard 1.50 index next to a 1.60 Thin lens  150-vs-160.JPG

2. This one shows a standard 1.50 index next to a 1.67 Super Thin lens  150-vs-167.JPG

3. This one shows a standard 1.50 index next to a 1.74 Ultra Thin lens  150-vs-174.JPG

4. This one shows all four lenses together  all-4.JPG

You can have your varifocals reglazed!  If it is an existing frame we can take the measurement from them and position the new lenses in exactly the same position. If it is a new frame that you want reglazing we can take the positional measurements from an existing pair and duplicate for the new frame. If you are a first time wearer, then we suggest you utilize the services of your Opticians to do this, when you want another pair come to us. We rang around today to give you an idea of the equivalent High Street costs in Red and ciliaryblue in Blue      

Premium Varifocal  uncoated                                       £80-130                           £45       

Premium Varifocal standard index MAR/HC                  £160-270                         £75

Premium Varifocal Reactions MAR/HC                           £200-310                         £120

Elite Varifocal Standard Index MAR/HC                         £180-270                         £100

Elite Varifocal 1.60 Index MAR/HC                                £230-340                         £140

Elite Varifocal 1.67 Reactions MAR/HC                          £300-490                         £200

The Elite varifocal is from the new ‘Free form’ design that has the best visual performance less distortions and  are currently the best lenses available, we use WLC lenses or Jai Kudo for these. The premium varifocal offer great value but without the ultimate visual performance of the Elite lenses. This is only a few examples so  go to the varifocals pricelist at  link:   http://www.ciliaryblue.com/varifocal_pricelist.html    or email to info@ciliaryblue.com for details.

18/06/10  One cusotmer today order two pairs and saved an astonishing £305 on the quoted high street price! Lucky she didn’t go to Specsavers!

ciliaryblue have been asked by many customers if we can supply mirror coatings for prescription and non-prescription lenses. It is often the case that your expensive sunglasses have a coating that is damaged, or you want your glasses to look just that little bit special, different?

We can now do it, the coatings are blue, red, silver, gold and gunmetal, the lenses come with a tint and full UV protection. This can be done with single vision, varifocals and bifocals.

Single vision lenses cost £50, with wrap-around styles £60.

Bifocals and varifocals please ring for details.

We think we are one of the first to offer this on the internet for prescription lenses, other than some specific sports-specs suppliers.

Pictures to come soon!!

phone : 01455 290675

email: info@ciliaryblue.com

website: wwww.ciliaryblue.com

For the next 3 months ciliaryblue we will be offering 1.50 index single vision lenses with anti-glare/scratch for £30, these would normally cost £40 with us, the high street equivalent is £80-130!!! These lenses have the full 85% suntint, are available in grey, green and brown. They perform and look fab, the surface coatings makes them look more like cosmetic lenses than prescription ones’. They are not available to order through the website but can be ordered over the phone. So if you interested in the £22 standard titned lenses, consider the advantage of paying only £8 more!

email us at : info@ciliaryblue.com

phone us on : 01455 290675

website : www.ciliaryblue.com