Lenses and Frames

Eyeglasses

Design, material and treatments are the three components that make up a pair of prescription lenses. It is important to select the right combination of these elements for your particular visual needs and to always consult your eye care professional.

The knowledgeable staff at Drs. Bintz and Ellis will consider long-term wearing comfort, style, features and function when suggesting a new pair of eyeglasses. The eyeglasses become as unique as the person taking them home.

Eyeglass Lenses

Selecting the right eyeglass lens depends largely on its function. From single vision lenses to progressive polycarbonate lenses, we are happy to help you find what best suits your needs. Regardless of your situation, your eye care provider can help determine what types of lenses will work best for you in terms of comfort, function and design.

Frame Styles

When choosing a frame, the shape and size of the frame should enhance the color of your eyes, complement your skin tone and play up the best features of your face shape.

Most people need more than one pair of glasses, such as one for everyday wear and another for outdoor activities. Having different style frames for different activities and moods makes wearing glasses more fun.

Sunglasses

With the wide variety of lens options available, you can customize your “sunnies” (sunglasses) to meet your visual, protection, performance and comfort needs. Sunglasses protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which is present even on cloudy days. Quality sunwear provides 100 percent UV protection and can significantly reduce the risk of vision problems caused by sunlight such as cataracts and retinal damage.

Glare, an issue that makes it difficult to see objects clearly by washing out colors and details, can be combated by polarized lenses. Looking at a scene with polarized lenses, you’ll notice the colors are deeper, richer and bolder, and details are clearer and more distinct. Polarized lenses also help reduce squinting, which, in turn, reduces eye fatigue, tension and eyestrain.

Anti-Reflective Lenses

Wearers of prescription glasses and sunglasses commonly encounter annoying glare and reflections caused by light bouncing off their lenses. This glare makes it more difficult to see, especially at night. Anti-reflective lenses reduce these reflections allowing more light to pass through to your eyes.

All lens surfaces naturally reflect light and this reflection can prevent between seven to 14 percent of the light needed for optimal vision. Wearing non-AR lenses is like trying to read a book in a dimly lit room. Since AR lenses allow more light to reach your eyes by reducing reflections, it’s like turning up the lights in a room, making it easier to see.

Wearable technology

Wearable technology is reshaping the landscape of eye care, blending vision, hearing, and digital connectivity into functional devices that enhance quality of life, especially for those with low vision and/or mild to moderate hearing loss.

Frequently Asked Questions: 

Q: Your practice has embraced new technology in eyewear. I know this because I wear them! What impresses you about this area of eye care?

A: Smart glasses like the Nuance Audio hearing enhancement eyewear and Meta Ray-Bans are at the forefront. These devices integrate microphones, speakers, and sometimes even AI-driven features to amplify sound, provide real-time notifications, and assist with navigation—all while maintaining a discreet appearance. For patients with hearing loss, this means better communication without the stigma sometimes associated with traditional hearing aids.

For low vision patients, wearable tech is really opening new doors. AR-enabled smart eyewear and AI-powered visual aids can read your mail and menus, for example, and even describe surroundings using audio and video cues. Some models use object recognition and GPS to help users navigate unfamiliar environments more confidently. These tools are especially empowering for individuals with conditions like macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa.

From a clinical standpoint, optometrists are beginning to integrate these technologies into patient care, offering guidance on device selection, training, and even partnering with tech developers to ensure accessibility and usability. It’s a shift toward holistic sensory support, where vision care intersects with hearing, mobility, and digital wellness.

Q: Meta just released an update that enables live translation. With this enhancement, plus taking pictures without a phone in hand, will travelers embrace this tech?

A: Yes, of course. Meta’s latest update to its Ray-Ban smart glasses is a game-changer for travelers. The addition of live translation—now supporting English, French, Italian, and Spanish—means wearers can engage in real-time conversations. That’s a huge leap in convenience and cultural accessibility. Yes, Google Translate works similarly, but there’s a phone between you and the other person. Combine that with hands-free photo and video capture, music streaming, and even AI-powered scene recognition, and you’ve got a travel companion that’s part translator, part camera crew, and part tour guide with real-time conversations across language barriers, all without pulling out a phone!

And it’s not just for travel. Lori, one of our opticians, just yesterday used the Meta glasses to do a frame selection with a lady who had very limited English language skills.

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