Spectacular Collections...

GLASSES - SPECTACLES AND SUNGLASSES

Glasses are such a part of you, so much an expression of your own style and individuality, that you will probably want to browse and take your time before choosing. We have a large range of styles for you to look through and try on. Our staff members are always willing to help you with your choice and to advise on fit.

Our stock of over 700 frames includes styles from famous designer houses for the fashion-conscious - the photos and the logos on this page will give you an idea of some of the ranges we have available, at very competitive prices.

For ranges and styles that we do not have on display in our shop, we carry up-to-date and comprehensive catalogues for you to browse through. We are always happy to order for you, and our delivery times are excellent.

FRAMES

Modern frames are designed for both comfort and style. Manufacturers are increasingly using super-strong lightweight alloys and metals for your maximum comfort. Here are some handy facts which may help you in your choice:

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is a very strong metal alloy. Frames made with stainless steel can be made extremely thin without losing flexibility and strength. Stainless steel contains no nickel, so is hypoallergenic and will not corrode.

Titanium

Modern frame technology is increasingly using titanium as its metal of choice. Titanium is very light, flexible, durable and strong (think of Formula I racing cars!). Like stainless steel, it is hypoallergenic and not susceptible to corrosion.

Memory titanium

Marchon's "Flexon" frames are an example of memory titanium - you may have seen the TV ads in which the frames are subject to extreme mistreatment! Memory titanium is made of a mixture of titanium and nickel. It is extremely flexible and durable and is used in those parts of the frames such as the bridge and the sides, where those qualities matter most.

Plastic

A number of hi-tech plastics are used by the manufacturers of our ranges, including zyl, optyl, cellulose propionate, carbon fibre graphite and kevlar - to name a few. Plastics have the advantage of being durable, hypoallergenic, and available in a vast range of colours.

LENSES

There is a wide variety of lenses available.

Single focus

Almost all first-time spectacle users wear single-focus lenses - single focus lenses provide the correct focal power for either close-up vision if you are long-sighted (these are often called "reading glasses"), or distance vision if you are short-sighted.

Bifocals

You may need glasses for both distance and close-up vision - not unusual as we get older! Rather than carry two pairs of spectacles, bifocals provide the convenience of both long and short vision in the same lens.

Varifocals

A difficulty with bifocals is that they do not provide effective vision at the intermediate range between close-up and distance. Varifocals solve this by providing a progressive and borderless transition between the close-up and distance areas of the lenses. Also, because they have no visible line between the areas, many people think that they look more attractive.

LENS MATERIALS

Lens weight and thickness

People needing high-powered spectacles used to have to wear glasses which were both thick and heavy - obviously these were felt to be unattractive and not very comfortable to wear. Improvements in materials science and lens geometry, however, have resulted in high-powered lenses which are both thin and light, often made from plastic rather than glass.

Coatings

Here again, improvements in technology have come to our aid. There are now special lens coatings which allow more light to reach the eye, making for much clearer vision, and helping to reduce distracting and annoying reflections. Coatings also help protect the lens from scratches.

Photochromic

Also called "light-sensitive", photochromic lenses have chemicals - either within them or coated on to them - that change colour according to the brightness of the light. Thus you can wear the same glasses in both bright sunshine and a dimly-lit room. They also provide protection against harmful ultraviolet light.