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Eyewear 101

A lot of we do here at 10/10 Optics is eyewear education. We feel that the more you know about what you put on your eyes, the happier you will be with your choices in eyewear, whether it is eyeglasses or contact lenses.

We also understand that there are many different options. Feel free to browse through our questions and information below. If we don’t have the answer you are looking for, you can always contact us and we’ll be happy to answer you (and share the answer with everyone else as well!)

Why make an appointment for eyewear?

Whether you are purchasing from one of our luxury collections, our designer collections or our mid-priced collections, we appreciate that you are making an investment in your own eyewear collection.  We want to give you all the requisite attention that you deserve when making such an important decision about your eyewear. As such, we like to have a dedicated optician appointed to you and ensure that your time is respected. 

If you have been here before, while making your appointment you may choose the optician you’d prefer to assist you. If that optician is not here that day or free at the time, we will reach out to you with other options of times or opticians to ensure a smooth and happy experience.

Whether you are traveling from another borough, state or country, or from right down the block, by setting an appointment in advance, you are assured to the undivided attention and time needed for your eyewear selection.

Book Eyewear Appointment

Why are your glasses so expensive?

There are multiple costs that go into every pair of eyewear, before they ever comes through our front door. The three main costs associated with the creation of a new pair are materials, design and labor.  Unlike many companies which outsource their manufacturing to massive automated facilities in China, the majority of our collections are designed, manufactured and assembled by eyewear artisans in countries all over the world. 

  1. On every collection page, we list what materials that designer is known for using. Naturally if a pair is made from a sustainable wood, leather, stone, granite or ethically sourced buffalo horn, the cost will be higher.
  2. Our curated collections are driven by artisanal designs, which are neither mass created nor mass produced.
  3. A number of our collections are largely handmade or assembled. The attention to the detail and perfection results in higher labor and material costs.

We pride ourselves in developing relationships with talented designers who take risks, with unique shapes, colors or material combinations. The resulting eyewear is as unique as you.

What is Pupillary Distance?

What does PD in eyeglasses mean?

Your PD is in fact your PUPILLARY DISTANCE.  This is the measured distance in millimeters from one pupil to the other pupil.  When taking measurements for eyewear (especially progressive and multi focal lenses) it is critical that this distance be exact and accurate.  The left and right pupil are often not equidistant from the bridge of the nose.  The ideal way to measure PD is to do this monocularly from the center of the bridge to each pupil individually, for a more accurate and true measurement.    

Should I wear glasses for driving at night?

Your vision at night is different, and sometimes not quite as sharp as it is during the day.  When the natural daylight is eliminated you no longer have comparative vision.  That means you can’t judge distances as well because you can’t see for example, the crosswalk in relation to the tree on the corner.  These peripheral items help you to judge distance and depth.  Glare is also a factor when driving at night.  A digital anti reflective coating is in fact a filter that allows all the light to pass through the lens eliminating all the glare and reflections from traffic and streetlights.

Would a cat-eye frame look good on me?

A cat-eye shaped frame covers many different versions of an eyewear frame that has a high eyebrow arch and a bottom that sweeps up towards the cheekbone.  The reason that cat eyes look so great on most women it the flattering angle along the cheekbone. This shape very closely mimics the brush strokes used when makeup is applied.  It is also a very slimming shape in that it mimics bone structure of a high cheekbone and an arched brow. 

Why are eyeglasses so expensive?

The price range of eyewear is often reflective of the materials that the frame is made of and the design, creativity and fabrication required to produce a finished product.  Materials such as leather, wood, silk, natural horn, granite are crafted by hand and designed to showcase their unique and tactile materials.  (Think of a fast food place vs. gourmet chef). 

The other component of purchasing eyewear is the experience and skill of the optical staff assisting you with your eyewear purchase.  Our staff is not only technically skilled and certified in optics, but have extensive training in the aesthetics of eyewear fashion. 

How do I choose the best eyeglasses for my face?

The quick tip, if you do not have an expert optician assisting you, is to go opposite of your face shape. The ideal scene is to have an experienced optical expert show you frames that will not only fit your face, but compliment your skin tones and maximize your visual needs and lifestyle requirements.

Ideally, a skilled and trained optician would guide you along the way to select not only the best fitting frame that looks terrific as well, but will suggest the lens designs that will optimize your visual needs.

What is the benefit of custom contact lenses?

Like a fingerprint, the shape of each cornea is completely unique for every individual.  A Custom Contact lens is fabricated based thousands of computerized micro measurements that map the shape of the surface of the eye (Corneal topography).  Wearing a lens that is created just for you enhances the experience for both the health of the eye and the controlled visual results.

How do I add nose pads to my frames?

We are able to add adjustable nose pads to almost any frame to enhance the fit when needed. This is especially beneficial for those people whose eyewear frame either slide down and hit the cheeks or have trouble finding plastic frames that will fit the shape of their bridge (top of the nose).

What Colors Look Best on Me?

Based on your skin, hair eye (and teeth) color, certain colors will flatter you more than other.  As grown-ups we may wear whatever we want, but imagine how nice it could be if everything in your wardrobe looked terrific when you put it on?  Finding out what color palette is best for you is simple and really interesting.  Stop by for your eyewear update and we’ll show you eyewear in your best colors.  

If you are interested in having a complete color analysis done by a professional image consultant, I know the very best people in NYC and will be glad to introduce you.

recycle eyeglasses

What can I do with my old eyeglasses? 

Bring them by and we will donate them to New Eyes for the Needy.  Your old eyeglasses are not reused, but they are stripped down for parts and then repurposed providing new eyewear for those in need.

How do I clean eyeglasses?

I always tell a little story to make it very clear when asked this question: 

‘If you took a shower and put soap all over your body and used a washcloth BUT never turn on the water, what would your skin look like after awhile?’.

You need the water!  

– Ruth H. Domber

3 basic steps for properly cleaning your eyewear:

  1. Wet the lens with water and wipe dry with a KLEENEX.  This removes the surface debris. from the lenses.
  2. Wet the lens with your eyewear spray (we give this liquid spray to all of our patients) and wipe them dry with KLEENEX. This removes the oils and stuck on fingerprints, etc…. from the lenses.
  3. Once dry, then buff the lenses with your 10/10 Optics microfiber cloth.  You may use the cloth on a lens that has not gone through step 1 or 2, as long as you do clean them periodically using the water and the spray.