south melbourne optical reading glasses

Reading glasses optimise eyesight for the wearer when reaching the point of not being able to read up close.

Conventional reading glasses come in two main styles: full frames, in which the entire lens is made in the reading prescription, and half frames, the smaller style reading glasses that sit lower down on the nose.

Full frame reading glasses are suitable for wearers who spend considerable time viewing material close-up. Everything will appear blurry when the wearer looks up and across through the reading glass lenses.

Half frame reading glasses allow the wearer to look down and through the lenses for viewing material close-up, and up and over them to see in the distance.

Generally speaking, wearers who have never needed glasses in the past tend to start out with a pair of reading glasses rather than multifocal lenses, which usually are a better choice if you have a need for distance (viewing TV) as well as near correction (viewing smart phone).

Reading glasses are different to computer glasses in that reading is done at a closer range than reading text on a computer monitor. We prescribe lenses especially for computer use. The lenses work differently to reading glasses in that the wearer will not need to lean their head back in order to view the computer screen, placing unnecessary strain on the wearers neck muscles.

Not to be confused with computer glasses we also sell Eyezen reading glasses that have lenses specially made exclusively for young adults (non-presbyopes). They are designed to relax and protect the wearer’s eyes from digital devices such as computer screens, tablet screens and phone screens - all day long. These reading glasses are available to everyone, even those who have not been prescribed near reading glasses lenses.

Nowadays, we also prescribe reading glasses with UV protection for wearing outdoors in the sun; popular types are the sunglass bifocal and hidden back surface bifocal, with a non-prescription upper half for looking far away and a reading prescription in the lower half for close up.

Reading glasses frames at South Melbourne include D&G, Dolce&Gabbana, Emporio Armani, Flexon, Nicola Finetti, Nike, Prada, Porsche Design, Ray-Ban, Silhouette, Versace and many more.

Whatever your reading glasses need, South Melbourne Optical custom make reading glasses for individual requirements.

Some of our patients like to have numerous spare pairs of reading glasses in different rooms of the house and other places. Ready-made readers can be purchased in-store and are a cheaper alternative than custom eyewear. These reading glasses are essentially a "one-size-fits-all" item. The prescription is the same in both lenses, and the location of the optical centre of the lens is not customised for each wearer.

It is important to note that most people do not have exactly the same prescription in both eyes, and almost everyone has at least a small amount of astigmatism correction in their prescriptions. Eyestrain can result from wearing reading glasses that are not specific or close enough to your actual prescription, or that have optical centres too far away from the centre of your pupils.

For these reasons, custom-made reading glasses are better choice overall.

Reading Eyeglass Lenses Melbourne - South Melbourne Optical Reading Glasses

south melbourne optical computer glasses

Computer glasses optimise eyesight for the wearer when viewing computer screens, reducing digital eyestrain and it’s symptoms.

Our “Computer glasses" or "computer eyeglasses" are different to conventional reading and multifocal glasses. They have single vision lenses with a modified lens power prescribed to give optimum vision and comfort to the wearer.

South Melbourne Optical discourages bifocal and trifocal lenses for computer glasses. Why? When someone is working at their computer screen they are likely to be doing so for an extended period of time. Overwhelmingly, wearer’s who fall in this category tell us that they prefer maximum vision without compromise. The lenses they require are adapted exactly to the distance needed for their computer screen or display work. There are some exceptions, and to that we’ll work hard to customise the manufacture of lenses for computer use and other individual requirements.

To ensure maximum viewing comfort, South Melbourne Optical prescribe computer glasses with clear lenses that have an (AR) anti-reflective coating to reduce reflections of light from the front and back surfaces of the lens. These advanced computer glass lenses also prevent long-term damage to eyes by selectively filtering harmful UV and blue light.

Computer glasses can be made for most frames. Eyewear brands at South Melbourne include D&G, Dolce&Gabbana, Emporio Armani, Flexon, Nicola Finetti, Nike, Prada, Porsche Design, Ray-Ban, Silhouette and Versace to name a few.

Computer Eyeglass Lenses Melbourne - South Melbourne Optical Computer Glasses

We specialise making multifocal glasses in Melbourne

Once we reach our mid-40s, presbyopia makes it difficult to focus on near objects.

Multifocal eyeglasses and prescription sunglasses contain two or more lens powers to help you see objects at all distances after you lose the ability to naturally change the focus of your eyes due to age.

Multifocal eyeglass lenses allow wearers to see close up and far away by looking out at different points in the lenses. Some wearers find it takes a bit of practice to know where to look, but once they adjust to multifocal glasses, they’ll see clearly without needing two pairs of eyeglasses. They are an extremely popular choice of lens for South Melbourne Optical patients and customers.

The term multifocal lenses and progressive lenses are used interchangeably. If someone describes a progressive lens it is also a multifocal lens and vice versa.

Multifocal eyeglasses are a flexible and convenient solution for many viewing distances. They offer a smooth change (unlike bifocals) between viewing distances enabling patients to see a person or object clearly in the far distance, look ahead to view things at arm's length such as a phone, and drop your gaze downward to read and write comfortably.

Multifocal lenses can be specially coated to cater for the growing needs of our patients. Multifocal glasses can be custom made for both indoor and outdoor use. UV protection, blue light protection, eye strain prevention, smudge resistance, scratch resistance and more.

Common problems with multifocal eyeglass wearers start with an incorrect prescription. For that reason our optometrist conducts an eye test for all new patients before multifocal lens selection begins.

Getting the lens position correct is critical to making great multifocal eyeglasses. Having the spectacle frame fit well before measurements are taken is critical. If new lenses are not fitting in the right spot and are just a few millimetres off then multifocal eyeglasses wearer will struggle to adapt to the lens and it won’t work properly.

Common adaptation symptoms with multifocals

Not seeing as well out to the side of a patient's vision

The way a multifocal lens is designed leads to some distortion of a multifocal eyeglass wearer’s side vision. That means the wearer may have to turn there head more to look behind particularly when reversing a car. This is something that the wearer will get used to by moving their head more or adapting how they use their eyes. It’s simply a part of how multifocal lenses work.

Only seeing a few lines of type clearly at a time

With a multifocal lens there is a corridor of clear vision that runs from the top of the lens through the middle of the lens to the bottom (reading). It’s simply a part of how multifocal lenses work.

When using a multifocal lenses the wearer will need to point there nose to what they want to read if looking straight ahead and up close. In the instance of phone use or looking at the instruments whilst you drive a car they naturally gaze downwards to the bottom of the lens (reading). In some situations such as a computer use, we may advise a separate pair of non-multifocal glasses customised exactly for what you need.

The ground seems to be in a different place or the wearer feels taller than before

Because the bottom of the multifocal lens is stronger for reading that magnifies the bottom area of the multifocal glasses wearers’ vision causing the wearer to feel like the ground has shifted or they have grown longer legs. For most wearers this will pass within a few days of getting their multifocals - especially if the correct lens design is selected and fitted in the first place. Occasionally, the lenses may need to be altered or re-manufactured to take into account differing requirements. Our staff at South Melbourne Optical are highly experienced in all facets of lens fitting and design. If the wearer suffers from migraines, car sickness or light sensitivity multifocals may not be a good choice. Rarely some people never get used to it and need to stay with separate distance and reading glasses.

The wearer feels like they need to tilt their head backwards to see clearly in the distance

It’s likely the lens centres have been set too low or the prescription is not strong enough in the distance. Make an appointment to retest your eyes and inspect your glasses with us.

The wearer feels like they need to tilt their head in towards their chest to see clearly in the distance

It’s likely the lens centres have been set too high meaning that in the normal head position the wearer is looking through the intermediate (computer) or reading section of the lens. Make an appointment to retest your eyes and inspect your glasses with us.

The wearer finds the reading area very small

Sometimes the frame curvature on wearers face is too flat meaning that both eyes are not looking perpendicular to the lenses. That means that we need to curve the frame on your face (dihedral angle/wrap angle) to improve your binocular vision and improve the apparent width of the reading zone. This can be avoided by selecting an appropriate frame in the first instance. Make an appointment to retest your eyes and inspect your glasses with us.

I am having lots of problems with my multifocal glasses and they just aren’t working.

You didn’t come to South Melbourne Optical. If you have been successfully wearing multifocals before then it is likely there is something wrong with either the fitting or prescription of the lens. If you haven’t worn multifocal lenses before it may be an adaptation issue. Either way talk to us!

A thorough eye examination at South Melbourne Optical ensures patient’s eyes have not changed from when they were last measured. Combine this with opticians who are trained to select frames and lenses to suit the special needs of multifocal eyeglass wearers and you can be assured you’ll come away with multifocal eyeglasses ideally suited to your prescription and eye care need.

Multifocal Glasses Melbourne - Prescription multifocal lenses for eyeglasses and sunglasses at South Melbourne Optical.

COLOUR. CLARITY. DETAIL.

Maui Jim PolarizedPlus2® sunglasses feature patented lens technology for brilliant colour so every detail is crisper and cleaner and without glare or harmful UV.

See True

Glare washes out colours, obscures details, and fatigues your eyes. PolarizedPlus2® lenses eliminate 99.9% of glare, allowing wearers to see the world at its brilliant best.

Perceive More

Many sunglass lenses simply darken your view, dimming and fading colour for a flat, low-contrast perspective.

Maui Jim PolarizedPlus2® lenses enhance the colours that eyes naturally perceive. Wearers will see vibrant, saturated colours with a higher level of contrast and greater depth perception.

A Patented, Proprietary Formula

Maui Jim infuse their lenses with a patented blend of three rare earth elements to enhance red, green and blue light waves. These elements increase and balance the saturation of colours wearers need to see and filter out the colours they cannot see that cause interference. So colours pop and the world comes to life.

Be Well

Just like our skin, our eyes need protection from exposure to the sun's rays. PolarizedPlus2® lenses eliminate 100% of UV radiation and provide protection against a number of additional stresses, helping our eyes stay healthy so they can keep taking in all the world's beauty.

UV Elimination

Maui Jim PolarizedPlus2® lenses block 100% of all harmful UV rays, protecting wearers eyes from damage and long-term health risks. Sunglasses that do not provide UV protection can actually cause more damage because they shade the eye, causing the pupil to dilate and allow in more UV rays.

Skin Cancer Prevention

Maui Jim sunglasses have earned the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Recommendation as an effective UV filter for the eyes and surrounding skin. The frames also play a role, so larger frames and wraparound styles should be considered for activities that require being outside for longer periods of time.

Eye Comfort & Strength

By eliminating 99.9% of glare and reducing the impact of the sun’s brightness, Maui Jim PolarizedPlus2® lenses allow our eyes to stay relaxed. Without the need to squint and strain, they can avoid eye fatigue, wrinkles around the eyes, and even headaches. Our eyes also maintain their ability to rapidly adapt to changing light levels and potential hazards like headlights at night. With Maui Jim Sunglasses our eyes stay more comfortable, allowing more time to be spent enjoying activities in the sun.

Blue Light Protection

High-energy Visible Radiation (HEV), also known as blue light, has lower energy rays than UV, however recent research suggests they can penetrate deeply into the eye and cause damage. Maui Jim patented lens technology, including our proprietary blend of rare Earth elements, provides highly effective HEV reduction without removing the beautiful blues of the world.

Lens Protection

Maui Jim sunglasses are meant to be worn, on sunny and cloudy days, on the beach and city streets. They're there to protect wearer’s eyes and reveal the world's brilliance, so the last thing they want is for wearers to worry about them.

Maui Jim PolarizedPlus2® lenses incorporate a number of technologies specifically intended to maximise durability and convenience.

Scratch Resistance

Maui Jim glasses naturally provide a high level of scratch resistance. For MauiPure®, Maui Evolution® and polycarbonate lenses, Maui Jim enhance their durability and long-term performance by applying our proprietary CLEARSHELL® treatment to both the front and back of the lens.

Water & Oil Proof

Maui Jim infuse their lenses with a patented blend of three rare Earth elements to enhance red, green and blue light waves. These elements increase and balance the saturation of colours wearers need to see and filter out the colours they cannot see that cause interference. So colours pop and their world comes to life.

A colour for every condition

Neutral Grey

Offers the highest available light reduction for the richest colours and sharpest contrast. Best in bright, direct sunlight.

neutral grey lens

HCL^® Bronze

The “ High Contrast Lens” provides a beautiful warm tint, excellent for varied, everyday conditions. Best for everyday use.

hcl bronze lens

Maui Rose^®

Provides a subtle rose tint with the highest available contrast that’s perfect for fast moving sports. Best for fast action activities.

maui rose lens

Maui HT™

When most lenses would be too dark, this “High Transmission” lens offers extra contrast and colour. Best for low light & Golf.

maui ht lens

Formed for function.

SuperThin Glass

SuperThin Glass provides the absolute best optics available. It is the heaviest of Maui Jim’s four materials, but is 20% thinner and lighter than standard glass.

Mauipure^®

Maui Jim’s most popular lens material. It combines optics almost as crisp as SuperThin Glass with ultra lightweight and excellent scratch and shatter resistance.

Maui Evolution^®

Maui Evolution® features the light weight and scratch and shatter resistance of polycarbonate while offering a much higher optical clarity.

Mauibrilliant

Maui Jim’s most advanced lens material that features optics nearly as clear as glass with just one- third of the weight.

PolarizedPlus2^® Glasses Melbourne - PolarizedPlus2® lenses for Maui Jim Sunglasses at South Melbourne Optical.

blue light glasses

Blue Light Glasses for Indoors and Out.

Blue-Violet, “harmful light” is close to the spectrum UV, penetrates deep into the eye and is dangerous.

South Melbourne Optical sells eyeglasses with blue light lenses for all-round protection from UV, glare and harmful blue light indoors and out.

Blue-violet light is everywhere, from your smartphone, tablet, and computer and even from the sun. It can put your eyes at risk of long-term damage. As with UV rays, over-exposure to this type of light can be harmful to our eyes.

It can damage the retina, and potentially increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts and photo keratitis (sunburned cornea) – which can lead to temporary blindness.

Blue light glasses can be made for most frames. Eyewear brands at South Melbourne include Dolce and Gabbana, Emporia Armani, Maui Jim, Porsche Design, Prada, Ray Ban and Silhouette to name a few.

Blue Light Lenses for Indoors.

If you spend each day staring at a computer? Then like up to 80% of people in the developed world, you may suffer from digital eyestrain. Our range of clear lenses prevents long-term damage to eyes by selectively filtering harmful UV and blue light.

Eyezen glasses filter blue light and help you focus better.

Eyezen is available for everyone at South Melbourne Optical - whether you have a prescription or not - to keep you going from morning to night filtering blue light and helping you focus better.

Blue Light Lenses for Outdoors.

UV and blue lights are harmful to your eyes. But with the right protection on your lenses, there’s little to worry about.

Transitions Adaptive Lenses reduce eye fatigue and strain. They block 100% of UV light. With a blue coating they also filter out harmful blue light.

PolarizedPlus2^® Sunglass Lenses provide brilliant colour so every detail is crisper and cleaner and without glare or harmful UV.

Crizal^® Prevencia lens coatings selectively filter light, protecting the eye against harmful blue-violet and UV hazards (prevention of cataract and AMD), while providing all the benefits of essential light. UV Rays and harmful blue-violet light are virtually eliminated.

Whatever your eyeglasses or sunglasses need, South Melbourne opticians can assist you make the right selection for your next pair of blue light glasses indoors and out.

Blue Light Lenses Melbourne - South Melbourne Optical Blue Light Glasses