Author: Josh Quintana

What You Should Know About Fort Wayne’s Only All-digital Onsite Optical Lab

Making glasses in the Longe Optical lab

Our lab here at Longe Optical is vastly unique! We are the only fully digital lab found within the entire state of Indiana, utilizing the ZEISS digital technology and the Schneider world-class equipment!

When you buy a pair of HD lenses created in our digital lab, you’ll experience up to 50% clearer vision, sharper images, and brighter colors. In addition, our lenses fit in most frames and because the process is completely in house, our costs are similar to traditional frames.

Our unique ZEISS technology system takes the 60 second digital profile of your eye during your comprehensive eye exam to create an ultra-accurate prescription. Your eye’s refractive power distribution is analyzed and represented across the entire pupil aperture. This means you’ll be able to see better than you ever thought possible!

Using our world-class equipment through Schneider in our lab, we’re also able to deliver a customized pair of frames with anti-reflective coating to you in five days or less, when the industry standard is usually 12. Schneider’s precision machines offer pre- and fine-polishing methods to create the best lenses in a very economical way, allowing us to also keep your costs down while still giving you the best product. Within our in-house lab, we are able to apply anti-reflective coating and blue-protect coating to nearly every pair of frames.

Longe Optical’s lab has been fully digital for eight years, bringing a high level of expertise to our guests. Our lab technicians are also highly experienced with some having over 42 years of experience!

We’re proud to offer this entirely digital eye care experience in-house and we want to make sure you are seeing your best while also providing you with the best care possible. To schedule your eye exam today, visit longeoptical.com/request-an-exam or give us a a call at (260) 469-3937.

Protecting Your Eyes from Blue Light — Why Quality Matters

Have you heard different terms thrown around for “blue light” protection and wondered what the difference is between these terms? Have you wondered if blue light is even harmful to your eyes?

A lot of optical companies refer to the coating they use to protect against blue light with their own branded term. Here at Longe Optical, we utilize the ZEISS DuraVision BlueProtect on our opticals. This coating has been specifically developed for people who spend a lot of their time indoors and are exposed to blue-violet light from LED light bulbs, TVs, computers, and tablets. For example, if you work at a computer for long periods of time your eyes would definitely benefit from this product.

We can also add an anti-reflective layer on the back of the lens to reduce the indirect light reflected into the eye. This allows our technology to block UV rays coming into the eye from all directions.

All digital devices emit blue light, a low wavelength, light energy light that can potentially damage your eyes over a long period of time. Although there is an element of blue light that we’re exposed to on a regular basis, for example from the sun, the concern with digital devices comes from their close proximity to users and the amount of time they’re used. Although not all blue light is bad, overexposure can lead to things like digital eye strain and retinal cell damage that can increase your risk for issues like macular degeneration. It’s important to know what blue light protection you are purchasing because not all blue light protection is the same. If your glasses aren’t protecting against the right kind of blue light or if they have a cheap coating, they won’t effectively protect your eyes.

Make sure to check out Longe Optical’s unique ZEISS DuraVision BlueProtect lens coating! Adding this feature to your lenses can ensure you have comfortable vision, even when there is a high level of blue light present. This BlueProtect filter reduces portions of the blue light spectrum from reaching your eyes, and many eyeglass wearers with the BlueProtect report greater visual comfort thanks to this coating.

Just a few ways we’re helping Fort Wayne see better than ever.

The safety of our guests and our staff remains our highest priority and we are following all CDC recommendations, so while we are unable to provide eye exams until at least May 4, we know that many of our patients and their families need vision correction to go about their daily lives. Our five Fort Wayne Longe Optical locations are open to allow for pickup of eyeglasses and contact lenses, to make eyewear repairs, and to assist guests with scheduling future exams, and these are a few of the stories our hardworking associates have shared with us.

 

The Dog Ate My Glasses

This happens quite often, it’s not just a homework excuse anymore! Recently, a guest came in with some mangled glasses her dog had gotten ahold of. It had been about two years since her last eye exam and so her prescription was not only outdated, but unavailable because her regular eye care provider was closed. We invited her into the store to attempt to adjust or fix her glasses in hopes we could help her get by until we are able to do eye exams. Upon inspecting her glasses, we quickly realized that her lenses were also damaged. We were able to fix them well enough for her to wear them over the weekend, and we were able to discern her prescription based on her existing lenses. She chose and purchased a new pair of glasses and scheduled an eye exam with us so that she can get her prescription up to date. In the meantime, she’s grateful to have usable eyeglasses that will hold her over until we can do exams again. And the cherry on top is if her pooch decides to snack on her specs once again, the pair she purchased at Longe Optical will be covered for a year thanks to our exclusive One-year, Worry-free Guarantee!

 

Don’t Worry, See Happy

Speaking of our exclusive One-year, Worry-free Guarantee — there’s no catch, we just want to make sure you’re seeing your best, year-round. Here’s a great example of how it can improve not just your vision, but your life! The mother of a young patient called in and explained that her son in the seventh grade broke his glasses on the last day of school (little did anyone know it was to be the LAST day of school for 2020). He was embarrassed and thought he might get in trouble, so he did not tell his mom and avoided wearing them for several weeks. Mom finally figured out what happened and stopped by one of our stores, unsure what, if anything, could be done. She knew it had not been a whole year since they got them, so insurance wouldn’t cover a new pair. Just like many of us, times are tough due to the pandemic, so she was concerned that her son would need to return to his old glasses until they could afford a new pair. We were thrilled to explain to her that his glasses are still covered under our One-year, Worry-free Guarantee, and since the glasses were not fixable, we offered to replace them at no cost. The mother was really touched and most importantly, this young student will have the opportunity to continue learning this spring and be ready for next school year without falling behind!

 

Eye Spy Sugar Levels Are High

When we tell patients “your eyes can be a window to your wellness,” sometimes all we get is an eye roll. But here’s a perfect example of how vision issues can be a symptom of a larger problem in your body. One of our patients called to schedule an eye exam this past week and we informed her that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC requires that our doctors not see patients at this time in order to prevent unknowingly spreading or contracting the virus. The guest understood, but was concerned, because she felt as if recently her eyesight had gotten significantly worse. We asked her a series of questions in an effort to uncover the exact nature of her issues and discovered that, as a diabetic, she had not been checking her sugar levels as often as she should. We explained that fluctuations in her sugar levels can indeed affect her vision and in some cases, this damage could be permanent. This prompted her to keep a closer eye on her blood sugar, which had been high at the time she called. Later that evening she reported back to us that her levels were back to where they should be. We scheduled her for an eye exam in May to determine if she needs an updated prescription, and she’s now more committed to checking her levels and maintaining a healthier diet.

 

We’re Just a Phone Call Away

A longtime patient was running out of contact lenses and called us not knowing if we were open. She was pleasantly surprised when we answered the phone and elated when the contacts were shipped to her house! Upon calling, she said, “I didn’t think you’d be open, but I thought I’d call anyway.” This is one major reason why all five Fort Wayne Longe Optical locations are open during this unprecedented, trying time — we’re here to help you meet your essential needs, and vision should be at the top of the list!

 

We’re Here to Help

A relatively new guest who had recently ordered contacts from us called this past week and said that as a FedEx worker, he was concerned about touching his eyes due to wearing contacts, and wanted to limit his exposure since he is working in an essential job. We invited him to come into the store and told him we would happily help him shop for glasses. He found a high quality, reasonably priced pair, and even though we are out of network for his insurance, we were able to keep his out of pocket costs down to about what he would have spent using his insurance. His usual eye care provider is not open at this time and he was so thankful that we were open that he is going to keep coming back to us for his future vision care needs.

 

Don’t Fly Blind

A guest had glasses at our store available for pickup, but he assumed we were closed, so he had not yet come to get them. We called to let him now that his glasses were ready and he was extremely thankful that we called, because he was flying back to California the next day to see his family for Easter. He was able to pick up his glasses before he left, giving him some much-needed peace of mind (and clearer vision!).

 

Contacts Right to Your Doorstep, With No Contact

A favorite guest of ours was very happy that we were open because she had been meaning to order contacts, as she was down to her last pair of monthlies. Not only was she happy to be able to order her contacts, she was ecstatic when we told her we could ship them to her home, so she didn’t have to come out to get them. Add in a lucrative rebate that we were able to email and submit for her, and it all resulted in a very appreciative patient!

 

We love receiving and sharing these stories – they embody the spirit of what makes the Sweet Family of Companies so special. If you have urgent eye care needs, please do not hesitate to give us a call and we’ll do everything we can to help you see, look, and live your best!

 

 

 

Back to School Eye Exams are Due!

Kids in Glasses

It’s hard to believe it’s already back to school time, and you may already be busy prepping all the essentials like fresh supplies, the latest tech, and new clothes. But there is one thing you may have forgotten and we want to help you check it off the list – an annual eye exam!

Studies show kids learn better when they can see their best and regular eye exams are especially important for growing kids. Vision changes often go unnoticed without them, which could negatively affect a child’s performance in school.

Our friendly and helpful independent optometrists specialize in children’s eye care, offering stress-free, but thorough eye exams utilizing our exclusive ClearVu Experience, which generates an ultra-precise prescription that can be up to 25 times more accurate than using traditional equipment.

Here are some helpful children’s eye care tips from the American Optometry Association:

  • Be aware that pediatric eye exams are most likely covered by your health insurance plan. Most insurance plans recognize a comprehensive eye exam as an essential benefit and cover this expense, including glasses for children.
  • Keep an eye out for signs of poor vision and eye health issues. If you see your child covering one eye, holding a book close to their face, leaning down close to homework, or complaining of headaches or other mild discomfort, there’s a chance they have a vision problem and they may not even know it.
  • It’s essential to monitor the use of digital devices to help reduce eye strain. The AOA recommends following the 20-20-20 rule (taking a 20-second break every 20 minutes by looking at something 20 feet away). We also offer special lens coatings that can help filter the light generated by digital devices, which is available to adults as well.
  • Proper eye protection for sports and outdoor activities is extremely important, as are quality sunglasses that offer UV protection. We carry a wide variety of high-quality brands of sunglasses and safety glasses, available in both prescription and non-prescription.

To help kids succeed and ease the cost of eyeglasses, we offer FREE HD lenses with the purchase of any frame in the store for students 17 and under? These digitally crafted lenses come complete with UV protection, scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coatings. This is a $240 value, absolutely FREE!

You can click here if you would like to learn more about our exclusive ClearVu Experience and if you’re ready to schedule your family’s yearly eye exams, you can do so here or give us a call at (260) 469-3937. If you’ve recently had exams but are ready for a fresh pair of specs, just stop in any of our 5 Fort Wayne locations with your prescription.

We look forward to helping your kids, and you, see better this school year!

Helping People See Better Across the World

Dr. Frey providing vision care in a foreign country

We’re very proud of our team’s willingness to serve others and wanted to share the recent adventures of two of our optometrists who traveled internationally to serve the needy. Dr. Aaron Frey recently visited Ethiopia and Guatemala, where he was able perform vision screenings on children living at different orphanages.

Access to medical care is rare at some of these facilities, so Dr. Frey provided some much-needed and welcome attention to the vision health of these children. In November, Dr. Ed Schneider traveled to Jamaica with an organization called Mission of Sight, where he joined a team of students and professors from the Indiana University School of Optometry. His team provided care to patients who needed cataract surgery postoperative care.

These are just two examples of Longe Optical family members going the extra mile — or in this case, thousands of miles — to help make the world a better place.