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Glasses of Binyon – Andy Thom

There’s a story behind every pair of glasses…

… and in Andy’s case, it’s two pairs of glasses.  As systems administrator at a local credit union, Andy spends between 10-14 hours per day in front of a computer screen.

systems administrator wearing the OGI Eyewear 4807 in grey demi photographed by Katheryn Moran PhotographyAll Photos: Katheryn Moran Photography

Andy has worn prescription computer glasses for several years.  Before the specialized glasses, his eyes were always tired and he fought daily headaches. In contrast, Dr. McEathron’s computer prescription brings the screen into focus for Andy and relieves his eye strain.

systems administrator wearing the OGI Eyewear 4807 in grey demi photographed by Katheryn Moran Photography

Digital Eye Strain

The Vision Council (www.visioncouncil.org) defines digital eye strain as physical discomfort that can occur after 2 hours of computer or other digital device use.  Types of physical discomfort include eye fatigue, headaches, dry eyes, blurred vision and neck and back pain. So, why does digital eye strain occur?  When you work at a computer, your eyes are having to focus and refocus as you read, look at your keyboard, look around the room and back to the screen.  In addition, the screen adds constant glare, contrast and flicker – plus it emits high energy blue light.  Blue light gives screens their brightness. Likewise, that bright, high energy light that can overload the visual system and add to the eye strain.

systems administrator wearing the OGI Eyewear 4807 in grey demi photographed by Katheryn Moran Photography

Shamir Blue Zero                                                 

Andy’s most recent lenses, computer glasses, use a new material called Shamir Blue Zero.  This material absorbs blue light, but appears clear unlike many blue-light blocking products that have a yellowish tint.  Finally, it combines excellent blue light protection with optical clarity- something that’s not available with any other similar product available on the market.  Blue Zero is available in single vision, office progressive and general progressive lenses manufactured by Shamir USA.  Contact us if you have questions on availability of this material.

Furthermore, when he’s not on the computer, Andy wears a different pair of glasses.  These are his distance prescription so they work well for driving, watching movies and hiking with his wife and dogs. He finds himself putting them on as soon as he goes away from the computer because he likes seeing the world around him more clearly.

systems administrator wearing computer glasses the OGI Eyewear 4807 in grey demi photographed by Katheryn Moran PhotographyAndy is wearing the OGI Eyewear 4807 in grey demi.

Thank you to Andy for participating in this photoshoot and your feedback on your computer glasses.
Grattitude to Camber Coffee for allowing us to use your beautiful location.
Much appreciation to the very talented Katheryn Moran of Katheryn Moran Photography.

New Ways to Communicate

Patient Communication Software Update!

We recently started working with a patient communications company that has expanded our ability to communicate with our patients electronically.  We wanted to bring you up to speed on the new ways that you are able to make contact with us and schedule appointments, through our online patient communication system.

Scheduling Appointments – Online!

Do you go over your to-do list in your head at the end of the day?  Now it’s easier than ever to cross off that “Schedule Eye Exam” task… On the top of our webpage, there is a “Request Appointment” link that will take you to a separate window to schedule an appointment with one of our doctors.  First select the appointment type – the only choice here is if you’d like a contact lens exam in addition to a regular eye exam, or just a regular eye exam for a non-contact lens wearer.

Are you looking to schedule another type of appointment?  In this case, please call 360-647-2020 so we can properly assess the immediacy of your visit.  You can also text this number (see below)!

Then you’ll select the doctor (or provider) you would like to see.  This is the best part – it will show a calendar of that doctor’s available times for the next six months.  Select a date and time that would work in your schedule.  Fill in your information and submit your request.  We will review your request as soon as possible.  online patient communication systemIf the appointment time is still available, we will confirm your appointment and you will receive an email saying YES we will see you at this time.  If that appointment time does not work for whatever reason we will let you know that we will need to find another time by email (this rarely happens).   Give it a try!  It’s so easy!

Appointment Reminders

If you’ve provided us with an email address and/or phone number that can receive text messages you will receive reminders of upcoming appointments through these channels.  Let us know that you can make it by following the confirmation instructions provided.  If you cannot- an email or text response is a great way to let us know.  If you don’t like this style of communication and would like us to send you postcards for your yearly eye exam and give you a call to remind you of an upcoming appointment it is easy to opt-out of these types of online patient communication, please follow the directions in the text or email to opt-out.

Survey Says!

We love and appreciate feedback.  If we have your email address, after your visit you will receive a request for a short survey.  Please feel free to add comments- it’s very helpful for us to know how we can better serve you!  Being a small, independently owned office we appreciate that we can make local decisions that best fit our patient’s needs.  Let us know what they are by responding to a survey.

Text Messaging

online patient communication systemTexting is an easy, quick, any time of day way to send us a question or concern.  You can text our general phone number: 360-647-2020 and we will respond to you as quickly as possible.  We also might reach out with glasses arrival information, insurance information and more using this media.  Texting is not a secure messaging platform and could be viewed by third parties.  Before sending any confidential HIPAA protected information we will ask for your consent.  Let us know if you would like to opt-out of this online patient communication method.

As technology has brought us more options to communicate we want to use these to reach our patients, and remain respectful of their wishes.  If you have any feedback feel free to give us a call (360-647-2020), send us a text (360-647-2020) or an email (visit@binyonvision.com)!  We’d love to hear from you any way!

As a reminder – we also love to communicate with Facebook and Instagram!  Follow us for the latest frame styles, doctor’s advice, schedule updates and more!

Thank you!

Face a Face Trunk Show

February 15th ♥ 10am – 4pm ♥ Face a Face Trunk Show

Please join us for the 2018 Face a Face Trunk Show!  Hard to say if there are any frames COOLER than Face à Face… you have to keep some of these styles on ice!face a face hello trunk show katheryn moran photography

 

 

The breadth of collection covers a day at the coffee shop…

face a face yokko trunk show katheryn moran photography

or a night out on the town…

face a face hello trunk show katheryn moran photography

We will be delighted if you join us to see the entire collection for our Valentine’s Theme trunk show on February 15th.  In addition to hundreds of beautiful frames, there will be sweet treats, lovely gifts and show specials.  Please be our guest. Prepare to fall in love at first sight with a beautiful pair of Face à Face frames!

face a face trunk show katheryn moran photography

 

See a preview of the full collection: www.faceaface-paris.com

Facebook Event – Click going or interested for day of reminder HERE

Anne et Valentin Trunk Show

November 14th ♥ 10am – 4pm

Anne et Valentin eyewear show Anne et Valentin eyewear show Anne et Valentin eyewear show Anne et Valentin eyewear show

Join us and fall in love with your new frames.  The most stunning, thoughtful, provoking eyewear collection you will ever see.  A masterful designer influenced by Pop Art, the Beat generation and Art Deco married an optician with an exceptional attention to detail and passion for quality and the result is Anne et Valentin eyewear.  It’s a true love story and we can’t wait to share the passion behind this beautiful, handmade eyewear.

For a preview – please visit Anne et Valentin.

Tuesday, November 14th – 10am – 4pm.

To RSVP and have a day-of reminder – click “Going” or “Interested” on the Facebook event site HERE.

End of Season Sunglasses Sale!

Here we are on October 3rd still enjoying summer like sun with the wonderful fall crisp to the air.  I find myself wearing my sunglasses year round while I drive – especially on those wonderful days the sun peaks out after the rain and the sky is glorious- but the glare is blinding.

It’s a great time to come check out our sunglasses inventory- all sunglasses frames in stock are 30% off through the end of the month.  We’ve got such a great variety this year thanks to our partnership with INVU Sunwear- which offers beautiful polarized sunglasses at a great value.

sunglasses sale - partnership with INVU Sunwear

What’s your style? Luxurious, Ombre, Engineered, Classic, Glam, Funky, Fashion-foward, Athleisure, Fun?  We’ve got it all.  Stop by soon to check out our sunglasses sale!

Flashes and Floaters- Signs of Retinal Detachment

Just two weeks ago, a patient walked in the office for her yearly eye exam.  Nothing strange going on- just wanted to see if she needed to update her glasses.  She didn’t expect to be going into emergency surgery for a retinal detachment later that afternoon.

 

Despite a lack of symptoms, this patient was fortunate enough to be caught before the eye damage was irreversible.  This was a good reminder for us to bring to light a few visual phenomenons that should alert you to contact us immediately.

  • Spots – small cloudy specks that become noticeable when they fall in the line of sight
  • Floaters – a dark or grey or spot or speck that passes across your field of vision and moves as you move your eye.
  • Flashes of light- appears as lightning bolts, flickering lights or random sparks in the field of vision.

These three signs can be normal visual occurrences and some- especially floaters- increase gradually with the more birthdays we have.  However- if one of these symptoms suddenly expresses itself, a patient must seen immediately.  Because retinal detachment causes no pain – it’s important to know about these signs.

When a retina detaches the tissue on the back of your eye becomes separated from the supporting tissue. When separated it cannot function and process the information that creates visual images in your brain.  If a retina does not get reattached surgically, the vision loss can be permanent.

 

Please get spots, floaters, and flashes checked out if they suddenly appear in great frequency.Also – remember to stay up to date with yearly visits to the optometrist!

Lucy’s First Glasses

Survey says! Parents talk about back-to-school eyecare

VSP (Vision Service Plan) Vision Care released the results of a survey (see full article here) sent to 1,000 US parents on the topic of children’s eye exams this month with interesting results:

  • 80% of parents say “back to school eye exams are important for my kids” … yet only 50% of parents actually do it
  • One third of parents think that annual eye exams are unnecessary
  • Half of parents don’t know that 1 out of 4 kids have some kind of vision problem
  • 83% of parents take their kids to the dentist every year, but only 56% of parents take their kids to the optometrist every year

When as much as 80% of a child’s learning is visual- we would love to see these survey numbers grow to show a more proactive approach to children’s vision and eye health in Whatcom County.

I told our friend Lucy’s mom Carly about these survey results and she was kind enough to share her story about Lucy’s experience with getting her first pair of glasses at five years old:

Lucy’s First Glasses

“I knew something was up. She was always saying that she could see just fine, but it was in the little things, like inching closer to the tv and complaining about bright lights. The thing was, it didn’t stop my feisty five-year-old from turning cartwheels, hitting baseballs or even reading. And even when I brought up my concern at her yearly checkup, it wasn’t clear if Lucy’s vision was  impaired or if it was just her age. And so I put it off.

children's first glasses photographed by Carly Navarette
But after getting a recommendation from Lucy’s kindergarten class, I finally made an appointment to see an optometrist. My suspicions were right and actually much worse than I would’ve guess. She’s near-sighted, far-sighted and her vision was warped from astigmatism. As I understood it, if she were an adult, this would make her legally blind. BUT since we caught this early enough, we are working towards improving and reversing this.
The fun part was picking out new frames. We headed over to see Caitlin at Binyon Vision. She and the staff were incredibly helpful and patient. Likewise, they helped us find and fit the perfect pair for Lucy. She loves her red frames!
children's first glasses photographed by Carly Navarette
I remember when she first put them on how she started pointing to her brothers moles on his face that she had never seen before. She was silent (a rarity) the whole way home while looking out the car window. It’s opened up a new world of clarity and detail.
children's first glasses photographed by Carly Navarette
Her steadily improving vision is the best part about getting started with glasses now. Over these past nine months, her prescriptions have incrementally corrected her eyesight. They have helped her eyes develop and become stronger on their own.
80% of learning is visual for kids, and 50% of parents choose to skip annual eye exams. I hope Lucy’s story encourages other parents to have their kids’ eyesight tested early and regularly.”
children's first glasses photographed by Carly Navarette
photographer: Carly Navarette (lifestyle photographer in the Pacific Northwest – learn more here)

Lafont Paris Trunk Show Coming June 6, 2017

You’re Invited to the 2017 Lafont Paris Trunk Show!

What?  Every spring, our wonderful Lafont Paris sales rep Michael brings all his bags – every frame from every Lafont collection in every color.  Yes, that’s a LOT of wonderful, handmade, unique and colorful frames.

Lafont Paris Trunk Show

In addition to frames, we have great refreshments, a photobooth, raffle prizes from some of our favorite downtown shops and this year! a special guest.  Marlene from Lipsense will be in the office during the trunk show with her collection of amazing products – smudge-proof lip color in a wide variety of colors.  How fun will it be to pick out a great pair of glasses and the perfect shade of lipstick to go with them?

When? June 6, 2017 from 10am – 4pm

Where? Binyon Vision Center – 411 East Magnolia Street

Why? Because we love Lafont and you will too!

No RSVP necessary – please come by!  We look forward to seeing you!

See photos of last year’s event here!

See the Facebook event here and say you’re interested to be reminded on the day of!

The Beauty of the Northwest Captured by Peter James Photography

Peter James Photography and Web Design

I hope that you’ve noticed the beautiful photo of Mt. Baker on the top of our website and of Whatcom Falls in the slide show on our website.  There’s no question that we live in one of the most beautiful, picturesque areas of the world.  Peter Klco of Peter James Photography has an amazing eye for capturing an overall breathtaking photo of our landscape with an attention to the small details that will leave you mesmerized.

web design and Peter James Photography

Peter also does web design and we had the great pleasure of working with him on our website last summer.  He makes the design and site construction process very personalized, well organized. And, brings a wealth of knowledge on the ever changing landscape (intended pun) of marketing yourself successfully on the internet.

Photography and Optometry – Visual Geeks!

We found many similarities between our worlds of photography and optometry. Both are centered on the visual system and how to create the best possible images for our consumer.  Peter has a variety of cameras, lenses and equipment to create his images – while Dr. McEathron will sometimes prescribe a variety of glasses prescriptions to help create the clearest image at different distances (distance, reading, computer).

There are many choices of medium to print Peter’s images on. Lately he’s chosen metal as a substrate of choice because of how vivid and bright the images appear.  We have many choices in lens materials and designs to offer our patients in glasses. We first recommend digital freeform lenses. These provide vision most accurate to the prescription and customized for how the patient wears it in their particular frame.

It was a joy to work with Peter and his team and we’d like to invite all of you to become familiar with his fantastic photography work and to seek him out for assistance with a website if the need arrives!  In addition to providing high quality work, the team is committed to giving back by planting 100 trees for every photo purchased and website created through the Trees for the Future campaign.

The Things Patients Say…

We have the unique opportunity to be present for an awesome “WOW!” moment in many peoples’ lives… the moment the world becomes clear!  Inspired by the adorable viral video last year of a baby seeing her mom for the first time (see here) the Binyon team would like to present our first edition of patient talk…

The Things Patients Say

“Everything is so sharp – I haven’t taken them off!” – – C, who thought she just needed her glasses for driving and wouldn’t wear them often
“I can see the points on the stars!” – – O (10 years old) about the star stickers on the ceiling of his bedroom

patient feedback on glasses and eyewear“I can see raindrops on the cars!” – – K, after putting on her contacts for the first time

 

<< QUIET … then big smile >> – – 10 month old C who was crying crying crying as Christie put her first pair of glasses on and she looked at her mom
“The roof has lines on it.” – – J, first time contact lens wearer talking about the shingles

“patient feedback on glasses and eyewearI can’t believe how trees look- I can see the leaves when before it was a big blob of green.” – – R, 11 years old, first time glasses wearer

“Dr. McEathron – you saved my marriage – you showed my husband how the world looks when I don’t have my glasses on and he’s so much more understanding now.” – – L, 63 years old, very nearsighted
“I can see the mole on your face Mommy!” – – L, 8 years old when asked what she could see with her new glasses
“OH! Where did all those wrinkles come from!” – – C, 52 years old, putting on her first progressive lenses

 

A new world appears with clear vision – are you seeing to your full potential?  Come on in!  We’d love to share a WOW moment with you, and add your patient talk to this list!