Prescription lenses plus nice frames equals a good pair of glasses, right?

Not exactly.

Your vision requirements go beyond being able to read an eye chart. What do you look at in real life? Do you work in front of a computer? Do you drive a truck? Do you read books in your leisure time, do you play sports?

Eyewear Experts in Red Deer will talk to you about your needs, and they are equipped to deliver – owner Phil Ripley and his experienced staff make the lenses in-house, in their digital lens fabrication lab.

“We don’t just write the prescription and literally mail it in,” he says. “We manufacture your lenses right here.” With their digital lens technology, that means precise optics and much less waiting.

“What we really do is personalized vision care,” Ripley says. “I just don’t look at a prescription. I think, what is this person doing in their everyday job?” This gives clients all kinds of options from lenses that prevent computer-screen eye fatigue, to “road pilot lenses” for transport truckers.

It’s a level of service that a typical retail outlet can’t match.

Eyewear Experts is one of the largest eyecare centres in Alberta, with a highly experienced staff – Ripley himself has 40 years in the profession. They’re able to make and fit all kinds of glasses and contact lenses, including specialty products like sports and safety glasses.

“And we have all kinds of solutions for contact lenses. Multifocal contact lenses, coloured contacts, contacts for astigmatism. Daily wear, monthly wear,” Ripley said.

Eye health screening is another important part of their service. Eyewear Experts is equipped with the most advanced ultra wide field retinal photography, which enables them to detect signs of glaucoma, macular degeneration and other ocular health issues, so they can be properly treated.

Of course the right product isn’t just about how well you see – it’s also about how good you look. To this end, Eyewear Experts carries an impressive line of designer frames including Oakley, Ray-Ban, Maui Jim, Prada, Tiffany & Co., Nike and more.

“Our motto is fun, affordable eyewear,” Ripley said. “One thing we always stress is we don’t want somebody to miss a mortgage payment just because they need glasses. We want to fit everybody within their budget.”