Optical: A one-stop shop for eyewear

Posted: April 5, 2019

Opticians are the "jack of all trades" for eyewear, says Carrie Westberg, optician at Marshfield Clinic Health System. "We help people select eyewear based on their prescription, facial features and style," she said. "We also repair and adjust glasses, check prescriptions and help patients get the glasses they want and need."

Frames to fit your face

[caption id="attachment_13427" align="alignright" width="450"] Opticians provide you with glasses to fit your look, needs and lifestyle.[/caption] Whether you had glasses in the past, or you are picking out frames for the first time, opticians help you find ones that fit you well. Westberg recommends finding a pair of glasses that balance out your facial features. In general, if you have a square jaw, then you want a rounder frame. If you have a round face, you want a square frame. However, preference for glasses can come down to personality and lifestyle.

Questions to ponder

During a consultation, Westberg reviews the patient's prescription and typically asks:

• Do you wear glasses already?
• What do you like or dislike about your current eyewear?
• Are you looking for something similar or different from what you have?
• Do you need more than one pair of glasses?
• How do you plan to use your glasses?

"Some people want their glasses to be dramatic, and some don't want them noticed at all," she said. "I ask these questions to get an idea of what they're looking for. Once we have their vision needs, we can go from there."

Wide selection of glasses

Optical shops take care of their own inventory. Opticians select new eyewear brands to keep up with fashion trends and their patient population needs. Beyond everyday glasses, optical shops have safety glasses, sunglasses and more, to fit your needs. "Anyone can come into our optical store to get eyewear," Westberg said. "Most patients are given a paper form prescription by their eye doctor, but within the Health System, we can always look up your prescription." If you are in need of a new pair of glasses or just some repairs, visit a Marshfield Clinic Health System optical shop near you.