What is a Flex Spending Account?

A Flexible Spending Account, also known as a flexible spending arrangement, is a tax-free way to pay for medical and health related expenses not covered by your health or vision insurance. FSAs allow you to set aside a portion of earnings to pay for qualified expenses. These accounts are great for lowering your taxable income and in turn saving you money, but if you don’t use your FSA dollars by the deadline you will lose them for good. Some employers do have a grace period, but it is best not to wait. As the year comes to an end, time is running out to use your FSA dollars before they expire, so don’t forget to use some of that flex money to care for your eyes. We have very few openings left for this year, so make an appointment now with one of our amazing eye doctors to put your FSA dollars to work.

Frames and Lenses – You need your glasses to see, but they can also be fashion accessories, or a type of jewelry for your eyes. If you already have a “safe” pair for everyday use, now may be a good time to pick a more daring pair of designer frames to add to your collection, or a back up pair to use in case of miss-placement or damage.

Prescription and Non-Prescription Sunglasses – Protect your eyes against harmful UV rays by wearing sunglasses year round. Some people don’t know that even non-prescription sunglasses qualify for flex spending, so now is the time to get those designer sunglasses you have been eyeing.

A Year’s Supply of Contact Lenses – Whether you wear daily or extended-wear disposable contact lenses, they typically have a shelf life of up to four years as long as they are stored properly. So it is a great idea to use your FSA to buy a year’s supply of contacts, which enables you to save even more with manufacture rebates and/or bulk discounts.  If you’re concerned about your prescription changing during the year, don’t be – we will let you return your unused/unopened contact lenses for a new prescription, if it changes.

Contact Lens Solutions and Eye Drops – Although we don’t think about it as a big expense the small things can add up over the course of a year. If you have a few dollars left in your FSA, why not stock up on products like solution, enzyme cleaners and dry eye drops? Your eyes will thank you for it later.

Children’s Eyewear – If your child wears prescription eyewear getting them another pair could help avoid an unexpected expense or trip to the doctor in the event they lose or break their current pair. And even if your child doesn’t need glasses to see it is extremely important to protect children’s eyes with sunglasses. We have a great selection of eyewear for children, which are affordable, durable, and stylish.

Computer Lenses – Suffering from eyestrain, headaches or blurry vision after a long day on the computer? Computer lenses could help. Even if you don’t normally need eyeglasses, your eyes could benefit from the protection and functionality that these specialty lenses have to offer. Benefits include better focus; reduced eye fatigue, and protection against harmful blue light. These lens options will help you maintain your eye health when your work just won’t let up.

       

Out with the old, in with the new

We’re moving inventory to make way for new glasses, sunglasses and accessories!
We have more than 50 frames we are offering at a discount of up to $200.
These include both men’s and women’s frames and a variety of brands,
including Kate Spade, RayBan, Juicy Couture, Fossil, and Silhouettes.

Our Optical Shop is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 am – 5 pm,
and Tuesday and Thursday from 9 am – 6 pm.
We close daily from 1:00pm-1:45pm

No appointment is necessary – stop by anytime!

Please note: the discount cannot be combined with other offers or filed with insurance.

There has been a lot of publicity and excitement over the Aug. 21 solar eclipse. Millions of people are planning to view the first total solar eclipse visible from the U.S. in nearly 40 years. However, there are risks – the biggest being permanent vision loss, or “solar retinopathy” – that I feel compelled to bring to your attention.

On a sunny day, if you take a glimpse of the sun, you have a second or two before the brightness and/or pain cause you to look away. The worrisome part about a solar eclipse is that it’s partially blocked by the moon, which causes it to be less bright. This tricks your eyes into thinking you can look at it for a longer period of time. The reality is that the UV rays are still as strong and are burning your retina as your stare.

Solar retinopathy is similar to a sunburn. You don’t feel the effects of the UV rays until several hours later, which could include blind spots or hazy, blurred vision. The worst part is the damage is not treatable.

The good news is that there is a way to view the eclipse safely; that is, by wearing ISO-compliant glasses. This website has a list of brands, vendors and retail stores that manufacture and sell ISO-compliant glasses. An important note: the glasses should list the ISO certification and manufacturer’s information. Many companies are making and selling non-compliant glasses. Regular sunglasses also will not offer the protection you need, nor will “quick glances.” NASA provides additional safe viewing tips.

Please educate yourselves and protect your eyes, especially when it comes to your children. DO NOT let them remove the glasses under any circumstances while watching the eclipse. According to NASA, “the only time the Sun can be viewed safely with the naked eye is during a total eclipse, when the Moon completely covers the disk of the Sun. It is never safe to look at a partial or annular eclipse, or the partial phases of a total solar eclipse, without the proper equipment and techniques.” For our local patients, it’s important to know that Virginia will not experience a total eclipse. This means, there will not be a moment where it is safe to view the eclipse without eye protection. For those of you reading this from outside the Commonwealth, search this website for your location to find out if a total eclipse is expected; however, keep in mind that even when the Sun is 99% obscured, the small crescent showing has enough radiation to cause retinal burning.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us at the office. Enjoy the magnificent view on Monday, but please be safe!

Out with the old; in with the new. We’re moving inventory to make way for new glasses, sunglasses and accessories this Summer. We have more than 50 frames and sunglasses we’re offering at up to 50% off right now. These include men’s, women’s, and children’s glasses and a variety of brands, such as Nicole Miller, Juicy Couture, BMW, and Silhouettes. Come shop!

Our Optical Shop is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 am – 5 pm, and Tuesday and Thursday from 9 am – 6 pm. No appointment is necessary – stop by anytime!

Please note: the discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer nor filed with insurance.

Join Us For A Memorial Day Sale And Trunk Show!

Thursday, May 25, from 2 pm – 7 pm

Stop by and shop 50% off frames.* Meet the representatives from OGI Eyewear and Maui Jim, and browse an extended inventory of two of our most popular brands.

True to our trunk shows, we’ll offer more than just eyewear. LuLaRoe Consultant Christina Sandridge will be here with lots of fun, colorful prints for Spring. If you haven’t had the opportunity to check out LuLaRoe, now’s your chance!

We will have food, games, raffles, and more. Feel free to bring the kids. Mark your calendars; we hope to see you all there!

*Some exclusions apply. Contact us for details.

Time to spring clean those old glasses? Need a new pair of prescription sunglasses? If you purchase a pair of glasses through our Optical Shop, you’ll receive 50% off on lenses for any additional pairs purchased using the same prescription within 30 days; excluding Maui Jim sunglasses. Now’s the time to update your look! 

Did You Know…

• We carry approximately 1,000 designer and value frames, plus prescription and non-prescription sunglasses. At our Optical Shop, you’ll find the classics like Silhouette and Ray-Ban sunglasses, as well as the fun, funky statement brands like Kate Spade and Trina Turk.
• We offer custom lenses, including Crizal® Prevencia, Varilux progressive lenses, multifocals and Transitions, as well as generous warranties.
• You don’t have to be a patient to shop. Stop by anytime to browse our selection. If you’d like to make a purchase, we’ll need your prescription. If you’re shopping for non-prescription sunglasses, we won’t need anything at all.
• We’ll custom order. This is especially important for you Ray-Ban fans. If we don’t have your size or style, we’ll order it for you.
• Our Optical Shop is open five days a week:
  Monday, Wednesday, & Friday: 9 am – 5 pm
  Tuesday & Thursday: 9 am – 6 pm

Come visit us and take advantage of this great offer!

True to its style, the Ann Taylor eyeglasses line reflects the classic chicness and sophistication we’ve come to expect from the brand. The entire collection of Ann Taylor eyeglasses is versatile for women to wear from day to night, workday to weekend. Ann Taylor understands women; that’s why we’re excited to offer its latest collection to our patients and customers. The line offers many different styles, rich colors, and delicate details that help set it apart.

Visit our Optical Shop to see for yourself why we’re such fans of this line. You don’t have to be a current patient. Anyone is welcome to shop! Our Optical Shop is open Mon., Wed., and Fri. from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Tues./Thurs. from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Did you know that every time you visit Crozet Eye Care, your information is logged into your personal health record that can be accessed online? The Revolution PHR (Personal Health Record) is a secure, online personal health record that we provide for our patients that allows them to:

• Update personal information, such as phone number or address changes
• View medical history
• Review account balances
• Book and view upcoming appointments online
• View prescriptions for contacts and glasses and check the status of these orders
• Communicate essential information directly with your doctor
• View/update all of the above for other family members (must be granted access)

New users have to sign up for this service in our office. Existing users can login from any web browser on a desktop or smartphone. If you’ve misplaced your username and/or password, call our front desk at 434.823.4441. We will provide you with your username and/or set up a temporary password in less than a minute!

This software provides everything our patients need to know about their visits, prescriptions and medical histories. Please try it out and let us know what you think!

Ray-Bans have long been associated with “cool.” Created in 1937, this iconic American brand was made famous by celebrities like James Dean, the young John F. Kennedy, Jack Nicholson and, yes, Tom Cruise (in the good ol’ Risky Business/Top Gun days). Crozet Eye Care started selling Ray-Bans last year in our Optical Shop and have had a hard time keeping them on the shelves!

Fans love Ray-Bans not only for their classic styles like Wayfairs and Aviators, but also because of the quality. If you’re going to invest in a good pair of sunglasses, it’s important they don’t break or scratch the first (several) time(s) you drop them. The lenses are twice as durable and 12 times more scratch resistant than common lenses. And, they’re resistant to UV light, sweat, moisture, and much more, offering complete protection for your eyes.

Ray-Bans can now be customized for maximized fit, comfort, and style. The options for frame and lens styles and colors seem endless. That’s why it’s important to personally come in to our Optical Shop at Crozet Eye Care and try them on to see what works best for you. Because of the many options, we can’t possibly carry them all. But, we will work with you to decide what  you like best and custom order a pair for you. (For our Hoos fans, they even carry orange and blue!)

As with any of our sunglasses, no appointment is necessary and no prescription is required. Just stop by during office hours and shop!

It is for this reason that we’re introducing a new technology as part of our exams – the iWellness Scan. The iWellness technology lets us look at each layer of the retina, something we’ve been unable to do up until this point. It is completely non-invasive – just a scan of the eye – but it provides an image of the eye similar to that of a CT scan:

Often, we’ve had to refer patients elsewhere to have this test performed. In fact, we’re now one of only a few other practices in the Charlottesville area to offer this technology. For us (and our patients), the iWellness Scan is a game changer. Here’s why…

As we mentioned, most eye diseases show no signs or symptoms until they reach later stages and, unfortunately, already have done irreparable damage. The iWellness will allow us to detect diseases like glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetes retinopathy long before the patient is even aware there’s a problem. Here are some screen shots to show what these diseases do to your vision. Trust us when we say that identifying these diseases before they show symptoms is crucial for your eyesight.

Already, Dr. Rosinski and I have identified several patients with very early stages of these diseases through the use of this technology. These weren’t new patients; they were our patients, patients who have been receiving our regular, comprehensive eye exams. This is why we can’t stress enough how important this exam is.

One other example I’d like to share: I have a healthy, 38-year-old patient who has been seeing me regularly for the past five years. She recently agreed to have the iWellness exam, and as a surprise to both of us, her results were abnormal. Because this wasn’t suspected, I went back through her charts over the past few years to look for pressure changes in her eyes and other warning signs. There were none. Now, this doesn’t mean that she has glaucoma or another type of eye disease. This may just be normal for her. However, knowing that her retina is thinner than average is valuable information if I do ever suspect a disease in the future. If her first scan was when I suspected a problem, I would possibly over treat her because I didn’t know her baseline was abnormal. By performing the iWellness Scan on a regular basis, I can closely monitor any change that occurs and provide the most thorough examination available.

We invite you to call or visit our office to learn more about the iWellness. We look forward to making this preventative screening scan a routine part of your eye exam.