Conventional glasses and contact lenses are the mainstream methods to correct poor vision. But if you require corrective measures for your eyes, there are other options. One conservative approach is to use eye wear made from unconventional materials if you wish to stand out from the norm. More adventurous options include abandoning conventional eye wear altogether for novel alternatives that improve your vision without relying on standard prescription solutions. Results may vary, and always seek advice from your eye doctor.
Rare Materials
The frame on a pair of glasses can help distinguish it from the mainstream. One way to get alternative eye wear is to seek frames made from rare materials. Instead of conventional plastic or metal frames, go for unusual materials such as wood or bone. You can also find frames decorated with gems, stones or or other embellishments. You will stand out from the crowd with alternative eye wear that sports these designs.
Alternative Shapes
The shape and size of the glasses frames and the lenses themselves can also lead to interesting eye wear that is markedly different than more conventional designs. Seek glasses with lenses that are shapes other than the standard rectangle or oval. For example, triangular lenses, "cat eye" glasses and other novel shapes can make for good alternative eye wear. The frames can also feature unusual shapes and structures. A frame that is wider, taller or fits differently than conventional glasses will catch attention.
Pinhole Glasses
If you are ready to abandon common practice and delve into truly alternative eye wear, pinhole glasses are a possible remedy for your vision that do not require a prescription. Additionally, they may last a lifetime--even if your vision changes. These optical devices resemble normal glasses in many ways, but rely on the properties of pinhole optics to correct your vision. They feature "lenses" that are actually a mesh of tiny holes. As light passes through a pin hole, it increases the depth of field, which reduces blurriness in most vision problems, including nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Try a pair and discuss the results with your eye doctor before you abandon conventional prescription lenses altogether.
Orthokeratology
One particularly alternative approach to eye wear is to wear contact lenses at night, and then completely forgo corrective eye wear during your waking hours. This is the practice of the field of orthokeratology, which relies on nighttime contact lenses that temporarily "cure" your vision problems for approximately one day. Also called ortho-K, this process uses special contacts that gently change the surface of your eye, a re-shaping that lasts about one day. After you remove the contacts, you can see clearly without eye wear of any kind. But you must wear them again that night for the benefits to reappear the following day. Discuss orthokeratology with your eye doctor if you are interested in this alternative approach to eye wear.
