Part 3 of 3

In our last section on high-tech glasses we explore electronic lenses and how glasses can help spot health problems early and improve the lives of blind people.

Helping With Partial Blindness

Oxford University researchers are developing glasses which could lead to blind people having a better quality of life and preventing accidents. The frames have 2 tiny cameras set into them which alert the wearers by flagging up potential obstacles and transmitting them to them lenses. The lenses act as screens, flagging up objects to the user that could get in their way. Although not available yet and costing over $1,000 a pair they are still in the early stages, but the developers are hoping within 2 years they will be widely available.

Electronic Lenses

Regular vari-focals have 2 different powers in the lenses, allowing a wearer to use them for both close items and objects in the distance. But the wearer has to look through either the top or bottom of the lens and adjust their vision. Scientists have now developed electronic lenses which know if you are reading or looking into the distance and automatically adjust the lens power. These state of the art glasses have microchips and a battery, with liquid crystals within the lenses. If a user changes where they are looking a tiny current passes through the lenses which change the shape of the liquid crystals and make them thicker or thinner. They currently retail at about 10 times the price of a regular vari-focal, we can't see them hitting your local optical store anytime soon.

Spotting Autism

Lack of eye contact has been linked with a number of neurological conditions. So researchers in the states have come up with a set of frames that track eye-gaze. The tiny cameras in the glasses track eye movements, researchers believe this will help identify developmental delays sooner. Early detection can lead to earlier treatment which is thought to be more effective.

Part 2/3

In part 2 we explore more tech advancements within the vision industry and how they can help us!

Vampire Specs

They sound like something that belong in a horror movie, but these specs have lenses that enhance the color of the blood vessels under the skin and are quite useful to doctors at least. They come in purple, green or pink lenses, the green ones detect the amount of blood under the skin, whilst the purple ones highlight the purple veins in the skin. The manufacturer claims the version with pink lenses can detect changes in the skin associated with changes in emotion. Not so useful as the purple and green lenses but supposedly they can be used by security in airports to detect if a passenger is acting suspicious.

Hearing Glasses?

Yes we did say it right!, glasses that can help you hear. Each of these frames come with 4 tiny microphones in each arm. They pick up sound from the direction that the wearer is looking in whilst reducing background noise. The sounds are then relayed to each ear through a tiny tube-like earphone on either side. Although hearing aids use the same principles, the frames have a slight advantage as they are pointed in the right direction. Many of the hearing-impaired volunteers that tested the device actually preferred it to their hearing aids. Although currently they cost more then $2,000, we hope to see these come down to something mere mortals can afford in the future.

Glasses That Allow You To Get High

No we are not talking about drugs, these specs are for those of you that suffer from vertigo. If you get dizzy when standing on a ladder, you will love these next frames. Many people experience dizzy spells when looking down from even small heights. This is thought to be caused by balance sensors in the inner-ear or the brain. Researchers have come up with a novel solution to this problem, glasses that have spots on the side of the lenses. It is thought that giving the wearer something to focus on in their peripheral vision will ease their dizziness.

Part 1 of 3

For the last few hundred years glasses have been used as a tool used to help people to see better. They were purely a vision aid and even just a few decades back, those high prescription, jam-jar lenses certainly made you the victim of playground bullies. With the emergence of celebrity glasses wearers the social stigma has faded, with people even wearing them as non vision correction, fashion-frames. It's now 2013 and with technological advancements, researchers have been working with our beloved frames to kick them into the next century. In this feature we look at the tech advancements that are being applied to glasses and how they will make you sleep better, hear better and even feel happier.

Happy Specs

Recent research shows that altering the type of light coming into your eyes can have an effect on other parts of the body. So someone had the bright idea of creating a pair of frames that look like a pair of glasses crossed with a sun visor that contain eight lights inside that bathe your eyes in 'white light'. The white light in turn is meant to reduce seasonal affective disorder also known as SAD, a disorder which causes depression in those that lack sunlight in the winter. Researchers put this down to the white lights increasing the 'feel good' chemicals in the brain. Although you won't be seeing anyone walking around the mall in them anytime soon, luckily they only require a 25 minutes a day to feel their full effect. Finally a pair of glasses that make you happy!

Jet Lag Reduction

Researchers have shown that green light is the most effective at delaying or advancing the body clock. Hence why the researcher involved came up with frames called re-timers. On the expensive side at over $200, these nifty little specs have a green light that shines into the eye. They are supposed to be worn for 50 minutes a day, three days after flying. Apparently they could even be used for night shift workers and lazy teenagers, yeah good luck on that one!

Nightshift Extenders

For those of you lucky enough to have done a nightshift, you will also know the effects it can have on your body. Research has shown that knocking your body clock off sync and working when you should be sleeping can lead to health problems like heart disease, weight gain, depression and even cancer. These health effects are thought to be linked to the levels of melatonin, a key hormone in regulating the body clock. The production of melatonin increases once it's dark, but exposure to bright lights can delay this process. So someone invented lenses that could block specific wave lengths in order to normalize melatonin production. I know what you are thinking, lot's of night workers falling asleep on the shift. But it regulated melatonin levels whilst not effected a workers alertness or performance on the job.

British inventor Josh Silver, a former professor of physics at Oxford University, has come up with a game-changer of a product design with his water-lensed glasses.

Silver has devised a pair of glasses which rely on the principle that the fatter a lens the more powerful it becomes. Inside the device's tough plastic lenses are two clear circular sacs filled with fluid, each of which is connected to a small syringe attached to either arm of the spectacles.

The wearer adjusts a dial on the syringe to add or reduce amount of fluid in the membrane, thus changing the power of the lens. When the wearer is happy with the strength of each lens the membrane is sealed by twisting a small screw, and the syringes removed. The principle is so simple, the team has discovered, that with very little guidance people are perfectly capable of creating glasses to their own prescription.

You can mass-produce millions of these, rather than manufacturing myriad individual lenses each tuned to a user's specific vision deficiencies. And while the one-size-fits-all mentality may not fly in developed nations, Silver's goal is to help the hundreds of millions of people in developing countries who suffer from poor eyesight.

Silver calls his flash of insight a "tremendous glimpse of the obvious"--namely that opticians weren't necessary to provide glasses. This is a crucial factor in the developing world where trained specialists are desperately in demand: in Britain there is one optometrist for every 4,500 people, in sub-Saharan Africa the ratio is 1:1,000,000.

The implications of bringing glasses within the reach of poor communities are enormous, says the scientist. Literacy rates improve hugely, fishermen are able to mend their nets, women to weave clothing. During an early field trial, funded by the British government, in Ghana, Silver met a man called Henry Adjei-Mensah, whose sight had deteriorated with age, as all human sight does, and who had been forced to retire as a tailor because he could no longer see to thread the needle of his sewing machine. "So he retires. He was about 35. He could have worked for at least another 20 years. We put these specs on him, and he smiled, and threaded his needle, and sped up with this sewing machine. He can work now. He can see."

So far 30,000 of Silver's specs have been distributed, but more are on the way; his eventual target is 100 million pairs.

via the guardian

New research suggests that cheap reading glasses might be readily available, but in the long term they can cost you your eyesight.

By the age of 50, most adults have problems reading a book or newspaper without spectacles, so the arrival of the cheap glasses in supermarkets, high street stores and market stalls less than ten years ago has been seen as a saviour for many.

To avoid paying 100's of pounds for a pair of reading glasses from an optician that might easily be lost or broken, many buy several cheap versions to stash around the house so that they can always find a pair.

A researcher at consumer champion 'Which?' checked 14 pairs from seven high street chains and found that those carrying a higher prescription – plus 3.5 to plus 4 – considered to cause the most concern.

"Off-the-peg glasses could cause eye strain, blurred vision, headaches or double vision," The Daily Mail quoted the researcher as saying.

"For people with higher prescriptions, they're not suitable for walking or other mobile activities. They could even 'cause a nasty accident," he added.

The biggest problem is non-alignment, which means that the sight in one eye might be clear while the other is blurred.

"This could cause eye problems or a head tilt," the researcher said.

Opticians say eye examinations are essential before buying glasses. As well as ensuring the correct prescription is used, they can detect serious health issues, such as cataracts and brain tumours.

British researchers teamed up with colleagues around the world to pinpoint "variations" in DNA that make people more susceptible to myopia, the most common sight problem.

The breakthrough could lead to treatment in the next decade with eye drops or tablets that halt the distorted growth of the eyeball which causes the condition.

Shortsightedness is a relatively new but growing phenomena and as urbanisation and intensive education levels increase it is reaching epidemic proportions in some parts of the world.

Around a third of people in Britain are short-sighted, but in the Far East it is an even bigger problem, possibly because use of technology at an early age is more prevalent there. In Japan, two thirds of teenagers are already myopic and in Singapore, 80 per cent of 18-year-old male army recruits are short sighted, compared with 25 per cent just 30 years ago.

While watching television, reading and staying indoors is obviously having an effect, researchers knew that there was also a strong hereditary or genetic element to whether you succumbed.

In a study involving thousands of people around the world, including 4,300 in Britain, they searched for genes associated with degrees of myopia.

They found a number of variations around the RASGRF1 gene, which is associated with eye growth, seemed to be strongly associated with myopia - either preventing it or protecting against it.

Researchers now hope to be able to identify how exactly they affect the growth of the eye and then develop treatments that produce the perfect mix of genes.

In this way they should be able to prevent the eyeball distorting and therefore maintain 20-20 vision in most of the population.

"It is not quite the end of glasses yet but clearly the hope is that we will be able to block the genetic pathways that causes shortsightedness," said Dr Christopher Hammond at King's College London, an eye surgeon who led the British research.

"It will probably take the form of a tablet or eye drops but it is going to be a challenge and at least 10 years before there is a treatment."

The findings, published in Nature Genetics, will not be relevent to age-related longsightedness as this is to do with the eye muscles ability to focus and not to do with distortion of the eye ball itself. Reading glasses will still be needed for a while.

Are we worried? Not really.....

After finding success with our own-brand of prescription eyewear, SeeInStyle.com has recently expanded our range to include cutting edge designers such as Gucci, Roberto Cavalli and Moscot and more recently Sunglasses from brands such as Tag Heuer, Gucci, Rayban and Prada to name but a few. We have handpicked our favourite frames from around the world to offer the most unique collection of eyewear on the Internet. All these designer products at up to 70% cheaper than the high street!

We may be big on names and style but we're also enticingly low on price. All our designer glasses are customisable to match your prescription. If you find some prescription frames you want turning into sunglasses, we even currently have an unbeatable half price offer on UV coats and tints (was £20, now £10!). With fast Nationwide UK delivery you could receive your order within 5 working days (less for non prescription orders). It really couldn't be any easier!

So go on give it a go. Check out the latest prescription frames and discover that cheaper eyewear need not be a compromise on quality or style. See for yourself, See In Style.

They’re no longer hip or modern; they no longer match your prescription or your style. Perhaps they just don’t fit or you never use them anymore?

For a person living in a developing country, used eyeglasses can help put the world in focus. For some, maybe even for the very first time.

SeeInStyle.com have teamed up with socially aware lifestyle magazine RECOGNISE www.recognisemagazine.co.uk to help grow awareness of the Clearer Today program, aimed at sending 1,000 pairs of used glasses to the developing world.

A new arrival to the consumer magazine market, RECOGNISE offers a lifestyle publication driven by a desire to be an ambassador for environmental awareness and a promoter of ethical living. Every two months sees an eclectic mix of fashion, travel, gadgets, food and beauty for both men and women. Content is defined by a commitment to pinpointing companies, people and brands that are all dedicated to social awareness and responsibility. Readers will enjoy reading about some of the world’s most exciting developments. Each and every feature found within our magazine has earned its status as it demonstrates and clearly believes in the ethos of giving something back.

The goal of the Clearer Today program is to meet the demand for quality eyeglasses in developing nations, providing otherwise unobtainable prescription eyewear to those who need it most. All types of eyeglasses and sunglasses, prescription and non-prescription are acceptable for recycling.

If you have a pair of unwanted specs or sunglasses – drop us an email at clearertoday@seeinstyle.com and we will arrange collection of your old glasses from you at no cost.

Don’t throw away someone’s chance for a clearer today. Donate your used prescription eyeglasses and someone in the world gets to see again

Readers of RECOGNISE also receive a 15% discount with SeeInStyle.com by quoting the code "recognise" during the check out process.

Choosing eyeglass frames can be a daunting task for many of us. One option to find the perfect set of frames is to try on as many pairs as we can get hold of. The other option is to understand the frame shapes and colours that will suit you best.

The Vision Council has advised people that when choosing a frame to suit their face shape they should consider three things. First of all, your frame should make the most of your best feature. So for instance if you have blue eyes, choosing blue frames will complement your look. Secondly, the shape of the frame should be in contrast to the shape of your face. Finally, the size of the frames should be in line with the size of your face.

Despite face shapes varying from person to person, we can identify seven main shapes. These are round, base-down triangle, diamond, square, base-up triangle, oval and oblong. A good optician will be able to advise you on what shape your face is, however you can also follow these rules.

If you have a round face the length and width will be in proportion with each other, with no angles. Narrow, angular frames will help make the face appear thinner, while rectangular shapes will help to lengthen the face.

Oval faces are in good proportion. Walnut-shaped frames may be a good option to keep the natural balance of the face.

Oblong faces are longer than they are wide. To make the most of your features, choose frames with more depth than width.

Diamond shapes are characterised by being narrower at the eye line and jaw line. Rimless or oval frames may suit this face type best.

People with a strong jaw line, broad forehead and whose faces are the same width as they are long are said to have square faces. The most flattering frames will be narrow as these will help the face appear longer and thinner.

Base-down triangular faces are narrow at the forehead and wider at the cheeks and chin. Try frames that have additional colour or detailing at the top such as cat-eye shapes. These will help accentuate the narrower upper part of the face.

If your face is wider at the top and gets narrower towards the chin then you are described as having a base-up triangular shape. Frames wider at the bottom and rimless frames will be the most flattering styles for this face shape.

When looking for a new pair of glasses, it can get a little confusing with all the choices out there. There are many things that must be taken into consideration when buying new frames such as colour, style, shape, face shape, personal style and budget. With our busy lifestyles you may also opt for more than pair of glasses for different areas of your life such as work and play. Our guide will help you make the right decision based around you.

Fashion experts claim that your frames can be described as expression of your personality as they show how you are presenting yourself to the rest of the world. So what should men be looking for when choosing new frames?

First of all, you need to decide what type of shape your face most closely matches. Most men will have square faces, with a wide and masculine jaw line. If you are one of these men, choose frames that are wider than they are long, with a curved lower edge as this will balance out your angular jaw. When considering design, try to avoid anything angular or with a square pattern.

Men with oval faces should try to avoid frames that will soften their look. Go for rectangular shapes over oval shapes and try to choose wide frames. Likewise try to stay away from frames with a lot of colour on the top rim.

Round faces are the same size and width with no clear jaw line. Steer clear of glasses that will sit on the cheeks and try to choose rectangular shapes. It is also worth trying to find frames the same width as your temples.

Men with triangular faces will have a small jaw and wider forehead. So you should choose frames with added detail on the top rims.

When it comes to what colour to choose there are a few guidelines men can follow. Most importantly try to find a shade that will suit your clothes, your style and your own colouring.

For instance, men with dark hair can get away with strong colours such as navy, brown or black. Those with red hair should wear bronze or brown colours to enhance their look. Blond or fair haired men should opt for light colours and gold.

Whatever you choose, make sure you feel comfortable and the frames reflect your own personality and style.

A soldier blinded in battle has become the first member of the armed forces to test a special pair of prescription glasses which allow him to 'see' using his tongue.

Lance Corporal Craig Lundberg, who was blinded in a grenade attack in Basra, is testing prototype glasses which turn pictures into electrical impulses that are felt on the tongue. The different sensations mean he can distinguish between light and dark and negotiate his way around objects.

According to Craig, “It’s only a prototype, but the potential to change my life is massive. It has enabled me to pick up objects straight away, I can reach out and pick them up when before I would be fumbling around.”

Wow. When I first spotted this I thought this guy was going to be some kind of loon who really believed he could see with his tongue. Bit of a let down if I'm honest. On the bright side, what does this mean for the future of the sex toy?

Currently most people buy their prescription glasses from their local opticians, but over the next few years more and more people will start buying their glasses online and here are the top 5 reasons shopping for glasses online is better.

1. Convenience - People live much busier lives than at any other time in history, and many of us just don't have the time to go look at glasses during the day when the stores are open. Buying your prescription glasses over the internet allows you to shop 24 hours a day 7 days a week and holidays. Unfortunately most shops are not open at 2am, but websites have the advantage of never closing

2. Cost - let's say I want to open a prescription eyeglasses store; the first thing I am going to need to do is find a location for my store. This store is going to cost me money for rent, then I need to hire staff, this is more expenses, then I have to pay for electricity, water and rubbish removal. So before I even buy my stock I am paying thousands of pounds a month. But I can save myself on rent, rubbish removal, electricity and sales staff. By doing this I can charge you less then my land based competitors and still make the same if not more of a profit, and because the internet is worldwide I am not limited to selling my glasses to people in my immediate area like a local store would be, I can offer my products to people in need of prescription eyeglasses and fashionable frames all over the globe.

3. Service - In a store the staff is considered sales staff. It is their job to make sales, and they may even get a commission on each sale they make. In an online store they have no sales people. The only people would ever need to talk to would be customer service and their job is to help you with any problems of questions, but they are not trying to make a sale or get you to buy expensive additions that you do not need. The information they provide is aimed at helping you and not at getting you to spend more money.

4. Selection - since they do not need to rent a store for their online prescription glasses shop they don't have to worry about not having enough room to display as many different types of glasses as they want. This allows them to offer you more selections and styles, such as aviator frames for example, without having to pay for a bigger showroom. All they need to do is place pictures of the different glasses on their website at no extra cost and this allows them to offer you bigger selections and lower prices.

5. Price - I know I mentioned that online glasses are less expensive, but I want to make it clear that by buying your glasses online you can save up to 70% on your prescription glasses. This is significantly less then what you will pay in any store. As a matter of fact you can get 2 pairs and it will still be cheaper than a regular store.

As I said there are many reasons to switch to buying your glasses online, and once you have shopped online and seen how stress free and convenient it really is you will never want to walk into a regular store again.

Designers Dan and Dean Caten already dress celebrities -- including outfitting Britney Spears for many a tour date -- in their body-conscious looks and now the design duo is making the most necessary celebrity accessory: sunglasses.

At last night's launch event in a far west Chelsea warehouse in NYC, the designers were all smiles in trim tuxedo blazers.

"It's more straightforward and not too blingy, and it's also a bit masculine-y, so it can be unisex," Dean told StyleList of the new line.

While the design duo weren't inspired by any particular celebrity, they still had the famed hills in mind. "It's old Hollywood meets new Hollywood!" Dan added.

And the celebrities turned out in droves. Rachel Zoe confessed that Fashion Week was "fashionably exhausting" but still made it out for the red carpet.

Of the runway shows she's seen, the celebrity stylist/reality TV star loved Marc Jacobs, Derek Lam and on designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy, Zoe adds, "Rodarte almost made me cry it was so amazing."

Wearing head-to-toe DSquared, but accessorizing with a Goyard clutch, Hilary Duff sang the duo's praises. "DSquared is one of my favorite lines. I've always had a huge respect for designers for their vision and creativity. Maybe I'll get to be there someday. My line [with DKNY] is more for everyday, but it was still a little nerve-wracking."

Inside the two-story warehouse space there were models aplenty, including Tyson Beckford, making the rounds in the line's new shades.

But the roof was where it was at. With a view that included the Empire State Building, guests whiled the night away drinking champers and dancing to the live DJ. Only two more days to go for New York Fashion Week!

We're glad to see the label being so practical -- after all, sunglasses are one accessory that's good for you!

It seems that geek has truly become ‘chic’ with a new survey revealing some surprising statistics about New Zealanders attitude to glasses.

The online survey [The OPSM Style Review, Online Survey, February 2010], commissioned by OPSM and conducted by an independent research company, confirms that prescription glasses are sexy and can even help when you’re applying for a job.

Six out of ten of those surveyed believe wearing glasses help improve your chances of getting a new job, and just over half of those surveyed believe colleagues take those who wear glasses more seriously.

Overall, glasses have class according to New Zealanders. Considering the appearance attributes of fashionable glasses, a solid 70 per cent or more of respondents think they make people look knowledgeable, likeable, professional, stylish, successful and trustworthy.

OPSM spokesperson Jason Dhana says the survey results speak for themselves.

“The survey clearly indicates the stigma attached to glasses is well and truly gone. A staggering 74% believe that glasses can make people look sexy – you would never have got a result like that ten years ago.”

On the fashion front, a massive 94 per cent of respondents agreed glasses are now more fashionable than ever.

“New Zealanders love their glasses and believe they can not only enhance their appearance, but job prospects too,” Jason says. “It’s exciting to see that people are now viewing glasses in a really positive light – they’re more stylish and popular than ever before.”

Results

The online survey was conducted by independent research company Stellar Market Research Pty Ltd in February 2010 among 482 respondents in New Zealand aged between 18 and 60+

60.6% believe wearing glasses helps improve employment chances

56.2% believe wearing glasses helps to make a better impression at a job interview

55.8% believe wearing glasses makes a positive first impression in the workplace

53.9% believe colleagues wearing glasses are taken more seriously

74.1% believe that glasses can make people look sexy

92.7% believe glasses are more stylish than they used to be

More than 1 in 4 would consider wearing glasses as a fashion accessory, even if they didn’t need them to see

76.6% have noticed someone wearing glasses and thought how great they looked

Glasses can make people look attractive (75.9%), authoritative (73.2%), confident (74.1%), creative (73.4%), credible (77%), hard-working (71.2), intelligent (78%), knowledgeable (77.2%), professional (78.2%), stylish (77.6%), trustworthy (73%) and successful (76.3%)

I meant to start this post kind of like this: “Of all the idiotic things I’ve seen in my life…” But MatthewG15 has been picked-on enough on his Flickr profile. So while others call him a retard, I just want to point out that he didn’t actually hurt anyone (but himself).

Our boy Matthew probably ran out of spots to tattoo so he decided to cross the line and tattoo his face. Apparently he couldn’t afford a pair of real glasses frames, so he tattooed one instead. Ok, you’re right, that was mean of me, but I’m thinking a real pair would have been cheaper and more practical. Not to mention these will look like crap when he’s a wrinkly old man.

Fortunately for Matty, he chose a timeless frame. Say what you like about him but the guy has taste.

www.doggles.com.au sells fashionable eyewear for dogs; some of it is for fun, some is protective, says owner Jill Doyle. Doyle bought the distribution business three years ago, and while she says consumers are price sensitive, pet owners love the practical benefits.

With goggles, you're stopping dust and dirt getting into the animal's eyes, she explains, as well as getting UV protection.

Farmers with working dogs are interested in doggie eyewear; owners with dogs on utes like them for the dust protection; and owners with breeds, such as German Shepherds, which are vulnerable to eye disease relating to UV light, also find them handy.

If your dog has had eye surgery, then goggles are also helpful. Jill Doyle, who owns a foxy chihuahua cross, says it's a full-time business, but you need a wider range so she has reflective travel vests, eco-friendly bowls made out of recycled plastic bottles, apparel, such as sweatshirts and jumpers ("Elderly people like to put a warm jumper on their dog,"), and monster toys and baby bears all made out of cotton.

Pets are children so they get treated in the same way. I haven't got into pet prams yet, that's a niche market for older women, who may have trouble walking, or for arthritic dogs. Doyle says the downturn hasn't really hit the pet industry hard: I wouldn't say we're recession proof, but it's a bit like your child, you don't deny your pet.

When it came to glasses frames, here at SeeInStyle.com we thought we’d seen it all. That was until we spotted these “Deluxe Prism Glasses” from www.bordersindependentliving.co.uk. Genius.

Apparently these babies are designed to fit over your regular glasses whilst allowing you to “read a book, watch TV”, or our personal favourite, “simply watch the world go by" whilst lying flat on your back. Classic.

We really have no idea what makes this particular model “Deluxe”. Perhaps it’s the adjustable ear piece, which according to the website, “can be adjusted with a heat gun”. That will be the heat gun that everyone keeps under the bed then, right? Or perhaps it’s the “vinyl case?” Presumably when they wrote "vinyl" they actually meant "solid gold" then. I digress.

Besides facilitating the bone idle, apparently these fashionable glasses are quite useful for people who have to endure MRI scans, have limited neck movement or simply “for those people who must wear a halo......” Honestly, you can’t make it up.

A new low for laziness. It's so absurd, I want to buy a pair. At £39.60 there's gotta be a cheaper place to buy them, but I'm simply too lazy to check.

Our advice, don’t get up, just get someone to buy them for you.

In the last year or two, it has become more common to see celebrities – usually the ladies, but I’m sure not exclusively so – suddenly appearing in public wearing eyeglasses. In particular celebrities who have never been seen in glasses frames in the past. This sudden myopic explosion could make us all think there is a healthcare timebomb in Tinsletown. Until we realise that these cunning celebrities are faking it! Wearing chunky-framed non prescription glasses – just clear non-correcting lenses – purely as a fashion statement.

According to Natalie Hormilla, Associate Editor at Fashionista.com, this viral trend began with Cate Blanchett, but rapidly spread to Helena Christensen, Daisy Lowe and Chloe Sevigny. And so for generations of common folk, the optical world has been turned upside down. Having endured the name-calling and teasing, and generally been labelled as a nerd and an outcast, we all eventually reach out to contact lenses or laser surgery for our salvation.

And then just as we start to enjoy our spectacleless new life, all of a sudden eyeglasses are cool. Well that’s just great! And these new cool geek chic non prescription glasses aren’t even subtle, semi-invisible, rimless glasses. They are the kind of specs Buddy Holly would have been proud of. And this all begs a single question: why?

There are a few reasons. People who wear eyeglasses are often perceived to be more intelligent than those who don’t. Totally baseless factually, but this is nevertheless a very common perception – I’m sure if we all dig deep, we can think of somebody who wears glasses and who is an imbecile!

For celebrities, it is important to get noticed and a pair of big chunky glasses should do the trick, especially if everybody already knows they don’t wear glasses. So in these cases, it’s really nothing more than a publicity stunt.

Away from celebrity for a while – since this trend has leaked into the mainstream – some people, especially professionals, wear non prescription fashionable glasses in order to be taken more seriously.

The other reasons for wearing fake glasses goes back to the ‘geek chic’ thing. Using them as an accessory, because they match the shoes or the bag, or the dog in the bag – hmmm, maybe somebody will come up with fashion specs for pooches. So in this case it’s simply a matter of coordinating the outfit.

But whatever your reason, maybe it’s time to dust off your old glasses and pop out the lenses, because geek is now chic, and the glasses are back.

So what's the verdict? feel free to post your comments here....while I go have my eyes checked

If you love eyewear, then you might go a little bit crazy at Silmo. 45,000 visitors over four days to a vast exhibition complex in Paris - all just talking eyewear! But it's a must visit for anyone who wants to understand the hot trends in fashionable eyewear. With 1,000 exhibitors, you can see just about every major name in the business.

So here are a few of the trends for 2010 and into 2011 that caught my eye at Silmo.

• Classic styles: those glasses you've always loved. Retro glasses shapes and styles, maybe a sign of our need for the familiar in very uncertain times. Lots of hints of the 1960s, perhaps inspired by the American hit TV drama series Mad Men
• Light frames: including delicate metal frames for an aesthete's look, really elegant.
• Artisan styles: there's a great deal of workmanship in a great pair of specs. Now, by focusing intention on the design of the temple arms and by using special materials, eyewear designers are making their skills more prominent.
• Squarer shapes: after a period of more rounded shapes, shape is returning to the fashionable frames limelight again. So many great choices everywhere.
• Sci-fi: for fun, see the crazy glasses in my photo from Mykita. Maybe great for clubbing, but they're not my first choice for day-to-day use!

The shape of your face is the most important factor when choosing any frames. The list below will give you some idea as to which fashion frames will suit your face shape.

Square face: Oval frames are best for a square face as they soften the jaw line. Avoid thin, angular styles and those with colour emphasis on the bottom rim

Round face: Angular or geometric styles are best for a round face. They draw attention to the top half of your face

Long face: A long face with high cheekbones requires wide frames with a strong top line. Avoid small, square frames - opt for a style with all over colour

Oval face: An oval face looks great in most styles! Be adventurous and try modern geometric shapes, which are stylish and fashionable

Heart-shaped face: A heart-shaped face can wear slender, rounded or square styles without decorative detail on the temples. Avoid styles which are wider at the top, these will reflect the face shape rather than balance it

This week we bring you the best of this season's Christmas clobber. We're thinking homemade-looking, 'Don't be so ungrateful darling! Granny spent six days knitting that' jumpers and cardigans.'

To kick things off we've found the most brilliant sheep jumper of all time. Now you too can own your very own piece of Wales for the grand sum of £29.50, courtesy of Ty Hanleigh Knitwear. Google it, we dare you!

For men, there's John Smedley's Rudolph Raoul jumper, which costs £167 (some of that goes to Children in Need, giving you a warm and fuzzy glow as you wave goodbye to your cash) and is knitted out of ultra-fine merino wool.

We've stumbled across a really gorgeous (and unbelievably cheap) reindeer jumper/dress for £15.99 from a website called CuteJapaneseFashion.com.

For the confident male shopper, we've picked out Urban Outfitter's lambswool cable-knit jumper (£140) by Acne Jeans. We suggest going all out and buying it in fuchsia pink. There are also some really hideous tight-fit jumpers made out of what seems to be recycled 90s skiwear, which we think are probably really fashionable but just can't bring ourselves to recommend. If you want to take a look, do it off your own back!

Finally, another men's option is this contrasting knit cardigan from Nanny State. It has cute toggle fastenings and a chunky collar to keep you warm (£84.99).

On sale from classiceyeglasses (via ebay) we found some eyeglasses for all you mythological Greek one-eyed beasts with vision problems. Bidding starts at $22.95. Hmmm, I see a problem.

So who would possibly want to buy such a thing?? Well, these glasses are for applying makeup. This 60's trend never really caught on so don't hurt yourself too much for forgetting (or not being born yet). The lens is on a hinge, and you can flip it side to side. This way you can apply makeup to one eye more accurately than with no glasses at all.

Haha, classiceyeglasses. Let's be friends.

The RGB Glasses from designer Luís Porém are hollow and made to be filled with the ink colour of your choice. Want black glasses? Add black ink! Want pink glasses? Add pink ink! Want tortoiseshell glasses? Add brown, orange, and black ink! Want to frighten everyone you pass? Add the blood of your fallen enemies and smile while you gnaw on a raw arm.

Alternatively, check out the unique colour ranges on seeinstyle.com for that daring look with a difference!

Oliver Peoples' Emerson eyeglasses are the kind of item you'd likely find in the dressing room on the set of Mad Men. These are the glasses that Patrick Bateman makes reference to in American Psycho. Our favorite part about these retro-inspired glasses is the remarkable attention to detail. They're handmade using lightweight plastic and feature custom filigree core-wire detailing. The logo is far from ostentatious; it's subtly laminated at the end of the temple.

If the sight of these conjures up images of Old Hollywood or a bookworm circa 1960, you’re not too far off. The popularity of all things vintage and retro has made its way across menswear, including optical frames. The Emerson features a rounded eye, pin detailing and a unique vintage keyhole bridge, all of which emphasize its old-fashioned charm.

Though they're a favorite of the hipster crowd, this style can work for different guys. Pairing these with your 9-to-5 suit will look smart, but you can also wear these with slim jeans and a trench coat on weekends for added sophistication. However, because of their distinct shape, make sure they flatter your face, personality and style before committing to them.

Let’s break down the trend factor: If you’re looking for a fun alternative that makes more of a fashion statement, then luxury eyewear (with its luxury price tag) is not necessary. You can find something retro at a lower price point. Check out the frames in the "New Formal" range at seeinstyle.com for our Bateman inspired collections.

The guy who will get the most wear out of these is the one who has adopted this retro aesthetic as his personal style. He’ll wear it with a suit, jeans or even lounging around in his underwear.