Welcome to our AUGUST newsletter! 🤗

Open 10:00 - 4:30, Monday through Friday

REMINDER - We have a NEW address -

5317B Lakeside Avenue, Richmond, VA 23228

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This August, we're celebrating 27 incredible years of serving our community here at Brooks optical, and our hearts are full of gratitude. For more than two decades, you've trusted Brooks Optical, recommended us to your family and friends, and allowed us to be part of so many of life's milestones. Your loyalty and support have helped us grow from year to year, and we never take that trust for granted. As a family-owned business, building lasting relationships has always been at the heart of what we do. Thank you for making the past 27 years so meaningful. We look forward to continuing to serve you for many years to come on a personal level with attention that you won't get at the corporate chain shops. We have the most amazing customers here and are so thankful for you being part of our family business.

If we can help you in any way at all, give us a call at (804)261-0222! We are always ready to help! 🥰

Cliff, Sheila, and Catherine

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DO YOU FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES? This is where you find up to date weather schedule changes, holiday closings, shop updates, plus a little entertainment and positivity! Please follow us on Facebook or Instagram by the links below! ↙️

We sincerely appreciate your support and every like, share, and follow! 🥰🥰🥰

⭐ SHOP UPDATES ⭐

SHOP UPDATE! ​ We finally got the new windows in the shop updated! On the front window and atrium doors, you will now see our name and hours. There will be no mistaking that you are in the right place! Do you like our new design? 🤔

27 years because of you! 🥰 We just wanted to take another moment to let you know just how valued you are to us and to thank you for supporting all small businesses! Mom & Pop businesses keep communities thriving and we are so grateful for you supporting that mission.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT We have some new stock of roll out travel cases! These will keep your glasses & sunglasses protected, and at the same time rolls up in a neat little box! You can drop it right in your bag. We have a few colors right now, get them while they last! ✈️

FRAME SPOTLIGHT This month's frame spotlight is Etnia Barcelona!👓 Here's something for you guys! If you want to add a little pizazz and color, we've got you with the Etnia collection. It is not too much, but just enough! 🔥

Would you like something fun and useful? Here is our monthly FREEBIE for you!

This month's freebie is a PRINTABLE Emergency Contact list! A practical item that is always good to update and have on hand. Just open the below link and print this page out.

​Emergency Contact List.jpg​

Do you enjoy digital printable items? If so, check out Catherine's Etsy shop! It has fun and inexpensive digital downloads that can add fun and positivity to many occasions.

MajesticPprintables (Etsy shop)

AUGUST EDUCATIONAL ARTICLE

Signs It's Time for New Glasses

A dramatic change in vision isn't the only sign you may need new eyeglasses. In fact, vision changes can happen gradually and may be very subtle at first. Knowing when to update your prescription will help you avoid blurry vision and eyestrain.

How Eyeglasses Improve Your Vision

Eyeglasses improve the way light focuses on your retinas, the tissue at the back of your eye that changes light to electrical signals. As light enters the eye, it's refracted, or bent, and ideally focused directly onto the retina. If you have a refractive error, light doesn't focus on the retina as precisely as it should. Refractive errors cause vision blurriness and include myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism.

If you have myopia, light stops a little short of the retina, causing blurry distance vision. In hyperopia, light extends past the retina, making your near vision look blurry. Astigmatism blurs near and far vision and occurs due to an irregularly shaped cornea or lens. The rounded cornea covers your iris and pupil, while the lens is located inside the eye behind the iris.

Prescription eyeglass lenses help bend light as it enters your eye. When you wear glasses, light is precisely focused on the correct spot on the retina.

Do These Signs Sound Familiar? You May Need New Eyeglasses

Any of these signs may mean you're due for a new pair of glasses:

• Blurry Vision. Blurred vision is one of the most common reasons people visit the optometrist. In most cases, blurriness just means you need a new eyeglass prescription. However, blurry vision can also be caused diabetes, eye infections, migraines, and other conditions and diseases. A comprehensive eye exam helps your eye doctor determine if the issue is caused by a refractive error or a health condition. If your optometrist suspects a health condition, you'll be encouraged to visit your family doctor or a specialist.
• Issues with Your Current Glasses. Wear and tear may affect the comfort and function of your eyeglasses. If your lenses are scratched or your frames are uncomfortable, choosing a new pair of eyeglasses offers a simple solution. Are you unhappy with the style of your frames? Trends change quickly, and a frame that seemed perfect a few years ago may now look outdated. Luckily, it's never too late to update your look with a new pair of eyeglasses.
• Eyestrain. Do your eyes feel sore, tired, itchy, or irritated after your read or use digital devices for a few hours? You may have eyestrain, a condition that also causes headaches and tight muscles in the neck, shoulders, and upper back. You're more likely to develop eyestrain if your eyeglasses needs to be updated. Eyestrain is particularly common in people who use smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other digital devices for entertainment or work. According to the Workplace Vision Health Report released by VSP Vision Care in 2025 and conducted by Workplace Intelligence, 68% of employees experience eyestrain.
• Poor Near Vision After 40. Poor near vision can be caused by presbyopia, an age-related refractive error. The problem happens when the clear lens inside the eye becomes less flexible and struggles to adjust when you look at something close up. Prescription reading glasses will make your near vision sharp and clear again. If you already wear glasses, your optometrist may recommend bifocals, trifocals, or progressive eyeglass lenses. The lenses contain two or more lens powers and provide good vision at both near and far distances.
• Vision Hacks. Is your vision sharper when you squint, tilt your head, or cover one eye? Tilting your head may be an easier way to see if the vision in one eye has changed more than other, but it can lead to tight or strained muscles in your neck and shoulders and cause headaches.
• Glare or Halos. Halos around light or difficulty with glare may also mean it's time for a new pair of eyewear. If glare is the problem, your eye doctor may recommend lenses with anti-reflective coatings.

Are you ready to replace your eyeglasses with a new pair? Get an updated eye exam and bring your prescription to us once you have it. While we don't do eye exams here at Brooks Optical, we are always happy to make a recommendation if you need a place and have an amazing selection of glasses to choose from to keep you seeing your best!

Sources:

VSP Vision: New Research for VSP Vision Care and Workplace Intelligence Finds Nearly 3 Out of 4 Employees Struggle with Digital Eye Strain, 59% Say It Affects Their Productivity, 2/25/2025

​https://www.vspvision.com/newsroom/eye-health-and-wellness/vision-care/new-research-from-vsp-vision-care-and-workplace-intelligence-finds-nearly-3-out-of-4-of-employees-struggle-with-digital-eye-strain-59-percent-say-it-affects-their-productivity​

All About Vision: Problems with Your New Glasses? How to Solve Them, 5/8/2026

​https://www.allaboutvision.com/eyewear/eyeglasses/buying/problem-with-new-glasses/​

WebMD: Why Is My Vision Blurry?, 7/3/2024

​https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/why-is-my-vision-blurry​

The City University of New York: Glasses Wearers: 3 Reasons Not to Wear An Out-of-Date Prescription

​https://pressbooks.cuny.edu/learners/part/glasses-wearers-3-reasons-not-to-wear-an-out-of-date-prescription/​

American Academy of Ophthalmology: What Is Presbyopia?, 5/21/2026

​https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-presbyopia​

5317B Lakeside Avenue, Richmond, VA 23228

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