Welcome to our May newsletter! 🐝🕶️

REMINDER - We have a NEW address -

5317B Lakeside Avenue, Richmond, VA 23228

It's our dynamic mother & son duo, Cliff & Sheila!

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We are here at Brooks Optical for you to help to solve all of your optical issues! New prescription glasses, lenses, repairs, sunglasses, contacts, finding that perfect new frame...we are here for it all! We are a small family operation of just the three of us...Cliff, Catherine, and Sheila!

Thank you for everyone who has come into our new location to check it out! We love our customers and are so excited to hear what you think. If there is anything that we can do to help you, give us a call! And don't forget to schedule your eyeglass adjustments every three months to make your frames last as long as possible.

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If we can help you in any way at all, give us a call at (804)261-0222! 🥰 Cliff, Sheila, and Catherine

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DO YOU FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES? Please do! This is where you find up to date weather schedule changes, and many other things. To keep up to date on our most recent 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! 🥰🥰🥰

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

This month's freebie is a BOOK TRACKER📚! Set some summer reading goals and use this to track it! Click the link below to save or print, and print as many pages as you need!

Book tracker.jpg

⭐ SHOP UPDATES ⭐

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

We want to wish a wonderful happy mother's day to all mothers, stepmothers, mothers in law, people that are like mothers, fur moms, Grandmothers, and every kind of mom!

There are so many types of moms in the world you are you so important! You are valued and appreciated, and the world is better for having you.🥰

May you have an amazing day to celebrate!💐

MAPS ARE UPDATED!

Since our December shop move, we have struggled to get all of the navigational maps updated! 📍

We have worked hard to update Google Maps, Apple Maps, and all others that have come to our attention.

If you have any issues with finding our location on a navigational system, please let us know! This helps us to be aware of new maps that are in need of updating. Thank you for helping us! 🗺️

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Our best selling Peeps cleaners are back in stock!

Born from NASA technology, these little cleaners fit in your pocket and help to keep your glasses streak-free and scratch-free! 👓

This is an eco-friendly tool, it removes dust, oils, fingerprints, and bacteria. They will keep your glasses crystal clear.

Ask Cliff for a demo when you stop in the shop!

Right now, all colors are in stock-pink, purple, blue, black, green, and silver! These go fast so get them while they last.

FRAME SPOTLIGHT

This month's frame spotlight is SUNGLASSES! 🕶️

Summer is coming and sunglasses will protect your eyes! They protect against harmful UVA & UVB rays, reducing the risk of many things such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

Did you know that you can actually get sunburn in your eyes? 👀 It is called photokeratitis and it is real.

Whether you need prescription lenses or not, we are happy to help you find your perfect pair.

MAY EDUCATIONAL ARTICLE

Simple Tips to Protect your Eyes at Work

Malfunctioning machines, flickering digital screens, or dusty environments can cause issues ranging from dry eyes to serious eye injuries. Following these tips will help you protect your eyes while you're at work.

Identify Eye Hazards

You can't avoid hazards if you don't know what they are. Eye hazards are anything that may harm the eyes or cause discomfort. They may include:

Chemicals
Dust
Debris
Lasers
Blood Exposure
Machines That Generate Sparks or Spread Debris
Sharp Objects
Open Flames
Bright Lights

Hazards don't have to be obviously dangerous to affect the eyes. Poor office lighting could cause eye strain, while lack of moisture in the air might lead to dry eyes.

Wear Protective Eyewear

Protective eyewear is a must if you work in a factory, use machinery, or work in an occupation that exposes your eyes to dangerous substances. Safety glasses or goggles must fit tightly around your eyes for complete protection. Even small gaps allow easy access for airborne objects or substances.

Safety and Health Magazine notes that safety glasses with a higher base curve fit the face better. The standard pair of safety glasses has a base curve of four, while glasses that wrap around the face more have a base curve of nine. A higher base curve also provides better peripheral vision and prevents distortions that can interfere with vision.

Step Away from Digital Devices

Viewing digital screens increases your risk for computer vision syndrome, also called digital eye strain. According to the American Optometric Association, you're more likely to develop computer vision syndrome if you use a digital device for two or more continuous hours every day. Luckily, you can avoid sore eyes, blurry vision, dry eyes, headaches, sore shoulder muscles and other computer vision symptoms by taking frequent breaks.

In addition to stepping away from your device periodically, eye doctors recommend the 20-20-20 rule. The simple rule involves looking at an object 20 feet in the distance for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.

Create an Eye-Friendly Workspace

Making these small changes can improve eye comfort while you work:

Position monitors so that they are arm's distance away from your eyes
Lower your monitor so that the top is slightly below eye level
Increase text size if you find yourself squinting
Reduce glare with screen protectors and lighting changes
Talk to your eye doctor about computer glasses. These glasses offer the perfect viewing distance for screens.
Use a small humidifier to reduce dry eye symptoms

Don't Forget to Blink

Blinking spreads tears across the eyes and prevents them from drying out. Unfortunately, you may blink less if you're engrossed in an activity or using a screen. Although people normally blink about 15 times per minute, digital device users may blink half that amount, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Clean Your Screen

Your eye strain risk may be greater if your screen is full of smudges and dust. Prioritizing regular screen cleaning can improve eye comfort.

Avoid Touching Your Eyes

Dirt and germs on your hands could cause eye infections if you touch your eyes. If you must touch your eyes, be sure to wash your hands first.

Tempted to rub your tired, dry eyes? Rubbing can increase your risk for corneal abrasions. These small tears in the cornea are extremely painful and can lead to infections in some cases.

Wear Sunglasses

Sun exposure may not harm your eyes immediately but could increase your risk of cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and skin cancer. Sunglasses that offer complete protection from ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays) will help you reduce your risk for these conditions. For optimum protection, wear sunglasses year-round.

See Your Optometrist Regularly

Eye issues aren't always obvious. For example, your eye strain symptoms may be due in part to an outdated prescription. Even slight changes in your vision can increase your risk of computer vision syndrome. Scheduling annual comprehensive eye exams helps you ensure large or small vision issues are identified promptly.

Need new eye protection for your job? Your optometrist can also help you find the ideal pair of prescription or non-prescription safety glasses and goggles and offer suggestions that will improve your eye safety at work. While Brooks Optical does not do eye exams, we are happy to give you a recommendation.

Do you need a new eyeglass prescription or have a concern about your eyes? Contact our office to schedule an appointment Cliff or Sheila. In addition to prescription glasses, we also sell contacts, safety glasses, and glasses suitable for all outdoor activities and sports.

Sources:

American Academy of Ophthalmology: Recognizing and Treating Eye Injuries, 4/10/2023

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/injuries

American Optometric Association: Protecting Your Eyes at Work

https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/caring-for-your-eyes/protecting-your-vision?sso=y

American Academy of Ophthalmology: Digital Devices and Your Eyes, 12/5/2025

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/digital-devices-your-eyes

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Eye Safety for Workers, 2/4/2025

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ppe/eye-safety/index.html

Safety and Health Magazine: Safety Eyewear Fit, 2/20/2025

https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/26510-safety-eyewear-fit/

American Optometric Association: Computer Vision Syndrome