Site for Sore Eyes Berkeley: The Eyes (and Eyewear) Have it for the Oscars

“Hooray for Hollywood,” is this weekend’s mantra at Site for Sore Eyes Berkeley. We are gearing up for the annual Academy Awards (or Oscars).

As has been the case for the last few years, there are nine nominations for Best Picture. Those of us at the Berkeley store who are avid movie goers have compared notes, and have noticed an interesting coincidence among the nominees. Can you guess what that is? That’s right…eyewear, which is everywhere in today’s nominated pictures.

Many people go to the movies and notice the acting; some notice the cinematography. Others may take note of costume design. While we appreciate all of the creative aspects that go into movie-making, we were amazed at the fact that so many characters in these nominated films wore eyewear of some kind or another. (What can we say other than it’s an occupational preoccupation.)

Since many films were period pieces, let us start with “12 Years a Slave.” This film is based on the harrowing true-life story of Solomon Northup, a nineteenth century African American who is kidnapped from his New York home and sold into slavery in New Orleans. Featured in this film is Paul Giamatti, as a villainous slave trader who wears a pair of very old-fashioned spectacles.

Fast forward to the twentieth century with “American Hustle,” a caper flick that is loosely based on an FBI sting operation in the late 1970s, featuring the motley trio of Christian Bale as a con artist (sporting a pair of tinted aviator eyeglasses), Amy Adams as his partner in crime (looking cool in round tinted shades), and Bradley Cooper as a hip FBI agent (in aviator shades).

 “The Dallas Buyers Club” (set in 1985) tells the story of Ron Woodruff, an AIDs victim-opportunist-activist (Matthew McConaughey), and his unorthodox and questionable methods to obtain medication for this disease. He forms a profitable but awkward business partnership with a transgendered lady named Rayon (Jared Leto). Sunglasses seem to be the one and only accessory that these two have in common.

Now, we go onto the 1990s, with Martin Scorcese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street.” This biopic chronicles the rise and fall of superstar stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonard DiCaprio, reveling in Ray-Bans) and his partner in finance (and fraud), Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill, looking smart in round tortoise shell eyeglasses).

Going from the color, glitz and excess of “American Hustle,” and “The Wolf of Wall Street” we journey to the heartland of “Nebraska.” This black-and-white film focuses on Woody Grant (Bruce Dern in rimless spectacles) and his quest to claim what he believes is a Mega Sweepstakes Prize. Trying to look out for Woody is his long suffering wife, Kate (June Squibb in rectangular-framed eyeglasses).

Another story of an independently-minded senior who is on a mission brings us to England, where we meet “Philomena” (played by Dame Judi Dench in sturdy, sensible eyeglass frames) who is tirelessly searching for her long lost son. A down-on-his luck journalist (Steve Coogan), who is helping her in this quest, learns of how interesting a human interest story can be.

For something completely different, meet Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) a writer who gets by wearing non-descript horn-rimmed frames in “Her.” These frames portray that Theodore is smart – and smart meets system (as in operating system by the name of Samantha). Human being and cyber soul develop a bond…

Drama on the high seas navigated to the screen this year with Tom Hanks (in wire-frame specs) in his portrayal of real life naval hero “Captain Phillips.” Taking place aboard an unarmed container ship, Captain Richard Phillips runs the gamut in everything protecting his crew, battling pirates, and even being held hostage in ransom negotiations.

From the vastness of the ocean, we conclude with a journey to the vastness of outer space, where fellow astronauts Sandra Bullock and George Clooney (sporting helmets that were no doubt equipped with very sophisticated Google Glass-types of visual devices) traded snappy chatter while watching each other’s backs in the suspense adventure, “Gravity.”

So…what are your picks for this year’s Best Picture winners? Thanks for reading. Keep your sites on healthy vision, and enjoy the Oscars telecast!

Site for Sore Eyes Berkeley: Midwinter Happenings

Today, we’d like to feature some of the events that are going on around town this weekend.

If you don’t have immediate dinner plans for tonight, and have a taste for Latin dishes, you may want to pay a visit to La Peña Cultural Center (which is a short distance from us) at 3105 Shattuck Ave. At the “Tapas & Paella Pop Up Dinner,” enjoy an eight-course family style meal of everything from tortillas, paella, pollo…and more. Admission price is $25.00, and you may call 510-849-2568 to reserve your space, or order tickets by clicking here. And remember, the presentation of these delicacies is an equally enjoyable part of the dining experience, so if you wear glasses or contact lenses…well, you know.  Oh yes, dinner is at 7:00 PM, so if you want to attend, call or go online for reservations – soon!

Music was revolutionized 50 years ago this month when four young men from England visited America. John, Paul, George and Ringo – The Beatles – have, and will, remain cultural icons. Tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 PM, Berkeley will host its own homage to George (“the quiet Beatle”) as the International Society for Krishna Consciousness presents “A Tribute Concert to George Harrison.” Located at 2334 Stuart St., this event combines music with a meal (the vegetarian feast known as Prasadam), as George’s life, music, and his interest and involvement with the Hare Krishna movement is celebrated. For more information and to purchase tickets (which are $20.00), call (510) 540-9215.

As February is Black History Month, we highlight yet another concert which takes place on Sunday at 4:30 PM. Jazz vocalist Kim Nalley (who is also a doctoral student at the University of Berkeley) will present a history lesson through song and commentary on African American life, from the age of slavery to the Civil Rights Movement and beyond. The Freedom Songs concert will be held at The Jazz School at 2087 Addison St. Tickets are $15 ($12 for students and seniors). You may call (510) 845-5373 for reservations, or order tickets online here. An inspiring and educational night is in store.

We have pointed out before that while February may be the shortest month of the year, there is still no shortage of things to do and places to be in Berkeley. Whatever you choose to do this weekend keep busy, keep safe, and (above all) keep your vision strong.

How Do Your Eyes Give You Away?

Can you feel it? The love that is in the air! Today is Valentine’s Day, which means that couples all over will be taking their loved ones out on special or romantic dates. Whether you head out to a fancy restaurant, stay in for a romantic home cooked meal, or go on an exciting adventure, you’ll want to make sure that everything goes just as planned. But (as we all know) there is always opportunity for things to go wrong. Imagine this – you are enjoying a nice sit-down dinner when all of a sudden, your date releases a firing squad of questions at you. Questions you might not have been expecting to answer, such as, “How is my cooking?” or “I know you love me, but do you really love my mother?” or “What do you think about a summer wedding?”  (The last question could be even more dangerous if you aren’t even engaged yet!)

You may be able to remain cool under pressure and produce a crowd-pleasing answer with body language that will follow suit, but did you know that while you are answering these questions the “right” way, your eyes could be giving you away? We have come up with a list to help you prepare yourself for what your eyes could be doing to give you away – when under pressure this Valentine’s Day.

Pupil Size: The most well-known of your eyes’ involuntary actions is the dilation (opening) and miosis (constricting) of pupils. When faced with an object or person you love, the size of your pupils will increase. On the contrary, when faced with something you despise or are disgusted by, your pupils will contract. Your pupils will also constrict when you are in a stressful situation.

Eye Twitch: While some may attribute a twitchy eye to extreme distaste or dislike of something, there are actually hundreds of known causes of eye twitching. Everything from stress to too much caffeine to a lack of potassium in your diet can cause one or both of your eyes to twitch. So, if your eyes start twitching, don’t take it as a sign of negative body language. Although that might be the cause, there could be other things that are the cause of it as well.

Angled Eyes: Many detectives and interrogators will make sure to pay attention to this next one. Studies have shown that when a person is telling a lie, they tend to look up and to the right; while when they are telling the truth, they will look up and to the left. Now, this isn’t true for everyone. The direction someone looks all correlates to how they deal with information. Many people even look down when they are dealing with answering a more emotional question.

Blinking: When reading or daydreaming, the average person tends to blink less (usually 8-21 blinks per minute, while at rest). When someone is under pressure (or even lying), his or her blink rate is known to increase dramatically. They may blink normally while lying, but their blink rate will speed up around 8 times faster than usual after they finish telling a lie. Bill Clinton was said to have blinked over 92 times per minute during his deposition. (Think he was under a lot of stress?)

Rubbing Eyes: If someone asks a favor of you and you don’t necessarily agree with doing it, make sure not to rub your eyes. This sign is more related to body language than your eyes, but either way, it shows that you are clearly uncomfortable with the request just made of you.

Eye Contact: Did you know that when someone is lying they tend to make more eye contact than usual? It’s as if they are looking deep into your eyes to see if you are buying their story. If someone makes eye contact for longer than two seconds without breaking (while answering a question) you can be sure they may be hoping you won’t see right through their lies.  

Glazed Over Eyes: If you are enjoying your meal and are in the middle of a drawn-out saga about Jim from the office and how he is your least favorite person – and you notice your date start to look far to the side or half close their eyelids, you might want to think about saving the rest of your story for another day. This “glazed over” look is a telltale sign that they are bored and are starting to shut down some of the input to conserve their energy and brain power. If you want to avoid doing this, make sure to keep your eyes wide open and your attention directed right at your date.

After reading this blog, you can probably think of at least one time in your life (if not within the last week) where you experienced each of these involuntary eye movements. Fear no more, for you are prepared to combat any “involuntary” eye movements you or your date may show this Valentine’s Day. So when your wife asks you if you really like her mother and wouldn’t mind her staying with you next month, make sure not to blink too fast, rub your eyes, make too much eye contact, or look up and to the right when you answer. You might also want to take precautionary measures, such as buying a nice big bar of dark chocolate for your date. Did you know that dark chocolate can help improve your vision and sharpen your brain?

If you need help finding more ways to improve your vision, pay a visit to your local Site for Sore Eyes store! Our eye care experts can assess your current vision and make recommendations to help you improve it! On that note, we leave you with wishes of a happy and romantic Valentine’s Day.

Winter Eye Safety

As you find yourself right in the middle of winter, you may be trying to fit in one final trip before the skiing and snowboarding season is over. Whether you are a parent planning a weekend trip for your family, or a college student going on a day trip with your friends – before leaving, you should make sure you have taken the proper precautions to protect your eyes while navigating the slopes!

Although the amount of UV rays that reach the earth’s surface during the winter is much less than in the summer, snow can reflect up to 80% of all UV rays on a sunny winter day. This is huge when compared to the 10% of UV rays that are reflected by grass and the 15% reflected by dry beach sand. According to the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital, intense exposure can temporarily harm the eyes, producing “snow blindness” or photokeratitis. This can increase the risk of an individual developing sunlight-related eye disorders (such as cataracts) later in life.

An individual suffering from “snow blindness” may not experience symptoms for six-to-twelve hours after sun exposure. The most common symptom is the feeling of sand in one or both eyes. Other symptoms include tearing or watering of the eyes, bloodshot eyes, uncontrollable eyelid twitching and eyelid pain. Photokeratitis is caused by the inflammation of the cornea when exposed to the sun’s UV rays. “Snow blindness” has been known to cause temporary loss of vision, permanent vision damage and even the temporary swelling shut of eyelids.

If you find yourself suffering from “snow blindness,” remove yourself from the sunlight into a dark room and allow your eyes to rest. If you are wearing your contact lenses, remove them and make sure to not rub your eyes! If pain persists, make sure to seek medical attention! Your eye doctor may prescribe eye drops to help ease the pain of the inflamed cornea.

Don’t worry, though! Photokeratitis is completely avoidable. All you need to do is make sure you have the right protective eyewear on before going outside. If you are going to be out hiking or walking around in the snow, look for a pair of dark, polarized wraparound sunglasses. These will help block the UV rays that could be coming from any direction. If you will be skiing, snowboarding or tubing, look into a pair of goggles. Most goggles are polarized and have a reflective tinting that will block the harmful UV rays that are reflected from the snow. The walls around the goggle lens will also protect you from the cold and wind, keeping your face much warmer!

Winter eyewear has become sort of a fashion trend and an accessory, in addition to being an eye safety precaution. Consider the 2014 Winter Olympics that will be kicking off tonight in Sochi, Russia. Brands like Oakley have sponsored Olympic athletes including Shaun White and Jamie Anderson, who will sport their protective goggles. Oakley even has its “Team USA” collection of sunglasses and goggles available for purchase on their website. 

If you have any questions about choosing the right pair of sunglasses or goggles to help protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, don’t hesitate to talk to the eye care specialists at Site for Sore Eyes Berkeley. They can help you choose the right pair of eyewear for the winter sporting activity you are looking to partake in!