Stuck for a Christmas present for a family member or friend?
Well, like beauty, a great gift is in the eye of the beholder and Optometry Australia, the peak professional body for optometrists has come up with 10 inspirational (and fun) ideas that not only “catch the eye” but will also help wrap up gift giving this festive season.
- Sunnies are a brilliant gift and Optometry Australia recommends always buying them from your local optometrist to ensure that they comply with the necessary Australian standards for our harsh UV radiation.
- To help keep glasses scratch free, how about a new glasses case – they come in all shapes, sizes and materials including cases that can be personalised with your own photographs, a bit of bling or some art. And keeping our glasses clean has become simpler with Peeps, a new cleaning gadget.
- How about some quirky socks that have the classic optometrists eye chart on them or, even better, your own personalised eye chart, using your own words.
- Eyewear jewellery? Once considered old school, glasses chains have made a stylish dash down the runway of time and are now one of the fashion accessories du jour. Mother of pearl, gold, silver, tortoiseshell, rhinestones, colourful wire – there is a chain to suit every personality.
- Are you, or do you know someone who is always losing their glasses? There are lots of clever ways to store and organise them – everything from special storage boxes for multiple pairs or display stands such as moustaches, sparrows, heads and even clay elephant stands hand-made in Peru for charity.
- Moving away from glasses-themed ideas, what about some eye cream to keep your eyes looking great? There are a multitude of choices available and in every price bracket possible from less than $10 to those in the hundreds of dollars.
- A little pillow of heaven could also be the answer – designed specifically to place across the eyes to help with relaxation, eye pillows come in all colours, fabrics and shapes.
- Or you could consider a cushion, plate, apron and the myriad of other decorator and clothing available with eye motifs - or you can make eye-themed fabric yourself!
- Books are a great gift at any age and for younger children The Flying Optometrist is a great little yarn written by Joanne Anderton which features an optometrist who travels in his little red aeroplane from his city-based practice to remote outback towns. It is widely available in bricks and mortar and online bookstores.
- Finally, Spot It is a colour matching game of cards that is great fun for little people. Similar to Snap, players match two cards with the same symbols in a game designed to test visual thinking and coordination.
Of course, one of the greatest gifts of all that you can give yourself is to have a comprehensive eye examination with an optometrist to ensure that your eyes are kept in top health.
To find an optometrist near you and more information about eye health, visit: www.goodvisionforlife.com.au
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Eileen Wood
I'm a senior news journalist at The Senior newspaper, the leading publication bringing targeted news on issues affecting older Australians. We cover NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, SA and WA. If you have a story idea I would love to hear it. You can email me: eileen.wood@thesenior.com.au or phone The Senior 02-4355-5000, mob. 0487 495 805
I'm a senior news journalist at The Senior newspaper, the leading publication bringing targeted news on issues affecting older Australians. We cover NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, SA and WA. If you have a story idea I would love to hear it. You can email me: eileen.wood@thesenior.com.au or phone The Senior 02-4355-5000, mob. 0487 495 805
