The Clear Choice
How CustomEyez by TaraLee transformed my eyewear experience from a chore to a personalized, stylish journey
By Marian Pontz
As someone who had had to wear glasses by the time I was 3-years-old. As a small child, I struggled with the literal weight of those spectacles, as the lenses were made of glass. They were constantly slipping down the bridge of my nose and rubbing the skin behind my ears raw (especially during those sweaty summer months). They served as a neon light for bullies, in all honesty.
As a child, I never had a choice in my eyewear; my parents always chose the sturdiest – and usually the ugliest – of gear. In adulthood, as soon as I possibly could, I got myself fitted for contacts, and I wore those as often as possible.
When I stepped into possibly, occasionally, maybe wearing glasses again, I was surprised and overwhelmed by the selection now available. Plastic frames were now the norm, lessening the load that the bridge of my nose and ears had to lift. Since then, I have chosen and worn nearly every color and shape of glasses, from round to square and even octagon.
I shopped everywhere, from optical departments in big box stores, to the mall chains, to the trendy online ‘buy a pair, donate a pair’ models. The selection, though overwhelming, often felt all the same – offering only tiny variations and customer service reps giving you a tray so that you could continuously try-on frames with no fundamental understanding of what shape would work best, both for my face and my complex prescription. Sometimes, I lucked out, and the combo worked out; but, most of the time, it did not.
Then, about six months ago, I was lucky enough to compliment a pair of glasses being worn by a woman I met at a function. She told me, “You must go see TaraLee at CustomEyez.”
Rather than head to the mall or to one of those big box stores again, I took this stranger’s advice – and I am so grateful that I did. From the initial phone call to our in-person meeting at her private studio, I felt no pressure to just pick a pair of glasses already.
TaraLee creates a truly relaxed atmosphere. She asked me where I use my glasses – e.g. for what jobs, workouts, and recreational activities, etc. TaraLee got to know me through conversation, reached behind her desk, and brought out a pair for me to try on.
This pair was attractive and fit nicely – and they were probably the pair I would have bought in those other stores. But TaraLee didn't want me to settle. She wanted me to love my glasses!
Together, we tried on three more pairs, and throughout, she was watching me and my reactions to the frames. We ultimately settled on a pair of glasses, and then discussed what lenses to use. With my astigmatism, as well as my need for progressives and transitions, finding a lens that works as well for me as my contacts is rare. TaraLee ordered my perfect pair, and within a week or two, they arrived. I loved them right away – and told her this when she texted me the next day to follow-up.
However, after wearing the glasses for a few days, I was having trouble doing my job – looking at blackboards, my computer, and students. The prescription was working well enough, I thought, and I chalked the lack of vision crispness to my old age. But that was not good enough for TaraLee; instead, she ordered another set of lenses, at her expense.
It was an aha moment when I put those new lenses on. Everything was so clear, crisp, and comfortable. And my lenses are guaranteed for two years!
And so TaraLee’s promise that her private experience was different from any other optical shop held true.
TaraLee did not make me feel like a bother or a pest. I didn't wait in line for someone to simply tell me that the prescription was fine and I would get used to it. Instead, I was cared for like I had never been cared for before.
TaraLee knows her business; more importantly, she is also truly invested in her clients. I will never again walk into any other optical store. I will never again settle for an almost fit or a good enough pair of glasses.
I have been wearing glasses since the age of three, and will most likely wear spectacles for the rest of my life – but now I’ll be taken care of by TaraLee at CustomEyez. Thanks to her, I’ll be fitted with glasses that fit all of my needs – a little style and a whole lot of vision clarity. My glasses are the first thing people see on me, and with TaraLee’s help, I can seem a little cooler and a little more put together. Best of all, I can see clearly now, the haze is gone.
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