WHO IS ZEISS VISION AMBASSADOR KENNETH HINES, JR?
Kenneth (Professor Hines) is a world-renowned photographer, who's been a partner and ambassador with ZEISS Camera Lenses since April 2019 and has a storied career for education in the importance of quality optics in photography. He brings that same level of care to his community with his new and quite unusual partnership with ZEISS Vision Care.
A partnership with individuals outside of the optometry and ophthalmology was unheard of for ZEISS Vision, but his ambition for education led him pitching the idea of partnership that discusses the importance of eyecare for photographers. In an ever-evolving world of technology and increased digital screen consumption it's vital that photographers be cognizant to their eye health and utilize proper eyewear that not only helps them see better, but helps minimize eye strain, headaches and more.
As a new ambassador for ZEISS Vision Care you'll get to come along with Kenneth, as he shares his journey about his eyecare journey and the technologies from ZEISS that provides him the best optics in his daily life, as a professional photographer and JIB camera operator.
WHAT EYE CONDITION(S) DO I SUFFER FROM?
I have myopia, or nearsightedness with astigmatism. Things that are distant are blurry to me, which makes it difficult to read text or see people's faces that are not extremely close to me while things/people that are close look perfectly fine! My eyesight also suffers more at night than during the day because of this (night myopia: low light causes my eyes to have more difficulty in focusing). Without corrective measures I suffer from significant eye strain, headaches and the need to squint to clear my vision for distant viewing.
This is why I looked to ZEISS Vision for my corrective needs, through my optical professional. Below you'll find the technologies my eyecare professional recommended from ZEISS' vast portfolio, based on my specific needs in how my daily work and leisure life are.
How Zeiss Lenses Helped Me Rediscover My Vision & Myself
Watch On-Demand →
WHY AM I SHARING THIS ON MY PHOTOGRAPHY SITE?
I'm most certain there are people questioning why this section resides here on my site. Many may find this to be irrelevant to them, but what I'm sharing here is probably more relevant to you than anything else here!
I'm sharing about my eye care journey so that you don't make the mistakes I did, such as waiting so long before doing something about my eyesight and obtaining solutions to help me see better and especially to resolve my eye straining and severe headaches I'd have that was because of my eyes!
Photography is all about us being able to see what we're photographing. Being encompassed in this digital age with such an increased usage of screens it can degrade the quality of our eyesight, and we may just ignore signs of problems we may be facing. I'm hoping that by my sharing this and being transparent on my struggles and measures I've taken to mitigate the programs can be helpful to someone else and provide information that's informative to where you can ask more questions to your eye care provider and discover alternative solutions you may not have otherwise known about, such as the most common one I've received since beginning this journey: that ZEISS also makes lenses for eyeglasses!
I'm not an optometrist or ophthalmologist by any means, but with the help of my eye care professional, ZEISS Vision and others within such fields I hope to educate myself more on best practices and the technologies available for my eye care and share with you, the community and provide information that can help others who may be in a similar place as me.
WHAT ZEISS TECHNOLIGIES & FRAMES DO YOU UTILIZE?
ZEISS SmartLife Lenses
These are available in Single Vision, Digital and Progressive options (I'm a Single Vision wearer).
For general everyday eyewear the ZEISS Digital SmartLife lenses was the solution recommended by my eyecare professional, to suit my extensive usage of digital devices from my mirrorless cameras to my mobile phone and tablet. For active eyes in a digital life these offer a seamless transition between digital screens and everything else around me, providing all day comfort.
I also wanted a solution that included self-tinting technology to eliminate the need for me having to switch glasses while out photographing in the city streets (to eliminate the risk of me accidentally damaging my glasses in some way during switching). ZEISS PhotoFusion X photochromic lenses provide fast light adaptation from clear to dark. They get just as dark as sunglasses and provide sunglass-level UV protection (when both clear or dark) and provide protection from glare.
These are also made with ZEISS BlueGuard, which blocks up to 50% of blue light indoors and up to 94% outdoors when fully tinted. ZEISS BlueGuard also helps me in combatting digital eye strain and headaches I would have from prolonged viewing of digital devices.
See how I photograph in the field with ZEISS SmartLife Lenses with PhotoFusion X technology, in the streets of New York City.
Watch On-Demand →
ZEISS Polarized Lenses
Have you ever been out in bright sunlight and had to squint to view something, because the sunlight was reflecting off of a surface too harshly, such as a car or water? This is where Polarized Lenses benefit you.
If you're a photographer like me then you'll understand why such lenses for your eyes are essential! In photography you have polarizing filters to reduce the reflections off of bodies of water or windows for instance. They also benefit in making clouds in your composition have more rich, vibrant colors.
ZEISS Polarized lenses do exactly the same task, reducing reflected light that irritates your eyes. They can help you see better through your daily activities - whether you're driving, skiing, relaxing at the beach, or playing sports. ZEISS Polarized lenses come in a variety of colors to suit your style and offer 100% UVA and UVB protection.
ZEISS Mirror Tints are included in one pair of my sunglasses (pictured above), allowing me to see out but people can't see my eyes (I love this, so people can't see my thoughts, ha!). I have the Diamond Mirror Tint, but you can choose tints with any color of your choosing! While being a great fashionable addition some tints are good for specific outdoor activities such as water sports and skiing.
My Current Eyewear
Surprisingly, many have been interested in my eyewear that I've been seen in for recent social content and public appearances around the world. Here's my current eyewear collection:
1. CUTLER AND GROSS SUNGLASSES // ZEISS Polarized Lenses + ZEISS Diamond Mirror Tint: Worn for any non-photography outings with majority of the day being spent outdoors.
2. CHOPARD SUNGLASSES // ZEISS Polarized Lenses: Worn for special outdoor, dressy events.
3. CHOPARD // ZEISS Digital SmartLife Lenses + ZEISS PhotoFusion X: Worn for any on camera recording productions, special + speaking events, and non-photography outings.
4-6. LOWERCASE & ZERO G TITANIUM (Matte Grey & Green Gloss) // ZEISS Digital SmartLife Lenses + ZEISS PhotoFusion X: Primary general everyday frames that are utilized for majority of my day-to-day activities and when at home or office and for viewing any digital devices.
All of my frames are from Michael Alexander in Larchmont, New York (35 minutes from Grand Central on Metro North).
ARE PREMIUM LENSES RIGHT FOR YOU?
I can't answer this for you, unfortunately. Many consumers don't have the means to spend hundreds on premium optics for their glasses and can only afford what their insurance will cover, I get that.
From what I teach with photography with the differences in kit lenses to premium lenses the same can be said with eyeglasses. The lenses you're wearing today will indeed serve their purpose and be fine for most, but on the other hand there are better options out there, providing a better experience in how you see!
I've always made the effort to utilize the best lenses possible for my cameras, so that the images I capture are the best possible result I can obtain at that time. This is especially important should I never have the opportunity to visit a location a second time. The same I apply to my eyewear. I want the best possible optics for my eyes, because they're the only set I'll have and I want to take care of them as best as possible. I can tell you all of what ZEISS offers, but the best thing I can ever say to anyone is to try them for yourself. If you take a chance and try them then you'll see what I see and understand why I've been a loyal user of ZEISS for my photography and now my eyewear for over 15 years.
Trusted Eye Care Professional
Find the best eye care is essential! I'm grateful for Michael Alexandar Optical Boutique in Larchmont, New York for providing me with a personable experience, fitting me with eyewear that works for me and suggesting the best lens offerings from ZEISS for my needs. If you're interested in an eye care professional that offers ZEISS lenses, click the link below!
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