Dr. Matt Barber wanted to raise the bar for eyecare in Fort Worth, TX when he opened CHROMA Modern Eyewear Eyecare in 2020.
He’s done more than just that. His modern and sleek practice has raised the bar for architecture in the U.S.
CHROMA’s stunning design helped make it the runaway winner of this year’s America’s Finest Optical Retailers competition. We – and our AFOR judges – weren’t the only ones to be captivated.
The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies recently bestowed Chroma Modern with a 2022 American Architecture Award.
Lead architect Bart Shaw of Ibanez Shaw Architecture in Fort Worth helped Dr. Barber create a truly remarkable space.
We quoted Dr. Barber in a previous article about the design of his building: “We are in the cultural center of Fort Worth with world renowned museums, and we needed to look the part.”
Mission accomplished.
You can read what The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design had to say about CHROMA Modern here.
Meta Continues Aggressive Push Into AR
It is hard to know what to make of the augmented reality eyewear market.
Is it going to be the next big thing? Will Meta, Facebook’s parent company, or Apple find a way to succeed where others such as Google (remember Google Glass, anyone?) failed?
Mark Zuckerberg certainly isn’t giving up anytime soon.
Meta recently completed an acquisition of Dutch company Luxexcel which specializes in smart lenses. The company was founded in 2009 as a prescription lens manufacturer.
According to the Luxexcel website: “Our 3D technology enables the new wave in wearables – it creates thin and light lenses, customized to meet the wearer’s optic requirements, and fit into everyday glasses or smart devices.”
Meta’s virtual and augmented reality division reported losses of more than $9 billion in 2022. Those losses are expected to increase exponentially in 2023.
(Want to understand the difference between virtual reality and augmented reality? Read this helpful explainer from PC Magazine.)
Middle Schoolers Gift Colorblind Glasses to Teacher
WoodTV8 out of Grand Rapids, MI posted a story recently that is sure to light up your heart.
Middle school history teacher Zach Wierenga was born red-green colorblind. He said it didn’t affect his day-to-day life too much.
“It’s not a big deal until I’m driving at night. I’m not sure if a blinking light is red or yellow. So, that’s really the biggest impact it has on me daily. I always ask my wife the night before if my clothes match. So, we’re good there,” he said in the article.
Ahead of the holiday season, his students from the small town of Vicksburg – located in southwest Michigan midway between Chicago and Detroit – took action. They started a GoFundMe campaign to buy him a pair of colorblind glasses so he could experience the full spectacle of holiday light decorations.
Wierenga was presented his new specs at a surprise gathering in his classroom. It was an emotional experience.
“Thank you doesn’t seem like enough. It was a life-changing moment for me. It just reaffirms that when I come here… it’s for the right reasons,” he said.
There is no cure for inherited colorblindness.
However, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology there are products on the market that can improve the distinction between some colors.