Letter from the Publisher, March 2016
Eyes have been a recurring theme in my life: my great-great-grandfather and great-grandfather were optometrists who gave eye exams in people’s homes on the Lower East Side during the turn of the century. My family still owns and operates Philadelphia Eyeglass Labs and Wink Optical, a chain of local optical shops that they founded over 125 years ago. In this issue, we hear from one of their best and brightest opticians about how technology is helping to bring greater clarity to how people see.
I spent several years working in my family business as an associate optician, helping patients choose their glasses and ensuring their lenses and frames fit properly. I was frequently surprised that the very act of looking into another person’s eyes, whatever your intention for doing so, brings you into an undeniably intimate exchange. The very same things that are in your own eyes—happiness, surprise, fear, pain—you see reflected back. In a mutually held gaze there is commonality, connection and communion.
In addition to being a reservoir of our emotions, our eyes also hold information about our physical well-being. The science of using the eyes to understand a person’s health is centuries old. Iridology, pronounced “EYE-rid-ology,” involves studying the iris of the eye for patterns, colors and other markers that can reveal, to an experienced practitioner, a wide range of information about the body’s needs and tendencies. Sclerology studies the whites of the eyes to understand overall health. This month’s issue features an introduction to these modalities and visits with local practitioners who specialize in them.
I hope what we are sharing shows you a new perspective—so to speak—with insights and information that will enrich your life during this month of March and beyond.
With you in awakening,
Karen
