Time Fighters
Amy Spiezio, Managing Editor

Whether you're at an amusement park, the theater, or on the job, it's impossible not to notice that the average age of people in this country is on the rise. Actually, it is easy to miss. Seniors and boomers today aren't aging like their parents. These folks are in a full-tilt battle with father time.

But no amount of skin cream or miles logged on the treadmill can prevent the natural effects of time on the eyes. People of a certain age, whether or not they appear to be a certain age, will most likely need vision correction. However, they will not accept geriatric styles. Some frame companies are providing this market with stylish options that meet their needs. High-end designers have adapted sophisticated styles to accommodate deeper lenses and keep long-time brand fans. Other traditionally senior-friendly lines have been updated to provide classic, but not crusty, looks.

Now the ball is in the dispensers' court. Your challenge will be to present these options to patients in the colors and shapes to flatter the senior face while helping them fight the good fight against aging.

Stat Box

According to the Administrations on Aging's (AoA) "Profile of Older Americans: 2004," this population group is
growing in the United States, and their life expectancy is on the rise, as well.

■   The older population (65+) numbered 35.9 million in 2003, an increase of 3.1 million or 9.5 percent since 1993.

■   The number of Americans aged 45 to 64—who will reach 65 over the next two decades—increased by
   39 percent during this decade.

■   About one in every eight, or 12.4 percent, of the population is an older American.

■   Over two million people celebrated their 65th birthday in 2003.

■   People reaching age 65 have an average life expectancy of an additional 18.2 years (19.5 years for
   females and 16.6 years for males).