BRIEFLY
Ziena Oasis is the best Rx-able moisture chamber for
women available commercially at this time. It's beautiful and very
well designed. It has a removeable silicone shield which makes a
very effective, practical, comfortable, and (perhaps most
importantly) discreet seal around the eye area. Cosmetically, this
is a big step up from the classic foam-lined sports wraparound
sunglasses which have dominated the 'moisture chamber' product
lineup for years.
MANUFACTURER'S DESCRIPTION
Ziena eyewear helps relieve the burning, itching and
redness caused by dry eye, without side effects or reactions with
other medications or treatments.
Clinical studies have demonstrated that sealed eyewear reduces tear
evaporation and increases overall comfort.
Ziena’s discrete silicone shield locks in moisture while blocking
out wind, glare and airborne irritants like dust and pollen.
Powerful micro-magnets hold the shield securely in place yet allow
for easy removal and replacement.
Frame Tech: Replaceable Shield
Rx Ready: Yes
Includes: Cleaning Cloth
Warranty: 1 year limited
REBECCA'S COMMENTARY
The Ziena Oasis is easily the best-looking moisture
chamber to come on the market yet, and I think the silicone shield
technology is tops. I am looking forward to additional frames like
it, including a men's frame and a smaller women's frame (both in
the works, as of December 2010 anyway).
The frame has a silicone eyecup
which attaches with several tiny little magnets. No foam. The
silicone is very, very delicate and as it approaches the face curls
under slightly. It forms a nice (not airtight) seal most of the way
around. It's extremely comfortable.
The seal is narrower at the top, so
there's a bit of a gap, presumably to prevent fogging. The
placement seemed counterintuitive to me at first but it works. For
me, the protection and moisture retention were very, very good and
I experienced no fogging whatsoever in a weeklong test. Since then
I've kept in touch with users and I know that it will occasionally
fog for others depending on activity and environment, so some users
may need to use anti-fog products just as with other moisture
chamber type products.
The lenses are larger than most
foam-lined moisture chambers (including most 7Eye and Wiley
products that have the deep eyecup) so the range of vision is
better. And while the silicone eyecup is
semi-opaque, it's clear/whitish and light comes through so you
don't get any of the tunnel-vision effect most moisture chambers
give.
All in all, the Ziena is real
design success. Few dry eye products come along that I really am
unequivocally pleased with but this is on that list. (Almost all of
the others are from Eye Eco.)
Frame size
This is definitely on the large-ish
side. Ladies who usually get small sizes may find it too large.
Feedback I'm hearing suggests that nose pads are a must to make it
stay in place better. If you order this and find it too large
initially, it may be possible to get it to fit better by having an
optician work with it and getting nose pads.
Frames, lenses and Rx
Please click on the tab to the
right to see all available frame/lens
combinations.
If you want the darkest lens, go
for Sharpview.
If you want a good outdoor lens but
not the darkest, choose polarized or standard
coloramp.
If you want to use these for indoor
or indoor/outdoor, choose Photochromic 24:7. NOTE: "Rose" is
pale pink at its clearest and then turns grey in full sunlight.
Looks best with the black frame, but I think it looks OK with the
tortoise as well, perhaps a little better in person than in the
photo (just my opinion).
These glasses can accommodate a
prescription up to -4.0 or +2.0.
If you need prescription lenses,
you have three options:
1. Call 7Eye and order it directly from them with
your prescription.
2. Call 7Eye and ask for a list of
dealers near you that stock Ziena. Go try it on and order it with
Rx from them.
3. Purchase the frame from me
(select Frame Only in the box for lens choice) and take it to a
local optician.
What it comes with
The frame includes one silicone
shield and a microfiber carry sack that doubles as a polishing
cloth. (No hard case.)
Silicone shield care and
replacement
Silicone shields need to be
replaced periodically. The initial manufacturer's recommendation
was 1-2 months, but based on my personal experience thus far, the
shields can last for many months. We recommend washing them very
gently in cool water with a little baby
shampoo.
One last note
Personally, I had some metal
allergy issues with the placement of the hinge on the earpiece.
(It's hinged further down than normal in order to accommodate the
silicone shield.) My skin is freakishly sensitive to metals and
even though the hinge just barely comes in contact with my cheek,
somehow it was enough to start causing problems after about a week
of wear. I have not heard of anyone else having that issue so far.
I am working on a solution to it for myself and will share it if I
come up with something I like.