Our Roots
Impactz Eyewear, Inc. was created in response to concerns of athletes and coaches who currently use protective eyewear in lacrosse and field hockey. Their concerns were overwhelmingly unanimous. It was clear an innovative product was needed that addressed those concerns while at the same time, met or exceeded the established testing standards for each individual sport.Impactz Eyewear, Inc. sets high standards for its products. From concept to final product, the process is a complex intermingling of design, materials, manufacturing, and testing. The result is protective eyewear that offers value, convenience, and fashion.
Our Criteria
In order to meet the demands of today's athletes, we created a set of criteria that we thought were essential in the development of quality protective eyewear for sports.SAFETY: the product had to pass all certification tests required for impact and optical requirements of the lenses according to ASTM 803 for individual sports.
SUPERIOR IMPACT LENS DESIGN: The lens is made of impact resistant polycarbonate, optically adjusted for a better view, and has been treated with a state of the art hard coating for improved scratch resistance. A brand new, state of the art fog resistant coating has also been added. Built in air spaces also reduce fogging so fogging has virtually been eliminated. The Field Master 1 lens is ideal for outdoor sports as the tint allows whites and yellows to stand out sharply against green grass and artificial surfaces. It's a true advantage on the field or turf. And a true advantage over bars and visual obstructions.
CONVENIENT REPLACEABLE PARTS: parts must be easily removable, re-insertable, and replaceable. This includes the strap, the lens, and the padding.
COMFORT & CONTEMPORARY STYLE: This is a must. Wrap style, fashion frame colors, tinted interchangeable lenses, streamline look, minimal weight, soft padding.
It's a balance of function and design brought to you with foresight, insight, and perspective.
Our "Sporting" Philosophy
Impactz Eyewear, inc. was also created in response to a need for contemporary, high quality, protective eyewear for athletes of different sports. When we design protective eyewear for sports, many issues are taken into consideration. The primary focus is safety. All products are tested and meet the specifications of ASTM 803 (American Society for Testing and Materials - ASTM.org), the national guideline for Eye Protection in Selected Sports. Impactz Eyewear has been a sub committee member of ASTM F803 since it's creation in 2002 and actively parcipates in the development of new sports eye protection guidelines.Impactz Eyewear, Inc. also considers each sport unique. The diameter of a field hockey ball, 75 millimeters, is not the same as the diameter of a lacrosse ball, 64 millimeters. Nor is the density or rates of travel the same. The field hockey ball compresses very little during impact , while a lacrosse ball becomes egg shaped and squeezes through small openings. Different sticks and different techniques are used to accelerate these balls during play. All these factors must be taken into consideration when designing eyewear appropriate for each sport.
We recognize that the visual demands and the required protection for sports are different. Some sports are played outdoors in the bright sun, while others are played indoors under fluorescent lights. The surface for outdoor sports is often green with a blue horizon while the interior of a racquetball court is often bright white. Balls are different colors: yellow, white, orange. And although visual tasks that the eye and the athlete perform are the same across sports, the visual conditions and protective requirements for these sports are different. In response to these changing environments, Impactz Eyewear, inc. has purposefully created a user-friendly system of snap on/off lenses and a Sports Grille for different lighting conditions and changing weather conditions so that the athlete can choose and interchange the appropriate lens or grille at the appropriate time.
And as important as performance is to today's athlete, so is style. Sporty "wrap" is in, boxy metal cages and bars are out. Progressive designs and stylish elements compliment the athlete. Colorful frames and interchangeable tinted lenses are premium options for fashion conscious sports enthusiasts.
Today's athletes need choices for the unique sports they play.
The People
Elizabeth A. Ryan O.D., PresidentThe founder and President of Impactz Eyewear, Inc., Dr. Ryan founded Impactz Eyewear, Inc. in November 2002 and serves as its President. Dr. Ryan is also currently the task group leader of ASTM F803, Eye Protection for Selected Sports, and has a major role in the research and development of new and appropriate standards for eye protection hoping to better serve the athlete and the sport.
Dr. Ryan is a 1984 graduate of Smith College, receiving a bachelor's degree in biochemistry. At Smith, she competed in both lacrosse and field hockey, earning selection to the North East College Field Hockey First Team for four years and participating in the National Field Hockey Festival and the Olympic Developmental Camp Program. In 1988, she graduated from the New England College of Optometry with a Doctor of Optometry Degree. She has been in practice for seventeen years in Western Massachusetts. Dr. Ryan now concentrates her practice in primary eye care, including diagnosing refractive disorders, fitting of contact lenses, and diagnosis and treatment of ocular pathology. Two others areas of practice specialties are refractive surgery, and the management and treatment of ocular trauma and disease. Dr. Ryan is a certified operator of several lasers used in LASIK and other refractive and therapeutic procedures. Dr. Ryan also serves as chief clinician in a correctional setting, where the treatment and management of ocular trauma is common. Dr. Ryan served on the Safety Education sub-committee for the Women's Division of US Lacrosse in 2002 until she resigned to devote time to developing new protective eyewear for sports. She directs and coaches a youth field hockey program, and officiates women's lacrosse at all levels of play, youth to Division I College level. She also is the chairperson of the Western Massachusetts Lacrosse Officials Council and the education chair of the Massachusetts Society of Optometrists Western District.
Currently, Dr. Ryan is adjunct faculty at Springfield College, instructing students in the Physician Assistant Program. She has lectured at both the North East Conference of Correctional Healthcare and at the ASTM International meeting. Dr. Ryan is a member of the American Optometric Association, the Massachusetts Society of Optometrists, US Lacrosse, the US Field Hockey Association, and an active participant in ASTM sub committee F803, Protective Eyewear for Sports.
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