Many of you know I’ve been a lifelong sports fan and athlete. So I’m excited to share these photos from my personal collection, taken at a 1959 exhibition all-star game in Syracuse, NY.

To celebrate the start of the baseball season, I thought it would be fun to have a contest with these photos!

THE DEAL:
The first three people to identify ALL the players in the photos will win a $50 Barnes and Noble gift certificate.

HINTS:
- 4 of the 6 players had distinguished major league careers.
- The least well known was the Orioles player.
- One of the players became better known as an announcer and TV personality, than for his baseball career.
- The boy in the sweater went on to be an urban optometrist.

TO ENTER:
Send your answers to garytracy@garytracyod.com

PHOTOS BELOW (Click on them to enlarge)

Artist, writer, performer, cartoonist, voice-over artist and illustrator Jane Gennaro has been seeing Dr. Tracy since the 1970s. Her work has appeared on TV, Broadway and venues worldwide. Jane spoke with our digital marketing maven (and long-time patient) Mitch Teplitsky recently.

How did you first meet Dr. Tracy?

I think we started chatting on the street. I was living on west 75th street. He was just opening his own place, so I came by.

I understand you left Dr. Tracy for a few years before returning?

I drifted… tempted by cheap frames and tawdry establishments, or overpriced frames and pretentious opticians, until technology changed the world and I woke up on this website [reading about John Lennon](http://www.garytracyod.com/john-lennon-optimetrist-looks-back) and realized how much I missed him. Gary, not John. Well, okay — maybe both. But Dr. Tracy is still alive and this girl’s got him back again.

Which frames are you currently wearing?

I bought these ultra-cool SAMA frames at Dr. Tracy’s, of course. They’re made in Japan like so much cool stuff when I was a kid, which makes my current frame of mind nostalgic.

I love that you cannot find “designer frames” with the designer’s signature emblazoned on the sides at Dr. Tracy’s. I once bought a pair at another opticians, but had to block out the logo with black nail polish so I could stand wearing them.

How would you describe Dr. Tracy?

Jimmy Stewart meets Ernie Douglas grown up.

What projects are you currently involved in?

I just reprised a villainous character called “The Ice Cream Lady” on an extremely violent video game… my visual art is hanging in the Museum of Imagination in Hudson, New York…and here’s some of my art framed by the windows at The Fashion Institute of Technology.

Read/see more of Jane’s work at janegennaro.com

I am pleased to announce a new service: digital retinal photos, thanks to the acquisition of a Topcon Digital Retinal Camera.

These photos provide a detailed analysis of your eyes, and help me to diagnose conditions like macular degeneration, glaucoma, tumors, diabetic retinopathy, and hypertension, earlier than ever.

Subtle changes that could be missed on a patient during a physical inspection of their eyes (due to apprehension, discomfort to bright lights, or inability to hold their eyes steady) can be more easily detected when viewed on a still photograph.

Another benefit: retinal photos are stored digitally to serve as a baseline record should changes occur later. Subtle changes in the appearance of the optic nerve are often the earliest way to diagnose glaucoma. The camera works with software that can accurately measure any part of the photo, to allow the ability to detect minute changes that may have occurred.

In answer to increasing requests and inquiries about Sunday availability: we will be open on April 22, April 29, and May 6 from 11am to 4pm. This will give you more opportunity to view our new lines of sunglasses and frames that were ordered at Vision Expo. Note: we will not be doing eye examinations on Sundays, but all retail and optical services will be provided.

Most of Dr. Tracy’s patients probably know that our favorite optometrist is fearlessly skiing the Italian Alps for the next 10 days. However, Dr. Joanne Ramirez is here to handle all your eye care needs. She was hand-picked by Dr. Tracy, and you know what kind of standards he has, so….you’ll be in very good hands.

Dr. Joanne Ramirez began her practice of Optometry in 2004 after receiving her Doctor of Optometry degree from the State University of New York College of Optometry and a B.A. in sociology from New York University. Dr. Ramirez is a native New Yorker and happy to provide her patients with exceptional eye care and the latest in fashionable eyewear and contact lenses. She has three sons.

I asked our style consultant Preet to recommend her favorite line for spring:

I love Ronit Furst frames, especially for this time of year! All the frames are hand painted in Israel, and come in dozens of colors and styles. They are so beautiful, bright and lively.

These are a great option for customers who want to make a statement. They are definitely attention grabbers, though softer colors are available if you prefer a simpler look. These have consistently been one of our top sellers, and we’ve just restocked for spring!

These days, we can can buy almost anything online, including prescription eyeglasses.

I understand the appeal. It’s so convenient and often cheaper to shop online. When I buy ink for my printer, a new CD, or book, I go online.

But customized and medical products, like prescription eyeglasses, are a lot more complicated to buy on the Internet. They have to fit precisely and adhere to rigorous medical and safety standards.

A study was performed at the Pacific University College of Optometry that analyzed prescription eyeglasses that were purchased over the internet. The researchers evaluated 154 pairs from the 10 most popular online retailers.

The results: Nearly half the glasses bought online had inaccurate prescriptions or failed to meet safety standards for impact testing (meaning they could crack or shatter.)

Even when the frames are well-made and accurate, eyeglasses should be evaluated and adjusted regularly.

I have seen that many people are not getting the best fit and prescription for their eyes — and often don’t even realize it.

For these reasons, I really encourage people to have their prescription glasses made by a trustworthy optician or optometrist, who will stand behind the product and help with future adjustments or problems.

Empower is a new line of progressive lens glasses featured recently in the Gadgetwise column in the NY Times. The frames use an electric current to “change the prescription on the fly.” My thoughts:

As an Optometrist in NYC since 1971, I’ve seen countless new ideas and products that promise to revolutionize eye care. Some make it to the marketplace and even revolutionize the industry, like Lasik Surgery or intra-ocular lens implants for cataract surgery. But many offer more promise than benefit.

I would like to take this time to thank everyone for the support and good feedback I have received this year. Thanks to you it has been my busiest year ever. I plan to add a retinal camera this year, which will provide the opportunity to document ocular conditions digitally, and provide a more accurate way to diagnose conditions at earlier times. We have added many new exclusive frame lines as well as non-prescription sunglasses during the year, and have our eyes on some great new ones for next year. Happy Holidays!