Having been born in the middle of the Baby Boom, I am young enough to have most of my faculties intact, but old enough to foresee the Golden Years on the not-too-distant horizon. So I suppose I shouldn’t be aggravated when I have an occasional senior moment. After all, it’s just part of aging, a preview of what’s ahead. But it’s still aggravating, particularly when I forget where I left my glasses.

Luckily, technology is coming to the rescue. Several companies are introducing solutions designed to help people find their glasses.

One of the most intriguing is Tzukari, a brand of stylish, Japanese sunglasses that sell for $349. Tzukari frames have a tiny, solar powered iBeacon, licensed from Apple, sealed inside that sends a signal to the wearer’s iPhone via Bluetooth. The iPhone alerts you if you leave your glasses behind, and a special app shows you where you left them. The app will automatically send alerts at 16 feet, 32 feet and 50 feet, unless you clear the notification. It intelligently turns off alerts when you’re at home or at work. If you lose your Tzukaris, you can track distance to help you find them. If you go outside the 82-foot range, the app saves the last location you had them and can show you on a map. Tzukaris cost $349.

A modestly-priced alternative is Look, a portable eyeglass tracker developed by an Israeli start-up of the same name. The small, wearable device, which retails for $40, attaches to an eyeglass frame with adhesive tape. It uses Bluetooth technology to send a signal directly to a Look mobile app on the wearer’s iPhone or Android smartphone. Look can track glasses from up to 50 feet.

Finally, there’s Lens Friend, a one-piece magnetic clip made of a soft silicone that is designed to secure eyewear to any article of clothing or bag. This simple, low-tech solution costs $12.99.

I’ll probably order all three online, just to be safe. Now, if I can only remember where I left my credit card…

—Andrew Karp
  Group Editor, Lenses and Technology
[email protected]