Distinctive Eyewear

If you’ve been on the lookout for a different kind of optical experience, then you might want to visit Distinctive Eyewear in North Royalton. They feature hundreds of unique frame choices and even make and service their own glasses. Find out how owners Dr. Jennifer Mentessi and Judy Mileti can make your next exam a real eye opener.

By: Beth Newcomb
Date: 09/10/2008
If you focus on the name brand, how can you be sure the glasses you’re wearing look good on you?” asks optician Judy Mileti. Judy along with optometrist Dr. Jennifer Mentessi, are the owners of Distinctive Eyewear in North Royalton, one of the most successful optical stores in the Greater Cleveland area.

“We don’t carry frames with designer labels—on purpose,” explains Judy. “We want our customers to have access to unique styles that nobody else is wearing. Most of the time, you can’t find the eyeglass frames we carry anyplace else and nobody can match our quality and selection. We have more than 600 styles in stock at any time.”

When you visit Distinctive Eyewear, don’t expect the self-serve shopping experience more commonly found at a big box shop—they wouldn’t hear of it. “We’re not order takers. We do the styling for you,” she insists.
With more than 20 years of experience in the industry, Judy instinctively knows exactly what frame styles will perfectly complement your face and then brings a selection to you while you relax in the warm and inviting retail area. “When a customer is purchasing frames, everyone gets involved in the process,” Judy smiles. “Most men love the attention and women appreciate the input.”

Judy attends tradeshows in Las Vegas and New York to check out the latest styles then she makes sure to order what she knows other optical stores in our area don’t carry.

It’s just one of the things that makes Distinctive Eyewear “distinctive.”

A little over five years ago, Dr. Jen and Judy were seated next to each other at a chamber luncheon and quickly learned that fate had intervened in both their lives. “We just started talking and discovered that in addition to working in the same field, we both wanted to move in a different direction,” Dr. Jen remembers.

“We decided over dinner a few months later to go into business together. Everything just clicked.”
Distinctive Eyewear has grown to include three staff members and one additional optometrist—Dr. Jean Orehek. Both Dr. Jen and Dr. Jean offer comprehensive eye exams that include a thorough health history, a check for cataracts and eye disease, and an adjustment to your eyeglass prescription, if needed. “I always demo a prescription change before the glasses are made so the patient knows exactly how they’ll be seeing and we can make adjustments if necessary,” Dr. Jen explains.

Through the American Optometric Association’s InfantSEE Program, Distinctive Eyewear offers complimentary eye evaluations for children ages six months to one year. “There are a number of important reasons to get your baby checked at such a young age,” Dr. Jen insists. “Retinoblastoma—cancer of the eye—needs to be discovered during the first year of life. We can also make sure the eyes are aligned properly and look for signs of congenital cataracts, congenital glaucoma and amblyopia (lazy eye).”

It’s something she’s passionate about, which is why there is no charge for the service. “Every child should have their eyes checked. I make sure to tell all the expectant moms in our practice about the program. It can be a life saver,” she stresses.

Should an exam result in the need for new glasses, or an adjustment to your current prescription, Distinctive Eyewear offers something most optical places don’t—they make their own glasses. “We also service everything we sell on site,” Judy adds. It’s a huge advantage to those who want to save time and money by shopping locally.

“Having three licensed opticians is a real plus. Everyone is good at what they do which is dressing faces. Our customers are our best form of advertisement and we do everything we can to make sure they have an outstanding experience with us,” Judy promises.

Distinctive Eyewear is located at 5690 Wallings Road next to Drug Mart in North Royalton. You can reach them at 440-877-2020. Hours are Monday and Thursday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Visit their gorgeous website at www.Distinctive-Eyewear.net. They gladly service outside prescriptions.

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