Dr. Rob Diegel offers comprehensive and personal eye care for the whole family at Urban Optiks, located at 840 East 64th Street near Broad Ripple's Monon Trail.

A recent customer testimonial from www.yelp.com mentioned, "I can't say enough about my experience at Urban Optiks! In the past, looking for glasses has always been like going to the dentist. . . a dreaded affair. However, to my delighted surprise, Urban Optiks proved to be out of the norm. From their space, location and wide array of choice to Dr. Rob's expertise and intentional, yet laid-back style, I felt right at home. His job is an art and I like that he treats it like one. You can tell he wants the best for his customers and is willing to go the extra mile to make sure you're happy. Not only did I have a great experience, but also I am now the proud owner of glasses I absolutely love."

On visiting Dr. Rob, I first noticed the very unique modern building. Walking in, I wondered where all the eyeglasses were, as the walls were covered with local modern art from Lydia Burris and William Denton Ray. The glasses were kept dust free in the suspended drawers, also created by local architects, which freed the walls for art. He greeted me with a smile and offered a seat in mid-century modern Wassily chairs. On further exploring, I found Dr. Rob carried this theme into his exam room, where he saved a superior example of a moss green exam chair from certain demise. "Just as fashions look into the past for inspiration, so do the trends of architecture and furniture. Wayfarers and aviators from the mid-20th century still have a huge influence on the best styles of today. Tom Ford has some of the best current renditions of these popular styles," he noted. Dr. Rob was very excited to show me his old and very functional chair and stand, which matched to a tee his Herman Miller task chair.

"I love not having to hurry through exams and having time to really listen to patient's vision needs. My exams are comprehensive and include evaluation for eye disease, accurate eyeglass prescriptions and contact lens fittings of all types. Hi-tech instruments make it easier for both the patient and doctor, and include digital photos, auto-refraction and cornea imaging. The most common eye diseases screened for are glaucoma, macular degeneration, retina detachments, cataracts and diabetic eye disease," Dr. Rob explained.

He mentioned how often individuals should have their eyes examined: "Generally, an eye exam once a year is good. Children should have an eye exam by two years of age, and then a more thorough exam before starting school. For children, the sooner the condition is spotted, the better it is for vision development. If the brain has shut a weaker eye off, one can't develop depth perception which is important for judging distances while driving or even seeing 3D movies. People with health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension or high cholesterol should have their eye dilated every year," Dr. Rob advised.

"We provide eye wear styling, adjusting, cleaning, repairing, and warranty service for most brands and advanced problem solving for difficult prescriptions. Our easy adapt hi-definition progressive lenses also make a huge difference in reducing adaption difficulties and minimizing distortion. In general, we do not recommend featherweight polycarbonate lenses as they have the highest level of distortion of any approved lens material. This is one of the most commonly sold materials elsewhere. Also, polycarbonate requires using toxic materials compared to hi-index plastics. We try to use green technologies whenever possible," he added.

"We also specialize in various sunglass technologies for higher curved frames that many stores will tell you 'can't be done'. It is more difficult for sure, but custom lenses can usually be made," he said. "We have a market leading two-year scratch warranty on our lenses, and include this with all premium non-glare lenses. We also have very competitive pricing for the high quality of lenses that we use," he said.

In addition to families, Urban Optiks has eye ware for athletes, like bicyclists and joggers. "If we don't have a type of spectacle in our boutique, we can order it. Outside prescriptions accepted and checked at no charge if requested," Dr. Rob explained.

Chanel, Tom Ford and Ray Ban eye ware are among their eclectic designer frame selection. Eye ware can be adjusted and repaired on-site.

Urban Optiks is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is closed Sunday. Dr. Rob can also see patients either early or late hours by appointment when calling 255-3333. For urgent eye care questions or eye injuries, he can be reached at 456-2020. More information can be found at his Facebook page: www.facebook.com/urbanoptiks

Dr. Rob described how he chose his career. "I decided on Optometry when studying at Wayne State University in Detroit - the combination of optics, physics, fashion, and physiology fascinated me," Dr. Rob said. He earned a full scholarship based on merit at Wayne State, and continued on to the Michigan College of Optometry. After graduation in 1992, he worked in the Detroit area for well-known surgeons & retailers. In 2002, Dr. Rob opened his first office in downtown East Lansing called Eyes-4U and still currently sees patients here once weekly. In 2004, he purchased Urban Optiks in Northville, Michigan, a premier eye care boutique. After moving to Indianapolis, he sold this business and purchased Urbane Optical Village, formerly on Mass Ave.

"Broad Ripple is simply a dream come true for Kelly and I," Dr. Rob noted. We have met the kindest people and enjoy the art-driven community as well as all the fantastic independent businesses and restaurants. We are so fortunate to have landed in Broad Ripple Village. Thank you for welcoming us with open arms. We will do everything we can to give back to our neighborhood and to add to the Broad Ripple independent flair," he added.