Raphael Opticians

Specialties

Raffaele (Ray) Tedesco, licensed professional New York State Optician (Ophthalmic Dispenser) and Contact Lens Practitioner has been serving White Plains as a top quality optician for more than four decades. Ray believes that if you can’t wear a progressive power lens (no line multi focal) it is probably the professional’s fault who made them. Either a cheap brand was used or poor measurements were taken. Ray also has the answers for computer vision problems. Ask us about anything regarding lenses. E.g. UV, polarized, thin lenses, Transitions. Ray can diagnose problems created by dissimilar power lenses and correct them. Prisms (for double vision) are no problem for him. He will give you the straight dope about dealing with glare at night. He will tell you the truth about polycarbonate lenses and all other materials. Ray uses lenses by Zeiss, Varilux, Essilor, Hoya, Seiko, Pentex, Rodenstock, Shamir, AO/​Sola, KBCO, Coopertone, Kodak, Signet Armorlite, Vision-​Ease, Younger, Optima and Optical Distributor Group. We have a complete finishing lab on the premises so we can order lenses for your frame if it’s necessary. We also can affect most repairs while you wait. E.g. nose pads, temple tips, rimless mounting, screws, re-​stringing semi rimless frames. Soldering of metal frames is sent out.

History

Established in 1979.

This optical business has been on Mamaroneck Ave. since 1937. The original optician was Samuel Piser and the phone number was only 3 digits — 575. The business has changed hands 3 times over the years. Schoenig & Co in the 1950’s and then the House of Vision in the late 1960’s. At that time Raffaele (Ray) Tedesco was the store manager. Ray took ownership of the business in 1979 and it became Raphael Opticians. Ray has been providing optical services to White Plains for over 50 years.

Meet the Business Owner

Raffaele T.

Business Owner

51 years ago, on April 1962, at the urging of his father, a local youth placed an ad in the Reporter Dispatch stating «High School boy seeks part time employment». He told his father that the ad wouldn’t work, and his father replied, «If it doesn’t work, I’ll pay for the ad». The ad got six responses the first night. One was from a local optician on Post Rd, Homer-​Rich Opticians, and thus was the start of Raffaele Tedesco’s career as an optician. He worked there part time until he graduated from White Plains High in 1964 and then went to CUNY and earned a degree in Ophthalmic Dispensing. In 1966, he ran an eye clinic in Germany for the troops and their families stationed in Europe. In 18 months, he dispensed over 8000 pairs of eyeglasses. Except for those 2 years in the service. He has served White Plains as an Optician for 51 years. He has been the owner of Raphael Opticians since 1979.