UNIQUE GLASSES & EYEWEAR IN INDIANAPOLIS
Ra Opticians is an independent optical boutique offering luxury eyewear, comprehensive eye exams, and expert frame fittings. We bring unique, handcrafted eyewear brands from around the world to Indianapolis.
FEEL SEEN
Our mission at Ra Opticians is to get to know you: Your wants, your needs, your challenges, your aspirations.
Through this process, we design lenses that help you see clearer and accomplish your goals with less effort, we fit your face with frames that are in harmony with your features and express the personal style you’ve always wanted, and we approach the holistic health of your eyes and vision knowing the big picture of your life.
Decades of experience in optical care and design have gone into selecting an assortment of independent frame collections that still craft by hand, design with their hearts, and care about their people.
We can’t wait to see you.
OPTICAL SERVICES
Fitting frames to your face is an art and a science. We’ve worked alongside the legends of eyewear design to learn the intricacies of fit and the bold edges of style. From subtly enhancing your understated vibe to finding an iconic design that will grab compliments from across the street, we will guide you through our selection of independent collections and explore your personal style.
Our brands include Mykita, Theo, Anne et Valentine, Garrett Leight California Optical, Mr. Leight, Tejesta, Cazal, District Vision and Caddis Readers.
Whether you’re ready to seriously upgrade your style, or you just want to try some stuff on, please feel welcome to drop by and check out our assortment.
FRAME STYLING
LENS DESIGN
With decades of advanced training at the ready, we will tailor your lenses to your unique lifestyle. Our approach begins with a thorough understanding of your needs, from work, to play, to hobbies. From there, we will make sure your lenses work as beautifully as they look. Whether you need a lens that prevents glare or computer fatigue, soothes the sunshine on a bike ride, looks as thin as possible, or helps you see near, medium, or far, we will come up with the perfect design.
Our House of Ra lenses feature digitally optimized vision, integrated anti-reflective treatment, 100% UVA/UVB ultraviolet filter, hydrophobic and oleophobic stack, an exterior scratch-proof hard-coat, and comes with a 2 year unconditional warranty.
VISION AND WELLNESS EXAMS
Our comprehensive digital eye exam is focused on comfort and precision. We start in our soothing pre-test room where we’ll analyze the anatomy and performance of your eyes with HD retinal video imaging, no-puff pressure testing, and VR visual fields testing. You’ll then move to our state of the art exam room for a consultation with a licensed optometrist to dial in your perfect prescription for glasses or contacts. Our optometrists work remotely using tele-optometry technology so they can guide the exam process in realtime, giving them more time and detailed data to asses your health and vision needs.
Our virtually assisted exam system also provides real-time voice translation in 16 languages and dialects, including Spanish, Chinese, and French, during remote eye exams. This allows for seamless communication between patients and optometrists, regardless of the patient's primary language
We do exams for ages 18-55. For us to see you, you need to have seen an optometrist or ophthalmologist within the last two years.
MEET OUR OPTICIANS
JESSICA RA
Jessica Ra can look at your face and instantly know the perfect pair of glasses to fit you with. Her passion for design and making everything beautiful, from the faces she fits glasses on, to her home and garden. Her optical journey began in Portland, Oregon where she started as an optician 20 years ago and eventually led her to managing stores, designing eyewear, and traveling all over the United States working for Garrett Leight California Optical.
Fun Fact: Jessica’s middle name Ra inspired the name of our shop. Her older brother named her Ra after the ancient Egyptian Sun God.
LYLE
In the last 25 years, Lyle’s optical career has taken him all over the world, from working as an optician on Broadripple Avenue and Madison Avenue, to eyewear design rooms in Berlin and LA, wholesale strategy camps in Antwerp, visiting glasses factories in France, Austria, and Germany, showing new collections at eyewear shows in Paris, Milan, New York, and beyond. It’s been his privilege to work with founders, designers, artisans, and absolutely legendary opticians and optometrists. His favorite part of his career? Opening Ra Opticians and fitting glasses with his wife Jessica Ra every day.
Fun fact: Lyle grew up on The Dime (that’s what us East-Siders call 10th street) just down the street from the shop.
NATHANIEL ALEX
Nathaniel Alex has always been fascinated by light, lenses, and the way we see the world. His journey began behind the camera as a cinematographer, using lights and lens to craft images with precision. Today, he brings that same creative eye and technical expertise to opticianry, tailoring eyewear to delivers both flawless vision and tasteful style.
Fun Fact: his Mom is an optician, so it runs in the blood!
JUNIPER
Juniper Ra (our tiny blue chihuahua) has been in the optical industry her 8 years of life and has visited optical stores all over the US and Canada. She loves to greet you with a bark or two when you come in and she is super friendly.
Fun Fact: she will say please if you offer her a treat from the jar on our dispensing bar.
OUR COLLECTIONS
They’re Independent.
They’re Handmade.
They’re Family.
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MYKITA
Berlin-based MYKITA is where minimalist design meets cutting-edge engineering. Known for its sleek silhouettes, patented hinge systems, and meticulous craftsmanship, MYKITA creates eyewear that feels as innovative as it looks. Each frame is handcrafted in-house at the brand’s MYKITA Haus, an independent production hub that fuses design, development, and manufacturing under one roof.
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GARRETT LEIGHT CALIFORNIA OPTICAL
Born on the sunny streets of Venice Beach, Garrett Leight California Optical captures the effortless spirit of California cool. Founded in 2010 by Garrett Leight, son of Oliver Peoples’ founder, the brand blends timeless design with a youthful, laid-back vibe. Each frame is inspired by the people, culture, and iconic landscapes of California, crafted with premium materials and refined detailing.
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MR. LEIGHT
Mr. Leight is a luxury eyewear line born from the partnership of father‑and‑son designers Larry Leight (founder of Oliver Peoples) and Garrett Leight (of Garrett Leight California Optical). They merge generations of craftsmanship into timeless, sophisticated designs, handcrafted in Japan, with meticulously detailed materials like titanium, acetates, and precious metal accents.
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TEJESTA
Tejesta is a design-centered eyewear brand based in Miami, FL, inspired by a diverse range of influences and driven by a vision to create collectible, wearable art. Our spectacles are crafted for those who seek distinction and quality, embodying the rugged spirit of the American West and the elegance of Art Deco.
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ANNE ET VALENTINE
Artful, intellectual, and irresistibly French-Anne et Valentin creates eyewear for the curious and the bold. Designed in Toulouse, France, each frame is a blend of geometry, color, and unexpected harmony, crafted to highlight individuality rather than conform to it. Rooted in artistic exploration and driven by passion, the brand celebrates self-expression through design. Anne et Valentin is not just eyewear, it’s a philosophy of seeing and being seen.
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THEO
Playful, provocative, and unmistakably avant-garde-Theo Eyewear is Belgian design at its most expressive. Founded in Antwerp in the 1980s, Theo was born from a desire to create eyewear that breaks all the rules. Known for its bold use of color, unexpected shapes, and artistic spirit, Theo frames are wearable works of art designed to spark joy and conversation. Made for individuals who thrive on standing out, Theo doesn’t follow fashion-it reinvents it.
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CAZAL
Bold, iconic, and unapologetically expressive-Cazal Eyewear is a symbol of luxury and individuality. Founded in Germany in the 1970s by visionary designer Cari Zalloni, Cazal redefined eyewear as statement art. Known for its distinctive geometric shapes, lavish detailing, and unmistakable hip-hop legacy, Cazal frames are instantly recognizable and revered by collectors and style connoisseurs worldwide. Designed for those who don’t follow trends-they create them.
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DISTRICT VISION
District Vision is a New York–based brand that combines high-performance eyewear with a mindful approach to sport and wellbeing. District Vision pioneered prescription sports glasses, creating the first Rx sports shields. Designed and engineered in Japan, their sunglasses offer advanced lens technology, durability, and lightweight comfort for endurance activities.
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CADDIS READERS
Caddis makes readers cool again. With bold shapes, premium materials, and blue light filtering lenses, Caddis reimagines reading glasses for a new generation. Designed in California and built to last, their frames are made for people who embrace every stage of life with confidence and character. No apologies, no invisibility-just great design for sharp minds.
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VERNON GANTRY
Vernon Gantry is a New York‑based eyewear brand founded in 2016 by optometrists Dr. Pauline Leong and Dr. Scott Tisdale. Their mission is simple: offer high‑quality, stylish frames at fair prices, sold exclusively through independent brick‑and‑mortar optical boutiques.
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VERNON GANTRY KIDS
Vernon Gantry Kids brings the brand’s modern, design-forward approach to the next generation. Made with the same care and craftsmanship as adult glasses, these frames are thoughtfully designed to fit young faces comfortably-without sacrificing style. Durable, lightweight, and undeniably cool, Vernon Gantry Kids frames empower kids to express themselves with confidence, whether in the classroom or on the playground. Eyewear for kids who already have great taste.
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First off, it’s pronounced ‘Rah.’ Like you’re cheering for something.
To us Ra represents light, clarity, and vision.
Ra is also Jessica’s middle name, given to her by her older brother after the ancient sun god.
When we started building this dream together, Lyle knew right away that it was also the perfect name for an optical store.
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An optician is the expert guide who helps you see the world more clearly and helps the world see you. We study the science of vision, but we also study people, the curve of a cheekbone, the spark of a personality, the small details that turn a pair of frames into an extension of your identity.
Why is it important to see an optician? Because glasses are not just medical devices. They’re portals to your clearest vision, and they’re also the most visible accessory you wear every day. An optician makes sure both are perfect.
Here, we don’t believe in “good enough.” We believe your frames should fit like they were made for you. That your lenses should sharpen the way you see, and your look should make you feel powerful, comfortable, and unforgettable.
That’s the heart of Ra Opticians: where science meets soul, and where every face tells a story worth framing.
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We’ve got a Mass Ave address, but our doors are on East 10th Street!
You’ll find us on the Westbound side of E 10th St. between Highland and Dorman Street, just east of the 65/70 overpass.
If you’re heading in from downtown, take a left on Brookside, park in the first parking lot on the left, and walk west on 10th street to our doors.
If you’re heading toward downtown, you can try and score one of the spots right in front of our doors!
Parking is FREE.
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We have a Mass Ave address, but our entrance is on East 10th Street. Parking around our shop is FREE, because that’s how it should be! There are seven spots in front of our shop on Westbound E 10th Street, and two huge parking lots off Brookside Avenue for Factory Arts District. The nearest parking lot is next to Centerpoint Brewing Company.
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Ra Opticians is located in the historic Factory Art’s District in Indianapolis once home to Schwitzer Car Factory, a key innovator in Indy 500 racing.
The building itself is repurposed 500,000 sqft factory with soaring ceilings, original industrial details, and a raw beauty that reflects the spirit of creativity and reinvention.
Now a hub for over 100 artists and makers, the building comes alive every First Friday with art openings, live music and community energy. It’s the perfect home for Ra Opticians, a place where design, culture. independent businesses, and vision all come together.
You’ll find us steps away from a local brewery, vintage bowling alley, bike shop, Pilates studio, and some of the cities best new restaurants.
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It’s fairly common knowledge that most of the optical industry is owned and controlled by one huge corporation. They own most eyewear brands, those optical stores in the mall, those other ones in the strip malls, the lens companies, the optical insurance companies… Yikes.
At Ra Opticians, we choose to support independents still standing strong across the globe. Theo is still owned by the Belgian family that started it. Anne et Valentine is still crafted in the Jura region of France in eco-friendly factories. Mykita is handmade in Berlin - they still feed the crew lunch together every day. We’ve visited the manufacturing facilities, witnessed the quality of life of the workers, and seen the creative and qualitative benefits of smaller, craft-oriented design and production.
For us, the choice is easy.
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We can check your vision benefits, show you exactly what it covers, and file your exam, glasses, or contact lens claims. Your insurance will mail you a reimbursement check directly.
Whether you have insurance or not, come see us and we will find a higher quality pair of glasses that fits your budget.
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Yes we do! We can run any Health Savings Account credit card and provide the medical invoice needed to document your purchase.
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We can work with any valid prescription from a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist.
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Walk-ins are always welcome, but an appointment will ensure the least amount of wait time.
If you’d like to make an appointment at a time that’s not shown on our scheduler, please reach out to us and we’d be happy to accommodate you at (nearly) any hour.
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Our specialty!
Complementary glasses adjustments anytime. We can do most repairs within reason. It’s best to bring in your glasses for us to evaluate and we will get you fixed up!
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Your contact lens fitting needs to be performed by an optometrist in person. Since we use remote doctors, we can’t do that.
We CAN update your existing contact lens Rx if the fitting is current, check your fit, and we do sell contact lens supplies.
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