Selecting The Right Eyeglass Frames - What You Need To Know

So you went to the eye doctor and now you need to get a pair of eyeglasses. Your next step is going to be choosing a frame. You may be staggered by the selection you will be confronted with, but fear not, for this is a guide for that purpose.

Styles

The first choice is on the style of frame. Basically, there are three styles:

1. Fully rimmed eyeglasses where the rims go all the way around the lenses. This is more of a standard, conventional look and is popular in it’s own right.

2. Half rimmed eyeglasses where the rim only goes about half way around the lenses. These are also known as semi-rimmed or half rimless frames. These frames offer a more modernized appearance and are a bit dressier in most cases.

3. Totally rimless eyeglasses where the lenses are not encased by the rims at all. The side pieces and bridge pieces mount directly onto the lenses. This look is completely modern and up to date, but is not suitable for some types of lenses with thinner edges that may crack when drilled to mount the hardware.

I would also not recommend this style of eyeglass frames for people with a high degree of myopia: as edges are totally uncovered, even the thinnest types of lenses look thick and it doesn't make you look pretty.

Eyeglass Materials

Metal eyeglasses are extremely popular, therefore you'll find the widest choice in metal frames.

Titanium eyeglasses are very strong and durable and tend to last a long time.

Another metal that is commonly used is stainless steel, which is light in weight and good for those whose skin is prone to rashes and such.

Bendable frames are made from memory metal which allows them to take the original shape even after bending.

Plastic frames offer a much wider variety of colors, sizes and shapes to choose from.

Multi-colored frames can be easily created using layers of colors. The result is a more personalized type of frame that is durable and safe for all skin types.

Type Of Lens

I know this is about the frames, but I need to mention that the type of lenses you choose may hinder your frame selection.

The lenses can be either glass, plastic or the newer polycarbonate material. The poly lenses are lighter and thinner by far than conventional lenses. The thinner profile allows for more frame choices.

The thinnest and flattest lenses have an index of 1.74 which is about 50% thinner than conventional plastic with an index of 1.50.

Read more about eyeglass lenses here.

Shape of the face

Simply put, you should select a frame that is the opposite from the facial shape.

Round face = square or rectangular frames.
Rectangular face = round or oval frames.

It’s all about accentuation of the features. Sort of like a contrast.

Eye color

Take this into consideration before you choose any eyeglass frames. Again, select a frame that is a complimentary color to your eye color. For instance, if your eyes are green, you really do not want green frames unless you want to look like a Christmas tree all year round.

In conclusion, the best thing to do is go and try on the different types of frames. Try on different styles, colors and shapes until you find the one that best suits you. When you know WHAT looks good on you, consider buying eyeglasses online which could save you a lot of time and money.



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