Choosing Eyeglass Frames
Picking out eyeglass frames can be an exhausting and frustrating task. Knowing what you're looking for in advance, whether it's particular shapes and colors, materials that compliment your lifestyle or the latest fashions, make buying online much easier. Read the information below to save yourself time and the hassle of fumbling through stacks of eyeglasses at the optometrist or optical store. We've also included details about specialty eyeglasses, such as computer glasses and safety eyewear.
Frame Shape and Color
Your face shape makes a difference for the type of frame that will look best on you. Is the shape of your face round? Triangular? Oval? It can be really hard to tell without pictures of faces to compare to yours.
Your skin tone, hair and eye color can affect the type of frame that is right for you, too. If you have warm tones, you'll look nice in today's popular metal frames; cool tones are a good match with understated colors.
Not sure whether your skin tone is warm or cool? The color of your veins is a surefire way to tell what color frame would look good on you. Furthermore, your hairstyle is another matter to consider before choosing a frame.
Frame Materials
What exactly is zyl? Why is titanium more expensive than other metals? These are two of the most common questions about eyeglass frames. To clarify, zyl is cellulose acetate (commonly called just "acetate"), which is a type of plastic. Titanium is highly valued because it's both strong and lightweight, and many people are not allergic to this material.
Frame Fashion
While many may think that women's eyeglasses are more subject to fashion trends than men's eyeglasses, this is not the case. Seasonality, current color trends, what celebrities are wearing (and designing!), available materials, environmental trends and much more factor into what the "in" thing is to buy.
The designer eyeglasses available for both women and men can be fun and funky, with lines from Gucci, Eddie Bauer, Versace and more available both at optical stores and online. Celebrities have impacted frame fashion for years (think Tom Cruise's Ray-Ban sunglasses in Risky Business, or Jackie O's distinctive frames), but it can be difficult to track down exactly what celebrities are wearing. Certain websites, such as In Style Magazine and WhoWhatWear.com offer an opportunity for visitors to find out what their celebrities are wearing both on the red carpet as well as in the movies and on TV.
If you're shopping for kids' eyeglasses, the most important thing to know is that your child will not wear them if he or she does not like them. Here are some tips to give you a definite edge for choosing the top trends in children's eyewear.
Teens needing glasses for the first time often select frames based on current styles. It's important to keep in mind personal lifestyle and other factors when selecting frames for the first time. You can check the teen's eyewear section for the latest styles, trends and helpful tips on selecting teen eyewear.
Some teens will select contact lenses over eyeglasses and the latest trends suggest more and more teens are gravitating towards specialty lenses, such as color contact lenses and special effect contact lenses to give them more of a stylish look.
Think you know who invented eyeglasses? You may be surprised! A history of eyeglasses shows styles ranging from quaint to hilarious.
Specialty Eyeglasses
Many people find that they need special computer glasses in addition to their everyday glasses. For example, people who use bifocals have both near and far vision correction, but not intermediate, which is exactly where a computer monitor sits. Using proper computer eyewear can alleviate computer vision syndrome symptoms — which can include headaches, eye strain, eye twitching and blurred vision.
Both kids and athletes need glasses and protective eyewear that are very impact-resistant: kids because their world is very rough-and-tumble and athletes because of fast-moving balls and other dangers, such as needing ski goggles on the mountain.
Safety glasses are a must for anyone who works with power tools, welds or performs any other activity in which debris could fly into the eye.
Need More Info?
Your eye doctor or optician can provide further advice, or visit the Consumer Guide to Eyeglasses.