Those who are active throughout the day should look into break and scratch resistant frames. This will minimize how often you have to get the frames repaired. It is also advisable that you pick frames with a warranty. Free or discounted repairs are a must for the active glasses wearer.
Round face. With this shape, look into more toward square and rectangular frames that will make your face look slimmer and longer. Avoid frameless, oval, and circular frames. Oval. Pick frames with a strong bridge, and avoid large frames that will make your face look small. Square. To offset the angularity of your face, tend toward rounded or round frames. Diamond. You may not want to accentuate your narrow forehead, so don’t pick wide frames that call attention to this. Opt instead for small, rounded frames. Heart. To minimize how large your forehead appears compared to your chin, pick frames that sit low on the nose. This makes the center of your face seem lower.
Plastic or synthetic. These frames are often designed to be hypoallergenic, meaning they are less likely to break out your skin. They also have a wide price range. A few examples are cellulose acetate/zylonite, cellulose propionate, and nylon. Metal. Metal frames vary, as far as skin allergies are concerned – some are hypo-allergenic, but others may break you out. Examples are titanium, stainless steel, beryllium, and aluminum. Other/natural materials. Wood, bone, and horn do not usually cause skin allergies.
For warmer skin tones, stick with tortoise, browns, and dark green over white, black or pastel colors that contrast heavily. For cooler skin tones, look for more stark colors like black, white, and bright colors. The more brownish hues will contrast with your skin tone.
If you only use your glasses minimally and at home, you may not feel the need to have a big insurance plan. Determine if you need to be able to get your frames repaired for free when comparing costs.
Eye. This is the width of each lens, from its outermost points. Bridge. This is how far apart each lens is. Temple. This is the length of the piece that tucks behind your ear. B measurement. This is the height of each lens, measured from its highest and lowest points.
The easiest way to measure PD at home is with a picture. Hold an item you know the dimensions of (like a pen) directly under your chin. Take a picture in the mirror and get out a ruler. For example, if the pen was 5” (or 127 mm) long, and appears 1” (25. 4 mm) long in the photo, you know the ratio of photo measurements to actual measurements is 1:5. So, if your pupil distance was a half inch in the photo, we multiply that by 5. This number gives us the pupillary distance – 2. 5”, or 60mm.
