If you discover that you need to wear glasses, it is important that you take the time to choose the right glasses and frames for your needs. Choosing the right frames is about finding a look that is comfortable, which fits well and which enhances your natural beauty. Although your optician will be able to provide you with advice, the choice is ultimately yours. A huge range of different frames are available, including different colours, materials, shapes and budgets. Let’s take a closer look below.

How the Glasses Fit

Once your optician has ascertained what prescription you will need for your new glasses the next task is to help you to find out what fit you will need. Most glasses frames will include measurements which will tell you the lens diameter, the bridge width and the length of the arms. All of these measurements are normally written in millimetres. If you are trying to choose glasses without the help of an optician you can usually find the measurements of your current glasses by looking at the numbers printed on the arm of your current frames.

Well fitted glasses should sit comfortably on your face. If you choose glasses which are too tight and pinch your nose you may experience discomfort on the nose and you may even experience headaches when you have been wearing them for a long time. If the glasses are too loose they will not fit stably on your face and they may end up falling off when you look down. If you end up with a pair which is constantly slipping off of your face, this can affect your vision and comfort.

Choosing Glasses to Suit your Face Shape

Your face shape can affect which types of glasses look best on your face. Choosing the right shape of frame can help you to accentuate your best features and balance your face. To choose the most appropriate frames, you should first identify what type of  face you have. The easiest way to do this if you are by yourself is to look in the mirror (with your hair tied back if you have glasseslong hair) and trace around the shape of your face on the reflection.

If you have an oval face you will find that the majority of frame styles suit your face. If you have a rectangular face you might think about choosing glasses with a wide frame and a strong top line. Single colour frames are best. Do not choose small, square frames, because they can make your face look wider or out of proportion.

If you have a round face, choosing angular or geometric frames might be wise. Avoid round or oval frames, because these can make your face look rounder. If you have a square face with a wide jaw, avoid angular frames, as these will draw attention to your jaw. Conversely, oval frames will soften the jaw line.

Lifestyle Choices

When choosing new glasses, you should also think about your lifestyle. For example, if you spend a lot of time outdoors, you may want to consider getting glasses with reaction lenses. These prescription glasses normally have clear glass, but the glass darkens as the light becomes brighter. This can help to protect your eyes against the dangers associated with bright sunlight.

If you lead an active lifestyle (or if you are not the most careful of people) you can choose frames which will spring back into shape if they get bent out of formation. You may also be interested in having an anti-scratch coating put on your lenses to help to protect them. Although this will not make them completely scratch resistant, it can help to protect your lenses against minor scratches.