How to Choose Your Glasses Frames

Even if you dread the thought of having to wear eye glasses, keep in mind that if you choose your glasses frames properly, they can enhance your best facial features while hiding your least desirable ones. Work with an optometrist to take a thorough assessment of the shape of your face, skin tones, price and prescription needs to reveal the best frame style options to make you look good while helping you see better.

1. Assess your face shape. Every human being has 1 of 7 types of facial shapes: oval, rectangle, triangle, square, diamond, round or pyramid.
   
   
   
   • Oval faces are longer than wide, have foreheads wider than the jaw and a rounded chin and forehead. People with oval faces can choose eyeglass frames with just about any style.
   • Rectangle faces consist of square chins on an oblong-shaped face that is longer than it is wide. Oblong faces look best when wearers have large, square-shaped eyeglasses with decorative edges and contrasting temples that add width to the face.
   • Triangle faces look like inverted pyramids with narrow, rounded chins and wide foreheads. Small round or square eyeglass frames with light colors or invisible top rims work best on this facial shape.
   • Square faces have strong jaw lines and wide foreheads in equal proportion to one another. Eyeglasses can reduce the angular appearance of square-shaped faces if wearers pick eyeglass frames with round or oval shapes, narrow widths and shallow depths.
   • Diamond faces are narrow on top and bottom. People with this facial shape have high, dramatic cheekbones, narrow chins, eye and jaw lines. The best eyeglass frames for this facial shape are those with attention-getting detail on the upper portion of the frames, such as diamond-encrusted cat-eye shapes.
   • Round-shaped faces have rounded chins and foreheads, with no angles. Round-faced individuals can add angles to their face by choosing eyeglasses with narrow, rectangular shapes that are wider than they are deep.
   • Pyramid faces have wide cheekbones and chins with narrow foreheads. To balance out facial features and create a wider forehead, choose top-heavy frames with attention-getting details above the lenses.
2. Look at your skin tone to choose a complimentary eyeglass frame color. Generally, complexions have cool tones or warm tones. Cool tones consist of blue or pink undertones while warm-toned skin has a yellow cast. Sometimes skin tones can be a mixture of both, such as olive. Choose eyeglass frames that match your skin tones.
   
3. Ask yourself if your hair color will remain the same throughout the life of your eyeglass frames. Hair colors fall into the 2 same general shades as skin tones: warm and cool. Choose eyeglass frames that work with your usual hair color choices.
   
4. Visit your optometrist to determine how much you will need to use your glasses. If you only need them for reading, you may want to invest less money on frames than someone who needs more durable glasses for all aspects of daily life.
   
5. Price eyeglass frames at other outlets besides eye doctor offices. Many warehouse clubs offer steeply discounted rates on eyeglass frames that you can purchase with any doctor's prescription.
   
6. Visit eyeglass store galleries to find the material that works best for your skin and lifestyle.
   
   • Plastic eyeglass frames are lightweight, cost-effective and come in endless varieties of color combinations. Modern plastics enable glasses to last longer than those from many years ago, but they are still easier to break than metal glasses.
   • Metal eyeglass frames come in hypo-allergenic, durable designs that are ideal for wearers who want an extremely lightweight frame. However if your prescription is strong, the thin nature of metal frames can make your lenses appear bigger.
   • Offbeat eyeglass frames are made in everything from bamboo to leather to gold. If your eyeglasses are meant to be more of a fashion statement than a vision aid, consider shopping at high-end boutiques that can offer these types of unusual designs.
   

How many pairs of prescription glasses do you own? 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore offers a special online eyeglass discount coupon each month. For the month of June, our goal is to provide you with glasses for every outfit. To get you started, we’re offering 30% off your first pair of glasses and a second pair for free.

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If you haven’t purchased new eyeglasses in awhile, your prescription may need updating. Each 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore location has an independent optometrist onsite who will be happy to check your eyes. Walk-in’s are welcome but remember to leave yourself approximately 15 minutes to fill out the required paperwork.