Statistics say that 75% of all adults in the US need vision correction. Most of them wear eyeglasses. They are mostly prescribed by doctors after an eye exam, but some of them are bought for reading at the drugstore without a prescription. Some people wear eyeglasses for everyday use and some wear them just for reading and/or driving. Choosing good designer eyeglasses isn’t an easy task. They are an important part of your life and they are quite visible on your face. They to be both functional and look good on your face. Here are 8 characteristics of good eyeglasses. (Image Credit: Freepik)
1. The Lenses Have to Be of Good Material
Picking good lens material is crucial to have good vision and being safe. There are different materials like glass, plastic, polycarbonate, and high-index plastic lenses. Glass lens had their glory days as they were the only material used before. They offer the best optics, but unfortunately, they break easily which is not very safe.
The plastic lens is made of plastic polymers, also called CR-39 which is the abbreviation of Columbian Resin 39. It was first made in the ’40s. It’s still a popular choice because it’s lightweight, inexpensive and still offers good optics. Polycarbonate lenses were first used in the ‘70s. It was made for helmet visors and safety glasses at first. Today, they are used for kids’ glasses because they are safe and withstand high impacts. The fourth type is High index plastic lenses, which were made specifically to be lighter and thinner than the CR-39 plastic.
2. They Block Harmful Blue Light
Blue light can be everywhere, but a lot of exposure to it can be harmful. Blue light waves are the shortest and the ones with the highest amount of energy. What that means is that it flickers a lot causing a glare that reduces visual contrast and affects sharpness, as well as clarity.
There are artificial sources of blue light like LED light, cell phones, and computer screens. Looking at them for too long can cause eyestrain and headaches. You can buy glasses that block the blue light from artificial sources, or you can get software for your computer that filters blue light. When you do so, test the glasses or software by conducting a blue light test which can be found online. There are plenty of tests to determine that your glasses are protecting your eyes properly.
3. The Frames are of Good Material
Eyeglass frames are either metal or plastic. The most affordable materials are stainless steel, which is a metal, and zyl which is a type of plastic. Most of them are lightweight, except for metals like aluminum and monel, and optyl, a type of plastic. All metals are strong and durable except for beryllium. The strongest plastic-type is blended nylon. Metal frames are generally corrosion-resistant except for monel. If you’re allergic to specific types of materials, go for titanium, monel, or cellulose acetate propionate as they are hypoallergenic. Generally, you should go for what is suitable for you, your budget, and the situation.
4. They Flatter Your Face Shape
Face shapes can be oval, round, heart, triangular, or square. You should choose the frames that flatter what face shape you have. If your face shape is square, you can go for rounded and thinner frames. They will be in harmony with your face. If your face is oval-shaped, the best option to go with is big bold frames.
A round face will look great with angular and geometric glasses to add some lines to the face. Having a triangular face makes D-frames and cat-eyes glasses perfect for you. Finally, the best options, out of many, for heart-faced people are aviators and D-frame glasses.
5. They Flatter Your Skin Tone
Out of all your eyeglasses, your favorite can be the one you chose thanks to its color. Picking the color mostly depends on your skin tone. There are warm skin tones, like yellow, bronze or gold. Cool skin tones have red or blue undertones. If yours is warm, avoid light colors like white and pastels. Black should be avoided too. You should go for flattering colors like beige, golden, brown shades, and olive green. If your face has a cool tone, pick colors like silver, black, blue, red, or mauve.
6. They Flatter Your Eye Color
You have the choice frames that match your eye colors or contrast them. If your eyes are gray, we don’t recommend matching them with gray frames. Pick bright colors instead because gray is a mild neutral tone. All colors can look great on brown eyes, you either pick dark colors or bright colors.
People with blue eyes can go with orange as a bold choice or natural colors like tortoiseshell or brown. Natural colors go well with green eyes too, but you can make a statement with gold, purple or red.
7. They Have Style and Personality
The type and shape of your eyeglass frame may depend on your personality and lifestyle. For one, if you work in a very strict and formal environment, you can’t get something quirky like cat-eyes glasses as they seem casual. The same applies to aviator glasses.
Your personality is another factor to consider. Your glasses are going to be your most looked at accessory out of all the things you’re wearing. You want glasses that convey what you want to say about yourself.
8. They Feel Comfortable
If your glasses are uncomfortable, it doesn’t matter how good they look. Go for glasses that feel right on your face. Carefully pick the right size frames and try them for a few minutes before buying them. Get lenses that don’t have glare issues and that can be easily cleaned.
Although it isn’t easy to pick the right glasses right away, it still shouldn’t be too complicated. You can consult your eye doctor to help you pick the right frames and lenses. Or ask the storekeeper about the difference between various types. Remember to spend your money wisely to pick what’s suitable specifically for you. Functionality is the most important aspect so if you can see well wearing them, then the glasses work perfectly. Looks come in second place so don’t neglect to look for ones that flatter your face and make you feel confident.
