Choosing The Right Frame Size For Your Glasses | Vision Express

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Book appointmentHomeGlassesBuyers guideHow to choose the right frame

 

Choosing the right frame size for your glasses

Have you noticed some people that wear glasses have small indents on the sides of their nose? Or perhaps you’ve personally experienced an ache behind your ears that mysteriously goes away when you take off your glasses.

Both of these issues are common problems caused by glasses that don’t fit properly. Glasses that fit well should distribute pressure evenly to the nose, head width and ears. And of course, they should complement your face type as well. So how do you choose the right frame size for your glasses? Read on to find out how to measure the perfect frame, what sort of face type suits which frame, and also: what do those little numbers on your glasses mean?

How should your glasses frames fit your face?

So, what does a perfect-fitting pair of glasses look like? We’ve already established that you shouldn’t be getting small aches and marks if your glasses fit properly. There are a few other things you should look at when choosing the right fit:

• Proper bridge design and position are very important for a well-fitting pair of glasses. We’ll tell you how you can measure the bridge width later in the article.
• The width of your frames should not be wider than the width of your face at the temples
• The top of your frames should be no higher than the line of your eyebrows
• The lower edge of the frames shouldn’t sit on your cheeks otherwise they will start to rub against your skin and cause irritation

Finding the perfect fit online

Without a store attendant to help you, or being able to try on each pair to see how it looks, shopping online for a pair of glasses might be a bit unnerving but there isn’t much to it.

How to buy the same measurements as your current frame

All glasses frames have information printed on them about various frame measurements. You can usually find these measurements on the inside of the arms, or you might find your glasses have these values printed on the back of the bridge or the inside of the nose piece.

The first numbers we need to look for will always be in a sequence of 3, for example, 53-20-140. We can represent these numbers as ‘a-b-c’ in this article, just so it’s easier to understand. Sometimes there will be a small rectangle shape separating numbers ‘a’ and ‘b’, making them easier to spot.

The number on the left side of the rectangle, or ‘a’ in our sequence, is the lens diameter. It’s the length of the lens at its widest point, measured in millimetres. The number on the right side of the rectangle, or ‘b’ in the sequence, is the bridge width. This is the distance between the two lenses – the part that fits on your nose. As mentioned earlier – this number is really important for a well-fitting pair of glasses. Finally, ‘c’ is the length of the arms on your glasses. Just match measurements ‘a’ and ‘b’ to your new pair of glasses for a similar fit and feel.

Most online retailers should have these measurements available on their website. You can easily find them on the Vision Express website as well. All of the prescription glasses and sunglasses models we have featured online on our website contain measurements like bridge width, lens diameter, lens height, and arm length to help you choose glasses with the best fit.  

How to measure yourself for frames that fit perfectly

Perhaps you’re shopping online but are not sure of how to measure yourself for a pair of glasses that fit well. All you need is a ruler for taking measurements.

1. Stand in front of a mirror and hold the ruler in line with your temple
2. Measure the distance between your temples in inches
3. Multiply your measured value by 25.4 to convert from inches to millimetres

Now that you have measured your face, calculate the total frame width of the glasses you want. This would be a sum of both the lenses width (or ‘a’ + ‘a’ in our above example), plus the bridge width (‘b’ in our example). Your frame size can vary by +/- 3mm from your measurement. Simply choose a frame size that is around the length of your face.

What is the right frame size according to my face?

For small or narrow faces the ideal frame width would be less than 129 mm

Medium size faces can wear frame widths between 130 mm to 139 mm

Wider faces will find a frame width over 139 mm will fit them perfectly

Something to remember 

It is important to make sure whoever you’re shopping from has a return policy so that you can return glasses that don’t feel right. At Vision Express you can return items up to 60 days after purchase as long as you have the receipt and the glasses aren’t damaged. It might take a little bit of trial and error as sometimes measurements might vary according to different models.

By making some minor adjustments you can be the owner of a pair of glasses that are perfect for your face structure, but at the same time you won’t even notice are there.

 

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