You’re probably looking to buy some new glasses to spice up your wardrobe and protect your eyes from the many dangers our world provides. Still, you’re confused since there are many options and variants that you don’t even know what to buy now, from lenses to frames to hardware to all the different traits and features every pair of eyewear provides, the industry has a double-edged sword as it’s good to have many options but that gets the average person confused about what to choose as the best option. Still, there is no one best option for all people as glasses vary and depend on a person’s needs and environments, frames that would be perfect for sports eyewear are useless for a pair of smart glasses, and the same goes for a normal pair of classic sunglasses. Many frame styles exist for different shapes and sizes such as cat-eye glasses, oversized glasses, and aviator glasses, and many frame materials exist for different goals such as polycarbonate glasses, aluminum glasses, and acetate glasses, also many types of frames exist such as rimless glasses, full-rim glasses, and wireframe glasses. Before choosing the right frames for your glasses, you have to know all the different types of eyewear frames and what each type accomplishes for you, in this article, we’ll discover all the different types of glass frames, the different frame materials, and what would suit your personality best. Let’s hop in!
Different Glasses Frame Materials
Plastic Eyewear Frames
TR90 Glasses
TR90 is a thermoplastic material made in Switzerland that is widely used in different types of eyeglasses, due to their flexibility and lightweight, they are extremely comfortable and would suit all types of people, they’re durable so they can last for a while without significant damage and are very strong and impact-resistant making them ideal for all types of glasses.
Acetate Glasses
Acetate is a hypoallergenic material that minimizes allergies and reactions, it’s incredibly strong and durable making sure the sunglasses don’t break under any type of pressure, acetate frames are flexible offering extreme comfort and lightweight, they are considered a higher quality plastic material than other normal plastic eyewear frames.
Nylon Glasses
Nylon frames are perfect for sports eyewear and wraparound glasses as they’re extremely flexible and have incredible bending abilities, they are lightweight and strong making sure your performances are top-notch and elite.
Ultem Glasses
Ultem frames are made of thermoplastic material that is flame retardant which prevents burning and spread of fires, it’s perfect for high-heat activities and are very strong and rigid, ultem glasses are extremely durable making them a perfect choice for people with dangerous activities needing a pair of safety glasses.
Castor Oil Glasses
Castor oil frames can be used as an alternative to plastic frames as they are incredibly lightweight, castor oil glasses are environment-friendly and are a better alternative for your glasses if you want to support the environment, these frames are also very strong and durable making them a great choice for your eyewear collection.
Metal Eyewear Frames
Titanium Glasses
If you’re more into metal glasses than plastic glasses, then titanium frames might be ideal for you, they are extremely strong and durable allowing you a prolonged usage of the eyeglasses, titanium glasses are perfect for all prescription glasses and offer a lot of comfort and good flexibility for the user.
Stainless Steel Glasses
For a hypoallergenic pair of eyeglasses, stainless steel frames are perfect as they’re lightweight, strong, and durable making them ideal for long-term use for every type of person out there, they’re also an attractive option for your glasses making you look good while protecting your eyes from chemical damage as this material is non-corrosive and will minimize any allergic reaction you can have.
Aluminum Glasses
Aluminum frames are also a good option for people who want a sleek pair of sunglasses as they’re a good fashionable option, these hypoallergenic frames minimize reactions to allergies and offer a strong, durable, and corrosion-resistant pair of eyeglasses, they are also flexible for maximum comfort and can be continuously worn throughout the day with no problems.
Monel Glasses
For a sturdy and rigid pair of eyeglasses, monel frames are the most commonly used material in glasses as they are very strong and durable, and while they may cause allergies, eyewear brands manufacturing monel eyeglasses make sure they come with a specific coating to protect the user and ensure great comfort.
Flexon Glasses
A unique alternative to normal metal frames, Flexon frames are a premium option that offers amazing strength and durability making sure you’re well-protected from exterior factors, Flexon glasses are extremely lightweight and flexible allowing for maximum comfort and ease of use for the fellow user.
Different Glasses Frames
Full-Rimmed Frame Glasses
Full-rim glasses are equipped with a metal or plastic frame surrounding the whole lens, it’s what you capture a normal pair of eyewear to be, they are the most common glasses worn by people and the thick frame highlights your eyes and adds up to your attractiveness, full-rim frames can be made with every material on the industry, can match any style, and make sure you have a sturdy good-looking pair of eyeglasses.
Rimless Frame Glasses
Frameless eyeglasses are not equipped with a sturdy frame but they make sure you have a wider view while supporting your minimalistic look, they come in all shapes and sizes and are extremely comfortable and lightweight.
Semi-Rimless Frame Glasses
Half-rim glasses are not surrounded by the frame material, they’re the balance of both full-rim frames and rimless frames as they only cover the top or bottom part of the eyeglasses while the opposite part is rimless, browline glasses are perfect for readers as they make the act of looking down and reading easier, the sophisticated look is also perfect for intellectual people making a statement of your style and features.
Low-Bridge Frame Glasses
If you have a low-bridge nose, high cheekbones, or a wide face, the low-bridge glasses are perfect for you, these eyeglasses are made to keep frames from sliding down and avoiding frame pinches, they are comfortable as they sit firmly and tightly in their desired placement.
Wire Frame Glasses
A little different from full-rimmed frames, wireframe glasses offer a thinner metal frame fully surrounding the lenses, they are easily adjustable, come in a circular, vintage style, and are perfect for people who want retro eyeglasses, these eyeglasses are also comfortable and lightweight making them an ideal choice for your next pair of glasses.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are eyewear frames?
Eyewear frames are an essential part of your regular eyewear as their objective is to hold the lenses in their proper place tightly and neatly. They come in many shapes, materials, forms, colors, and sizes, and that heavily depends on the user’s intent and specifications.
- How do you measure eyewear frame size?
First, stand in front of a mirror and take a ruler to measure the distance between your temples (between the ear and eyebrow), make sure it’s in line and it’s in inches, then convert the result from inches to millimeters by multiplying it by 25.4 and there you go, you have your eyewear frame size.
- How do you choose eyewear frames?
Choosing eyewear frames is heavily dependent on your personal goals and specifications, first, you have to know your head shape and size as not all glasses will fit neatly with your measurements, and then you have to define your goal, if you want sports glasses then you need shatterproof frames, if it’s for smart glasses then premium metal frames are the go-to option, and if you want some good looking normal glasses then choosing frames such as acetate and nylon is great, you have to also take in the fact that you might need hypoallergenic frames if you’re allergic to some kinds of plastics, and to further solidify your taste there are many types of frames such as rimless and low-bridge frames, the options are endless and it’s up to you to choose the perfect eyeglasses for you.
- Can a new lens be put in frameless eyewear?
Yes, a new lens can be easily put in frameless eyewear, but you have to initially ask your optician if you have prescription lenses as not all lenses can be put in frameless eyewear.
- Can plastic eyewear frames cause allergies?
Unfortunately, yes, many materials can cause allergies to a person such as plastic, metal, and rubber, all of which can be found in your regular eyewear, it’s advised to choose hypoallergenic frames just to be safe for people who are afraid they might be allergic to such materials.
- How to clean plastic eyewear frames?
You have to be delicate and careful with your eyewear frames as they’re susceptible to many types of damage, make sure you use warm water and lotion-free soap to wash your eyeglasses frame then dry them with a microfiber cloth, rendering them clean and attractive again.
- Which eyewear frames suit your style?
There are many great brands for different styles and personalities, CRAP Eyewear for aesthetic sunglasses, RAY-BAN for a classic old-money look, COCO SONG Eyewear for a luxurious unique look, PAIR Eyewear for the productive look, and many other underrated and great eyewear brands that I made sure to cover in previous articles, make sure you check them out now.
Conclusion
Now that we have discovered all the different types of eyewear frames with great detail, it’s important to note that making the process simple is the best way to do it, having this many options and variants will prevent anyone from buying high-quality glasses, heck, turns me down sometimes as it’s too much work, the best thing to do in my opinion is to choose a couple of premium eyewear brands, stick to them and buy your regular eyewear from these brands, it’s no good to dig so much for a pair of glasses everytime you want to buy something new, do the hard work now and find yourself a couple of eyewear brands that perfectly suit your needs, I have already done the work for you and covered the best glasses in the market and the best eyewear brands out there, whether it be sports eyewear brands, classic eyewear brands, and augmented reality eyewear companies, I made sure to cover every one of them and all you have to do now is to check them out and pick the eyewear companies that perfectly suit your needs, make sure you bookmark this page now and use it as a guide everytime you want to buy new eyeglasses, it will help you out massively. If you have gained the necessary knowledge to get the perfect frames for your glasses, you must check out the different types of eyewear lenses as well, they’re the most important part of a pair of glasses and it’s essential to check out what best suits your visual needs, from the different lens materials to different coatings and treatments, I made sure to cover it all. You don’t want to miss it!
