When you're browsing the frame selection in your eye doctor's office and you notice the doctor's assistant sizing up your face and your frame selection, what exactly is he or she checking for?
We talked with Greg Jones, O.D., a VSP network doctor from Jamestown, N.Y., and his frame and lens consultant Kathy Parsons to find out what goes into a good eyewear choice.
Q: What goes into making a good frame selection?
Dr. Jones: First thing is, make sure the frames you choose are suited for your prescription. The doctor should make sure the frames will keep your lenses at just the right distance from your eyes.
Second, you want to ask: Do the frames fit the patient’s face? Are they a good, close, comfortable fit?
And finally, you need to think about the strength and look of the frames. What materials are in those frames and how durable are they? What about style? Will the patient walk out of there really feeling good about the way he or she looks in their glasses?
Ms. Parsons: Fit and durability obviously come first, but style is essential too – and it changes all the time. For example, we’re seeing a huge resurgence of plastic frames these days. It’s a fun, retro look that flashes back to the 1950s and 1960s. That look is quite popular with a lot of teenagers and people in their 20s right now.
Q: What affects the fit of the frames?
Dr. Jones: Their size is most important. You have to match the frames correctly to the face. But you also have to be sure that the nose pads fit snugly against the nose so that the glasses don’t slip, and that the temples fit the ear closely. I can’t emphasize it enough – you shouldn’t accept new glasses until the fit feels just right.
Q: What about lifestyle?
Dr. Jones: It’s extremely important. If you’re fitting frames on a person who’s very active, for example, then you wouldn’t want to pick a frame that’s thin and fragile. Instead, you might select a frame made of a stronger material that’s also lightweight; just right for somebody who’s really active.
Visit a VSP eye care professional near you to find the frames that fit you and your lifestyle.