Whether you’re shopping for sunglasses or prescription eyeglasses, finding the perfect frames is key to helping you feel confident in the way you look. In addition, the right lenses can help keep your eyes happy and healthy. In this blog post, Los Angeles eye doctor Dr. Linda Vu offers a few tips for choosing the right pair of glasses.
Choosing Your Frames
Let’s face it, the glasses that look great on your friend may not look as great on you. This is probably because your friend’s face shape differs from yours. Here are a few pointers to help you in select a pair of frames that complement your face shape:
Round face: Rectangular, angular or oversized frames can offset the roundness of the face. Wayfarer and cat eye frames are also good options.
Square face: Frames with rimless edges or with soft lines can help soften the angular lines of a square-shaped face. Round, aviator and shield style frames are good options.
Heart-shaped face: Frames that are wider on top than they are on the bottom compliment heart-shaped faces. Consider purchasing cat eye, sports style or wayfarer frames.
Oval face: Square and round frames are both good options, so long as they are not too big or too small for the individual’s face overall.
Choosing Your Lenses
Which lenses are right for you? It depends on your individual needs. Consider the following:
Transition lenses are clear or nearly clear when indoors and darken automatically when exposed to sunlight. These are great for individuals who do not want to swap from prescription eyeglasses to sunglasses when they step outdoors.
Blue light blocking lenses block blue light rays (emitted by the sun and digital screens including TVs, computers and smartphones) from entering the eyes. Some studies suggest that over time, exposure to blue light is linked to long-term eye damage. Blue light blocking lenses are a good choice for people who work in front of a computer and who experience digital eye strain.
Polycarbonate lenses are lightweight and up to 10 times more impact-resistant than plastic or glass lenses. These lenses are great for athletes and children.
High-index plastic lenses are thinner and lighter than standard ones, and are especially beneficial for individuals with high farsighted prescriptions. Traditionally, farsightedness prescriptions require thicker frames, which sometimes create a magnified “bug eyed” appearance. High-index frames are thinner and create a slimmer, more attractive appearance.
Anti-scratch coating helps increase lens durability.
Anti-reflective coating eliminates reflections and increases clarity, especially at night.
UV-blocking treatment is important to protect the eyes from the sun, as overexposure to the sun has been linked to serious eye conditions. While polycarbonate lenses and nearly all high-index plastic lenses come with built-in 100 percent UV protection, certain plastic lenses do not and should have an added UV-blocking coating applied to them.
For more tips on choosing the right pair of glasses, or if you are interested in laser vision correction, schedule an appointment with Dr. Vu. Call (626) 382-2020 today.