Due for new glasses? Or are your current ones not as crisp as before? And wanting to buy frames online?
I wrote a review on Warby Parker's 5 Day Home Try-On, where you try 5 frames for 5 days (free!!!). It was a pretty cool experience and I got to find out what frame shapes I liked!
Figuring out frame sizes in-store:
After getting an eye exam, the normal routine is to pick frames. You can tell them that you don't want to buy yet, and that you just want to try some frames on. Or you can tell them you want to buy glasses online. Some might be nice and help you. Others might just give you a dirty look from afar. Either way, you're there to try on some glasses and get a feel for what suits you.
REMEMBER: take pictures of the frames you like! Especially from various angles. There will be 3 numbers on the glasses arms (i.e. 53 17 145)--definitely take a snap of that. This number could also be on the nose pads.
The numbers are:
53 - eye, length of the lenses (individually)
17 - bridge, the gap for your nose
145 - the length of the arm--the part that sits on your ear
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| High quality, I know |
The most important number for me is the bridge. If it's too big or small, the glasses will either stab me in the eyes or slide down my nose. Then, I look at the first number--the length of the lenses. If it's too small, your face may peek out from the sides. It depends on the look you're going for.
If you don't want to go into the store blindly, you can do some research online. Check out a few pairs of glasses you like and note their sizes (the 3 numbers). Then, go in the store and see how they look and fit. Note: even if some numbers are the same, if the frames are thicker/thinner, then they may look different. The key here is to get one that fits comfortably. Of course, also check out the shapes that you like and note down what you think about them!
Picture method: so you have the 3 numbers, but just in case, take a picture of the glasses up to your hand or arm. If you have a pen, mark the glasses from top to bottom (end to end, the part you touch when you put on glasses). Then, take a picture of the lens part, length and width.
When you're home:
Look at your current glasses. Take all measurements (lengths + widths) in
millimeters. For the total length, measure it from end to end. Make sure you note this. Then find the screws on the temples/arms, and measure from screw to screw. Note this as well. Finally, have the in-store frame measurements in hand. For the
picture method, measure your hand according to where the glasses were in the picture. If you used a pen, just measure between the lines.
Read up on how each site does their measurements, and use the ones you have accordingly. For example, Zenni and a lot of popular sites measure the total length from "screw to screw". If you did the
picture method and don't have the "screw to screw" measurement, you will have to subtract 2-3mm depending on how thick the frames are. There is no exact science, so be cautious and know that it will not be perfect. On the other hand, Firmoo measures from "end to end". So it is useful to have both types of measurements ready.
Tiny details:
My face shape is strange, so a lot of frames do not suite me. Here are some things that I took note of when I tried on various frames (as well as after I sealed the deal and ended up with not-so-good-looking glasses!)
Frame
- length too big/small (too wide or too narrow on my face)
- width too large/small (covered my cheeks or didn't cover enough)
- thick/thin (durability?)
- square/rectangular/pointed/rounded/straight/curved/sharp
- edges are too round/pointed/sharp
- top/bottom of frames is too straight or curved (some glasses have a "dip" above the nose bridge, others are straight across)
- covers eyebrows, sits too low, blocks eye (I prefer having eyebrows)
- bottom part touches face, sits too close to the eyes/face (think about makeup -- a line of missing foundation or mascara rubbing against the lens)
Nose pads
- too close/far from eyes (either sits on top of my nose or stabs my eyes)
- too high/low on nose (can I properly see through them without adjusting)
- slides easily (then it's too wide or narrow)
Browsing for frames online:
Have your measurements ready, and have an idea of what sort of sizes will be in the "safe region". For example, 17 is a perfect bridge size for me. Many sites have the option to pick that. But I feel like 16-17 would be just fine as well.
I've noticed after watching makeup tutorials that I have very little space between my eyes and eyebrows. Knowing this would have saved me from losing $6 and having a pair of useless glasses (firmoo.com review here) that look bad. But thankfully the customer service was prompt and refunded me immediately!
Firmoo, for example, will just show you the 3 measurements while you browse the styles. For others, you'll have to dig for them. Scroll through the different angles as you find frames you like, and check the description boxes. Some sites have the option to upload an image of yourself and try on glasses that way, but to guarantee the size actually fits like the image, check the numbers.
Other notes:
It took me a while, but I finally found a pair of glasses I liked. My measurements are 51-19-150. When I did my research, I wanted the eye part to be at least 55 or more so the glasses actually cover my entire face. However, the shape was perfect, so I settled on the smaller lens.
Plastic frames: the arms/temples will bend. So if the frames feel tight at first, they will loosen up over time. You can go to an eye doc to get them bent/adjusted to stop the glasses from sliding too much.
Nose measurement: if an eye doc is willing to adjust your glasses, then getting a larger bridge is ok. It can be changed. If the bridge is too small, then it will be harder to adjust.
Metal frames: these are a lot easier to adjust the temples/arms and the bridge. You can do this at home or ask an eye doc. However, know that these frames usually are very thin and do not hide thick lenses that well.
