When buying a new pair of glasses, there are some important things you should consider, from which style suits you best to what type of lenses you require to see clearly. However, one of the biggest worries for people buying prescription glasses online is that, without professional help, their glasses may not fit well.
The way your glasses fit is definitely an important consideration. After all, glasses that are too big or too small not only will be uncomfortable and inconvenient, but they won’t look quite right. Luckily, buying great fitting glasses online needn’t be an issue. With these simple tips, it’s as easy as 1,2,3.
1. Check the size of your current frames
Already have a pair of frames that fit well? You may not realise it, but your old glasses will hold all the information you need to buy new ones. Check the inside of your frames (usually the arm or the bridge of the nose) and more often than not you will find a series of numbers, like this:
These numbers indicate the size off your current glasses and are usually broken down into three main numbers:
- Lens width – This is the width of each lens measured from the bridge to the outer edge. Lens width is usually determined by the frame style.
- Bridge width – The bridge width is the gap between lenses, above the nose. The bridge width is important because the wrong width could be uncomfortable; too tight and it could pinch but too loose and your glasses may slip off your nose.
- Arm length – This is the length of each side and should be long enough to sit over your ears comfortably.
Once you’ve found your measurements, the next step is to browse glasses online and find a pair that matches your current specs. On SelectSpecs this is easy, as you can use sliders to filter glasses by each of these measurements.
2. Find the right style for your face
Checking that your measurements add up is just one part of finding frames that fit like a glove. Another important consideration is all about the style you choose. It may sound obvious but the size and shape of your glasses should be in proportion to your face if you want them to fit well. So, if you have a petite face, try to avoid large, over-sized frames as small styles will work best. On the other hand, if your face is quite large, then wide wayfarer or rectangular glasses may be the most suitable fit.
If you want perfectly proportioned frames for your face, the most important thing to look out for is lens size. As a rule of thumb, the width of the frames should not be wider than the overall width of your face at the temples. Below is a guide to the best lens sizes to fit each face shape:
- Narrow face – look for frames between 42mm and 50mm
- Medium faces – glasses can range anywhere from 48mm to 53mm
- Wider faces – look for frame widths of 52mm and higher
TIP: For a comfortable fit, the top of your frames should be no higher than the line of your eyebrows and the lower edge of the frames shouldn’t rest on your cheeks.
3. Adjust to get the perfect fit
So your new glasses have arrived and they fit like a dream – almost. Even after careful consideration, some glasses will need a few tweaks to get the absolute perfect fit. This is true whether you buy your glasses online or not. If the arms of your new glasses are ever so slightly long or your nose pads are too tight, the best solution is to visit a local optician. Most reputable opticians will be happy to adjust your glasses to fit and the good news is that it only takes a few minutes.
Buying prescription glasses online doesn’t have to be a gamble. Follow these three tips and you can rest assured that your new glasses will fit like a dream.