Frame Fit Guide Helping choose the best frame to suit you

1. Material Guide

Eyeglass Frame Materials

Eyeglass frames are made of many different composite materials and formulas, but the basic groupings are metal and plastic. In plastics, zyl is the most common although lower quality plastics are used in the cheaper frames. Nylon is often used in sport sunglasses due to its impact resistance and flexibility. Among the metals, Monel is most common, followed by titanium, stainless steel, nickel silver and aluminum.

Zyl (Cellulose Acetate = sheet stock plastic) and Cellulose Proprionate (injection molded, liquid plastic) eyeglass frames.
Zyl is the most common plastic frame material because it can assume a large array of colors, textures and patterns. Temples and frame fronts can be cut from blocks of zyl extruded as a sheet of block acetate. Or, granular zyl can be liquefied and then injection molded. Block-cut zyl is stronger and more stable, while injection molded zyl is less stable and less expensive. With daily use in warm temperatures, zyl can shift and lose its form. Sometimes metal cores are added in the temples in order to strengthen and stabilize the frame.

Monel eyeglass frames
Monel is composed of about two-thirds nickel and one-third copper. This highly ductile alloy can be hammered into a variety of different shapes without losing strength. It resists stress well and is often use to stabilize frame bridges and endpieces. Monel colors well, is corrosion resistant, and durable.

Titanium eyeglass frames
Titanium is extremely lightweight, strong, flexible and will not rust – making it a very popular and relatively new material for eyeglass frames. Frames that are 100% titanium are also “hypoallergenic”—they do not contain any nickel, which causes allergic reactions in some people and are a good choice for you if you have allergies to any of the materials used in making frames.

Hypoallergenic eyeglass frames
Some people have an allergic reaction to certain metals, especially nickel and certain plastics, which are common components in materials used to make eyewear. Hypoallergenic frames, such as titanium frames, do not contain such materials. A rash or discoloration of the skin as well as the frame itself may be a sign of an allergic reaction to a particular metal in the frame. Green or black discoloration is the most common as the the ph in the oils of the skin react with metal.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is comprised mostly of iron, with a mixture of nickel, manganese, and chromium. Stainless steel is highly lustrous, and makes a good thin and sturdy eyeglass frame with strong corrosion resistance. Stainless steel temples are especially springy.

Memory Metal (FLEXON)

Memory Metal is a trade name for flexible frame material used in order to reduce breakage. It is normally found in the shaft of the temple and in the bridge, and it allows these areas to endure tremendous twisting without breakage or permanent distortion of the frame’s shape.

Nickel Silver

Sometimes called "Alpaca" or "German Silver", nickel silver is rigid compared to other more malleable metals. Nickel silvers contain more than 50% copper, 25% nickel, and the rest zinc (no silver at all).

Although the metal is lustrous, its brittleness makes it a poor choice for slender frame fronts and nose pads. Thus, it is better designed for use in hinges, endpieces, bridges and ornamental trims, as well as an inner core for temples.

2. Frame Shape Guide

There are three keys to choosing the correct eyeglass frame for your face shape:
1. The frame shape should contrast with your face shape
2. The frame size should be in scale with your face size
3. Eyewear should repeat your best feature (such as a blue frame to match blue eyes)

There are seven basic face shapes: round, oval, square, oblong, heart-shaped, triangle and diamond.

Round Shaped Face

Eyeglass frames that are square or rectangular tend to be wider than a round face. This quality can enhance your face by making it appear slimmer and longer, all while adding balance to your round features. The most important thing to keep in mind when choosing glasses for round face shapes is to look for frames

Oval Shaped Face

The oval face is considered the ideal shape because of its balanced proportions. To keep the oval's natural balance, look for eyeglass frames that are as wide as (or wider than) the broadestpart of your face. Geometric shapes like squares or rectangles are among the most popular for oval faces.

Heart Shaped Face

A heart-shaped face is widest at the forehead and gradually narrows through the jaw. When selecting a frame, ensure the width is slightly wider than your forehead for balance. A modified wayfarer shape and styles with detailing on the lower portion works great for your features

Triangle Shaped Face

A triangle face is widest at the jaw and gradually narrows through the forehead. Brow line or cat eye frames work great with your features. Choose frames with detailing on the upper portion and ensure the width is slightly wider than your jawline for balance.

Diamond Shaped Face

Diamond-shaped faces are narrow at the eye line and jawline, and cheekbones are often high and dramatic. To highlight the eyes and bring out the cheekbones, try frames that have detailing or distinctive brow lines or try rimless frames or oval and cat-eye shapes.

Square Shaped Face

Eyeglasses that soften the angularity and sit high on the bridge of the nose look best on square faces. Oval or round eyeglasses will balance and add a thinner appearance to the angles of a square face.

3. Color Guide How to pick the best glasses color for your features

When analyzing which color frame is right for you, there are three key factors to keep in mind:

Skin

All people have either a warm (yellow-based) or cool (blue-based) coloring
Everyone looks best in his or her own color base
Eyewear color should complement personal coloring

The main factors to determine the best color palette are the colors of the skin, eyes and hair.

Eyes

Eye colors are usually a secondary element in determining coloring because of the wide range of eye colors. For example, blue eyes can range from a cool almost violet to a pale blue-gray, which is warm. Brown eyes can vary from a light cider shade (warm) through a medium-brown to a cool almost-black shade.

Hair

Hair colors are also considered warm or cool. Strawberry blonde, platinum, blue-black, white, salt-and-pepper and certain shades of brown are cool. Warm hair colors include golden blonde, flat black, brown- gold, red, and warm gray.

Eyeglass Frame Colors

Once you have determined if you are "warm" or "cool," then you can find the eyeglass frame colors that will suit you the best. See the color chart below to determine where certain shades fall in the spectrum:

4. Frame Fit Fit Guide Using Pupilary Distance (PD)

From petite to big and tall sizing, the apparel industry has proven that there is a significant need for more custom fit options. Standard Optical believes in providing eyeglasses that are tailored to the needs of the consumer and has a number of brands with additional sizing options available.

Using PD to determine fit

Pupilary Distance (PD), which the optician must measure (Smart Mirror or PD ruler), is not a perfect indicator of head size, but most of the time if you have a big PD then you are probably going to need big glasses. Likewise, if you have a small PD, you’re probably going to need small glasses. Keep in mind though that predicting fit from PD is not an exact science. The PD of an average adult male tends to be in the mid 60s, and the PD of an average adult female tends to be in the high 50s to low 60s.

5. Multiple Pair for Multiple Solutions Lens selection is the next step and the most critical step in designating which and how many pairs the patient needs

It’s important to take frame style, material, size and color into account when deciding which pair will be designated as what. The everyday pair should be the best fit, most agreeable color and the more popular pair. When thinking about sunglasses you may want to choose a titanium or memory metal, whereas with a simple back-up pair, you might go with a stainless or nickel alloy frame, since it’s not an everyday pair.

Computer and occupational frames should take into account what the usage will be and related features like spring hinges, cable temples, etc. Typically, you can choose larger frames with wilder colors for sunglasses since they won’t wear them 100% of the time, and it’s often fun to have a mix of zyl and metal to accent ones eyewear wardrobe. Good luck and happy frame selection!

Everyday Wear

This should be the favorite and most wearable. All aspects of frame selection are important with an everyday pair. It must fit, compliment facial features and look cool.

Back-up To Everyday

Often can be a simple basic pair and should be in a different material than the everyday pair. Should compliment features but also a contrast to the everyday pair.

Sunglasses - Rx or Plano

Should consider larger frame fit and more wild color schemes. Face coverage should play a role in the selection as well as functionality of the lens and the frame. Take a risk here.

Occupational / Office

Comfort and functional features like spring hinges might be more important than color scheme here. Should be light and comfortable such that it can be worn during work hours - 8 hour day.

Readers

Comfort and durability is the focus with readers since one might put them on and off frequently. Spring hinge and smaller lens size unless you need a progressive. Can be a wild, funky design.

Computer / Gaming

Comfort and lens coverage is important with gaming glasses, more so than color scheme or material. Could do a sports wrap or a flat front but should have ample lens coverage.