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How do I choose spectacle frames?

A frame is not only about looks. It holds the lenses at the right height and distance in front of your eyes, and a frame that slips, tilts or pinches can make even perfect lenses feel wrong. At the Vision Correction Centre of ReNew Vision Eye Hospital in Vaddem, Vasco, frames are tried on in person after your eye test, so that the frame and the lenses are chosen to work together.

What makes a frame fit well?

• Width: the frame is about as wide as your face at the temples, without squeezing the sides of your head or sticking out far beyond it.
• Eyes near the centre: your pupils sit close to the middle of each lens opening, not near the inner or outer edge.
• Bridge: the frame rests evenly on your nose. It should not leave deep red marks or slide down when you sweat.
• Arms (temples): they reach back over the ears and curve down gently behind them, without pressing on the side of the head.
• Clearance: your eyelashes do not brush the lenses when you blink.
• Stability: the frame stays in place when you bend down to pick something up.

Reading the numbers on a frame

Most frames have three numbers printed inside one arm, for example 52-18-140. The first is the width of each lens in millimetres, the second is the bridge width, and the third is the length of the arm. If an old frame fitted you well, bring it along; its numbers are a good starting point.

Frame materials

• Metal frames are thin and light and usually have adjustable nose pads, which help people with a low nose bridge. Lower-grade metals can corrode with sweat and salty air, and some contain nickel, which causes skin allergy in some people.
• Titanium and titanium alloys are very light, strong and resist corrosion well. They are a good choice for people who react to other metals.
• Plastic frames come in many colours and thicknesses and are sturdy. Many have no separate nose pads, so the bridge shape must suit your nose, or the frame will slide down.
• Flexible plastics bend without breaking and spring back, which helps for children and active people.

Full-rim, half-rim or rimless?

Full-rim frames go all the way round the lens. They are the strongest, suit every power and hide thick lens edges. Half-rim frames hold the lens with a rim at the top and a thin nylon thread underneath; they look lighter, but the lower edge of the lens is exposed. Rimless frames are fixed to holes drilled in the lens. They are very light and barely visible, but they need a strong lens material and gentle handling, and they are less suited to high minus powers, where the thick edges show, or to rough use.

Frames that suit your lenses

• High minus (short sight) power: a smaller frame with your eyes near the centre keeps the edges thinner. Full-rim plastic frames hide the edge thickness.
• High plus (long sight) power: small, rounder frames keep the lenses thinner and lighter in the centre.
• Progressive and bifocal lenses: the frame needs enough height for the reading zone. Very narrow, slim frames can cut off the near part of the lens. Read more on progressive vs bifocal lenses.
• Power sunglasses: strongly curved wrap-around frames do not suit every prescription; the Vision Correction Centre will tell you if your power can be fitted.

For lens materials and coatings, see types of spectacle lenses.

Face shape and style

Common advice is to pick a frame that contrasts with your face shape: angular frames for a round face, rounder frames for a square face, and a frame whose top line follows your eyebrows. These are only guides. What matters more is that you like what you see and will wear the spectacles every day. Bring a family member or take a photo on your phone to judge from a distance, since without your spectacles you may not see the mirror clearly.

Frames for Goa's climate and daily life

• Salt air and sweat: near the sea at Baina, Bogmalo or the port, metal parts and screws corrode faster. Corrosion-resistant metals or plastic frames last longer, and a rinse in plain water after the beach helps. Our guide to spectacle care in humid weather covers this.
• Scooter and bike riders: thin, straight arms slide under a helmet more comfortably. Try the frame with your helmet if you can.
• Work at sea, on boats, in workshops or on building sites: a sturdy frame with impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses is safer.
• Allergy to metal: tell us if earrings or watch straps give you a rash, so that nickel-containing frames are avoided.

Frames for children

Children need light, flexible frames that fit the bridge of a small nose, with arms that hold firmly behind the ears, and impact-resistant lenses. A frame that looks too large will slip and the child will look over the top of the lenses. Our parents' guide to spectacles for children has more.

Can I keep my old frame?

Often, yes. If your present frame is sturdy, fits well and suits the new lens type, new lenses can usually be fitted in it. Very old, cracked or rusted frames may break during fitting, and some frames are too small for progressive lenses. The Vision Correction Centre checks your frame and tells you whether it is worth reusing.

Adjustments after you buy

Frames loosen with daily use, heat and sweat. If your spectacles slip, pinch, sit crooked or press behind the ears, bring them back for an adjustment; a small change can make a big difference to comfort and to how well you see. For directions, see our visit page, or call 072489 88039. The Vision Correction Centre page lists everything it provides.

For frame shapes, face shapes, materials, eyewear brands and this year's trends, read the eyewear guide.

Questions patients ask

How do I know if a frame is the right size?

Your eyes should sit near the centre of each lens, the frame should be about as wide as your face, it should rest evenly on your nose and stay put when you bend down. The numbers printed inside the arm help compare it with a frame that fitted you before.

Are metal or plastic frames better?

Neither is right for everyone. Metal frames are thin and light, with adjustable nose pads. Plastic frames are sturdy and colourful but need a bridge that suits your nose. In salty, humid air, corrosion-resistant metals and plastic frames last longer.

Can I wear rimless frames with a high power?

Sometimes, but rimless frames show the full lens edge and need strong lens material. With a high minus power the thick edges show clearly, so a full-rim frame often looks and works better. The Vision Correction Centre will advise for your power.

What do the numbers inside my spectacle arm mean?

They are sizes in millimetres: lens width, bridge width and arm length, for example 52-18-140. They help you find a new frame of a similar size.

Why do my spectacles keep slipping down my nose?

The frame may be too wide or too heavy, the bridge may not suit your nose, or the arms may have loosened. Sweat makes it worse in Goa's heat. The Vision Correction Centre can adjust the arms and nose pads, or suggest a frame with a better bridge fit.

This page is general eye-health information, not personal medical advice. Your eye doctor advises you after examining your eyes.