1. Choose the size of the frame wisely:

The rule of thumb is that the frame should not be too small or too large for the face. In the case of small frames, your field of vision will extend beyond the lenses which can lead to your prescription power increasing.

A frame that is too big can be heavy and uncomfortable. Another downside of such frames is that they tend to make your eyes look smaller than normal. To test if you have the right type of frames, you should not be able to see out of the top, bottom or the sides of the frames without straining to look through those areas. Your lenses should cover about 80 to 90% of your field of vision.

2. Consider the distance between your eyes and the thickness of the bridge of your nose:

This is an important aspect because apart from making the glasses look aesthetically pleasing, it also helps the you see better. Although the width of the bridge in frames is standardized, your optometrist will measure the distance between your eyes and the thickness of the bridge of your nose to give you a better fit. The right distance between the lenses helps reduce strain on the eyes, stops the glasses from slipping down the nose while working, does not apply too much pressure on the inner portion of the eye and prevents the bridge of the frames from resting directly on your forehead. All these factors are important since glasses that don’t fit properly can lead to several issues like marks on the skin around the eyes and nose, headaches and trouble in the production of tears in the eyes.

3. The arms of the glasses should not be too tight or loose:

Tight arms could lead to headaches or pain behind the ears (caused due to excess pressure exerted by the arms of the frames) and marks along the side of the face. Loose arms can lead to constant slipping off of the glasses, and non-centered alignment of the lenses. Moreover the material that the arms are made of also matter. Some people experience an allergy to metal arms, while others might be allergic to plastic. In some people this allergy might not manifest immediately, but with dirt and sweat getting trapped between the skin and the arms, it can lead to an allergic reaction.

4. Make sure your glasses are centre aligned properly:

A very important aspect while choosing the right set of frames is the center alignment, which helps you see accurately. Center alignment of glasses means that the lense is right in front of your eyes. This helps you see clearly, without straining your eyes. Since most eyeglass lenses are ground concavely on the inner surface and convex on the outer surface, it is always better to see out of the center of the lenses. Distorted or frames that tilt towards one side can cause eye strain and in some case cause an increase in the optometric defect.

5. Choose the right material for the lens:

There are basically two types of materials – one made of glass, and the other (unbreakable version) made of a type of plastic. The benefits of an unbreakable lens is that it can be used without much fear of breaking. Mainly used for children and those who use their glasses particularly roughly, it is also lighter than the glass version. Glass lenses are a more delicate version of the plastic lens. Earlier they were the only type available, and were mostly used for bifocal lenses, but today with the advent of advances in the manufacture of lenses, a plastic one can be used to make bifocal lenses as well.

6. Bifocals or progressive lenses, choose wisely:

In bifocals (a type of glass used for people suffering from a condition called hypermetropia*) a portion of the glass has a semi circular demarcation at the bottom of the lens –this helps people see near objects clearly. If you do have such a condition, you can now opt for progressive lenses, that function like bifocals but do not have the unsightly semicircle at the bottom, and are easier to see though since one does not need to readjust their vision every time they want to see something close to them. While choosing the type of lens you would like to use, make sure you choose one that you prefer and are comfortable with.

*Hypermetropia is a condition where a person finds it difficult to see near as well as distant objects.

7. Choose the right nose pads:

It may seem inconsequential but nose pads play an important role in making your glass wearing experience comfortable. They should ideally be made of soft plastic and rest comfortably on the nose. They should not be too tight or too loose. The pad arm and pad plate should be adjusted so that they do not press down on the nose. Another factor is that certain people may be allergic to particular materials used to make nose pads. Now days there are nose pads that protect one against allergic reactions. Nose pads also help align the glasses to the centre of the face and keep the lenses away from your eyelashes. It is important that your eyelashes do not touch the lenses, because this not only is uncomfortable while you blink, it is also bad for your eyes and can lead to excessive eye strain. An indication that either the nose pads are too tight or that the glasses are too heavy is the formation of a mark on either side of the bridge of the nose.

8. Choose size before style:

Make sure you ask your optometrist to measure your frame size before you order the glasses. They must be made or altered to your dimensions. Measuring the frame size includes 4 main measurements – eye, bridge, temple and vertical measurements.The eye measurement is the amount of distance between the eyes or the distance between the frames lenses. The bridge measurement is the portion between the eyes, and the temple measurement is the distance from one side of your face to the other(measured from the area right above the ears). The vertical measurement is used only in the case of bifocal lenses, and is a bit complex to measure. These dimensions play an important role in making your glasses fit your face perfectly, helping you use the glasses comfortably. Every frame has measurements, yours can be found on the inner side of your frames (either on the arms or the bridge). The first,two digit number, is the eye measurement, the next number separated by a square or dash indicates your bridge length and the third three digit number indicates the temple distance. Take a look, it’s interesting to find.

9. The lighter the better:

This is important because heavy frames tend to cause headaches or fatigue of the eyes. They are also more likely to slip off the nose often. That doesn’t mean that one has to stick to plastic frames all their life. There are frames made of titanium which are much lighter and tougher when compared to other types of frames.

10. Choose scratch-proof and anti-glare glasses:

Lenses that are made of glass or plastic should be scratch-proof. Not only are scratches unsightly, they also distort vision and lead to eye strain. Anti-glare glasses help reduce the glare that comes off a computer screen or other electronic devices like smartphones. Getting them is wise because it reduces the strain that your eye go through from sitting in front of the computer screens for long periods of time.