Four Popular Eyeglass Frame Styles

Are you looking for a new pair of prescription eyeglasses? We know walking into the optician can be an overwhelming experience if you come unprepared. You’re confronted with walls covered with different types of brands, frames, and even types of materials. Do you want metal glasses frames? What type of lenses do you want? It’s very easy to get lost.

That’s why the optical experts at Clarkson Eyecare have prepared this helpful guide. We know eyeglasses not only help correct your vision, but also make a statement about who you are — whether it be a serious business professional, someone with an artistic flair, or someone who prefers to blend in with the crowd. The first and biggest decision is what eyeglass frame style to go with.

Choosing the right eyeglass frames comes down to your needs and preferences. That means taking stock of your facial features, your own style preferences, and sometimes even your prescription, which may dictate how the lenses look in the frames. Different eyeglass frame styles may even look different on men and women. One rule of thumb is to try to choose a frame shape that is opposite to your own face shape — so if you have a round face, try to choose square glasses and vice versa. But that's just a guideline. It's more important to see how you like the look of a pair of frames.

From cat-eye frames to rimmed glasses, here's a look at some classic styles and who they’re perfect for.

Happy friends with prescription sunglasses joy of sight

Visit the Expert Opticians at Clarkson Eyecare

No matter what your eyeglass needs are, the experienced opticians and eye doctors at Clarkson Eyecare can help you find a pair that’s perfect for you! We use the latest in vision correction technology to craft optical solutions that are matched to your eyes’ needs. Clarkson Eyecare is conveniently located in 11 states across the US, including Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia, and Florida. Call or click today to schedule an appointment at Clarkson Eyecare!

Happy senior couple cataract patients scheduling online with tablet device

Introducing Virtual Try-On

Want to prepare for your visit to one of our offices? Clarkson Eyecare allows you to see how different eyeglass frame styles look on you from the comfort of your own home using our Virtual Try-On feature! Simply browse our selection of frames and click on the Virtual Try-On button to see how they’d look on you using the power of Augmented Reality.

Preparing for Your Eye Doctor Visit

In the same way you have a plan before you go to the hairstylist, it's a good idea to know what you're looking for with an eyeglass frame. With ideas like these in hand, you can get a jump start on selecting the most flattering glasses frames for a look that's uniquely yours.

1. Cat-Eye Glasses Frames

Cat-eye glasses have upward-sweeping corners and are an extremely youthful style. Since they help take the viewer’s attention upward, they can serve as an instant facelift for those who wish to look younger. These glasses make an especially bold statement with a timeless look, especially in their traditional retro form, but that boldness may not be for everyone. This type of frame can work with many face shapes, so they can be on just about anyone's list. They can slim down wider faces, emphasize the browline on those with diamond-shaped faces, and pull the eye upward for those with triangular-shaped faces. They also look particularly good on those with balanced, oval faces.

Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly are a couple of names you might recognize who favor cat-eye frames.

2. Aviator Glasses

These classic teardrop-shaped glasses are instantly recognizable by most people. Originally developed for pilots, these frames included a large lens that gave them a clear view of instrument panels. Over time, they have also come to epitomize "Top Gun'' cool. Most people can wear these uniquely-shaped glasses, though they look especially good if you have an angular face with well-defined cheekbones or a sharp jaw. An additional benefit is that the added real estate of the longer lens offers additional area for clear vision. This is only helpful if your lenses have a single correction. That said, if you want progressive lenses or bifocals, aviator frames may not be suitable, since the area at the bottom where the reading prescription would go is quite narrow. Also, the tear-drop shape may potentially draw the eye down, possibly emphasizing any kind of sagging skin or bags under the eyes.

3. Rimless Glasses

If you want to look almost as if you’re not wearing glasses, the rimless glasses frame style is for you. Without the rims to punctuate and call attention to the lenses, rimless glasses tend to blend in with your face and allow your eyes to shine. The fact that they are rimless can also naturally make them feel lighter on your face and make it easier to forget that you are wearing them. However, rimless glasses may not be for everyone. Someone who needs a strong prescription for nearsightedness, for example, needs especially thick lenses. Without the rim to hide some of the lens profile, this style would only accentuate how strong their prescription is. Thicker lenses also tend to make the glasses front-heavy, and without the bottom rim to distribute weight, you may find your glasses sliding down your nose more often. Also, if you are someone who can be hard on glasses, you’ll likely miss the protection rimmed frames can provide to your lenses.

4. Round Frames

Out of all eyeglass frame styles, round frames are the most classic. This style tracks back to the 13th century when glasses were first invented. Not surprisingly, the historic nature of this frame shape means they have often been associated with intellectuals. They're also the stuff of Harry Potter fame and the frame style worn by none other than musical legend, John Lennon. Round frames have a retro vibe, which may be the perfect thing to complete your look now that retro is coming back into style. For those with thick lenses, round or oval shape frames are an excellent choice for minimizing the profile of your lenses.

In addition, round frames go well with many face shapes, including a diamond-shaped face that has many angles. Likewise, they can bring some soft curves to a square-shaped face or help minimize the size of the forehead for those with heart-shaped faces. However, if you have a round face, then round frames will likely not work well for you.

Book an Appointment at Clarkson Eyecare

Whether you need an annual eye exam to get a new prescription or are looking for help picking out the perfect pair of frames, the expert doctors at Clarkson Eyecare can help you get what you need. Schedule an appointment today to begin your journey to clearer, and more stylish, vision.

Ballwin
Ballwin
Brunswick
Three Rivers
Ann Arbor Children's Clinic for Vision Enhancement
New Albany
West Park
Okemos
Independence Plaza
Keller
Woodlands
Legacy
Stonebrook
Bricktown
Elk River 
West Broad St.
South Columbus
Hilliard
Alliance
Pontiac
Howell Township
Tecumseh
Ann Arbor Plymouth
Coventry
Mansfield
Southeast Novi
Grand River
Matawan
Pleasant Hill
Imperial
Edwardsville Club Center
Edwardsville Crossing
Clarksville
Maplewood
Bexley
Union
Sharpsburg
Conyers
Lilburn
Anderson
Delta Township
Saline
Suwanee
West Chester Union Centre
West Chester Tylersville
Lake Ridge
Clifton
Hazlet Plaza
Red Bank
Columbia Rock Bridge Red Oak
Jennings
Elizabethtown
Haslett
Fern Creek
Shakopee
Lakeland
Lebanon
Warrenton
Chesterfield
Centralia
Wildwood
Pacific
Butler Hill
Arnold Park Mall
Valrico
Wesley Chapel
Calvert City
Shea Boulevard
Affton
Berryhill
Tampa (Busch)
Snellville
Braselton
Ft. Mitchell
Paducah
Lone Oak
The Spec Shoppe: St. Joseph
Virginia Beach
Perdido
Davis Highway
Willoughby
Manchester
Austell (EW Connector)
Alpharetta
Highland
Granite City Nameoki
Kenwood
Harrison
Lutz Sunlake Centre
Plant City North
Trinity
Pavilion Crossing
Navarre
Gulf Breeze
Nine Mile
Town & Country Crossing
Tesson Ferry
Telegraph Plaza
Creve Coeur
Overland
South County
St. Louis Hills
Central West End
South Grand
Downtown St. Louis
Milford
Mariemont
Loveland
Kettering
Fairfield
Centerville
Blue Ash
Dublin
Reynoldsburg
Riverview
Downtown Columbus
Riverview Vision Performance Center
Town Street
Eureka
O'Fallon South
94 Crossing
Arnold
79 Crossing
Franconia
Shepherdsville
Springhurst
Valley Station
141 & Olive
Chesterfield Valley
Ann Arbor on Main
Collinsville
Columbia
Middletown
Festus
Middleburg Heights
West Camino Del Sol
Beacon Center (Alexandria)
Perry
Countryside
Fenton
Farmington
Breese
Cold Spring
Lake Lansing Rd.
Western Hills
Worthington
Bogey Hills
Florissant Dunn Rd.
Florissant HWY 67
Kirkwood
Wentzville
North Lebanon
Benton
O'Fallon North
Mid Rivers
Bardstown
Sea Girt Mall
Eatontown
Wooster
Delaware
Lake St. Louis
Kissimmee
Towncenter Plaza (Sterling)
Manassas
Fredericksburg
Westerville
Green
Northfield
Mt. Orab
Morrow
Medina
Marysville
Gahanna
Webster Groves
Washington
Troy
Mason and Manchester
Rock Hill
Perryville
Maryland Heights
Clayton
High Ridge
Ellisville
Brentwood Pointe
Chanhassen
Oxboro
Murray
Mayfield
Waterloo
Swansea
Shiloh
Mt. Vernon
Godfrey
Fairview Heights
Belleville
Alton
Vinings
Woodbine
Miramar
Fort Walton
Columbia Broadway