Making your glasses for you is not as simple as just popping slivers of plastic into your frame and sending it off to you. The perfect pair of glasses blends our expertise with your needs to give you specs which are comfortable, visually correct, and look great too. For the majority of powers putting your glasses together is very straightforward, but if you have a more complicated prescription then some combinations of lens and frame may cause difficulties. Let’s take a look at how they are constructed and what this may mean to you
The vast majority of frames have a rim which tightly holds the lens in place as the lens sits within a groove in the frame rim. With plastic frames we heat the frame which then expands so the lens can be snapped into place. It then shrinks back as it cools to keep the lens in place. Metal frames come apart with a tiny joint at the edge, and we then screw it back up to make it secure. If you are very short sighted then plastic frames may conceal your lenses more than a thin metal rim, and will give the lens edges some protection.
Semi-rimless frames have a nylon cord which sits in a groove around the lens edge. This makes the frame light and flexible, but if you are very long sighted and your lens edges are thin then they may chip easily. If you were to put pressure on the frame – sit on it for example! A lens may pop out, but will easily fit back in. If you’re very short sighted then your thick lens edges may be very visible as there is no frame to disguise it.
Playboy 5006 Semi Rimless from The Internet Glasses Company
Rimless mounts hold lenses in place without them fitting into a rim, but we have to drill through the lenses and then hold them in place with screws or glued bolts. This makes the specs light but very vulnerable to damage, and they are not suitable for high powers whether you are long or short sighted.
If your prescription is strong them you may need to confirm your choice with your optician – we will always advise you if we feel your frame choice does not match your lens power.