In the search for perfect eye wear you may have seen some frames that have no rim across one side of the frame – usually the lower rim. These useful and lightweight frames are called Supras – so let’s have a look at them in detail.

About five years ago we saw a huge return to popularity for totally rimless frames. New materials and manufacturing techniques made them strong, light. and pretty funky. A few years down the line however, many patients are moving on from rimless, wanting something equally light but a little different. This is where the supra comes in, a useful cross between a full frame and a rimless.

Rimless are vulnerable because as well as the lack of rim, the lenses are delicate as we have to drill holes in them to attach the sides and bridge. A supra or semi-rimless style is of a tougher construction. It utilises a nylon thread to hold the lenses in place, so they are not drilled. The nylon thread makes the lens look as if it floats within the frame, but the thread fitting makes it flexible but not flimsy. The joints are not industrial and bulky as they are with a rimless, and these frames often have a clean and uncluttered look to them.

The thread can be across the bottom, the top, or the temple edge of the frame, which is useful if you have a metal allergy – if frames usually sit on your skin then think about where the frame touches, and find a supra with a thread along that edge. They are also very tough – if you sit on the frame the lens might pop out, but can easily be put back in.

They are suitable for all prescriptions, but steer clear if you are very long sighted, as the ledges of your lenses are thin. We have to cut a groove into the lens edges for the thread to sit in, and a thin lens edge can chip easily. For most prescriptions however they are a cool and comfortable option.