Choosing New Spectacles: -
Without help, choosing new spectacles can be a daunting prospect but our qualified advice and experience can assist you to select a pair which compliment you and give you the quality of vision you need. We can help you to look your best.
Balanced Choices
The appearance , comfort and feel of new spectacles depend as much on the lenses you choose as the style of the frame. It is important to select frames which will be suitable and complement the lenses you need, and vice versa. Today's spectacles utilise the latest manufacturing technologies to best advantage to produce a wide selection of frame materials and lenses. For example, titanium is practicularly popular for frames because it is extremely lightweight, very durable and strong. Titanium and nickel-free alloys have the added bonus of being hypoallergenic, useful if your skin is allergic to some metals. Advanced materials and processes create lenses which are much lighter too, giving a greater range of choice and comfort, even if you have a higher prescription.
Selecting Your Frames
The type of frame you wear can say a lot about your personality. Rimless or thin minimalist frames make your spectacles as invisible as possible, helping to retain your natural look, A heavy, dark frame on the other hand may suggest you are serious and confident, whilst a brightly coloured frame could indicate you are outgoing. We can advise you on the shape, style and fit of the spectacles (most frames are available in a range of sizes to ensure comfort). However, it is often useful to bring someone who knows you to help you choose the frames.
So how do you go about choosing glasses?
Our knowledgeable staff will gladly spend time with you when selecting frames for your spectacles, helping and advising over the ones that look best and suit your lifestyle. They have even had “Colour Me Beautiful” training to optimise their advice. Both practices have computer screens that enable you to see how you look in certain frames, or we can fit you with a pair of disposable contact lenses. Ultimately, the choice has to be yours, but here are a few useful pointers on choices for different complexions and face shapes:
Pale complexions
Try lightweight metal frames or those with a hint of colour such as rose or amber. Tortoise shell frames can look extremely good on some fair people as long as they are not too dark, but avoid clear crystal frames as they are too colourless for most pale complexions. Blue or green tinged frames also tend to drain colour from cool cheeks.
Dark complexions
People with olive, Mediterranean, golden or Asian skin and rich black hair often look stunning in silver, gold or clear frames. Also try burgundy and brown colours, but black can be too heavy.
Black skins
All metallic frames suit black skins. Amber usually works well too, but black is either wonderful or awful, depending on style. Be careful with colours - they rarely contribute to overall style unless they're bright, fun and specially chosen to work with a specific outfit.
Oval faces
An oval face has a slightly wider forehead than jaw, well balanced and softly rounded. This face can look good in just about any frame, but try angular or rounded aviators (not large, old-fashioned ones).
Round faces
For faces that are short and fairly wide with full cheeks and a round chin, choose slimming styles. Slightly elongated shapes work well as long as they are not too shallow, while square, or even up-swept styles can help to highlight the upper face. Avoid small and round or very large shapes that make the face look even rounder.
Heart-shaped faces
These faces have a small, neat chin and mouth, tapering up and out to a broader forehead. Frames to try include delicate, rounded or squarish styles. Avoid heart-shaped styles that echo the shape of the jaw.
Square faces
For faces that are strong and angular, or short and wide, the best frames to try are round or oval styles that soften the jawline. Avoid any shapes that emphasise squareness.
Long faces
These are faces with high cheek bones, a deep forehead and a strong or chiselled jaw line. Try wider frames that counteract the face's narrowness. Frames with a strong top line or rounded 'owl' styles can work well. Avoid small, square styles.
New Lens Technology for Good Vision and Looking Good
Modern lens designs and materials mean that even high powered lenses do not need to look like “milk bottle bottoms”. Thinner, lighter lenses can be produced using the latest technology.
Benjamin Franklin, the American politician and inventor, invented bifocal lenses, with the line across the lens, over two hundred years ago. Although they allow you to see close up as well as at a distance they are not very flattering and leave middle distance out of focus. Varifocal lenses were introduced 50 years ago, and they allow you to see clearly at all distances without any dividing line. There are many different designs to suit different needs, such as office work, sports etc.
We also recommend anti reflection coatings on the newer lens materials. They reduce the amount of light reflected both on the surfaces and within the lens, and make driving at night and working in front of a computer screen more comfortable
Tinted lenses are available in a wide range of colours. Many lenses are available with photochromic tints, which automatically darken when you go out into bright sunlight and clear when you come back indoors. We also have prescription lenses which are polarised for driving, fishing and sailing. Some prescriptions can now be supplied in wrap around sunglass frames. Ask our staff for more details.
Why do my lenses stick out from the frame?
Long sighted people have lenses that are thick in the middle and thin at the edge. Short sighted people have lenses which are thick at the edge and thin in the middle.
To reduce the weight and thickness of your spectacle lenses choose one of the newer, thinner and lighter materials and select a smaller frame. Our staff can advise you on the suitability of your lens power for different options.
For more information, or to make an appointment, please contact us at:
28- 30 Tower Street, Tain, IV19 1DY - Telephone 01862 892559
Or
36 High Street, Alness, IV17 0PS - Telephone 01349 882863