Rimless eyeglasses provide a minimalistic look in eyewear, making the glasses nearly invisible on the face. Lenses are joined together by the nose bridge only, attached directly to the inside of each lens with tiny screws. Hinges are connected in the same way to the outer edges, supporting the earpieces or arms. Plastic lenses are commonly used in rimless eyeglasses, also available as sunglasses.
Choosing flattering, traditional plastic frames can be difficult depending on the shape of the face. The wrong frame can accentuate angular or rounded features rather than balancing them. Traditional frames can also be distracting from a person’s natural good looks, standing out on the face, breaking up cheekbone or brow lines. Also important, frames create a fashion statement lending themselves to a genre, whether casual or professional, often looking out of step in other settings. Finally, fashionable frames go out of style, causing many people to buy new glasses to stay current.
Rather than invest repeatedly in plastic frames, you might try rimless eyeglasses with their clean, unobtrusive look. Nearly invisible, rimless eyeglasses are more forgiving even if the lens shape chosen isn’t the exact ideal. These eyeglasses also don’t box themselves into a singular fashion statement like stylized frames, but look appropriate in all settings from the beach to the boardroom, negating the need for several pairs of glasses. Furthermore, they don’t go out of style because they are virtually non-existent on the face, letting your own good looks shine though instead.
While rimless eyeglasses can be less expensive than plastic-framed glasses, price varies depending on hinge design and the bridge and arm material used. Some rimless eyeglasses are made from bendable, indestructible titanium that doesn’t require a hinge at all. When these eyeglasses are removed, the arms lay outward from the lenses. Putting them on requires pulling the arms behind the ears. Other models have conventional style hinges that fold, with some hinges being spring loaded.
There are a few important considerations when shopping for rimless glasses. First, lens shape is most often rectangular or round with variants. If you buy rimless glasses online, most retailers offer guidelines for choosing a lens shape that will work well with your facial structure, including the ability to determine the best lens height and width for your face. You will also need to take a measurement to determine the best nose bridge width, and another for the earpiece length. Armed with these guidelines, you can sort eyeglasses by lens size, then look for the right bridge and arm length.
If you are extremely nearsighted, your lenses will be thick at the outer edge, but thinner in the center. Tradition frames mask the thick outer edge, but this edge is visible with rimless eyeglasses. Unpolished edges are white or cloudy, making them more noticeable. Some retailers charge to polish the edges clear, but others do it as a courtesy. You can also opt for ultra-thin plastic high-index lenses for a little more money. These lenses will not only have thinner edges but the higher-the-index, the less they will distort the size of your eyes, applying to extreme farsighted vision as well.
Rimless glasses are a great way to feel and look like you aren’t wearing eyeglasses at all. They are lightweight, versatile, and can fit any budget. Try a pair on today and you might just say goodbye to traditional frames forever.