Men's Eyeglass Frames:
Where Fashion Meets Function

By Erinn Morgan

Comfort, fit and durability rank high with men when it comes to choosing their eyeglasses. While men are concerned with style, they won't forsake comfort and fit just to look good. Often it will be a wife, girlfriend or other important female who will influence the final style or color of the frame.

About 88% of the respondents to a Vision Council of America (VCA) survey* indicated that the comfort and fit of the eyeglasses was the most important factor in choosing an eyeglass frame, while 59% said that the durability of the eyeglasses was most important to them. When asked what adds value to their eyewear choice, 52% of the survey respondents said that spring hinges (which prevent you from stretching the fit of your eyeglasses) are most important. About half said that frames that are flexible and bend so they won't break easily (such as those made of Marchon's Flexon material, for example) are most important.
Comfort and Fit

Here are some key areas to check out to make sure the eyeglass frames you choose will be comfortable and fit well.

To ensure that the temples don't dig into the side of your head, make sure the frames are wide enough for your face. The edge of the frames should protrude slightly beyond your face so that the temples don't touch your head as they extend back to your ears. Next, make sure the temples are long enough. Opticians can order many styles in a variety of temple lengths. The curve at the end of the temple should extend over the ear without pressing down upon it. The optician can reshape and adjust the curve at the end of the temple when your pick your eyeglasses up, but can't make the temples shorter or longer, so make sure you select the best length.

Also check the nosepiece for comfort and fit. Many glasses have adjustable nose pads for fine-tuning, with soft, silicon nose pads. For frames without adjustable nose pads, make sure the fit is secure without pinching your bridge.

When you try on the frames, move your head up and down, bend over and pick up something from the floor and see how well your glasses stay in place. With the properly adjusted nose pads and temples, your glasses should stay in place without pressing on your face.
Durability

Men who want eyeglasses that are more durable than usual should consider frames made from titanium, stainless steel and flexible materials, such as Flexon. Titanium and stainless steel are stronger and more durable than other metal frame materials, and Flexon, a titanium-based alloy, will go back into its original shape even if you twist, bend or crush it.