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.

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Men's frame styling has become much more masculine with older shapes and sizes being re-born with a modern twist.

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1. Masculine shapes such as aviator glasses and double brow-bar styles have seen a reemergence. Made with new materials, and pared down a little, the aviator is back in a modern version.

2. Larger and bolder eye sizes and frame shapes are making an appearance in optical shops lately. Bear in mind that the biggest styles balance better with larger body types. The small, John Lennon glasses are still around, and still work well with smaller faces.

3. Rimless and semi-rimless styles (where the eyeglass lens is held in place to the temple simply by a screw or a wire) are perfect for the man who wants a modern or minimalist look. Combine a pair of rimless glasses with anti-reflective lenses and the glasses practically disappear. Men will appreciate the lightweight comfort provided by this frame and lens combination, while women will appreciate the classy look.

4. Used in golf clubs, bicycles and space shuttles, titanium is also a big draw for men as an eyeglass frame material. Because the metal is super lightweight, non-corrosive, very durable and stylish as well, titanium frames rate high in both the function and fashion categories. Other options such as stainless steel and aluminum are also popular and have lightweight and durable properties when formed into a frame. These materials are often used in designer eyeglass frames because of their high-quality finish.

5. For a younger, hip or retro look, men are turning to plastic. Lightweight and comfortable, plastic frames come in a wide variety of styles including: thin plastics, bold, black '50s-style frames and layers of colored plastics laminated together to create a unique effect. Even classic shapes in tortoise plastic can create just the right balance of function and fashion to win over the most discriminating buyer.