Medically reviewed by Dr. Karen Dorman. Dr. Karen Dorman is a Doctor of Optometry who was in private practice on Long Island, NY for over 40 years. She was also an Adjunct Associate Professor of Biology at St. John's University in Queens, NY. She received a BA in biology from Albany State University and her OD degree from New York College of Optometry in NYC. She is currently consulting and mentoring virtually due to the ongoing pandemic.
Thick lenses with strong prescriptions can be cumbersome and are often less comfortable and not as visually pleasing than thin ones . However , if you have a high prescription, it doesn’t mean that you need to resign yourself to heavy frames that don’t make you feel or look good.
There are a variety of frame options that can not only meet your needs but exceed them in a very fashionable way. In this piece, we’ll present 6 tips on what to look for in a frame. We’ll also suggest frames that will make your eyeglasses lighter and your lenses much less noticeable.
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What Are High Prescription Glasses?
It’s not always easy to find the right frames for your lenses, especially when it comes to strong prescriptions. Glasses with strong prescriptions can make eyes appear distorted. In addition, when you buy a pair of glasses that are not quite right for you, they can be heavy and uncomfortable .
High prescription glasses are relatively thinner and lighter and they are recommended for astigmatism, nearsightedness and farsightedness. If the power of your prescription is greater than 5 diopters, you have a high prescription.
So let’s dive in to the most important tips on how to choose a good frame:
6 Tips on How to Choose the Best Frames That Hide A High Prescription
When you think of the right frame for your lenses, one of the first things that come to mind is the look. T he aesthetic aspect is clearly very important, but it isn’t the only aspect to take into account when choosing your frames.
Here are 6 tips on choosing the best frames for a high prescription:
1. Avoid Large Frames. Choose Glasses That Have a Smaller Lens Area
The right frame can help hide the fact you’re wearing a strong prescription. When choosing a frame, size is everything. A high prescription is much less noticeable in a smaller frame.
Avoid big rectangular glasses and ones with sharp, angular edges because they don’t help with stronger prescription lenses. The further you get away from the focal point on a lens, the thicker the lens will be and more distortion will exist.
A smaller oval glasses can be a great choice because it reduces thickness and distortion that is typically seen at the edges in a larger width frame.
Here are some frames with a smaller lens area that work well with a strong lens:
2. Rounder Frames Help Disguise a Strong Prescription
Rounder frames are also a good pick if you have a strong prescription because many round glasses have a smaller lens width meaning a thinner lens. Remember – the wider the frame, there will be more of a tendency for the lenses to stick out and be more noticeable.
Look at some of our best small round frames for high prescription glasses:
3. Choose Plastic Frames Over Metal – Less of the Lens Will Stick Out
While you may think that you will want thinner frames, thick er plastic frames actually help you hide the thickness of the lenses better than other materials.
Plastic (also known as zyl) frames are lightweight and customizable enough to fit your personality, making them an ideal choice for you if you have a strong prescription that requires thicker lenses. A great advantage of plastic frames is that less of the lens will stick out.
Take a look at some of our gorgeous plastic frames:
If you want to better disguise the heavy lenses and their bulk, a great idea is to go for thick plastic colored or patterned frames and allow your best features to stand out!
4. Avoid Rimless and Semi Rimless Frames
One of the most important rules when choosing the best frames for high prescription is that a thicker frame is often better suited for a thicker lens. That being said , you want to avoid rimless or semi-rimless glasses when picking the frame style for your prescription glasses. The extra thickness of strong prescription lenses will be more noticeable and less flattering in rimless or semi-rimless frames.
Here are some petite glasses frames that do a great job with thick lenses and are one of the best choices instead of rimless or semi-rimless frames:
5. It’s Very Important That Your Pupillary Distance (PD) Is Exact in High Prescription Glasses
Your PD (pupillary distance) is the distance between each pupil. This measurement is used to determine where the center of each lens is placed in your glasses.
The Pupillary Distance measurement must be exact to ensure correct positioning of the lenses in the frame. If the lens centration is off, you can experience discomfort, blurred vision, and headaches. This is even more crucial with a high prescription.
Look good while conquering the world with The Roosevelt round frames that do a good job with a high prescription:
In case you don’t know your PD you can head on to our guide on how to measure your PD online which describes how to measure your PD.
We can also measure your PD at the end of the checkout with a special app.
6. Choose Thin High Index Lenses to Avoid the “Coke Bottle Effect” That Makes Your Eyes Look Smaller
In the past, strong prescriptions meant thicker, heavier lenses. This can give your glasses a “glass or coke bottle” appearance. This can cause your eyes to look smaller or distorted. The lenses will often have thick edges which will poke out of the sides of the frame.
With glasses now available in thinner, lightweight plastic frames, you can feel more comfortable even if you have a stronger prescription. HIgh index lenses improve the look of the glasses even further.
Here is Mulberry eyeglasses, a chic cat-eye with gold metal accents that works great with thinner high index lenses:
High – index (no hyphen ) lenses are designed to be thinner and lighter than regular lenses and because they have a higher “index” of refraction.
These round, vintage glasses will compliment your look if you like to mix chic and retro:
There are several different types of high index lenses. High index lenses are made of a thinner material than polycarbonate lenses. With stronger prescriptions, the lens becomes thicker and heavier making them harder to fit the frame correctly. A high index lens is lightweight and thin to fit the frame properly.
Polycarbonate lenses have only a slightly higher index of refraction than plastic at 1.58. The main advantages of polycarbonate lenses are that they are lightweight and very impact resistant and durable. This makes them an excellent option for children or if you are very tough on your glasses.
Something to consider, if you have a very high (greater than 6 diopters) or complex prescription, is customized digital lenses . Our high index lenses are available in super thin 1.67 index and ultra thin 1.74 index . T hey are digitally surfaced so they would be your best bet for the lightest and thinnest lenses. High index, digitally surfaced lenses have an “HD” (high definition) feel to them and provide more clarity to your vision. Remember – the higher the index of refraction, the lighter and thinner the lens will be in your frame.
Super thin 1.67
High Index lenses or an index of 1.67 accommodate those with a Rx higher than 3.25. Since they are made from a thinner material than a standard polycarbonate lens, they will properly fit your frame as well as not weigh your frame down. A high index lens of 1.67 is also available in a digital lens as well that offers “HD” feel to your vision.
Ultra thin 1.74
For an even thinner lens, a super high index lens of 1.74 is available as well. An index lens of 1.74 is an even thinner lens to accommodate those with an even higher prescription. Super high index lenses are also available in a digital lens that provide more clarity to your vision.
The application of an anti-reflective coating may also improve or enhance your appearance and visual aid through high-index lenses, that is why it is a standard on all of our lenses.
High index lenses may reduce your lenses significantly enough that you can now consider aviator glasses or any of the other traditional, stylish gold or silver metal frame formats.
An anti-reflective coating may also improve the appearance of your lenses, enhance your vision, and reduce bothersome glare . That is why it is a standard on all of our lenses.
High index lenses may reduce the thickness and weight of your lenses enough that you can now consider aviators frames or any of the other traditional, stylish gold or silver metal frame glasses.
Pick Your Favorite Type of Frames From Vint & York
Vint & York offers prescription lenses such as single vision, readers, as well as progressive and bi-focal lenses. Select which type of lens you need depending on your prescription and visual specifications. Learn more about how to choose the best glasses lenses from our complete guide.
Discover our eyewear collection and complete with prescription lenses that fit your lifestyle and needs. Our prescription lenses are of the highest quality and made with the latest technologies available on the market. You can also get lenses done elsewhere and choose your favorite frame from our collections.
