If you care about how your glasses look but are even more concerned that your glasses feel comfortable, you are not alone. A study done by the Vision Council of America reported that 88 percent of people surveyed said eyeglass fit and comfort were the most important part of picking out new glasses. Choosing certain types of lenses and frame styles will help reduce the weight of your glasses and make them feel better.
Instructions
1 Change your lenses. The bulk of most eyeglass weight comes from the lenses, which are available in three types of material, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Eyeglass lenses are made from glass, plastic and polycarbonate. Glass is the original lens material and provides crisp vision, but is heavy and breaks easier than other materials. Plastic is the most common type of material for lenses, and special types of plastic, such as high-index and aspheric, are custom-made to be thinner and lighter than regular plastic lenses. Polycarbonate is a lightweight, shatter-resistant lens material. Your eye care practitioner can suggest which material will give you the best vision and least amount of weight with your prescription.
2 Pick out lighter frames. Even though lenses are the heaviest part of a pair of eyeglasses, frames add weight too. Frames are made from metal or plastic. Thicker plastic is usually the heaviest type of frame. Titanium metal is the thinnest, lightest frame style available. Titanium is also very durable. All About Vision notes that metal frames made from beryllium are also lightweight, very strong and very flexible.
3 Look for smaller frames. OpticianWorks notes that the golden rule for opticians is to find the smallest possible frame that fits correctly. This is because the smaller the glasses, the lighter and thinner the lenses. As lens size gets bigger, lens thickness proportionally increases; the more thickness in the lens, the more material and weight in the glasses.
Tips & Warnings
Obtain a copy of your most recent prescription from your eye doctor. Visit several local optical retail stores and ask to try on lightweight frames. Be sure to tell your optician that you want the lightest lenses possible.