Face Shape | Colour Analysis | Fitting | Comfort | Frames | Lenses

Eyewear Material

Plastic

If you want the colours of the rainbow, then zyl (zylonite, or cellulose acetate) is your material. Zyl is a very cost-effective and creative option for eyewear and is extremely lightweight.

Some manufacturers are also using propionate - a nylon-based plastic that is hypoallergenic. It's lightweight and has a different look and feel compared to other plastics.

Eyeglasses made of nylon were first introduced in the late 1940s. Today's blended nylon frames are both strong and lightweight. Nylon is also a premier material for sports and performance frames - typically made of gliamides, which are very resistant to hot and cold and are more flexible, yet also stiff.

Plastic frames do have some drawbacks. They are easier to break than metal frames, they will burn and aging and exposure to sunlight slightly decrease their strength but do not affect colour.

Metal

Monel is a mixture of any of a broad range of metal. It is the most widely used material in the manufacture of eyeglass frames. It is malleable and corrosion-resistant.

Titanium is a silver-grey metal that is lightweight, durable, strong and corrosion-resistant. Titanium eyewear can be produced in a variety of colours for a clean, modern look with a hint of colour. Not all frames are 100 percent titanium. Some frames are made from an alloy that is a combination of titanium and other metals, such as nickel or copper.

Beryllium is a steel-grey metal, is experiencing increased popularity as a lower-cost alternative to titanium eyewear. It resists corrosion and tarnish, making it an excellent choice for wearers who have high skin acidity or spend a good amount of time in or around salt water. It is also lightweight, very strong, very flexible (making it easy for an optician to adjust your glasses) and available in a wide range of colours.

Stainless Steel frames are another alternative to titanium. Qualities of stainless steel frames include lightweight, low toxicity and strength; many stainless steel frames are also nickel-free and thus hypoallergenic. It's an alloy of steel and chromium; it may also contain another element. Most stainless steels contain anywhere from 10 to 30 percent chromium, which imparts an excellent resistance to corrosion, abrasion and heat.

Ticral is an alloy of titanium, copper and chrome. It is nickel-free and thus hypoallergenic. It is also extremely lightweight and offers many of the features of titanium without the high cost. It can be cut a bit thicker than titanium, which enables it to have the popular look of a thin plastic frame while still offering lightweight. The material is also strong, durable and available in a variety of colours.

Aluminium is lightweight and highly corrosion-resistant. Pure aluminium is actually soft and weak, but commercial aluminium with small amounts of silicon and iron is hard and strong.

Standard size measurement but each frame must be fitted individually

All frames have standardised size measurements to help manufacturers and optical personnel fit them appropriately for consumers. There are three numbers that you have to look at.

E.g.: a pair of glass is sized 48-19-140.

• The first number - 48 - represents the size of the lenses.
  
  
• The second number - 19 - is the bridge size, which ensures
  that the frame fits your nose.
  
  
• The third number - 140 - is the temple length
  (temples are the parts that hook over the ears).

Each person is shaped differently and would require different frame measurements. And to make it more complicated, frames vary by their shapes and sizes, so there is no set of numbers that would apply to one person for all frames. Each frame must be fitted individually.

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