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Guide to buying your glasses

Guide to buying your glasses

1. Choosing the correct frame

Please see the diagram below for frame measurements.

Frame width: This is the total width across the frame which equals the lens diameter plus the bridge width.

Bridge width: This is the measurement to fit across the bridge of your nose. Smaller measurements will suits narrower bridges whilst larger measurements will suit broader bridges. On most metal frames this can be adjusted to suit nearly everyone whilst Plastic frames cannot be adjusted.

Lens diameter: This is the measurement from the bridge to the temple edge of the frame.

Lens height: This is the depth from the top to the bottom of the lens. Single vision lenses can be fitted to nearly any frame (except some sunglasses) so the depth chosen is to suit your personal preference. For people requiring Bi-Focal or Varifocal lenses the lens depth is important. With Bifocals two prescriptions are fitted into the lens usually being the top is for the distance prescription and the bottom segment is for the reading prescription. Varifocal lenses accommodate three prescriptions into one lens. The top part is for distance vision, the middle is for intermediate/ computer / arms length and the bottom of the lens is for reading. Varifocals have no visible lines separating the three prescriptions and look just like you’re wearing single vision lenses. We recommend a minimum lens depth of 28mm for these types of lenses to be fitted correctly.

2. Your current Spectacles

If you look at the arms on your current spectacles you will see writing displaying the frame manufacturer, frame model code and colour code which will be something like X Eyes 3654 Col 04, where X Eyes is the frame manufacturer, 3654 is the frame model and Col 04 is the colour code. Usually on the opposite arm you will see numbers which represent frame sizing, which will be something like 50 [] 20 135. 50 is the lens diameter, 20 is the bridge width and 135 is the length of the side from the hinge screw to the end of the arm.

So if you choose a similar frame size taking these measurements into account you will have a frame of a similar fit to the one you are currently wearing. If you know your pupillary distance (PD) an ideal fit is when the Frame width measurement is nearly equal to your (PD) measurement. This means your eyes will sit in the centre of the lenses. However, this does not take into account your head width which should be slightly narrower than the frame width.

3. Choosing a frame to suit your face shape

There are no rules set in stone for this advice but the following guide may help you to choose the correct spectacles for your facial features:

Square Faces: Your head will be as wide as it is long and you will have a square jaw line and a deep forehead. The best suited frames will be oval, rounded frames rather than small square ones.

Oval faces: Your face will be about one and a half times longer than it is wide. Your jaw line will be oval and curved with your forehead being wider than your jaw. Most frames will suit your face due to these features as long as the frames are in proportion to your face size.

Round Faces: Your face is as long as it is wide. You will have a rounded jaw line and forehead. The best suited frames are squarer frames which are shallow in depth but wide in width.

Heart shaped faces: Your face is broader at the top than at the bottom with a narrow rounded jawline. The best suited frames are rounded, slender or square but not broad fitting frames in width.

Long Oval faces: Your face will be longer than it is in width with an oval jawline and long forehead. The best suited frames are striking, heavier topped frames and even larger squarer types.

4. Obtaining your Prescription

Your Optician is required by law to give you a copy of your prescription which you will need in order to use the services on our site. Please ensure that your prescription is under two years old. The time limits on prescriptions is important as your eyesight may have changed and these recommended limits are recommended by The Association of Optomtetrists, The Association of British Dispensing Opticians and The Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians. Should your prescription be over these time limits you will need to go an have an eye examination at your chosen Optician. When attending for your eye examination please ask the Optician for your Pupillary Distance (PD) measurement. Opticians are reluctant to give you this measurement so that you will purchase your glasses from them and not SpecSuperstore where you can save up to 80% on your new specs! Once you have this measurement it is highly unlikely it will ever change throughout your adult years.

Your prescription will look something like this:

If you have any queries about your prescription or cannot read it then please either email us at help@specsuperstore.com ,phone us on 0845 476 5789 or fax your prescription to 0845 476 5789 where we will be happy to help you.

5. Ordering Single Vision Lenses

Single Vision lenses are the optical industry’s standard for the majority of prescriptions. They suit your prescription needs for long or short sightedness and we recommend these lenses for all prescriptions unless specified otherwise by your optician. When ordering online simply use the values from your prescription and put them into our prescription form on the website ensuring you correctly select + or – on the values. If you have glasses for distance and reading please select which use you would like them for and enter the values as they appear on your prescription. We will sort out the rest! Then simply choose what options you would like with your lenses.

Would you like the convenience of your lenses changing with the sunlight?

If so, are the choice for you and you can have the advantage of your specs being sunspecs at the same time!

Would you like your lenses to be thinner and lighter?

Then choose from either our Thin (1.6 index), Ultrathin (1.67 index) or Superthin (1.74 index) lens materials. We recommend having your lenses made thinner if your lenses have a sphere or cylinder value of over + or – 2.25.

Would you like a tint on your lenses?

Then simply choose what colour you would like and whether you would like the tint light, medium or dark (for sunglass use)

Do you want any coatings on your lenses?

Our amazing coatings protect your lenses and protect your eyes! Simply select whether you would like an anti-glare coating to protect your eyes from annoying reflections, VDU screens and car headlights or a UV400 coating to protect your eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Our new Anti Reflection coating with Scotchguard is the best money can buy. It has a scratch resistant coating, a multi layer anti-reflection coating, UV400 coating, aqua-repellant coating, anti-grease coating and Scotchguard protection all in one! Simply the best of coatings!

Remember standard single vision lenses are FREE at SpecSuperstore and we also give you a FREE scratch resistant coating as standard!

If you need any advice on ordering any of these then please email us or give us a call.

6. Ordering Bifocals

Bifocals lenses start at only £20.00 extra and are for people requiring two prescriptions in one lens, usually distance and reading. Our standard Bifocals are D28 Bifocals. These are the shape of a half moon segment 28mm wide positioned 3mm vertically down from the centre of the lens and horizontally centered at your given pupillary distance. Should you wish for the segment to be positioned higher or lower than this then please state this on the additional information box under your prescription section when ordering.

We also supply D35 Bifocals (35mm half moon segment),Round 24 Bifocals (Round 24mm segment), Round 38 Bifocals (Round 38mm segment) and Executive Bifocals (The whole bottom of the lens is for reading) Please see the options and prices section in the site. You can also have in D28 and D35 Bifocals along with all our coatings and tints! Please note that the thinnest lens options for Bifocals is Thin (1.6 index) in the form of D28 and C28 Bifocals. See below for an illustration of what the different types look like.

7. Ordering Varifocals

Varifocals are manufactured to house three prescriptions in one lens. They are Distance Vision, Intermediate Vision (Computer / VDU / Music) and Reading. They appear just like Single Vision Vision lenses but do a lot more! When ordering Varifocals your Pupillary Distance (PD) is very important as the centres of the lenses must be in front of the centre of your pupils. We recommend that you obtain your PD from your Optician for these lenses or alternatively use our SpecSuperstore ruler to measure your own PD. Please see our section on How to Measure your PD on how to do this. You will need to give individual measurements for each eye for Varifocals and this can be entered into our Additional Information box on the site when ordering. Please enter your Right eye Measurement and Left eye measurement in this box. Or if you have an old pair of Varifocals that you were happy with simply send them to us with an order form (available online) with your name, address, telephone number and your prescription and we will be able to obtain the correct distance from your old lenses to fit into your new glasses. We supply Standard Varifocals (Which have a standard reading and VDU area), Wide Varifocals (Which have a 30% wider reading and VDU area) and SuperWide Varifocals (Which have a very large reading and VDU area).

So depending on how much Reading or VDU / Music tasks you are doing a day please select the appropriate lens you require. Varifocals that have a standard reading area require you to follow or scan from left to right more the page or whatever you are looking at more than Wide or SuperWide Varifocals.

Then simply decide if you require or to have you lenses made thinner or choose from our range of coatings or tints to personalise your lenses further.

If you are unsure of anything then please email us or give us a call for assistance.