frame selection

2. Frame Selection
 Proper frame selection is of utmost importance.
 The Optician must draw upon many of his-her skills to
achieve a satisfactory fit and a satisfied Patient.
 He must know what the frame will look with lenses,
and how it will perform in fulfilling the wearer’s need.

3. Wearer’s Old Frame
 Sometimes a persons wants to wear their old frame.
 This may or may not be appropriate.
 Reasons for not new include cost, comfort of old frame
and cosmetic appearance.

4. Cosmetic Consideration
• From an esthetic point of view, glasses are of no small
importance to the wearer.
• The wearer often needs help in frame selection.
• Any new frame will represent a change and will look
strange.
• Frame selection is often a process of trial and error,
time consuming and frequently frustating.

5. Frame Selection By Face
 A good frame selection can be simplified by
considering which facial lines are complimentary to
the person.
 Hairstyle can also alter the apparent shape of the face.
 A well selected frame can increase the attractiveness of
the face.

6. Facial Types
• While most faces are a combination of shapes and angles.
• There are seven basic face shapes:
• Oval,
• Oblong,
• Round,
• Square,
• Triangular base-down,
• Triangular base-up, and
• Diamond. Diamond
Triangular
Square
Oval Oblong Round

7. • By considering these three main aspects and the seven
face shapes that follow, the Dispenser can give Patients
valuable guidance in the selection of their new
eyewear.
• The frame shape should contrast with the face shape.
• Rounder faces look best in frames with some angles.
• Angular faces look best in frames with some curves.

8. • The frame size should be in scale with the face size.
• Frames should be selected in proportion to the face
size, e.g., a petite woman with delicate features will
want a smaller, lighter weight frame.
• Eyewear should repeat the Patient's best features, e.g.,
a blue frame to match blue eyes.

9. Oval-Normal Face
• Oval-Normal Face –
• Most shapes will be suitable.
• The oval face is considered to be the ideal shape
because of its balanced proportions.
• To keep the oval's natural balance, look for ophthalmic
frames that are as wide as (or wider than) the broadest
part of the face, or walnut-shaped frames that are not
too deep or too narrow.

10. Oblong-Long Face
• Oblong-Long Face –
• Deep frame preferably with low temple attachment.
• Frames with a lot of depth, such as aviator frames, suit
oblong faces.
• A low nose bridge will shorten the nose, too.
• The oblong face is longer than it is wide and has a long
straight cheek line, and sometimes a longish nose.

11. Oblong-Long Face
 To make the face appear shorter and more balanced,
try frames that have a top-to-bottom depth, decorative
or contrasting temples that add width to the face or a
low bridge to shorten the nose.

12. Round-Wide Face
• Round-Wide Face –
• Relatively narrow frame preferably with a high temple
attachment.
• Round faces look good with angular narrow frames that
lengthen the face.
• A round face has curvilinear lines with the width and
length in the same proportions and no angles.
• To make the face appear thinner and longer, try angular
narrow frames to lengthen the face, a clear bridge that
widens the eyes and frames that are wider than they are
deep, such as a rectangular shape.

13. Square-Wide Face
• Square-Wide Face –
• Same criteria as round face.
• Needs frame that softens the face angles, such as narrow
ovals.
• A square face has a strong jaw line and a broad forehead,
plus the width and length are in the same proportions.
• To make the square face look longer and soften the angles,
try narrow frame styles, frames that have more width than
depth, and narrow ovals.

14. Triangular-Inverted Base-Up
• Triangular-Inverted Base-Up
• (Heart) Face –
• Lighter looking frame is recommended such as metal
or rimless or lighter colors in zyl.
• Faces in the shape of a base-up triangle need frames
that are wider at the bottom, with very light colors.
• Rimless frames and semi-rimless frames are also good
choices.

15. Triangular-Inverted Base-Up
 This face has a very wide top third and small bottom
third.
 To minimize the width of the top of the face, try
frames that are wider at the bottom,
 very light colors and materials, and rimless frame
styles, which have a light, airy effect since the lenses
are simply held in place at the temples with screws.

16. Triangular-Erect Base-Down Face
 Triangular-Erect Base-Down Face –
 Width of frame should approximately equal lower
widest part of facial area.
 Darker colors work well.
 Faces in the shape of a base down triangle look great
with eyeglasses, which have color accents, details on
the top half of the frame.

17. Triangular-Erect Base-Down Face
 The triangular base-down face has a narrow forehead
that widens at the cheek and chin areas. To add width
and emphasize the narrow upper third of the face, try
frames that are heavily accented with color and
detailing on the top half or cat-eye shapes.

18. Diamond Shaped Face
 Diamond Shaped Face –
 Looks well with frames that have detailing or
distinctive brow lines.
 Diamond-shaped faces are narrow at the eye line and
jaw line, and cheekbones are often high and dramatic.
 This is the rarest face shape.

19. Diamond Shaped Face
 To highlight the eyes and bring out the cheekbones,
try frames that have detailing or distinctive brow lines,
or try rimless frames, or oval and cat-eye shapes.

20. Frame Color
• There are three key elements in the choice of frame
colors:
1. Everyone has either a cool (blue-base) coloring, or a
warm (yellow-base) coloring.
2. Everyone looks best in his or her personal color base.
3. Eyewear color should complement personal coloring.

21. • The best frame color depends on the look the Patient is
interested in creating:
• light frames for fair skin, darker frames for darker tones.
• Try several colors in the shade range to find the best one.
• For example, if considering dark frames, try the same frame
in dark blue, dark green, dark purple and black, or any
other available dark color,
• to see if one of those is better than the others for their skin
tone.

22. • The main factors to determine the best color palette are the
colors of the skin, eyes, and hair.
• SKIN
Skin tone is the prime element in determining coloring.
• All complexions fall into one of two color bases - blue (cool), or
yellow (warm).
• A cool complexion has blue or pink undertones, and a warm
complexion has a "peaches and cream" or yellow cast.
• Olive skin is considered cool because it is a mixture of blue and
yellow. In the United States, cool, blue-based, complexions are
more common than the yellow-based, warm, complexions.
• About 60 % of the population, are "cools."

23. • EYES
Eye colors are usually a secondary element in
determining coloring because of the wide range of eye
colors.
• Examples: Blue eyes can range from a cool, almost-
violet, to a pale blue-gray, which is warm.
• Brown eyes can vary from a light cider shade, warm,
through a medium-brown to a cool, almost-black.

24.  HAIR
Hair colors are also considered warm or cool.
 Strawberry blond, platinum, blue-black, white, salt-
and-pepper, and "dishwater" brown are cool.
 Warm hair colors include golden blond, flat black,
brown-gold, "carrot" and "dirty" gray.

25. • Once it has been determined the Patient has "warm"
or "cool" coloring, find the frame colors that will suit
them best.
• For warm coloring are: camel, khaki, gold, copper,
peach, orange, coral, off-white, fire-engine red, warm
blue and blond tortoise.
• For cool coloring, the best frame hues are black, rose-
brown, blue-gray, plum, pink, blue and amber (darker
tortoise).

26. Bridge Selection
 Selecting the proper bridge size and shape for any
given Patient is a crucial part of frame selection both
from a cosmetic, and purely practical perspective.
 Since a “high” bridge such as a keyhole style, tends to
accentuate nose length, it should be avoided with
longer noses, and recommended with shorter, stubbier
noses.

27. Bridge Selection
 The opposite holds true with “lower” bridge designs,
such as a saddle bridge.
 Patients with especially narrow bridges are generally
successful with adjustable nose pads.
 Very often adjustable pads can be added to a zyl frame,
which may increase the selection of wearable frames
for the narrow-bridged Patient.

28. Bridge Selection
 Saddle bridges and “comfort” bridges for metal frames
are difficult to adjust,
 Therefore care must be taken to insure the fit is
suitable, right from the beginning, during the initial
frame selection.

29. Frame Selection and Prescription
Considerations
High Minus Lenses:
Smaller Eye Size
Heavier Frame Material
Rounder Shapes
Lightweight Lenses
Higher Index Lens Material
Antireflection Coating Lightweight Lenses
Edge Coating

30. Fitting Consideration
High Plus Lenses:
Smaller Eye Size
Sturdy Frame Construction
Rounder Shapes
Small Frame Difference
Adjustable Nose Pads
Lightweight Lenses
Higher Index Lens Material

31. Fitting Consideration
 When presented with a prescription of higher powers:
 Proper frame selection is of utmost importance.
 The frame size must be kept to a minimum.
 The fit and style of the bridge takes on added
importance due to additional lens weight-thickness.

32. Fitting Consideration
 The eyes should be well centered in order to minimize
decentration.
 Usually, when the lens power exceeds ±6.00 or ±7.00
diopters, depending on the Patient, vertex distance
must be considered as an important factor.

33. Fitting Consideration
Progressive addition lenses:
A minimum vertex distance
An adequate pantoscopic tilt
Sufficient vertical depth in the nasal portion of the
frame
The shape of the frame(vertical depth )

34. Selecting Frames for Children
 Sturdy frames
 Deeply grooved frame fronts
 Quality spring temples
 Bridges that give support in the area of the lower
portion of the nosepad
 High impact lenses such as polycabonate or Trivex
 Sports protection when available

35. Selecting Frames for older Wearer
 Light weight frames
 Bridge must fit correctly
 Frame with adjustable nosepad
 Unconcerned with style

36. Selecting Frames for Safety
Eyewear
 Safety frame is not just sturdy frame
 Must fulfill specific standards (Z87, Z87-2 )
 Metal frames should be avoided

37. Fitting
We say that a frame that fits
well should go straight back
from the chassis end to the ear.
The temple should not angle in
or out and should not touch the
face until just before the ear.
The arrows indicate what a
good fit would be so you can
see that this frame is much too
large for this patient.

38. Bad fitting
Notice the large gaps between the
frame and her face. Notice that the
temple bends in towards her head
from the chassis end. These are
both good indications that this
frame is much too large for her.

39. Bad fitting
Here is the perfect example of
seeing beyond the fashion.
Pretty frame, but not a very
pretty fit. The frame is much too
small or narrow and the temples
are actually touching her face. If
this frame size was a 52 you
would probably check to see if it
came in a 54

40. In this image the frame is too
small. You can tell this by how
the temples angle slightly out
from the chassis end.

41. Here is an excellent way to tell
that a frame is too small! Look
closely and you can see that the
spring hinge is partially open.

42. This is a much-exaggerated
image but gives you an idea of
what we mean when a frame is
not level.

43. This is what we mean when we say a
frame is level. No, it is not an attractive
frame and it is not even a great fit but the
square shape lets you see the concept. As
mentioned you will need to decide what
your reference point will be to level a
frame, eyebrows or eyes.

44. Good fit
This is what we want to see
when we look for nose-pad to
nose contact. Look closely and
you will see no sharp angles, no
shadows, and the frame is well
positioned on her nose

45. This image is slightly
exaggerated but is still useful to
get an idea about nose pad
angles. Obviously, the pad on
the left will need to be adjusted
to meet the shape of the
patient’s nose.

46. Take a close look at the fit on
these pads. At a glance, they
look good but if you look closely
(look for the shadow), you will
see that they are actually
angled away from the top of her
nose and would need to be
adjusted just a little.

47. This frame may not be this
patient’s first choice for fashion
but it does show a great fit.
Notice the way the frame
matches the shape of her nose.
It makes full contact for the
entire bridge, along each
eyewire and good contact with
the molded nose pads, which
can be seen behind the frame.

48. Here is another example of a good fit.
The frame sits well in relationship to her
eyes, and the frame makes good
consistent contact with her nose.

49. This is what we never want to see
when fitting a plastic frame. This is a
keyhole bridge and they will only fit
certain nose types. Notice how the
frame only makes contact with the
nose at two points and those two
points are actually sharp edges! You
can imagine this patient will be
uncomfortable after wearing the
glasses for a very short time.

50. This is another example of what
you do not want to see. This
frame is only resting on two
small contact areas and you can
see the gap along the top. You
never want to see gaps or
spaces.

51. This temple bend is too early
since it is starting to bend
before it reaches the ear. Notice
what that early bend makes the
frame do! It pushes it up, forces
unwanted tilt, and actually
pushes the frame down her
nose.

52. This is what we mean when we
talk about vertex depth
imbalance. It is usually caused
by poor temple open angles or
by a temple bend that is too
tight.