FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
1. What is the perfect frame for my face?
Every face is a work of art and like a prized masterpiece, it deserves a great frame. If you have the time and inclination, you can try on every frame in the store to determine which fits you best. But narrowing your choices can save a great deal of time and frustration.
According to the Vision Council of America, scale, shape and coloring are the essential factors for selecting the correct frame.
In general the size of the frame should relate to the size of the face, the shape of the frame should contrast with the shape of the face and the color of the frame should complement the coloring of the face.
Oval
This is considered the ideal shape because of its balanced proportions. Someone with an oval face can wear almost anything.
Round
This shape is characterized by equal length and width as well as an absence of angles.
Diamond
This is the rarest face shape. Narrow at the eye line and jaw line, the cheekbones are usually high and dramatic.
Square
A strong jaw line and a broad forehead combine with equal width and length to create this face shape.
Oblong
Longer than it is wide, this face shape generally features a straight cheek line and longish nose.
Triangle
A narrow forehead that widens at the cheeks and chin areas distinguishes this base-down triangle shape.
Heart
This face has a wide forehead and high cheekbones with a narrow, often pointed chin.
Look at your face in the mirror to see which shape fits you best: When you come in for a fitting, a Katy Optiks professional will help you further asses your face shape and coloring. Let us help you select the perfect frame to showcase your best features.
2. How do I select the best frame?
It all starts with your eyewear prescription! It’s always tempting to start by finding a fashion eyewear frame that is the right color and matches your face. However, your prescription may not work in a certain frame shape or size, and may affect the lens finish, so allow a professional to show you a variety of frames from which you can choose your favorite.
3. How do I get the thinnest lenses?
A frame that will “hold” your prescription and fit you properly will result in lenses that have the least amount of concentration or unwanted thickness. Moreover, by selecting premium lens materials, you can further ensure ending up with the thinnest lenses.
4. What's popular now?
Fashion-forward and avant-garde are always just ahead of the current trend. Today, avant-garde shapes for women are the oversized ovals, which are feminine yet have dramatic lines. For men, the edgy styles draw from the golden era of Hollywood. Generally speaking, most people are more comfortable wearing clothing, jewelry, and eyeglasses that are “on trend.” Today’s women’s trends are cat-eye shapes in deep tortoise tones. For men, the vintage masculine lines in black are on trend.
5. Metal vs. Plastic?
There are metal and plastic frames for every face shape and lifestyle. The choice between the two is subjective. However, some helpful tips suggest thicker prescriptions can be somewhat “hidden” in a plastic frame. And nosepads, usually found in metal frames, can help balance the frame on a face that has a low nose bridge or long straight eyelashes.
6. What is titanium?
It’s a rare-earth metal with very high tensile strength, which makes it more expensive than other metals. It is lightweight and non-corrosive, as well as hypoallergenic. People who have skin reactions to other metals can successfully wear titanium frames.
7. How well do the rimless glasses stay together?
8. What are coatings for?
Lens coatings are used to reduce reflections and to harden the surface of lenses, which improves the percentage of light transmission and cuts down UV transmission.
9. Do I need coatings on my glasses?
Generally speaking, coatings provide both a functional and cosmetic benefit to lenses. Anti-reflection will increase light transmission through the lenses and reduce reflected glare, making the lenses seem almost invisible. Scratch resistance protects lenses on the front and back surfaces, which increases lens durability. Some lenses have built-in protection from potentially harmful ultraviolet light. Those that don’t have built-in protection can have UV protection added to them. Hydrophobic and anti-static features enhance lenses by maintaining their surfaces to help keep them oil- and dust-free.
10. What's a progressive lens?
In appearance, a progressive addition lens looks like a single-vision lens with no reading segment line. These lenses provide smooth, continuous clear vision all the way from close-up through arm’s length to distance, with no image jump as the eye moves from one focal area to another.
11. How do I protect my eyes from the computer screen?
The light transmitted by digital devices and LED screens is full of visual noise or high-energy light waves that are just beyond the visible spectrum, causing an elevation of stress on our eyes, which can lead to headaches, loss of focus, blurred vision, and overall eye fatigue. By adding coatings to lenses that reduce blue light, overall transmission and transparency are increased, and eyes are kept comfortable and refreshed.
12. What colors work best on me?
13. Should my eyebrows show?
Your eyebrows are very important if you wear glasses; they frame and should complement the eyewear shape.
14. How do I prevent red marks on my nose?
If the marks appear after you’ve been wearing your eyewear for a few months, you might need a proper adjustment of the frame or nose pads. If you are prone to allergies, selecting the right materials will ensure that red marks don’t appear. An eyewear professional who assists you in making the correct frame selection and eyewear fit is the best guarantee to prevent red marks on your nose.
15. Tint or not?
Tinted lenses are important for individuals in a range of occupations who suffer from eyestrain and fatigue. These comfort tints, designed to correct eyestrain, can be modern photochromic lenses, which provide a lighter tint indoors and a darker tint outdoors. In addition to corrective tints, cosmetic tints serve to enhance a frame’s features.
16. How many pairs should I have?
An eyewear wardrobe can be obtained in stages, just as outfits and jewelry are chosen for different activities and events.
17. What's the best sunglass lens?
18. How dark should sunglasses be?
The sunwear industry has become very high-tech. Leading sunwear manufacturers include professional athletes on their design teams to develop lenses that are sport-specific. However, for general-purpose outdoor usage, lenses should be polarized to eliminate reflected glare caused by light bouncing off shiny surfaces such as snow, ice, and water, as well as roadways and metallic auto surfaces during daytime driving.
19. What's the right way to clean my glasses?
Wetting the lenses first and then wiping their surface in one direction with a soft cotton cloth will keep lenses clean and prevent marring marks from developing in the center of the lenses.
20. How do I protect my glasses?
A well-used adage is the best daily practice: When they’re not on your face, they’re in the case!