Glasses wearers - give me your best advice!

[Letsallscreamatthesistene]

Hello! Im gettig my eyes tested tomorrow and im pretty confident im going to need glasses. This is fine, I dont mind at all. Its dawned on me though that I dont know the first thing about glasses - is there anything I should know? Should avoid? Any brands that are great? Is it worth buying expensive ones or are cheapy ones just as good?

Try on lots and lots of pairs to get the ones that suit your face the most, and consider cost on a per wear basis because you’ll probably wear them most days for 2+ years! Mine always end up super expensive because I need thinned lenses etc but if you’re borderline then you shouldn’t need any of that.

I've always just had the bog standard ones from Specsavers. I used to be really careful and only wipe them with the little cloth thing but now I just use the bottom of my T-shirt! I carry a tiny screwdriver in my bag too so that I can tighten up the frames when needed.

If there are any deals for 2 for 1 etc that's always good incase you get a breakage. I found that ones with wider plastic legs tend to need tightened more often but that could just be me. As someone else said cost per wear is important, I don't mind spending £150+ as I wear them all day every day.

My latest pair are black metal and they haven't lasted well as they have a few scratches so I'll probably go back to something with a plastic/metal leg combo next time.

I get mine from goggles4u, they have a try on function on their website and you can get a paid of perfectly good glasses for 30 quid

If you are not sure what frames suit you, take lots of photos and decide a different day.
I would say if you can afford it buy a cheap pair first get used to what that is like then get a new more expensive pair later on. Some people are really bad at loosing glasses, sitting on them, kids knock them off etc,. So you may not want to jump straight into large amounts of money. Plus it also depends on how often they think you'll need your eyes to be tested therefore glasses replaced.

If you're anything like me, the first pair you try will be the ones you go for after trying on around 50 pairs. As others have said, think of cost per wear - if you're going to have to wear them all the time then you can justify spending more.

If they're for reading only (as mine are) and you think they'll be on and off and sitting on top of your head regularly, get fixed nose rest thingies. I've got both and the ones with the wobbly nose bit gets my hair tangled in then all the time and it's really annoying!

Definitely get fixed nose pieces if you put glasses on top of your hair, mine used to always get caught!

I like flexible legs, like the ones that can bend back on themselves a few mm, I find them comfier. Like PP's have said, try loads on and take pics if needed!

Use the Lakeland screen wipes for cleaning. Not the dusty cloth it comes with. Imagine they are makeup / hair colour and do they suit you and your style. Not nec what everyone else is wearing. Make sure they are comfortable or you won’t wear them! Large frames are heavy with thicker lenses and will always slide down nose if plastic and not wire nose pads.

Glasses+covid mask = pain in the arse!

I still don't really know what glasses suit me, I just choose a frame style and colour I like and go for it. Been wearing specs for about 3 years, if you need vari focals get the most expensive lense you can afford.

I wear the titanium ones. They’re lovely and light and don’t hurt my ears or nose. I can’t wear the fashionable plastic ones because the bridge of my nose is narrow, they sit too close to my face so my eyelashes touch the lenses every time I blink which is too annoying. So my advice is try on lots of styles.

Get 2 pairs of you are going to be wearing them all the time. It's an easy way of changing your look. Plus better to have a spare even if one is basic and the other is designer.
Get frames you like sod the price. But be aware that often there will be a very similar pair of cheaper frames as designer ones.
Lens upgrades jack the price up quickly. As a first pair of glasses you will probably not have much of a prescription so definitely don't pay for thin lenses. React to lights sound like a good plan but they don't react in your car very well and they go dark even on a cloudy day outside and then take ages to go clear when you go inside. Better to get a pair of prescription sunglasses, (next spring). Anti glare for night driving, I honestly can't remember if I got on these glasses or not so not going to comment.
And if you only need reading glasses then definitely keep it basic.

I have worn glasses since I was really young and I still have trouble choosing new frames when it comes to it!
I try to avoid good frames as they too much against my pale skin. Plastic ones like pp said slide too much (I have to wear mine all the time cannot see a thing without them)
Mine are a dark purple wire and a bit rectangular. They definitely suit my face the best to the extent when I needed new ones I just got exactly the same frames
Cos I need them all the time I get a spare pair from the cheap section in spec savers those ones are pink 🙂 they are my emergency ones

Gold frames not good!

If You find you only need reading glasses like myself I'd recommend just taking your prescription and trying some online glasses. I use glassesdirect and they have some great offers very cheap

Ok thanks everyone. Ill wait to see what my prescription is, but basically I cant see street name signs, or for example read the name on the cereal box if im stood the other side of the kitchen - the letters look all fuzzy. Does it sound like ill be wearing them all the time?

Take someone with you if possible to take photos of you in different frames.

Try on lots of different shapes and colours to get a feel for what suits you.

Two for one is a good idea to have two different looks.

Consider getting a pair as 'transitions' (lens changes to sunglasses in bright light).

Get the ones with the flexible hinges if you’re anyway clumsy. It costs a little more but is a saving in the long run.

If you can afford it get the lenses thinned. It makes glasses much lighter and more comfortable to wear. It depends on your prescription whether it’s needed but IMO not something to skimp on.

If you’re somewhere with a 2-4-1 deal, some people like to get a second pair for driving and keep them in the car. But if you will need to wear them constantly, I recommend opting for a pair of polarised sunglasses.

I have poor eyesight - and I have astigmatism. The cost of the lenses really mounts up. I have to have the lenses made thinner, plus anti glare/scratch coatings. Etc. It’s several hundred pounds, even with cheap frames. If your eyesight isn’t too bad, you can get away with basic lenses. I’ve never been able to afford a second pair of glasses, so I wear the one pair all the time. If you’re short-sighted, you probably won’t need reading glasses, unless you’re getting older, and then you might need bifocals or varifocals - very expensive. But it sounds like you are just short sighted.

@Letsallscreamatthesistene

Ok thanks everyone. Ill wait to see what my prescription is, but basically I cant see street name signs, or for example read the name on the cereal box if im stood the other side of the kitchen - the letters look all fuzzy. Does it sound like ill be wearing them all the time?

Only an optician can say for sure but this sounds like myopia - 'short sightedness' - where you can see fine close-up but not far away.

If you drive you'll likely need to wear them for driving.

I am short sighted - I now use varifocals (often needed in middle age) but I can still read close up without glasses. The problem with not wearing them is that it can cause eyestrain and squinting, but your optician will be able to advise you. I've worn glasses/contacts full time for over 30 years - you soon get used to it.

Contact lenses might be an option to explore for the future - modern soft lenses are very easy to get used to.

Pay extra for non reflective coating.

I ordered my most recent pair online too.
Very happy, glasses surprisingly good Glasses + frames were still £375 cheaper than the opticians!!!

I avoid glasses where the bridge is screwed into the lens, as I find them difficult to properly clean around the fixings. I also avoid very lightweight frames, as I find they don’t feel settled and secure on my face.

I always have a pair of prescription sunglasses, but if your distance vision is broadly fine, you might not need them.

You don't need new glasses each time you need the prescription updated, you can just have new lenses put in the current pair if you want. I've had my glasses 20yrs for one pair 10yrs for two others. They cost £80-150 each.

I find cheap ones don't last longer than around a year, the frames come loose and need constant tightening or the lenses fall out, plus the paint chips easier.

Consider whether you also need sunglasses in your prescription as well as plain ones.

How blind are you naturally? This is a factor in whether your glasses need to be a different colour to your furniture/floors.

Do you need them for driving and do you need to drive? If so then definitely have a second pair even if it's sunglasses, if one pair breaks you don't want to be stranded until you've got a repair.

Consider the colours you mostly wear as well as what suits your skin tone to make sure they'll work for most outfits.

You don't have to buy from the place you get your eyes tested, you can pay for the test then ask for your prescription and take it wherever, so you won't need to pay for an eye test at wherever you decide to buy from.

@WhatLiesAhead

If they're for reading only (as mine are) and you think they'll be on and off and sitting on top of your head regularly, get fixed nose rest thingies. I've got both and the ones with the wobbly nose bit gets my hair tangled in then all the time and it's really annoying!

This!!!