How To Choose Eyeglasses

1. Look for a sale price. Eyeglasses can range from $100 to $400 on average if you don't have insurance. Even if you do have it, many people still pay a portion of their bill. So check the newspaper or call a few eyeglass stores in the yellow pages to find out who's having a sale and when. It may be worth waiting or week or two to save a big chunk of the overall bill. You may even want to get a two-for-one deal so you have an extra pair of glasses in case one pair breaks or gets lost. Another option is to get the free sunglasses with your regular prescription that many retailers offer.

2. Be sure your vision adjusts correctly with the new lens. Only you can tell whether a certain lens improves your vision or not. Tell the optician whether a certain view is more clear than another, even if you fear the most helpful view is the most expensive or strongest prescription. When your new eyeglasses are ready and you try them on at the store, make sure you have the correct prescription and that you really can see better with them. The same holds true if you buy a second pair or prescription sunglasses.

3. Get a sense of the earpiece fittings. If they feel tight, let the optician adjust them, even if you have to leave them a few more days. It is better to have a good fit now than an adjustment later. But don't get earpieces so loose that your glasses slide around on your face. Try to get earpieces with a spring that will allow them to bend and hopefully protect them from breakage.

4. Check the facial fit. Do the glasses sit on your nose evenly or do they tilt to one side? Do you have to keep pushing them up for balance or do they stay in one place? Is there a sharp crease on the bridge of your nose after removing the glasses? If so, you may need to have a frame adjustment to make them a tad looser.

5. Select a design that flatters your face. Look at the styles worn by people whose appearance you admire. Wire frames, tortoise shells, and metallic hues are recent popular choices. See what the store offers as the styles most widely chosen by customers. But don't buy a frame just because it is popular. Try it on and see if the design and color flatter your face. Will the colors go with most of your outfits? Does the frame give you a scholarly, sophisticated, or impish look? Ask the optician's opinion, but in the end, count on your own impression.

6. Take someone with you. If you are unsure about how to pick out eyeglasses, you may want to bring along a friend or family member with experience. He or she may be able to tell you about popular styles, fitting problems, and what looks good on you. That person may have some knowledge of pricing as well.

Your glasses will become an important part of your facial appearance. Take care in selecting the pair that you will be wearing for a year or two.