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What Is Rimless Glasses – Everything You Need to Know

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What is Rimless Glasses - Everything You Need to Know

What are rimless glasses? |
Pros and cons |
With prescription |
Lens material |
Cost |
How to adjust rimless glasses |
Alternatives
By Emma Moletto
Reviewed by Sharlene McKeeman FBDO
Sharlene McKeeman FBDO

Reviewed by

Sharlene McKeeman FBDO
Sharlene is a qualified dispensing optician with over 7 years optical experience, a member of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians and registered with the General Optical Council.
Updated On Mar 23, 2023
Are frameless eyeglasses right for you? Find out!

We know the endless choices of frames are overwhelming, so why not make it easier and try a pair of rimless glasses? This article will cover what rimless glasses are and what you need to know before buying your first pair. Discover the pros and cons of wearing rimless glasses and whether they are an affordable alternative to prescription glasses for you.

What are rimless glasses?

Rimless glasses, or frameless eyeglasses, are glasses with no frame. The nose bridge connects the lenses, and the temples are directly attached to the lenses. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the first widely available version of rimless glasses came as prince-nez. These glasses pinched the nose and didn’t have earpieces. Manufacturers went to a great extent to keep these glasses secure on the nose. Around World War 1, a version with two temple arms and a nose bridge emerged.

In the coming decades, various other structural improvements were implemented, including nose pads, changing the type of screws, and different style variations. Rimless glasses help bring more focus to your face and allow for a subtle look. In the 21st century, frameless glasses are usually made with quality, lightweight, and durable materials, such as titanium, as they are more delicate than standard glasses.

What are the pros and cons of rimless glasses?

Like any pair of glasses, rimless glasses have features that appeal to some people rather than others. Let’s look into why rimless glasses may or may not be for you.

What are the advantages of rimless eyeglasses?

  • Cost-effective
  • Subtle – nearly invisible on your face
  • Lightweight
  • You can look fashionable, professional, or casual, depending on the model

What are the disadvantages of rimless glasses?

  • Delicate and more prone to breakage since there’s no frame
  • Not for those who want their glasses to show off their vibrant personalities
  • Not available in all frames styles
  • Not available for all prescription lenses (see next paragraph)

Consider the pros and cons to decide whether rimless eyeglasses are for you. If you like them and need prescription lenses, then let’s find out if frameless eyeglasses are suitable for your vision.

Can I get rimless glasses with a high prescription?

Prescription rimless eyeglasses are not suitable for high prescriptions. Indeed, it is not recommended to wear your frameless glasses if your prescription is higher than -6.00. Strong prescriptions have thicker lenses and need extra support, like semi-rimeless and full-rim glasses in plastic or metal frames. However, depending on the lens material and your prescription details, you might get away with frameless glasses, even with a high index. Consult our certified online opticians for more advice. 

Progressive lenses can be fitted to a rimless pair of glasses and work as effectively as other progressive prescription glasses (always depending on your prescription). The same goes for tinted lenses and transitions. You should have a regular eye test to have an updated version of your prescription. If you are unsure what your existing prescription is before buying a pair of rimless glasses, you can use our Lens Scanner tool and get the result straight to your phone.

Best lens material for rimless glasses

The lenses in frameless eyeglasses are more exposed than full or semi-rimmed glasses, so they’re more prone to breakage. Therefore, rimless glasses depend on certain types of lens materials. 

Standard plastic or glass lenses work best with full-rimmed glasses as they are fully covered. The lenses are more exposed in rimless glasses, and with glass or standard plastic lenses, they’d lack impact resistance. So, frameless eyeglasses depend on the quality and robust lens materials, and with high prescriptions, thicker lenses require more stability. 

High-quality plastic lenses, like Arise Collective™ Clarity Lenses  are a good option for frameless glasses with low prescriptions. They are lighter and thinner than standard glasses lenses and also offer UV protection and impact resistance. Higher prescriptions may require thicker lenses, which mean a heavier pair of glasses. High-index lenses are a great way to avoid heavy rimless glasses since they offer superior impact resistance.

DID YOU KNOW?

The best lens material for rimless glasses is high-quality plastic, such as our Arise Collective™ Clarity Lenses . With higher prescriptions, it is recommended to opt for high-index lenses for superior impact resistance and comfort.

How much do rimless glasses cost?

One of the pros of rimless eyewear is that it is cost-effective, so you won’t need to exceed your budget. 

You can find affordable rimless glasses and designer eyewear to suit your every eye need and personal style. If you love durable sporty glasses, try Oakley rimless glasses, or discover our Arise Collective for something more eco-chic. 

How to adjust rimless glasses

Rimless glasses need extra delicacy when it comes to small repairings. To adjust loose screws, remove them from the frames, insert a new screw, and tighten them with a jeweller’s screwdriver. Tighten it up to the point where it becomes difficult to turn to avoid cracking the lens where the hinge and lens meet.

You can also slightly adjust the nose pads to make the glasses sit higher or lower on your face. Be careful when doing this with rimless progressive glasses, as they may alter your vision while wearing them. Undoubtedly, it’s always best to visit your local opticians for assistance.

Alternatives to rimless glasses

So, what are rimless glasses? Imagine a pair of prescription glasses without a frame, just the lenses, nose bridge, and temples. 

After reading our article, you should have a better understanding of why some people prefer to wear rimless glasses and may want to try them yourself. Remember to take extra care of frameless glasses, as the lenses do not have the additional support full or semi-rimmed glasses may offer. 

If you’ve decided that rimless glasses are not the best option for your needs, you may want to explore different types of glasses to find what you love among trendy and practical everyday eyewear.

What Are Asian Fit Glasses?

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What Are Asian Fit Glasses?

Asian fit glasses |
Solutions |
Facial features |
Can non-Asians
wear this fit? |
Asian fit vs standard fit |
Size |
Nose pads |
Frames |
Do I need Asian fit?
By Anna MacGabhann
Reviewed by Beck Jinnette
Beck Jinnette

Reviewed by

Beck Jinnette
Beck has over 17 years of experience in eye care, holding her Certificate IV in Dispensing in Australia.
Updated On Mar 28, 2023
Depending on your facial features, Asian fit glasses may be the best for you. They have special features that give you the most comfortable fit and stops the frames from sliding down your nose.

If you are having problems with your glasses fitting your face comfortably, then this article all about Asian fit has the answers you are looking for. 

Do you find that your glasses sit tightly, always slide down your nose or sit too close to your eyelashes? Then maybe your face is telling you to upgrade to a pair that fits your facial features the way they are supposed to.

What does Asian fit mean in glasses?

We all look different and we all have different facial features. Just think about how, nowadays, anyone can unlock their phone by simply placing it in front of their face.

When choosing a pair of glasses, remember that what fits your face won’t necessarily fit another – just like your face is the only one to unlock your phone. It could be your eye shape, bone structure and so on. 

Do you feel that your glasses do not correctly fit your face because they are too tight at the temples or always slip down your nose? For people with lower nose bridges and high cheekbones in particular this is a common issue. Due to the diversity among facial features, standard glasses aren’t always the right fit.

We have a solution!

Asian fit glasses are designed specifically to help avoid these issues. Also known as low bridge fit glasses or Omni fit, Asian fit eyewear can be more comfortable for people of Asian descent but is also not limited to them.

Asian fit sunglasses and glasses cater to specific facial features. If your answer is yes to any of these questions below, then you may want to consider getting yourself a pair of low bridge fit glasses:

  • Do you have flatter facial features?
  • A rounder and wider face?
  • A low nose bridge and/or higher cheekbones?

If you’ve said yes to 1 or more of the above questions, then sit back and let’s have a look at what your face is saying.

Humans have adapted to their environment and climate for centuries, and based on these factors, our bodies have mutated to fit our surroundings, even our facial features.

Our noses, for example, have adapted to diverse climates, and if you live in a more humid climate, you’ll tend to have a wider nose to allow for more air to flow.

Facial features

In the Asian community, many tend to have a lower nasal bridge, the part that is between your eyes and close to your forehead. Therefore the bridge of your nose is lower than your pupils, making it harder for the glasses to sit correctly on your face and align with your vision. 

If you have higher cheekbones, your glasses will tend to touch your cheeks, so when you talk or smile, you’ll see your glasses move as well. If your eyewear is always leaning on your cheeks, it can be uncomfortable.

With a wider and rounder face, standard glasses can be a little tighter around the temples or quite often sit too high on your face.

Can non-Asians wear Asian fit glasses?

Whether you are from an Asian community or not, having these particular facial features may entail that Asian fit glasses are designed specifically for you. If you have a smaller face shape you may also opt for an Asian fit.

What is the difference between Asian fit and standard fit?

Now that we’ve established who and for which particular facial features Asian fit glasses are, we can see exactly how they work. 

3 main aspects make Asian fit glasses a little different from Standard fit glasses:

  • Asian-fit glasses are designed with larger nose pads that ensure the glasses sit correctly on your face and away from your eyelashes. Standard fit glasses, instead, have a shorter bridge meaning that they may not fit well if you have a low nose bridge. 
  • The lenses are shorter, wider, and slightly tilted. This helps prevent the glasses from constantly touching your cheek and helps to create a gap between your face and the lenses. With your glasses sitting further away from your face, you’ll also reduce the risk of your eyewear fogging up, a pain every glasses wearer endures.  
  • The frame is wider and slightly curved for rounder and prominent heart face shapes, to prevent the glasses from being too tight at the temples or sitting too high on your face. 

 Round and heart-shaped faces tend to have a wider forehead which means that some regular or smaller size glasses would be too tight and squeeze your face. If you are not entirely sure what your face shape is, you can easily find out with our shape face guide.

Are Asian fit glasses smaller?

Just like any clothing item that we wear, even glasses have a particular size, whether they are standard fit or Asian fit. They are smaller in some aspects, but it will depend on the measurement.

Sunglasses, and glasses in general, have 3 different measurements:

  1. The first measurement indicates your lens width
  2. The second number is the width of the bridge
  3. The third is the temple width

Extra nose pad features

For Onmi fit glasses, you want to ensure that the bridge or nose pads have the right size to sit correctly on your nose. The size can also differ depending on the frame material used.

Generally, bridge measurements on standard-fit glasses vary from 14-24 mm, but if it is too wide on your nose bridge, the glasses may slip down.

DID YOU KNOW?
There are many differences between Asian and Standard fit glasses. Finding out if you need Asian fit can make your experience much more comfortable.

Frame type

Plastic frames with a solid nose bridge for Asian fit glasses can measure around 8mm and this helps provide support and less slipping. A great example is Ray-Ban Asian fit glasses, which sit just right on your face and avoid any touching between your cheeks and glasses. 

Many metal frames, for example, have adjustable nose pads that you can adjust to fit the glasses properly on each side of your nose. Certain metal frames can have a nose bridge of up to 11mm. Measurements for low bridge glasses can tend to be lower than the standard fit but do vary. But don’t let all these numbers stop you from getting a pair of trendy and cool Asian fit glasses.

Great-looking, better-fitting glasses

If you have a low nose bridge, wide and flat facial features or high cheekbones, then most probably Asian fit glasses are just the right eyewear for you. 

Look trendy with a pair of  Asian fit eyeglasses  or low bridge sunglasses that fit; avoid the pain of your eyewear moving inconveniently or them fogging up your vision because they are too close to your face.

How to Test Blue Light Glasses

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Ask now

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How to Test Blue Light Glasses

Blue light explained |
Types |
Testing methods
By Ivana Yankova
Reviewed by Beck Jinnette​
Beck Jinnette​

Reviewed by

Beck Jinnette​
Beck has over 17 years of experience in eye care and holds her Certificate IV in Dispensing in Australia.
Updated On May 27, 2024
Discover the different types of blue light glasses and how to test their efficacy at-home.
man wearing blue light blocking glasses and looking at LED computer screen

In today’s world, people stare at digital screens every day, which can cause long-term damage to our eyes.

With hundreds of brands offering blue light blocking glasses, many people aren’t aware that their regular glasses may also have a blue light filter. How can we determine if they effectively block harmful blue light?

Thankfully, you don’t need to go to your local optometrist to find this out. Here we’ve gathered five different ways you can perform a blue light filter test from the comfort of your home.

What is blue light?

Before discussing the various at-home blue light tests, we need to learn what exactly blue light is.

Blue light is a type of light with a short wavelength and high energy that is emitted by digital screens, LED lights and the sun. 

Some blue light is natural and necessary for our well-being, but when blue light rays reach a wavelength between 415-455nm, they can hit the retina and have a detrimental effect on vision.

In this case, wearing blue light glasses can be an effective way to counteract the effect of this short-wavelength light, and protect your eyes in the long term. 

Different types of blue light-blocking lenses

At first sight blue light glasses can be distinguished by their lens colour. Understanding the differences between these lenses can help you choose the right ones for your needs.

Clear lenses

The most common type of blue light glasses – also known as blue light computer glasses – contain clear lenses.

These are especially useful when using your phone or laptop or while watching TV. They are perfect for daily use because they significantly relieve digital eye strain and improve sleep quality. 

Their subtle coating filters out 25-30% of all blue light while maintaining the natural colour of objects. 

woman wearing blue light blocking glasses with clear lenses

Yellow lenses

Yellow lenses are recommended for nighttime driving because of their ability to provide better contrast. 

They block 65-70% of all blue light and reduce glare from artificial light sources such as traffic lights and LED car headlights. 

woman wearing blue light glasses with yellow lenses

Orange & red lenses

Orange and red lenses offer the highest level of blue light protection. They filter out 99.5–99.9% of all blue light and can help improve sleep quality by minimising the disruption of the sleep hormone melatonin.

Using these glasses in the evening or before bedtime can reduce eye strain and fatigue, especially during prolonged periods of screen time.

In comparison with yellow lenses, blue light glasses with orange and red lenses are not suitable for nighttime driving. 

They can also cause colour distortion making objects appear slightly different in hue. This may not be ideal for tasks that require colour accuracy, such as graphic design or photo editing.

woman wearing blue light glasses with red lenses
DID YOU KNOW?

Not all coloured lenses effectively filter blue light; it’s the science behind the lens tint and coating that determines their efficacy in blocking harmful wavelengths.

Five ways to test blue light glasses

Testing blue light glasses doesn’t have to be complicated. 

With a few simple methods, you can ensure that your glasses effectively block blue light and provide the protection you need without the need of visiting the local optician.

1. Reflection test

This is a good initial test to determine your glasses’ authenticity. Hold your blue light glasses up to a light source and observe the reflection. 

If you spot a blue reflection on the lens surface, it indicates that they are effectively blocking blue light, though it doesn’t specify their level of blue light filtration. 

reflection test blue light blocking glasses screen

2. Pigment test

Hold your glasses up to a screen emitting white light, such as a computer screen with a white background. If the screen appears slightly yellow, it means that the glasses filter blue light.

pigment test blue light blocking glasses stop blue light rays

3. RGB colour chart test

Use a digital device to display an RGB colour chart. Put on your blue light glasses and observe the colours. 

If the blue light is effectively blocked, the blue section “B” should appear slightly darker or almost black and the green circle “G” should be a bit dimmed.

The image on the left represents a regular RGB colour chart, while the image on the right has been modified to simulate the results when using blue light lenses.

If you have true blue light filtering eyewear, both images will appear almost identical through your glasses.

RGB color chart test blue light blocking glasses

4. Black and blue circle test

Similar to the previous test, put on your blue light glasses and look at the black and blue circles. If the circles appear less bright and a dark grey colour, your glasses are working as they should.

black and blue circle test blue light blocking glasses

5. Spectrophotometer test

While the other methods are a great way to test your blue light blocking lenses and can be done at home, using a spectrophotometer is the best way to accurately and precisely measure how much blue light is being filtered.

The spectrophotometer test can be done in specialised labs or optical stores. The device will generate a spectrum report indicating the percentage of blue and green light blocked by your glasses, allowing you to assess their effectiveness.

spectrophotometer test spectrum report

Test not to use: blue light pen test

While there are many effective at-home tests, we advise you not to use a blue light pen to test your glasses.

The blue light test pen often accompanies blue light glasses imported from China and other local manufacturers.

This test kit typically includes a blue light pen and a small white card. The instructions claim that the pen emits blue light, and when shone on the card, it supposedly appears blue.

However, this test is fake because these pens emit violet light, not blue. Lab-grade spectrometers have confirmed that the wavelength of this light falls between 380-400nm, well within the violet light spectrum, while blue light ranges from 400nm to 500nm.

Glasses that pass the pen test filter violet light but do not block the harmful blue light emitted by LED screens.

Final thoughts

There are many blue light blocking glasses out there and before relying on them, we need to find out if they are really serving their purpose. 

By performing these simple tests, you can ensure that your blue light glasses are providing the protection you need to reduce eye strain and improve your overall eye health.

If you want to learn more about eye health, you can explore our Optical Centre and Lens Hub.