Getting your first pair of glasses is a lot like getting your first car. You want to find something that fits right and that looks amazing.
Many children are taken to an ophthalmologist when they start to have problems seeing in school, but some people never need glasses until they become adults. Whether you’re a child, a teen, or an adult, getting your first pair of glasses can seem like a daunting task. There are so many things to learn, and how can you be sure that you’ve gotten a pair of glasses that truly suits you, especially when you’re likely to have the glasses for a number of years?
Understand the Terminology
Before you can pick out a rocking pair of frames, it’s a good idea to learn a little more about prescription eyeglasses. The first thing that you might see is a good deal of numbers on your eyeglass prescription. What do the numbers all mean? The numbers are a way to show the manufacturer who will be making your lenses what type of correction your eyes need. The power of glasses is measured in something called diopters. If you have only one number on each line, you’re either suffering from nearsightedness or myopia, which is shortsightedness. If you have more than one number per line, you may have astigmatism. All of these problems are correctable with glasses and many can also be corrected with contact lenses.
When you see the words OD, that stands for the words Oculus Dexter, which are the Latin words for the right eye. And OS stands for Oculus Sinister, known in English as the left eye. The higher the number on your card is, the stronger the frames need to be. The lower, the weaker the frames need to be. It’s actually very simple to understand, and if you don’t get it you can always ask your ophthalmologist to explain the prescription to you.
Picking the Frame
Now that you know that you’re going to be getting glasses, it’s time to pick the frame. But which frame do you choose? There are literally thousands of different frames out in the world to select from, and many optometrists’ offices have hundreds on display for you to try on. The style that you select should not only fit your face but should be comfortable as well. Do not make the mistake of sacrificing comfort for style, as you’ll definitely regret it. You may be told that you can only select a specific type of frame, and this would be because the lenses that you need will only fit into a certain type of frame. But don’t worry – there should still be plenty of frames for you to select from.
Plastic frames are a great option for someone who needs very thick glasses, but most people tend to look towards metal frames, as they tend to look more stylish on a face and they don’t slide down the nose as frequently as plastic frames do either. Have fun when you’re picking out your frames, and be thankful that Austin, Texas has many optometrists available who all carry a wide array of different types of frames for you to pick from, making it a guarantee that you’ll find the perfect pair of glasses for you.
Larry Milton is an expert in the world of eyeglasses in Austin, Texas. With so many varieties to choose from, Milton’s ideas can help guide you to the right choice.