Wide eyeglasses?

December 2, 2009 7:33 PM

Can you help me find glasses that fit my head? I've only been able to find a fit with the widest frames available, and finding them has been a matter of trial and error, mostly the latter.

My current glasses have a total width of 144 mm, and I think I may be able to go down a millimeter or two, but this is the first time in ages I haven't felt like I need to hack the temple pieces into some bizarre and unlikely shape for my glasses to fit reasonably well. I'd like to have at least one backup pair that fits similarly well.

I'm looking for somewhere I can go, whether online or in or near San Francisco, where I can see a wide range of frames with widths from 142-145 mm, and purchase them at a reasonable price. I want to be able to find frames that will fit me without needing to manually scan a bunch of them, ideally by searching by total width. (This rules out Zenni Optical, for example--I've heard great things about them, but they don't let you search by width and I really don't want to look through a few hundred sets of frames to pull out the ten that would fit me, only to conclude that I don't like any of them. I've had the same problem at the physical optical shops I've visited.)

I used to have a pair with dark green plastic frames, which looked great, so getting into something like that would be excellent. My script is fairly standard; about -4.5 in each eye, a slight astigmatism in one, distance vision only. I don't need exotic lens materials--I've had great luck with plain polycarbonate or CR39 lenses. However, I do want an AR coating.

posted by tellumo to health & fitness (7 answers total)

EyeBuyDirect has a search tool which allows selection of frames by size. They currently have 18 frames in the 140mm and over width, so there might be something you like.
GlassyEyes has been tracking the online eyeglasses business for a while, and has several other recommended vendors, and lists current discounts and coupons. Some of the others may also have a search by size.
Disclaimer: I've never used either EyeBuyDirect or any other online glasses vendor.
posted by RecalcitrantYouth at 8:18 PM on December 2, 2009

I have a wide face, too. Ultimately, I gave up on the cheap glasses sites and paid through the nose for my glasses. If that's not an option for you, this might not be useful advice at all. At any rate:
Oakley frames fit my face pretty well; as I recall the Gasket model came in green or brown tortoise, both of which were very nice, IMHO. A couple of Chesterfield frames from their XL line also fit. I ended up with a set of Woolrich frames (didn't even know they made glasses) that I really like. They're brown plastic, 54mm wide on each eye and a 19mm bridge. The model number is 7771. They were less expensive than the Oakleys, but certainly not nearly as cheap as anything you'd find at Zenni or Goggles4u.
posted by willpie at 8:25 PM on December 2, 2009

Got some 144's at optical underground in sf, cheap, not ugly. give it a shot. I think they were like 120 if you had no insurance.
posted by wuzandfuzz at 8:38 PM on December 2, 2009

google with:

site:zennioptical.com "frame width 145mm"

and 144mm, 143mm, and 142mm
posted by rdr at 11:19 PM on December 2, 2009 [1 favorite]

One of my favourite cousins has a wonderfully round and wide head.

If I recall correctly, he has used two frame styles that are easier on luxurious heads. One was a single-wire titanium frame. The hinges are loops in the wire. The frame flexes a great deal, and there is no certain angle of opening in the hinge.

The other was kind of similar. The whole frame is cut out of a thin sheet of some wonderful metal by a robot, and it flexes. I think they were made by ic! Berlin (very cool), perhaps Reykjavík Eyes.

Perhaps there are expensive, don't know, but AFAIK they last.
posted by krilli at 12:51 AM on December 3, 2009

I wear XXL hats and have also had trouble finding glasses that fit right. The Ltede 1035 Gunmetal and Ltede 1001 at Coastalcontacts.com fit me, the fake Wayfarer sunglasses at Zenni (2204 Plastic Full-Rim Frame) fit. I've also bought frames online before that are too small, it's hard to tell just by the numbers. I'd still rather buy 3 pairs of $30 glasses than 1 pair of $300 glasses at LensCrafters.

You can bend most plastic or thin metal frames so they are rounder.
posted by andrewzipp at 7:37 AM on December 3, 2009

Good answers all--in particular, I can't believe I didn't come up with rdr's Google trick. (I added the phrase "for detailed large image" to exclude the overview pages.)

Off to shop around this weekend. Thanks again!
posted by tellumo at 10:29 AM on December 4, 2009