Considering Your Face Shape When Choosing Eye Glass Frames

Selecting the right eyeglasses depends on balancing your specific face shape—Round, Heart, Square, Oval, Diamond, Oblong, or Triangle—with the correct frame width and bridge fit. Use our expert “Two-Finger Rule” and “Golden Ratio” measurements to ensure your frames are both aesthetically flattering and clinically comfortable.

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Key Takeaways

• Harmony Over Trend: The most flattering frames achieve balance and contrast with your facial shape (e.g., angular frames for round faces, round frames for square faces).

• Balance is Key: Use frame features to balance your face; for heart shapes, seek frames wider on the bottom, and for base-down triangles, look for heavier brow lines.

• Color Counterbalance: Use frame color to create contrast: if you have warm/dark hair, choose lighter frames; if you have light hair, you have versatile color options.

• Skin Tone Match: Generally, lighter skin hues pair best with similar-toned frames, while warmer skin tones offer the broadest range of choices.

• Personal Comfort is Supreme: While guidelines are helpful, the ultimate deciding factor should always be the frame that makes you feel the most confident and comfortable.

When it’s time to select a new pair of eyeglasses, it can be challenging to find the frame that feels best for you. Eyeglass makers have become increasingly aware of their clients’ desire to customize frames as well as offer a variety of colors, designs, and frame shapes. Understanding more about your face shape and the types of frames that would look best on you can help to reduce the amount of time you spend trying on frames that don’t complement your face shape. Here are a few useful tips to help you find the glasses best suited for your face shape.

The “Golden Ratio” of Frame Width

In my clinical experience, the number one reason patients are unhappy with their new glasses isn’t the shape—it’s the scale. If frames are too wide, they slide; too narrow, and they create painful pressure points at the temples.

How to Measure Your Face at Home:

• The Temple-to-Temple Distance: Stand in front of a mirror with a ruler. Measure the distance between your left and right temples. Your frame width should match this within a few millimeters.

• The Two-Finger Rule: When wearing a frame, you should ideally be able to fit two fingers between the temple arm and your head. Any more, and they are too loose; any less, and you risk “frame pinch.”

• The Cheekbone Test: Smile broadly. If the bottom of the frames lifts off your nose, the “depth” is too long for your facial structure.

Mastering the Bridge Fit (Universal vs. Low Bridge)

Face shape gets all the glory, but the bridge fit—where the glasses rest on your nose—is what determines all-day comfort.

• The High Bridge: If your nose bridge is above your pupils, look for frames with a “keyhole” bridge or high-set nose pads.

• The Low Bridge (Commonly “Asian Fit”): If you find your glasses constantly sliding down or resting on your cheeks, you likely have a lower nose bridge. Dr. Zaver recommends frames with extended nose pads or a narrower bridge gap to provide the necessary lift.

Expert Tip: If you have a hard time finding frames that don’t slip, ask our team about our Specialty Frames and Expert Fittings during your next visit.

Prescriptions vs. Aesthetics: When the Lens Dictates the Frame

“A high prescription can change the way a frame looks once the lenses are actually inserted,” explains Dr. Zaver.

• For Strong Nearsighted Prescriptions: Avoid large, thin metal frames. Instead, choose smaller, rounder acetate frames. The rounded edges help minimize “lens spillover” (thickness) at the edges.

• For Strong Farsighted Prescriptions: These lenses are thickest in the middle. Select a frame with a deeper lens height to ensure your eyes are perfectly centered.

If you’re concerned about lens thickness, we often recommend High-Index Lenses during your Comprehensive Eye Exam to keep your profile slim and lightweight.

Face Types

While there are thousands of different frame shapes, there are only seven different face shapes.

Round

This face type is as wide as it is long. There are no specific or well-defined angles to this face type. Most people with this facial type look for frames that will elongate their face in order to draw out their natural features as well as give their face a thinner appearance. A good choice is often to select a frame that is angular and narrow.

Heart

If you can imagine the shape of a traditional heart, this face shape is easy to identify. The top 1/3 of the face is wider, while the rest of the face tapers to a narrow chin. Individuals with this face shape will often seek frames that are wider at the bottom of the lens. This helps to balance the face and give the appearance of a narrower face at the top. Another great fit for this face type would be rimless frames.

Base Down Triangle

This face type contains a wide jaw and cheekbones, but is narrow at the forehead. Cat-eye type frames are great for this face type, as are frames that are heavier near the eyebrow to provide more balance.

Diamond

This face type is the rarest. The diamond face is like the base-down triangle, but differs because it has a narrow chin, thus appearing like a diamond. When selecting eyeglasses, look for oval-shaped frames or frames that have more detail along the brow line.

Oblong

This face type looks like an oval, but these individuals have a straight cheek line. This face is fuller than it is long. Frame types that add some depth are ideal for this face. This can be done by finding frames that have decorative pieces along the temples or that have more depth with a reduced width.

Oval

Oval faces are the most common face type. They are considered to have balanced proportions so that most frame types will work well. An oval face is longer than it is wide and includes plump cheekbones. Walnut-shaped eyeglasses are an ideal choice, but frames that are as wide or wider than the broadest part of your face would work as well.

Square

These individuals have a broad forehead and jaw that gives the appearance of the face having equal and straight sides. These face types usually do well with narrow or oval-shaped frames, which will help to soften their features.

Additional Tips

Your hair color may play a role in the best frame color for you. Individuals with warm hair colors (brown or black hair) do best to choose a lighter colored frame to add contrast. People who have hair on the lighter end of the spectrum can pick just about any frame color that they would like and may look to other features like eye color or skin tone to help make their decision.

Skin tone has the opposite effect from hair color on the best choices for the frame color. Those with lighter skin hues do best with similar frame colors, and those with warmer skin tones can pick and choose options that they enjoy the most.

References

1. The Vision Council. “Eyewear Trends and Buyer’s Guide.” The Vision Council.

2. American Academy of Ophthalmology. “How to Choose the Right Eyeglasses.” AAO.org.

Above all else, you should pick a frame that you like best. There may be additional factors to consider when choosing the right frame for you, but perhaps the most important factor is your overall happiness and comfort.

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