Different Types of Glasses Explained: Shapes, Frames, Styles, & More

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Plus, expert tips for choosing the right pair of eyeglasses

Co-authored by Kara Hartl, MD, FACS and Devin McSween

Last Updated: July 28, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Frame Shapes
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• Frame Styles
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• Materials
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• Prescription Glasses
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• Non-prescription Glasses
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• Tips for Choosing Glasses
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• Video

|Show more |Show less

Glasses come in all different shapes, frame styles, materials, and lens types. If you’re on the hunt for a new pair of prescription glasses or a fun pair of fashion glasses, we’re here to help! We’ll go over all the factors to consider when choosing glasses, including the different frame shapes, styles, and materials, as well as the different types of prescription and non-prescription glasses you can get. We also spoke with personal stylists and ophthalmologists for expert tips on selecting the best glasses for you.

What are the different types of glasses?

Steps

Section 1 of 6:

Types of Glasses Frame Shapes

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   Rectangle Rectangle frames are longer than they are wide. They have an angular shape that adds structure to the face, with long lines at the top and bottom and sharp corners. They’re a timeless choice that tends to give off a studious, sharp, and professional vibe. This shape is also very versatile and comes in different frame types and thicknesses.

   • Best face shape: Round, heart, oval

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Kalee Hewlett is a celebrity stylist and image consultant with over 2 decades of experience helping people build their confidence.

   Paul Julch, MA is a personal stylist with over 25 years of experience in the fashion industry.

   Dr. Alexander Knezevic, MD is a board-certified ophthalmologist at the Los Angeles Vision Institute in Los Angeles, CA.

   Dr. Kara Hartl, MD, FACS is a board-certified ophthalmologist and the founder/CEO of Mountain View Eye Center in Fairbanks, AK.

   Sarah McDonald is a certified stylist and image consultant with experience helping men and women feel confident through clothing.
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   Square Square frames are another angular glasses shape with long lines and sharp corners. However, the frames are about the same height and width. They’re another great frame to add structure and definition to your face, especially if you have more rounded features. Square glasses are sophisticated and bold statement pieces that are sure to catch others’ eyes.

   • Best face shape: Round, heart, oval
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   Round Round glasses have a more circular shape, with soft edges and no angular lines. They’re a unique and less common style that gives you a bit of an alternative and vintage look, says fashion stylist Kalee Hewlett. The less angular style also makes them great for sharper and more structured face shapes, as they add softness and balance.

   • Best face shape: Square, diamond, oblong, inverted triangle, oval
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   Oval Oval frames are similar to rectangle frames, except they’re rounded instead of angular. These frames are longer than they are wide, with long lines framing the top and bottom of the lenses. Like round frames, oval frames have a vintage and retro vibe that complements angular faces well.

   • Best face shape: Square, diamond, oblong, inverted triangle, oval
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   Cat-eye Cat-eye glasses are lifted and angled upwards at the outer corners, giving them an upswept appearance similar to a cat’s eyes. They’re a bold, retro choice that has a glamorous and elegant vibe. Due to their longer width, they complement face shapes that have a narrow forehead or a stronger chin.

   • Best face shape: Triangle/pear, diamond, inverted triangle, oval
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   Browline Browline glasses have a thicker frame on the top of the lenses, following the natural shape of your eyebrows, while the frame on the bottom is thinner. They are a classic style that tends to give someone a smart, studious, and sophisticated appearance. Because they have a bold line at the top, they complement strong jawlines and angular faces well.

   • Best face shape: Oval, triangle/pear
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   Aviator Aviator glasses have a distinct and rounded inverted triangle shape, with the top of the lenses wider than the bottom. They also have a second nose-bridge line that runs along the top of the frames. Since these glasses are associated with pilots, they have a classically cool and edgy vibe. The wider frames and rounded edges mean they complement wide and narrow face shapes.

   • Best face shape: Heart, oblong, inverted triangle, oval
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   Geometric Geometric glasses describe other angular frames that aren’t rectangular or square: they can be shaped like a pentagon, hexagon, or even an octagon. They’re bold, unconventional, and modern, giving you an edgy and fashion-forward vibe. Since they’re quite angular, they complement rounded faces well.

   • Best face shape: Round, oval
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   Oversized As the name implies, oversized glasses are simply frames that are larger than normal. They can come in any of the above shapes, but are bigger and wider than the standard styles. Due to their oversized shape, they make a bold and fashion-forward statement.

   • Best face shape: Larger faces and features
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Section 2 of 6:

Types of Glasses Frame Styles

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   Full-rimmed Full-rimmed glasses mean that the entirety of the lens is enclosed with a frame. The thickness of the frame can be constant or thicker on the top or bottom, but the lens is always covered. Because of this, full-rimmed glasses are the heaviest frames and can accommodate thicker lenses with strong prescriptions. They’re also a bold and eye-catching style.

   • Best face shape: Round, oblong, oval
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   Semi-rimless Semi-rimless (also called half-rimmed) glasses usually mean that the top of the frames is rimmed while the bottom of the glasses is rimless. However, there are reverse styles where the top is rimless and the bottom is rimmed. These frames aren’t quite as heavy as full-rimmed glasses, but can still carry strong prescriptions. The lack of a full rim also gives them a more subtle, clean, and modern look.

   • Best face shape: Triangle/pear, square, diamond, oblong, oval
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   Rimless As the name suggests, rimless glasses have no frame. They’re the lightest option, but are more vulnerable to damage and don’t support thick lenses and strong prescriptions well. Since they don’t have a frame, they give you a super subtle look and make your facial features more noticeable.

   • Best face shape: Heart, square, inverted triangle, oval
   • If you don’t love how you look in glasses, personal stylist Paul Julch, MA recommends choosing rimless or clear frames, as they’re less noticeable and don’t distract from your facial features as much.
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   Low-bridge Low-bridge glasses describe a type of frame fit that sits better on people who have a lower nose bridge. On these glasses, the nose bridge rests lower on the nose. This is helpful for people who have lower nose bridges, flatter noses, high cheekbones, and wider faces, as standard-fit glasses can slide off their faces.

   • Best face shape: Oblong and oval, and people with lower nose bridges
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Section 3 of 6:

Types of Glasses Frame Materials

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   Metal Metal frames can come in all different thicknesses, from thin wire frames to bolder styles. Ophthalmologist Dr. Alexander Knezevic, MD says metal frames tend to have a more minimalistic look, but they’re also super versatile, coming in lots of different shapes and colors. Most importantly, they’re durable, resistant to damage, easy to adjust, and lightweight.

   • The most popular metals used are:
     • Monel: The most common metal. It’s not hypoallergenic, but it’s very flexible and resistant to damage.
     • Titanium: Hypoallergenic, lightweight, durable, and resistant to damage. They tend to be more expensive, though.
     • Stainless steel: Hypoallergenic, lightweight, durable, and resistant to damage. They’re not as expensive as titanium, though.
     • Beryllium: Lightweight, strong, and resistant to damage. It’s not hypoallergenic, but it is less expensive than titanium.
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   Plastic Most plastic frames are made of acetate, which is a plant-based plastic. Dr. Knezevic says plastic frames can be made thicker and heavier than metal frames, so they usually give you a bolder, more stand-out look. The plastic is easily dyed, too, so they usually come in more colors. Dr. Knezevic also explains that plastic frames are super strong and can hold thicker lenses and accommodate stronger prescriptions.

   • Dr. Knezevic notes that plastic frames are hypoallergenic, so they’re a great option for people who have allergies.
   • One of the downsides of plastic frames is that they lose their adjustment faster than metal frames, says Dr. Knezevic. They’re also heavier and usually less durable than metal frames.
   • In general, plastic frames tend to be less expensive than metal frames.
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   Less common materials Lots of other materials can be used to make glasses frames, they’re just much less common. For instance, you can find glasses made out of wood, gold, silver, leather, bone, and 3D printed plastic. These materials tend to be less durable than metal and plastic, but also more expensive. However, they can give you a unique, fashion-forward look if that’s what you’re after!
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Section 4 of 6:

Types of Prescription Glasses

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1. 
   Prescription lenses can be single, bifocal, trifocal, or progressive. Prescription glasses contain corrective lenses of varying thicknesses to fix vision issues (like near or farsightedness) so you can see better. They’re designed to correct your specific vision issues and are prescribed by an eye doctor after you get an eye exam. While each person’s prescription is different, there are several general types of lenses:

   • Single-vision lenses: The entire lens corrects your vision in only one way. For instance, if you’re nearsighted, a single lens prescription only helps you see far away better.
   • Bifocal lenses: The lens is split into 2 areas that correct your vision in 2 ways, like nearsightedness and farsightedness. So, the lens contains 2 different prescriptions. There’s often a visible line between the 2 areas of the lens.
   • Trifocal lenses: The lens is split into 3 areas to correct your vision in 3 ways. For instance, the prescriptions might help you see near, far, and mid-range distances. The line between each prescription is visible, and it often looks like there are lenses within the lens.
   • Progressive lenses: These lenses are similar to bifocals, except there’s a gradual transition between the 2 prescriptions, so there’s no distinct line between the 2 areas.
   • Prism lenses: These lenses don’t correct your focus, but rather help fix conditions like double-vision. The lenses are prisms that help you see only one image.

Section 5 of 6:

Types of Non-prescription Glasses

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   Reading glasses Board-certified ophthalmologist Dr. Kara Hartl, MD, FACS says that reading glasses help your eyes focus at intermediate and near distances, like when you’re reading a book or on the computer. They’re single-vision lenses with a general magnifying lens that helps you see things closer up. Dr. Hartl explains that you wear them to help relax the muscles inside your eye and reduce eye-strain, as well as to correct vision changes due to aging (called presbyopia).

   • According to Dr. Hartl, reading glasses with +1.50 magnification are good for computer distances while a +2.50 magnification is good for reading.
   • Most reading glasses are not prescription, so you can buy them over the counter at many big-box stores. However, you can ask your eye doctor for a prescription pair tailored to your vision.
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   Sunglasses Sunglasses are made with tinted lenses to protect your eyes from the sun and other bright lights. Most sunglasses have lenses treated with UV protection that block UVA and UVB light rays, which can harm your vision. The dark tint also helps to reduce glare and prevent eye strain.

   • While most sunglasses are not prescription, you can ask your eye doctor to prescribe you a pair of prescription sunglasses if you have vision issues to correct.
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   Blue light blocking glasses Dr. Hartl says blue light glasses are meant to protect your eyes from digital screens, like on your phone, computer, and TV. She explains that these glasses are made with yellow-tinted lenses that help block blue light waves. Because digital screens emit a lot of blue light, wearing blue light glasses can reduce the amount of blue light entering your eyes, which can help prevent eye strain and discomfort.

   • Dr. Hartl says there are 2 main types of blue light glasses:
     • Daytime computer glasses: These glasses have subtle, yellow-tinted lenses and are meant to be worn in the daytime as you're working on the computer. They’re primarily to reduce eye strain.
     • Nighttime glasses: These glasses have significantly yellow lenses to block out more light. You’re meant to wear them before you go to bed, as exposure to a lot of blue light can potentially disrupt your sleep schedule and damage your sleep quality.
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Section 6 of 6:

Tips for Choosing the Right Glasses For You

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1. 1
   Select a frame shape, type, and size that flatters your face. One of the best ways to choose the right pair of glasses is to determine your face shape, says Hewlett, as certain glasses shapes, frame styles, and sizes complement some face shapes better than others. For the most part, glasses shapes that contrast with your face shape are the most flattering. Then, make sure the size of the frames is proportionate to your features.

   • For example, rounder faces tend to look best in angular frames, like rectangle and square glasses, while more angular face shapes look best in softer frames, like round and oval.
   • If you have a larger head and more prominent features, bigger glasses typically look best on you. On the other hand, if you have a smaller face and more delicate features, a smaller pair of glasses might be best.
   • Of course, it’s important to remember that these are style suggestions, not rules. The best glasses for you are the ones that you like the best and that make you feel great!
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   Choose a glasses color that complements your skin tone. Certified stylist and image consultant Sarah McDonald says it’s important to consider what colors look best on your skin tone when choosing a pair of glasses. She suggests determining whether you’re warm or cool-toned, and then choosing a cool color if you’re cool-toned and a warm color if you’re warm-toned.

   • McDonald says you can take it a step further by identifying your seasonal color palette and choosing a glasses color from your seasonal colors.
   • Luckily for you, we have quizzes to help Discover Your Skintone and to Find Your Color Season!
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   Make sure your glasses mirror your personal style. Of course, your personal style and the vibe you want to give off are important when choosing glasses. Thick frames, vibrant colors, and unique glasses shapes are a great choice if you like bold styles and want to stand out from the crowd. But if you like a more subtle look, thin frames, a rectangle or oval shape, and muted colors are probably more of your style.

   • If you want a bolder look, McDonald suggests choosing a frame color that contrasts with your skin tone. For instance, go for a lighter frame if you have a deep skin tone and a darker frame if you have a light skin tone.
   • But, if you want your glasses to blend in more, McDonald says to opt for a frame color that matches your skin tone.
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   Opt for a glasses style that matches your lifestyle. Keep in mind that different frame styles and materials have different vibes and are more durable than others. So, make sure your glasses can stand up to your lifestyle. For instance:

   • If you’re super active, you probably want glasses that can survive being dropped or banged up.
   • If you work a professional job with a very formal dress code, you might opt for subtle rectangle glasses that exude studiousness.
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   Ensure your glasses can accommodate your prescription. If you have a strong prescription, make sure the glasses you like can work with the lenses you need. Certain styles and materials, like full-rimmed, plastic frames, are heavier and more substantial, so they can accommodate strong prescriptions. On the other hand, rimless frames might not be able to support the lenses.
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