About 166.5 million Americans wear prescription glasses as of 2021 according to The Vision Council. As a result, people spend hours browsing the shelves searching for glasses that suit their appearances and preferences.
Many choose their frames based on popular trends during the specific time. In 1900 came the discovery of the monocle, however they were only worn by the upper class.
During the 20th century, there was a trend toward making glasses fashionable and stylish. Round, oversized or geometric, thin or thick, there were a myriad of options for people who wanted their glasses to match their clothes or preferences. This variety has lasted throughout the years and is what created the trends that are popular today.
Some of the most popular glasses frames in 2023 were cat-eye glasses, round frames and tortoise shell frames. Additionally, 2023 saw a rise in eco-friendly eyewear; according to Greener Ideal, more plant-based materials are being used to make glasses.
“When I was finally allowed to choose my own glasses I wanted a circular frame,” Lin said. “I’ve just seen so many people on Pinterest wearing rounder glasses so I was like ‘maybe I should get some.’”
Recently, glasses seem to be gaining popularity; in 2021, the US was the leading eyewear market. More people are wearing them, not only out of necessity but preference. Glasses are now being used as an accessory to clothing and a fashion statement.
It was in the 1940s and 1950s when the action of wearing glasses for artistic purposes became trendy as prominent figures such as Marilyn Monroe were seen wearing cat-eye glasses as a fashion statement. Today, celebrities continue to embrace glasses as accessories which has contributed to the rising trends. Glasses without prescription lenses, solely used for their artistic frames, can be found online, at any eyewear store or even at Walmart and Costco.
“My first pair of glasses were green because my favorite color is green,” sophomore Lily Song said. “But, the green ones didn’t really go well with everyday outfits so I chose a subtle rose gold color for my next pair. I wear glasses all the time so I want them to suit my clothing.”
In addition, a big consideration in choosing glasses is the shape of their frame and not everyone has the choice of randomly picking frames. According to Specscart, one’s eye prescription is directly related to the shape of one’s glasses frames. For a high myopic prescription, or nearsightedness, concave lenses are used. With these lenses, thick rectangular or round glasses frames will work.
“My rectangular frames weren’t really a style choice,” senior Kheya Siripurapu said. “I have really bad eyesight so my lenses are a lot thicker. If I could choose, though, I would want circular frames.”
For high hyperoptic, or farsightedness, eyes, small rectangular, oval or round frames are used. For varifocal lenses, where one is able to see any amount of distance effortlessly, thick oversized frames are recommended. However, despite the limitations, people still find ways to communicate their personality through their frame choices.
“My first pair of glasses were these tiny hot pink wireframes with butterflies on the side,” Siripurapu said. “My next pair were purple with butterflies on them. I really like butterflies so I think I just subconsciously picked frames that had butterflies every time.”
Even with the popularity of contact lenses and Lasik operations, glasses are still prominent. The percentage of people that wear glasses at 57 % is much higher than the 12 % of people that wear contacts.
“I really like glasses,” Song said. “[They’re] much better than contacts because you can sleep with glasses and it’s just more convenient. I’ve also heard stories of people getting their contacts stuck in their eye, so I just prefer glasses.”
