In this article, you will get first-hand information from an optician on what to look out for when buying glasses for close-set eyes. Here you will also find several images where you can see and not only read about what options to choose.
When we talk about close-set eyes or a smaller pupillary distance it is all about the proportions of the face. in combination with a smaller pupillary distance, most people will have a slightly smaller more oval face shape. With that kind of shaped face the panto frame shape oftentimes works very well. In the picture below you can see the different faces we chose as examples.
Panto glasses have a round or oval shape and are flattened on top. In this article, you can see this shape can work well for men and women. A lot of people hesitate first when I recommend the panto-style round glasses but it is definitely worth trying on. Here in this picture below you can see a girl with close-set eyes and glasses in different sizes.
When you have a closer look at the pictures below you can see the same panto style frame was modified a bit to show how minimal changes of the frame lead to a more harmonious combination with face and glasses while the others lead to a unfavorable focus of a certain part of the glasses or the face.
Here in the first picture on the left side, most people will say this frame just fits the girl great. The temples are slightly more visible looking at the frame from the front because of the smaller size. But that is totally ok as a little smaller frame in regards to the brifge in the middle will put less focus on the close-set eyes.
When you look at the second picture you will notice the smaller bridge in the middle of the glasses. Not a lot of frames have this option but when a smaller bridge is available I find it worth trying with close-set eyes. In this example, it did not work so well because the temples on the side become even more visible to the person looking at her.
Looking at the right image above most people will say the frame is a little too big. This also produces a wider gap between the temples and the temporal side of the face.
Glasses Frame Shape Recommendations for Close Set Eyes
When you shop for glasses frames alone I would recommend asking the optician or optometrist what they think of the proportions of the glasses. In our optical store, customers find those comments helpful when they are unsure if the glasses are too big. With these tips, you get even more information.
- Make a photo with a top view from the head and watch the glasses
- Try to stick your finger between the temples and the temporal side of your face
With a smaller head oftentimes what you will find is excess space between the temples and the face. This should be avoided with a smaller frame. Here in the picture below you can see a photo with different sizes shown of glasses from above. Your glasses should not be bigger than the red example and not as small as the blue markings in the image.
The width of the glasses can be manipulated to a smaller or bigger frame by the shape of the lenses as well as the bridge and how the temporal side of the glasses is made. In some cases with a bigger face in combination with close-set eyes, it is favorable to look for glasses with a smaller bridge and a slightly thicker temporal part of the glasses where the shape of the lenses still stays smaller but the width of the frame is increased.
When we talk about a smaller bridge this tip applies oftentimes more to women. In the images below you will find another panto-style frame but this time in combination with a man that has close-set eyes. What you will notice here is the image in the middle with the smaller bridge that looks more out of proportion compared to the other images. The left image is the most harmonious combination of frame and face while the image on the right shows a frame that is simply too big.
Speaking of different sizes a smaller bridge on glasses is found when it is as wide as 16mm or smaller. In most cases, a bridge of 17mm or even 18mm will work best for men.
A Wider Nose and Close-Set Eyes: Which Frame To Choose?
With a wider nose and close-set eyes, you will face some challenges with plastic frames. In most cases, they will give you a wider bridge in combination with a bigger frame in general. In comparison to that metal frames with nose pads can be adjusted to a wider nose and the bridge of the frame could be a little smaller because it is not sitting directly on your nose. Here in the images below you will find such an example.
This woman wears an octagon-shaped style of glasses and in most cases, people will comment the image on the left is a little woo wide while the right picture, for example, shows very favorable proportions. With a frame as big as the left image below the close-set eyes get even accentuated while the right picture shows a more harmonious image in general.
When you read about general guidelines for choosing a new frame the frame on the right side would be slightly too small as for the widest part of the glasses. But in my opinion, the relation between the widest part of the frame and where the woman is looking through the lenses looks more harmonious in comparison to the other frames.
Especially the image on the left shows how a bigger frame actually accentuates the close-set eyes of the woman. In comparison to the left image, the image in the middle shows the same size of the frame except for the bridge which is smaller in the middle. With added nose pads a smaller bridge is possible because the whole frame has a slightly bigger distance to the nose which gives you and the optician more room for a differently sized mid part of the frame.
When To Go For a Smaller Frame?
With close-set eyes, the relation between what you see from the front is oftentimes skewed towards a frame that looks slightly too small. This way the eyes look through the lenses slightly more towards the middle. In the picture above the image in the middle and on the left shows a great-looking frame. I personally would go back and forth a little between them but in the end proportion-wise, I would go for the frame in the middle.
It just has the best proportions out of the three even though it is more on the smaller side. But in some cases, people argue this depending on the personal preferences you have. When the pupillary distance is bigger (as shown in the images below) my recommendations would change and in combination with the same face shape and a wider pupillary distance, I would definitely recommend the left or the right frame size while the image in the middle looks not proportionally ideal.
So in question when you are not sure go for the frame which is a little smaller in combination with close-set eyes. I will just look better.
I wish you a great day.
