When choosing new eyeglasses, most people focus on frame style, lens options or colour. However, one small yet essential feature that often gets overlooked is the frame hinges. Eyeglass hinges might seem like a minor detail, but they play a significant role in their fit, comfort and durability. Let’s explore some of the different types of hinges used in glasses to help you decide which is best for you.
Standard Hinge
The standard hinge is the most common for a reason. Simple design that affords a snug close fit. Perfect for people who feel the frame needs to hug their head tightly.
Strengths
- Repairability: Easier to repair.
- Comfort/Fit: When the frame is correctly adjusted, these hinges make the frame feel very snug along the side of the face.
- Cost: Simple design makes them a great, cost-conscious choice.
Weaknesses
- Long-term use: The hinges do not bend past 90 degrees, so if the frame you have is slightly too narrow for your head, over time, the frame will bow outwards. Visit your nearest Options Optometrists store for a free frame adjustment to get them back into a great fit.
Some eyewear brands available at Options Optometrists Warnbro that use standard hinges include: Coast Eyewear, Dutz, Ray-Ban, Stepper and Vogue.
Spring Hinge
Spring hinges allow the temples (arms) of the frame to bend past 90 degrees. They create softer, consistent pressure on the sides that self-adjusts based on the width of your head.
Strengths
- Durability: Great long-term durability.
- Flexibility: Suitable for frequent putting on/removal of glasses. Temple hinges bend outwards when putting on/removing the glasses, which results in less pressure being applied to the hinge.
Weaknesses
- Repairs: More parts are involved in the construction and are, therefore, more difficult to repair. Replacing screws in a springe hinge can be very difficult because the alignment of the holes for the screw and barrel don’t align well if the temple has fallen out. Here at Options Optometrists Warnbro, we use Self-aligning screws to make the job much quicker and easier.
Some eyewear brands available at Options Optometrists Warnbro that use spring hinges include: Bill Bass, Carrera, Henri Wills, Kate Spade, and Nautica.
Specialised Hinge Designs
We stock many glasses with unique hinge designs from brands such as Clarity, Maui Jim, Nike and Oakley. These hinge designs often have additional features along with high durability and comfort.
Some examples include:
- 180-Degree Hinge: Some of our frames have a hinge that can bend 180 degrees!
- Latch Hinge: A few Oakley frames feature a latch for attaching to your shirt while on the go.
- Screwless or Internal Screws only Designs: Screws falling out of your frame? Screwless and internal-screw frames solve this problem for good. While screwless frames don’t use any screw in the hinge design, internal screw hinges are self -contained within the frame, so they can’t possibly come loose or fall out.
Unsure which hinges are best for you? Visit your local Options Optometrist to try on our range of glasses and frames to see how they feel. We can help you find the best glasses to suit your needs.