Fitting your glasses frames so they work for you

At Patrick & Menzies, our dispensing opticians take all the time that’s needed to ensure our patients are comfortable in their glasses and their vision is the best it can be. 

And if you have ever had a pair of glasses that doesn’t fit very well you will truly appreciate our team’s attention to detail! 

While our optometrists will examine your eyes and determine your prescription, the dispensing optician will translate the numbers on your prescription into lenses and eyewear that will meet your visual and lifestyle needs. 

Patrick & Menzies Partner and Dispensing Optician Dan Edwards explained: “My job is to make sure we create eyewear that fits the patient properly and enhances their vision. We want our patients to be happy that their glasses look and feel right.” 

Once you have had your eye exam you will then see the dispensing optician if you need glasses for the first time, there is a change to your lens prescription, if your glasses are wearing out and need replacing, or if you just fancy a change in look.

Dan explained: “First I’ll talk to the patient about what they need their glasses to do – maybe they need them for driving or they have a special requirement for their work. If they have had glasses before we will talk about how they got on with them, and if there is anything we can do to improve that.  

“This helps us to make sure the final glasses are the optimum solution for the patient.” 

Then it’s time to choose some frames from the broad array we stock at Patrick & Menzies. Although choosing glasses that fit your style is important there are other factors to consider, too. 

Dan explained: “The frames must also be able to hold the lenses correctly so they can do the best job. 

“Usually, we try to find frames which fit well straight from the shelf – if too many adjustments are needed, they probably aren’t the right ones for you.” 

Basic adjustments may be made to make sure they sit correctly and then measurements are taken to ensure the lenses align properly with the eyes. The more complex the lenses or prescription, the more measurements required. 

The dispensing optician will also talk through any lens treatments which may be helpful such as scratch resistant or reflection-free lenses. 

Around 10 days later your glasses will be ready to collect at a dispensing appointment where we will recap the lenses and frames we have created and get you to try them on. 

Dan explained: “Lots of lenses come with yellow fitting marks on the lenses so the dispensing optician can check the fit and alignment. Don’t worry – we will clean it off once we have made sure you are comfortable! 

“We will then check the patient’s vision with the new lenses to make sure they are seeing as well as they possibly can.  

“If you are new to glasses or you have had a significant change to your prescription it can take a little time to get used to your new glasses. Sometimes it can take a couple of weeks for you to get used to them, but we always ask our patients to let us know if they are experiencing problems with their lenses sooner rather than later so we can make any necessary adjustments.”

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