The only reason to spend large amounts of money on spectacle frames is when consumers wish to show off an expensive brand name. Other than this, inexpensive glasses can be chosen to be as comfortable, stylish and stable as designer brands. A skilled optometrist is needed to help one find the perfect lenses, but in terms of frames, a skilled assistant will do more to make frames comfortable than a costly brand will.

An experienced assistant will be able to ascertain whether frames are wide enough to remain on the face when the head is tilted. When spectacles are too wide, they tend to slip easily off the face during hot weather and movement. Frames that are too narrow might feel comfortable initially, but after hours of wear they soon begin to hurt the head.

Consumers don't generally have the knowledge needed to select the frames of the right width. Experienced assistants can help enormously. They can also adjust frames that need slight changes in dimension. Frames that are extremely poorly fitting cannot be adjusted. In this case, consumers will need to find a different frame.

Well fitting spectacles will only touch the face immediately before the ear. Those that don't touch the temple at all are far too large, and those that touch too much of the temple are too narrow. The latter will cause pain after extended periods of wear.

The nose pads are an important part for comfort and stability. Pads that are too hard and tight will leave skin imprints that eventually last long after the frames are removed. It's important to have frames adjusted when they cause visible marks. Poorly angled pads will also play a role in fit, but this is easily adjusted.

Nose pad materials are highly diverse. Silicone is the softest of these, and it's often possible to have pads exchanged for this material at no cost. There are also wearers that require hard nose pads so that their glasses sit more stably on the nose. People who perspire a lot, or have oily and sensitive skin often find silicone the most slip free material.

Flexible nose pads suit a wider variety of nose shapes. They are able to conform to contours well. Silicone is the most flexible material for nose pads, whilst titanium is the hardest. Those who struggle with spectacles that slip too easily often find harder, less flexible nose pads more stable.

The weight of frames influences comfort. Heavier materials can place too much pressure on the ears after long periods of wear. This can cause pain. Lighter materials are better able to remain in place without slipping.

The firmest silicone is high density, which has a reduced flexibility for increased stability. Those who need their frames to be extremely stable can choose high density silicone. Those who need their nose pads to have increased longevity choose polycarbonate because it resists wear. Some materials add significant amounts of weight to spectacles, which can affect comfort levels. Polycarbonate is especially lightweight. Inexpensive glasses can be chosen correctly when their dimensions, nose pads, arms and size are correctly assessed.