One of the first things that you need to know before you even start looking for a new pair of eyeglasses is that you'll need to have your eyes checked first. Even though you might have a pair of prescription eyeglasses that is only one or two years old, you need to be careful before you go to fill them again because prescriptions often change quickly; especially as you get older. It's not uncommon for a person in their forties to need to get a pair once every two or three years.



So once you know that it's time to get your eyes tested, you need to make another decision specifically about how you're going to do just that. While many people think that just getting a pair of inexpensive reading glasses from the drugstore will be good enough, there are some reasons why you need to visit your eye doctor on a regular basis.

For one, while these drugstore glasses work for some people, it's impossible to catch some of the more dangerous eye diseases unless you get a regular checkup. As well, if you've got a different prescription in each eye, the drug store variety of reading glasses won't work. So, when you've made the decision to get a pair of prescription glasses that might even include a pair of designer glasses, there are several things that you'll need to look at to make the right decision.

One of the first things that you'll need to make a decision on is the kind of frame that will look the best on your face, and to do that you'll need to be aware of the seven basic face shapes and which one you are. Knowing a little about what to look for can save you a lot of time and aggravation. The experts suggest that you should look for three main features in the frames to compliment you face.

- First off, you should make sure that the frame you select contrasts with the shape of your face. It won't do in a fashion sense to have the frame and your face blending with each other.

- This may sound obvious, but the frame size should be in proportion with all your other features and it's good to remember that eyewear should compliment your best facial feature.

So here are the face shapes in no particular order that will help you match your prescription glasses with the way your face looks. There are round and oval faces that do better with angled frames and oblong faces that often have a large nose that comes into play when you are looking for a pair of eyeglasses. Among the other types of faces that need a certain type of frame are the square and diamond shapes as well as the base up and base down triangles: all of which look great in a pair of designer frames.