I’ve been “upgraded” from a reader prescription to lineless bifocals, and need a new pair of glasses. My old readers have become increasingly uncomfortable, with their weight leaving actual indentations alongside the bridge of my nose, as well and causing those spots to hyper pigment (not my best look!). My siblings both went with a rimless (drill mount) style of eyewear that is apparently not only very light weight, but attractive as well. I’ve been told that lenses made out of Trivex, and with Titanium hardwear are extremely lightweight, but can also be a bit pricey. Right now, comfort and wearability are my prime concerns, but I want to make the right decisions. Can anyone here offer insight into drill mount prescription lenses? Do you wear them? Are they much lighter than traditional glasses? What’s been your experience?
Glasses are extremely lightweight now. My DH just purchased a rimless and it feels like nothing. You have to pay for that, though. Even with VSP insurance they cost $500.
For no-line bifocals in a lightweight lens with no glare in a rimless frame you could be looking at $500-$700.
Yes. Very light. More expensive. More fragile.
“For no-line bifocals in a lightweight lens with no glare in a rimless frame you could be looking at $500-$700.”
$350 at Costco (also transition lens and super lightweight lens with anti glare etc.) - in a Zegna lightweight frame.
We were told that rimless glasses are not in fashion anymore. Everyone goes for chunky plastic frames. The Zegna frame was a compromise. 
I’ve been wearing transitional lens rimless drill mount glasses for years. I love them. Super light, your field of vision not dominated by a frame, etc.
And there is absolutely no need to pay hundreds of dollars for them. I did so in the past, but last year I discovered Zenni Optical. My current pair cost less than $100 with transitional lenses, anti-glare and anti-scratch coatings and a couple of sunshade clip-ons. I highly recommend ordering from them.
By the way, I’ve never had a pair of rimless glasses break. I don’t believe that they are more fragile. I’m only on my third pair, and I started wearing them every day probably about 14 years ago, when contacts wouldn’t work for reading any more. I’ve had to replace them because eventually the coatings fail, and that has nothing to do with being rimless.
@Consolation are your glasses single vision? Because I did research on getting progressives done through an online service, and found out that it’s not advisable. It’s not even advisable to get them done through a place like LensCrafters–a friend of mine did and he wasn’t pleased with the results. Its a very fussy process and you really need to get the measurements done in person and make sure it’s getting done with the utmost exactitude and quality. It’s hell getting old.
I have rimless glasses that are very light. I like them a lot, but after a while, one of the mounts became loose and has to be pushed back in periodically.
Strength of prescription also matters if the lenses could be mounted into a rimless or wire frame and still look good. For high index prescriptions (apparently -7.0 and stronger) the outer edge of the lens can be so thick that it just does not look good in one of those frames. High index polycarbonate lenses can help only so much. Also, you might want to pay a little extra for polished lens edge.
@choirsandstages, my lenses are progressives. That’s what I meant by transitional. I guess I used he wrong word.
They are just fine. The previous pair that I got at Lenscrafters were also just fine. (And cost $500!) As were my first pair that I got at an optometrist. And also cost a fortune. I think that people are being sold a bill of goods, frankly. Like someone I used to know from California who was firmly convinced that you HAD to hire a pool service, because no one could adjust their own chemicals correctly.
Yeah, right. B-)
Consolation, ordering online is probably fine for prescriptions that do not require smaller lenses and high index material. If the lens is relatively small (to hide the ugly, thick edges), placement of the line is fairly critical. The tech at Costco worked with Mr. quite a bit to make sure the lenses would be fine the first time.
I think rimless glasses make people look older. Not a youthful look. But I’m guessing the weightlessness is attractive.
I don’t think mine are particularly thin.
Maybe I’ve just been lucky.
Is your prescription -7.0 or higher? Here is pic comparing different lens materials for the same prescription:
No, it seems to be -4.50 in one eye and -3.75 in the other.
A -8.0 lens made of the same material and fitted in the same frame as yours would have a much thicker outer edge and weigh a ton.
Just bringing this up for folks who might not realize this issue. Not all prescriptions are alike.
If your glasses are making indentations on your nose it’s probably more about fit than weight. If your glasses fit properly that won’t happen. And glasses can need readjustment after you’ve been wearing them a while. Either work with an optician to get a proper fit on your new glasses, whatever frame style you choose, or order from Zenni to try a new style inexpensively or both.
I agree rimless looks more aging. I’ve worn rimless for 15 years. Since I wear contacts I didn’t care if it was an.
Updated look. Now, I’m finding I have to wear my glasses at work, or wear readers over my contacts. The company has tons of young people, and my glasses just made me feel old looking. I found a pair of dark brown tortoise shell that I think I look quite young and smashing in!! DH has been after me for some time and he loves them.
What I found is that most of the eyewear on display has a width measurement of 53. I needed a 50. Find out what you need, and the person can direct you to the lenses they can get in you measurement. Makes a hug difference.
I like the rimless glasses because I find seeing the frames in my field of vision quite annoying. That matters more to me than recapturing the hipster look.
I honestly don’t even notice my new frames anymore than the rimless. I wear my rimless around the house as the nose pieces are different and it gives me a break as the rim list on top of my nose.
But if it’s annoying to you, I would stick with what you have, too.