While sophomore Scott Gilmour wears his Ray-Ban’s walking around campus, he also uses them for a different reason.
“I’ve been wearing them as my eye glasses for two to three years and I think [the style] is becoming more well-known,” Gilmour said. “I think they bring a retro-old-school vibe, which still looks good today and seems popular.”
Gilmour isn’t the only one who has noticed this trend. Tracy McDaniels, office manager of the BG Vision Center said the center receives calls and walk-ins asking if they have Ray-Ban frames.
“Ray-Ban’s and Oakley frames are the most asked from customers,” McDaniels said. “Some people seem to like that thicker, plastic frame look.”
Junior Erin Jacoby said she noticed the frames become popular within the past year.
“I don’t understand how these frames became so popular so fast,” Jacoby said. “I feel like the classic ‘80s look is back and these glasses definitely do something for it.”
While this classic look may be coming back into style, the sunglass frames may not be students’ best choice for their prescriptions.
McDaniels said the sunglass frames have a “wrap around” structure similar to a concave curve that reduces a person’s focus in their field of vision. This is one reason McDaniels said some eye doctors don’t recommend the frames.
The magnification is in the middle of the lens with typical eyeglass frames, where as a sunglass frame has a wider lens, which is taken back to the temple behind the ear because they are originally made for outdoor activities, McDaniels said.
“The regular [eye glass] frames are better because the frames are flatter, which is closer to your eye giving you better vision,” McDaniels said.
Jacoby said she prefers to stick to her Guess brand glasses.
“I think people can find glasses with that similar look that are actual eye glass frames,” Jacoby said. “I couldn’t see myself wearing my Ray-Ban sunglasses for an everyday use other than for the sun.”
Although some eye doctor offices sell these types of frames to their patients, McDaniels said this is something the Vision Center does not want to promote.
“We are considering selling Oakley’s, I mean, [the office] has talked about it,” McDaniels said. “Ray-Ban company is owned by a chain store and we don’t support something that will take away from practice.”
However, the Vision Center does sell frames similar to the Ray-Ban style.
“We have the aviator frames that are popular and other brand names that may have a shape similar to the Ray-Ban look people seem to want,” McDaniels said. “I’ve been working here for 13 years and this style is something that people are still asking for.”
She described the glasses as a “geek-chic” or “classic look” for people’s outfits.
“Even though I don’t want my eye glasses to be in those frames, I think the style of the sunglass frame definitely would add something to my outfits,” Jacoby said. “Maybe that is why everyone seems to be getting them.”
