Like prescription eyeglasses, sunglasses are also available in full-frame, semi-rimless and rimless or frameless styles. The designs of frame structure of these three basic styles differ greatly from each other. Full-frame eyeglasses and sunglasses have a frame encircling the lenses completely. Semi-rimless eyewear only has the lenses partially encircled, while a rimless pair gets the lenses attached directly to the temples. This rimless design has been similarly applied to the sunwear industry, creating rimless sunglasses. Without exploring specific applications, each of these styles has both the upside and downside. In this article, we discuss a significant benefit brought by the application of rimless design into the sunwear industry.
Sunglasses come traditionally in a wrap-around design that the lenses are completely wrapped by eye wires. Since sunglass lenses are normally larger than regular lenses, this full-frame design is considered as the safest solution. Having a full frame front holding the big lenses helps dispense the overall weight. Resulted from this consideration, full-frame sunglasses have been dominated the market for the beginning decades. Rimless sunglasses and semi-rimless sunglasses have been brought into existence for only a short time. The most decisive point that has catalyzed the development of semi-rimless and rimless sunwear frames is probably the common concern on frame weight. All of us know that sunglasses are mostly used during outdoor sports or entertaining activities. Minimizing its total weight is really a necessity.
This consideration is testified by the thriving of performance sunglasses in recent years. These sunwear products are expected to help athletes improve their performance during competitive sports. Such an item must first be lightweight, otherwise the nose will inevitable take unnecessary burden. Rimless sunglasses will definitely be the best choice in this consideration. Even a full frame made of plastic will bring a certain amount of extra weight. Using tiny screws to connect the lenses directly with the temples eliminates completely the weight of a regular frame front. Semi-rimless sunwear is also an acceptable choice, but it is less competent than a rimless one.