11 Stylish Reading Glasses for Men
Updated: Oct. 26, 2021
The best reading glasses fit comfortably while magnifying words for you, whether you're reading from paper or a screen. Here are some stylish options for men.
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Why buy reading glasses?
Have you started holding the newspaper at arm’s length to see the words more clearly? Or have you noticed slightly blurry vision or eye fatigue when working on the computer or completing close, detailed mechanical work?
If so, you might have presbyopia, an age-related loss of lens elasticity that makes it challenging to focus on close-up objects.
Iowa-based optometrist Amanda Korth, OD, says presbyopia normally sets in during your 40s. Fortunately, she also says it’s normal and easy to treat with reading glasses.
How to begin the search for reading glasses
Standard diopter strengths (the measurement for reading glasses) range from 0.50+ to 4.00+.
So how do you know which strength will work for you? Korth says it is not always necessary to have an exam before buying reading glasses.
Biannual (once every two years) visits to your optometrist are more important for checking the health of your eyes than for choosing a strength of reading glasses. Korth says the best way to determine your specs’ strength is simply trying on several pairs and trying to read or do close work.
People who wear bifocal or multifocal lenses are the exception, says optometrist Monica Hazien, OD.
“The placement of their lenses is very important,” she says. “When a patient looks straight ahead, they will be looking through the distance portion of their lenses. When they look down … they will be looking through the reading portion.”
If you require vision correction for both nearsightedness and farsightedness, talk to your optometrist about multifocal reading glasses.
(Here are the 12 signs it’s time to visit the eye doctor.)
The most stylish reading glasses for men
Whether you’re shopping for your first pair of reading glasses or a new set of frames to add to your collection, there are plenty of stylish men’s glasses to choose from.
To save you time, we rounded up the most stylish highly rated reading glasses for men. Here are 11 top choices.
(Find out how to extend the life of your glasses.)
Warby Parker’s Carlton (Crystal)
Buying glasses online can feel like a gamble, but Warby Parker‘s Home Try-On program helps. The company allows you to test up to five glasses frames for five days before committing to a pair. This lets shoppers assess the best and most comfortable fit, an essential quality in daily reading glasses.
These men’s readers fit into the stylish clear frame glasses category. The slightly squared bottom keeps them looking masculine, while the lightweight, clear cellulose acetate helps them look trendy—all while keeping your field of vision free of obstruction. This pair of reading glasses are available in wide width with a magnification range of +0.25 to +2.75.
Warby Parker’s Chase (Driftwood Fade)
These stylish men’s reading glasses blend the clear frames trend with a distinguished brown ombre effect. Also made from cellulose acetate, the pair is only available in medium width.
Lens options for Chase include traditional single (also ranging from +0.25 to +2.75) as well as progressive reading magnifications.
CADDIS D28 Reading Glasses
When you’re shopping for men’s reading glasses, every pair might start to look the same. Many men’s reading glasses are simply black plastic frames in a traditional square shape.
That’s not the case for CADDIS D28 reading glasses. These thick, bold frames will make a statement whether you opt for the two-toned “bullet coffee” (yellow and faux wood) color or the icy blue-and-white “brackish” color.
All CADDIS reading glasses offer a diopter range of +1.00 to +3.50.
CADDIS 12 Bar Reading Glasses (Gloss Black)
Even glossy black reading glasses can turn heads. For CADDIS 12 Bar frames, the impact is in the shape. A thick, squared top line gives way to a geometrically rounded bottom rim. A tiny musical note printed on the end of one of the arms makes a statement for those who get close enough to see it.
The 100 percent acetate lenses will be light enough to wear comfortably, while the shape is hefty enough to keep them from getting crunched in your pocket.
Eyebobs Board Stiff
Have you ever fantasized about looking like John Lennon while you read the morning news? If so, you should consider buying Eyebobs Board Stiff reading glasses.
The stylish round frames are anything but boring, and the color choices—from blue to creamy caramel tortoiseshell or orange crystal to olive green—will help you easily stand out from the crowd.
Take your pick between narrow or wide frames, then choose a strength between 0.0 and +4.00.
Eyebobs Old Sport
If the brand’s Board Stiff eyeglasses remind you of Lennon, Eyebobs’ Old Sport is nearly a dead ringer for Clark Kent. These classic, stylish frames come in navy and black fade for traditional tastes, but they are also available in blush or olive.
These men’s reading glasses only come in one frame size: average. Like Board Stiff, the lenses can include a diopter strength between 0.0 and +4.00.
Foster Grant’s Braydon
While Warby Parker, CADDIS, and Eyebobs have raised the bar for men’s reading glasses, these brands have also raised the average cost. The starting cost for a pair of eyeglasses from all three brands hovers above $85.
That’s not the case with Foster Grant. This brand’s affordable range of readers includes Braydon, a distinguished pair of glasses for men who prefer a classic look. With magnification powers from +1.00+ to +3.50, these gunmetal-colored glasses also include adjustable nose pads, a case, and a cleaning cloth.
Foster Grant IRONMAN® IM2003
These Foster Grant men’s reading glasses are as stylish as they are functional. The softly squared, matte-gray frames have breathable rubbery nose pads and part-rubber arms to stay flexible and lightweight. The glasses also have small raised lettering on the side that reads “IRONMAN.”
Lcbestbro 3-pack Reading Glasses for Men
Many men do not need to wear their reading glasses for more than a couple of hours per day. But taking your glasses on and off several times throughout your day opens more opportunities to misplace them. That’s why brands such as Lcbestbro include a multi-pack of the same readers.
These simple black frames include adjustable silicone nose pads. The bottom half of the glasses are frameless, which is a helpful detail for reading-specific glasses. Lenses are available from +0.50 to +3.50.
Boost Eyewear 6-Pack Reading Glasses
If you are looking for the most affordable pair of stylish men’s reading glasses, your search can end here. Boost Eyewear’s six-pack of simple black-rimmed readers currently costs $13.
The lenses can include an optical power from +1.00 to +3.00. These reading glasses do not include adjustable nose pads, but they do include spring-loaded hinges and a set of cleaning cloths.
Lasree Bifocal Reading Glasses
Korth says the best place to find affordable men’s reading glasses is your local dollar store. However, men who need bifocal lenses might not be able to find a wide selection at their local retailers.
“The one thing that is easier to find on Amazon … is the reader bifocals,” she says. She suggests trying these unisex bifocal readers, which are available at +1.00 to +4.00.
Next, find out what eye experts won’t tell you about glasses.
- American Optometric Association: "Presbyopia"
- Monica Hazien, OD, optometrist with Stanton Optical and My Eyelab
- Amanda Korth, OD, optometrist at Prairie Vision Center of Bondurant in Bondurant, Iowa
Originally Published: October 27, 2021
