Choosing a child's first pair of glasses, you soon discover that frames come in sizes. Every frame carries two numbers, such as 47 – 17. The first is the eye size: the width of one lens in millimetres. The second is the width of the bridge, the part that rests on the nose. Together they decide whether a frame fits your child's face.
Why size matters more than the model
Glasses that don't fit get in the way. Too wide and they slide down; too narrow and they pinch; a bridge that doesn't sit properly leaves the glasses perched on the tip of the nose. Children rarely say anything. They just push their glasses up all day, or look over the top of them. That's exactly why a good optician checks the fit first and only then looks at the model.
How to read the size
- Eye size (for example 47): the width of one lens. The younger the child, the smaller this number usually is.
- Bridge (for example 17): the distance between the lenses. Children's noses are still growing, so this number matters more than you might think.
Every frame in our collection shows its size on the product page, so you can compare it with your child's current glasses before you visit the optician.
What to check when trying on
- The glasses sit level, and the eyes look through the centre of the lenses.
- The bridge carries the weight, not the cheeks. Many BBIG frames have soft silicone nose pads for exactly this reason.
- The temples run straight back to the ears without pressing.
- Your child can look down without the glasses slipping.
Don't buy a size up
It's tempting to go one size larger, as you might with shoes. With glasses that doesn't work: the lenses need to sit right in front of the eyes today, not next year. Children grow, so a new size every so often is simply part of it.
And if something breaks?
Children play, do sport and throw their bags into corners. That's why our frames have the OBE Flex System: if the flex hinge breaks, the optician replaces it at the counter, without sending the glasses away. They're back on your child's nose in no time.
Not sure about the size? Find an optician near you. Measuring and fitting is what they do best.