However, a new online store called Eyewear Envy, ran by Katherine Manalo, has just been launched, offering eyewear that is specifically designed to fit the facial features of people of Asian descent.
Manalo’s mission behind opening up this line of glasses came from her own, personal experiences in searching for eyewear.
She is a young, Asian-American who has been wearing glasses her whole life. She has always been challenged in finding prescription glasses and sunglasses that properly fit her face. Even when she traveled to Hong Kong, finding proper fitting glasses was nearly impossible. The specific issues that Asian’s face when picking out eyewear is due to their facial bone structure. The biggest problem is the nose; Asian’s generally have a significantly less prominent nose bridge than other ethnicities. Metal framed glasses with adjustable nose bridges potentially fix this problem, but that style of frame is generally not fashionable anymore; the plastic frames are all the rage right now. The problem with plastic frames is that, because of the less prominent nose bridge, the frame rests lower than it should, on the cheeks, and the lenses hit the eyelashes. Not only is this uncomfortable, but it also causes the person wearing the glasses to be looking through the improper part of the lens, leading to more discomfort, visual distortion, and eye strain. Additionally, Asian facial structure generally includes high cheek bones, which only compounds the issues stated above.
Eyewear Envy has worked with American and Chinese frame manufacturers to create a new type of plastic eyeglass frame that properly fits the Asian face, making the glasses more comfortable as well as more effective.
The company is relatively young, but has been successful thus far. They offer predominately plastic framed prescription glasses, but they also offer a few metal framed glasses as well as sunglasses.
Sources: 8 Asians