I think you’re cute. I’m also with the crowd that thinks you’d look even better with new glasses.
As far as the astigmatism goes, I have really bad astigmatism. I mean BAD! I asked my optomitrist how bad, and he ran out of words to describe how bad my one eye is. The point is, I wear contacts. Contacts should be an option for you.
What so many others have said: smaller frames look much hipper. You can go from being “a guy who wears glasses” to a guy who is modern, artsy, cool… My BIL has this same problem. Everything about him is great–except his glasses say “I’m stuck back in time.”
The other nice thing about small frames is that if you have thick lenses, like moi, they don’t have a chance to get coke-bottle thick. It’s the part that is far away from your eye (peripherally) that gets thick. Keep your glasses small, that doesn’t happen.
I know glasses are expensive. I spent close to $500 on the pair I have now (ouch). But it’s the one thing you have that you wear EVERY DAY. It’s worth saving up some cash for.
I’m someone else who owns a similarly outdated pair, but the reason I haven’t got around to replacing them (I just get new lenses every 2 or 3 years) is that I wear contacts. I only wear my glasses to and from the bathroom first thing in the morning and last thing at night. If you have a significant astigmatism, you will need a special type of astigmatism-correcting contact lens (I wear Torics) which are quite a bit more expensive (mine were about $300) but are truly wonderful. Do look into contacts if you haven’t. Mine correct my astigmatism so much better than glasses do.
Hmmm, it looks like you don’t need any more advice to lose the glasses. Now, the next step. If you’re going to keep the goatee, (I think you look good with it, but would need to see a pic without to judge.) you can go a little drastic and get some black rims for a really cool look.
Well, well, well, whaddaya know…
Having nothing better to do this evening, I decided to browse around Pearle Vison Center, in the mall, for fun and research. I tried many frames, all the little bitty kind like suggested. The small ones do look pretty damn good, but deciding which small ones is no easy task. they had ovals, rounds, octagonals, rectangulars, etc. I had found at least a half dozen which seemed to really look good. I especially liked the subtle octagon, and the “invisible bottom-half frame” All were $168.00 and up just for the frames, w/o lenses! :eek:
The scariest part is, everyone is right. Holding the sampler frames to my own glasses, I found that on average, my own are almost two-thirds larger than contemporary styles. double eek! :eek::eek:
And to top it all off, I checked my records here at home. I have not had an eye exam/new specs since May 18, 1996. :eek::eek::eek:
MSK has been a bad bad boy! No eye exam in four years, no dental exam in six years. ( dental now taken care of as of today as noted here.)
I don’t know how much it will cost to get an eye exam at my optometrist. I plan to call and find out tomorrow. I don’t have the money to go, but at least I will know what to expect, financially, when I can go.
Any Dopers want to contribute to the MSK Eyeglass Makeover Fund? 
(Don’t I wish. :rolleyes: )
Dude, if I could get past the fact that you’re not smiling I’d be able to look at the glasses. I can’t, though. If someone’s not smiling that’s mostly what I concentrate on (if for no other reason than that I have a thing for faces).
Plus you’re a guy. It’s hard for me to see whether things fit a guy’s face. Also hard for me to see attractiveness in a guy, though I have been able to do that recently.
I just got a new pair of glasses within the last couple of months, and I like 'em a lot. Based on your People Pic, I think it might go well for you too.
They’re made by an outfit called Innovative. (Couldn’t find a link.) Their advantages:
They’re cheaper than you’d expect. Glasses + clip-on sunglasses were about $170.
They’re reasonably stylish, on the small side and with an interesting shape. No, they’re not ultra-hip, but I have gotten a few compliments.
Here’s the best part: The clip-on shades are actually snap-on, using little magnets. You can do it one-handed. I was out boating with some people a month ago; I picked up a camera to take a shot, and removed my shades with the other hand. One guy said, “Whoa, wait a sec, what’d you just do?” After I figured out he was impressed by the one-handed maneuver, I showed him the little round magnets on the side, and he got really pissed, having just spent almost $500 on new glasses with regular springy-clip shades. Hee hee hee.
Look for 'em when you’re out shopping…
I think you are cute. I’d think you were even cuter if you were smiling. I like facial hair on men.
I’d say if you need new glasses anyway, update. I just had to do this myself, and my friend drug me kicking and screaming away from the only frames I liked, which (coincidentally) looked almost exactly like my old ones! Imagine that!
Friend and salesperson finally found some that they liked and I could live with, and after the initial adjustment period, I really love the way they look. Plus, they are much, much lighter than the old ones.
If you are near a Costco, try there. If you aren’t a member, find a friend who is and look into it. Another friend of mine got similar lenses to mine there, and hers cost less than half of what I paid at an optical store.
Good luck-and I still think you are cute!
Well, Iampunha, I hear that a lot about that pic. The truth of the matter is, I am smiling, but it’s only a “Mona Lisa” kind of smile. Everyone wants a big toothy grin, which I feel is only photogenic when it is authentic, as opposed to a fake “I’m smiling because I’m getting my picture taken” kind of smile. I know I need a new pic, as well as glasses.