Kids by Safilo (safilo.com/kids) is among the lines devoted to correcting the vision of infants to 8-year-olds because one in six children experience visual defects that if uncorrected by the age of 8 could lead to blurred vision throughout adulthood, according to the company. Those first eight years are the most important, so it’s important not just to have options but to have options that are durable, comfortable, attractive and did we mention durable? This newly launched line of cutie patootie frames has been road-tested for wearing while napping, snuggling and bouncing around playgrounds.
KID- AND KLUTZ-PROOF
Aspire Eyewear recently launched a collection of extremely lightweight frames that have the look and styling of popular plastic frames but they are thin, pliable and surprisingly strong. You can take the lenses and bend them like a pretzel, although we wouldn’t really advise it. If a maniac toddler makes a grab for your face, you’ll still have to clean the smudges but you won’t have to replace your frames. There are 12 new styles in three colors ranging in price from $240 to $380. The line is sold at Mulqueeny Eye Centers, 812 North New Ballas Road, Creve Coeur, and Cusumano Vision Center, 317 Clarkson Road, Ellisville.
WOOD IS GOOD
There are a number of companies making frames the old, old-fashioned way with wood and horn. There’s a natural beauty to the horn and natural lightness to the wood, and according to Woodzee, a maker of such frames, the arms actually adjust to your face based on the warmth of the skin, so they get better with age. Frames for prescription lenses ($100) at woodzee.com are crafted with a mix of recycled buffalo horn and beech, zebra, pear or maple woods. Or skip the animal byproducts and choose the frames of wood and a plant-based cellulose acetate. And when you want new frames, you can mail back your original pair in exchange for 40 percent off new frames.
