Rimless Glasses: The Guide

Updated: 3 September 2026 · By the Eye-Shop optical team · Prices and stock from our catalogue on the day of publication.

«I want glasses that do not show.» It is one of the most common lines in the store, and the answer is almost always rimless. But rimless are not for everyone — and they are not all the same. A 60€ Bliss and a 450€ Lindberg are two different philosophies. Here is what you should know before you choose.

What rimless glasses actually are

Rimless has no «rim» around the lens. Each lens is drilled in two points, and to those points the bridge attaches on one side and the temple on the other (screwed on, or clipped on the screwless Silhouette and Lindberg). So the «frame» is three small pieces of metal or titanium — which is why we also call them three-piece or air glasses. The lens shape is not set by the frame: we cut it in the workshop, so the same rimless can be made square, oval or round.

Advantages

Weight: the lightest glasses you can wear — a Silhouette Titan Minimal Art weighs less than 2 grams without lenses.

Invisible: they do not «cut» the face. Ideal for anyone who wants their features to show, not their glasses.

Presbyopia & progressives: because we define the shape, it is easy to get the 30mm+ height that progressive lenses need.

Professional look: the classic office, lawyer or doctor glasses — discreet with any outfit.

Field of view: with no frame at the periphery, there is no «border» at the edge of your eye.

Disadvantages

They need the right lens. A plain thin CR-39 can crack at the holes. Polycarbonate, Trivex or high-index 1.60+ are mandatory — and cost a little more.

The lens edges show. In high myopia (beyond -4) the edge is thick and exposed — it needs thinning and edge polishing.

They loosen. Screwed rimless need tightening every few months (we do it free). The screwless Silhouette/Lindberg do not have this issue.

Less impact protection. They are not for children or for sport — for that, see myopia glasses for sport.

They hide nothing. If you want the frame to «correct» a narrow or wide face, a rimless does not help — see our face-shape guide.

The brands worth looking at

Brand	What sets it apart	Stock	Price
Silhouette	The Austrian brand that «invented» the modern rimless (Titan Minimal Art, 1999). Titanium, screwless, hingeless — it bends and springs back	15	220-340€
Lindberg	Danish, handmade titanium, screwless, with the customer name engraved on request	4	300-480€
Ray-Ban	Rimless with the familiar Ray-Ban look — metal, with screws, the most «safe» choice in the mid price	16	115-157€
Bliss	Affordable rimless and half-rim for presbyopia and a second pair	26	58-104€
Oakley · Stepper · Dsquared2 · Jimmy Choo	Individual rimless models with a bolder design	1-4	107-258€

Materials in our stock: 34 metal, 27 titanium, 9 monel. If you want to understand the difference, see frame materials: titanium, acetate or metal. And yes, there are also 138 rimless sunglasses (Ray-Ban 38, Versace, Maui Jim, Gucci) — another story, another article.

The lens: this is where it is all decided

In a rimless the lens is also the frame. Three things we always do:

Material: polycarbonate or Trivex for low prescriptions (shatterproof, drill cleanly), high-index 1.60/1.67 for medium-to-high. Never plain CR-39 1.50 — what each one is.

Edge polishing: because the edge shows, it is polished so it is clear and not matte.

Anti-reflective coating: on an «invisible» lens, reflections are the only thing that would show — the coating is essential, not an extra.

What you learn in store

You pick the lens shape. The same Silhouette comes in 10+ lens shapes — ask to see the shape catalogue before you decide.

Nylor is the «secret» middle ground. If you are wary of rimless, a half-rim gives almost the same lightness with half the sensitivity — 196 models from 20€.

The prescription reimbursement makes no distinction. Any coverage is the same for rimless and for a normal frame.

Clean with two hands. Hold the lens, not the temple, when you clean — otherwise you twist the screw. And adjustment/tightening is free in store.

How to choose in 30 seconds

You want the lightest and most invisible, no compromise → Silhouette or Lindberg.

You want rimless with a branded look at a sensible price → Ray-Ban rimless.

You want an affordable or second presbyopia pair → Bliss.

You have more than -4 dioptres → rimless only with high-index 1.67, or consider nylor.

It is for a child or for sport → not rimless.

All together, filtered: rimless eyeglasses.