Troubleshooting Wrap Frames

A whole lot of people think wrap frames are the coolest thing ever; but if the lenses inside aren’t designed properly, they won’t just look bad, they’ll feel bad too.

Here’s what you need to know about making sure the wrap frames help your patient see cool, not just look cool.

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Why Wrap Frames Are Different

When you perform a refraction, the phoropter sits flat and parallel to the patient’s face. They’re looking straight through the lenses, perpendicular to the optical center.

But a wrap frame changes everything:

  • It curves the lens around their face.
  • That tilt changes the effective prescription - sometimes dramatically.
  • The steeper the wrap, the bigger the change.

If we ignore that, they’ll end up with fishbowl vision, double images or weird pulling sensations.

Male person, fitness and cyclist with helmet, sunglasses and mountain road for sport, exercise and adventure. Man, safety and gloves as athlete in training, physical activity and wellness in nature

How We Fix It: Compensation

When a lens is tilted, we compensate the prescription to match how their eye will actually see through it. There are two keys here:

1. Compensating the Power

The prescription must be recalculated for the wrapped angle and base curve. Many wrap frames use a steeper base curve (like an 8 base instead of a 4 base), so every point away from the optical center can have extra distortion if we don’t compensate for it.

2. Freeform Design

Freeform lenses are critical here. They optimize not just one point - but the entire surface for how the glasses are actually worn.

Critical Measurements for Wrap Frames

Position of wear measurements are everything. The big three:

Face Form (Wrap) Angle:

  • This is the key value. It drives the whole compensation calculation.

Pantoscopic Tilt:

  • The tilt of the frame when it sits on the patient’s face. If it’s off, their view is off.

Vertex Distance:

  • How far the lens sits from their eye.

Without these measured properly - and without using a freeform design - you’re likely to get distortion or double vision.

Why We Add Prism to Wrap Frames

When you tilt a lens, the optical center moves outward. So we add base-in prism to bring the image back over the eye. If this isn’t done, they’ll feel their eyes pulling to adjust - classic prism complaint.

Manufacturing Challenges

Wrap frames aren’t just tricky for the lab because of optics - they’re also tough to cut and edge.

  • They often need special notches and shelves cut into the lens to fit snugly.
  • Most tracers capture lens shapes in 2D, but wrap frames are 3D.
  • If the trace isn’t adjusted for wrap, your lens will be too wide and too short - it won’t seat properly and will pop out.
road bridge, fisheye shot with wide angle

Troubleshooting the Fishbowl

Common wrap frame complaints:

  • Double vision
  • Fishbowl or pincushion effect
  • Slipping lenses

Solution:

  • Use fully compensated freeform single vision or freeform progressive designs
  • For sunglasses, pick a distance-optimized progressive - not the same one you’d use for everyday, all-distance wear.
  • Take precise, position-aware measurements - you can’t easily adjust a wrap frame later like a metal dress frame.

Final Wrap Tips

  • If the frames don’t fit before you add prescription lenses, they won’t magically fit after.
  • If the temples flare out after lens edging, it’s usually a sign the trace or shelf cut was wrong.
  • Wrap frames often need a snug fit or straps - especially for sports or outdoor wear.

The Bottom Line

Wrap frames can look and work great - if you design, compensate and manufacture them properly.

Need help? Contact us. We do this every day.