Father's day eyewear gift ideas

Get real. Your dad may not even wear ties, and how many golf balls can he pretend to adore?

If your dad wears eyeglasses or sunglasses, we've got ideas for Father's Day gifts for every price range so you won't have to ask your dad to raise your allowance (again!).

To properly thank the guy who taught you how to ride a bike, catch a trout and shout at sports on TV, become daddy’s dearest with an out-of-sight vision present.

FOR: ROCKET MEN

THANKS FOR: Showing us how to reach for the stars.

WHAT: OK, we doubt your childhood hero secretly covets Dolce & Gabbana’s rhinestone-dripping cat-eyes for fall 2019 – though likely Elton John does.

But if your father figure is obsessed with aeronautics or efficiency, he'll find Peeps eyeglass cleaners out of this world.

More aptly named than the marshmallow candy, this version of Peeps erases smudges and facial oils with an invisible carbon compound.

The sole NASA-endorsed eyeglass cleaners used on the International Space Station, Peeps look like compact but chunky ear pieces ― and they work. (After all, we can’t have astronauts landing on the wrong planet!)

And hey, if you’ve got any left over funds, treat your dad to the latest pop-star biopic, "Rocketman," which opened May 30.

DETAILS: Good for 500 uses, $19.99, 888-615-2155

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FOR: HARDCORE KLUTZES

THANKS FOR: Teaching us it’s OK to fumble occasionally in the game of life.

WHAT: Not only do these virtually indestructible eyewear cases with hard sides and secure hinges safeguard medium-sized shades, but they make magic.

Dad can keep rolling the sides till, boom, the color combo shifts from black/blue to black/silver. (Alas, you might have to issue an IOU. They sell out fast).

DETAILS: $16.95, 888-808-4438

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FOR: ONE OF A KIND

THANKS FOR: Encouraging us to try new things – just as you do.

WHAT: Your exceptional pop deserves the ultimate DIY Father's Day gift. Specsy offers a winning formula: Dad + 3D printer = custom fit, custom style, custom color spectacles made of durable, lightweight nylon.

Styles are limited only by dad’s boundless imagination.

If your father is a tech lover, he may gravitate toward existing style The Hopper (AKA 51), a bold square frame inspired by the inventor.

If dad is artistic, he may love The Duchamp (53), a striking unisex cat-eye frame inspired by the daring Dada and Cubist painter, sculptor and chess player, formally known as Henri-Robert-Marcel Duchamp.

DETAILS: Pricing may vary, 855-463-6793.

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FOR: NATURE LOVERS

THANKS FOR: Sharing his love of the great outdoors.

WHAT: Proof’s sustainable wood frames start as a seed before growing into a plant or tree lovingly handcrafted by skilled artisans.

You’ll also appeal to pop’s good side: Part of Proof’s profits is funneled into planting trees and providing glasses, eye health screenings and cataract and other surgeries for those in need worldwide.

DETAILS: $90-$114, 208-629-8099.

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FOR: LOSERS ― OF GLASSES THAT IS

THANKS FOR: Teaching us to accept that we’re not perfect.

WHAT: If dad always is losing his shades, give him a hard-to-forget, whimsical eyeglass stand, such as Art Akimbo’s The Nose, which touts a handlebar mustache to hold his keys, too.

Runners-up include Duck Bill (for hunters) and Nietzsche Nose eyeglass stands (for armchair philosophers).

DETAILS: $40-$45

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FOR: THE GREAT OUTDOORSMAN

THANKS FOR: Taking us fishing and camping.

WHAT: Make a splash with Costa’s OCEARCH Cat Cay shades. They protect anglers from UVA/UVB rays and glare, with multi-focal, reflective, polarized light-weight lenses in sturdy, oversized tiger shark-printed frames.

Even better, each pair helps protect sharks by funding OCEARCH research expeditions.

Or maybe you want something else specs-tacular for your dad? Check out Costa's Father's Day Gift Guide.

DETAILS: $229, 844-642-6782, Costa's OCEARCH collection

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FOR: BOLD DAD, MEET CHEAP KID

THANKS FOR: Showing us the beauty of a bargain that lasts.

WHAT: You don’t have to spend a fortune on sharp specs. Get flash without loads of cash. Kio Yamato’s titanium or custom acetate O&X New York frames are lightweight and tough, a steal under $200.

DETAILS: $137-$198, 800-700-3079

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FOR: THE COLLECTOR

THANKS FOR: Teaching us to appreciate the finest wine ― and glasses.

WHAT: Make your patriarch proud by protecting his pricey pairs in super stylish handmade OYOBox glass holders with seven layers of lacquer, stainless steel ball hinges, shatterproof windows and soft velvet underside.

Minis (for four pairs) and Maxis (for eight) come in black, zebra gray or ebony teak styles.

DETAILS: $155-$375, 855-696-2695

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FOR: THE TYCOON

THANKS FOR: Your go-big-or-go-home approach to everything.

WHAT: Dazzle Dad with a down-payment on eyeglass insurance ― yes, it exists ― for his most spectacular specs, such as French-made Cartier sunnies, $6,600, or Gold and Wood’s surprisingly discrete, rimless diamond-studded Prestige 253 glasses, a whopping $55,000.

South Africa’s KingPrice covers spectacles damaged, lost or stolen. (Alas, borrowing from Dear Old Dad is not covered.) Not only will your big spender be impressed, but he just may let you inherit his enviable eyewear.

DETAILS: KingPrice eyeglasses coverage's cost depends on the value of what's insured

Page published in May 2019

Page updated in January 2021