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Glasses have come a long way since the fifth grade. Since finding the right pair isn't always easy, Manhattan Eyeworks—with locations of varying size in Hell's Kitchen, the Upper West Side, the East Village, and Chelsea—does a good job of helping customers navigate the difference between four-eyes geek and geek-chic. Particularly favored are European styles, which represent the two prevailing schools of thought on fashionable frame design: dark and clunky vs. near-invisible, exemplified by the heavy-looking, hard-plastic frames offered by designers like Prada, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana, and the rimless and wire-edge styles from brands like Silhouette. The staff is well-versed in their wares (which change slightly about every other month) and are adept at helping shoppers match frames to face. Each location has three optometrists on-site between three and four days a week to consult with customers on glasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses and evaluate them for Lasix surgery; walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are preferred. — Andrew Sessa