Learn how to make eyewear

In-depth resources that actually help you learn how to make a pair of glasses, sunglasses or eyewear are few and far between and hard to find.

I am working on some material myself, but here is what I have found to date:

Online

Free online tutorials (that are not just 10 mins) on how to make eyewear:

How To Hand-Make Eyewear From Acetate Video

This excellent video with Kevin Count and Laramy-K OpticianWorks Training Center is a solid starting point but lacks depth in some areas.

Overall it covers the actual physical making of a pair of glasses.

Small Batch Tools Training Videos

Small Batch Tools produced a good video series that is focused on using Fusion 360 software to make glasses designs for CNC manufacture. If you have your own CNC or are prepared to pay for the machine time then this is an excellent resource.

I found this to very interesting and useful, but if you want to know details on how to make a pair of glasses without CNC is is not that helpful.

Paid Courses

These are in-person offline eyewear, frame-making, spectacle, glasses making courses that require payment.

Most are not cheap ($2K +) and I have not yet had the opportunity to attend any of these so can't comment on whether they are any good. But they all sound good!

North America

Eyewear Courses in USA & Canada

Corner Optical

Kevin Count from the video above runs frame making workshops regularly - they are $2,000 USD.

Europe & UK

United Kingdom

Cubitts run a Spectacle Making Class, which seems quite cost effective @ £175 (at least when compared to others).

Spain

Small Batch Tools offers in an in-person course at their training centre in Mallorca, Spain. There isn;t much information about it online but I heard about it while emailing them. But their Chief Engineer Matej Prokop mentioned it at MIDO 2024.

France

MOF Eyewear Association in France runs classes and workshops through MOF Eyeglass Craftsmanship School.

Asia Pacific

Australia

New South Wales based Chris Savage was running Make Your Own Eyewear Workshops in 2023. I have not seen anything for 2024 and beyond.