Smart glasses are an odd thing to buy unseen. A pair of Ray-Ban Meta glasses costs several hundred pounds, sits on your face all day and carries a camera, audio and a battery in its temples. Whether that works for you depends on things a product page cannot show: how the frame sits on your nose, how the weight feels after an hour, and whether you like what you see in the mirror.
This guide explains where to try Ray-Ban Meta glasses in Birmingham, what to check while they are on your face, and how ordering works if you need a prescription.
Where you can try them
EYE Opticians is a Ray-Ban Meta stockist with two practices: our opticians in Birmingham, at 44 Islington Row in Edgbaston, and our opticians in Barnt Green, at 28 Hewell Road. Walk-ins are welcome at both, and you can also book an appointment.
Stock of smart glasses moves quickly, and the styles and colours available to try change with it. Call before you travel, Edgbaston on 0121 456 5676 or Barnt Green on 0121 445 4545, and tell us which style you are interested in. We will tell you what is in store to try that day.
The styles to know
The current generation is Gen 3, which launched on 23 September 2026. It comes in three shapes:
- Wayfarer: the classic Ray-Ban shape, in a standard and a large size.
- Aviator: new for Gen 3.
- Zena: a cat-eye, also new for Gen 3.
Between them there are 27 colour and lens combinations. There is also a Wayfarer Optics version intended for prescription lenses, and earlier Gen 2 styles such as the Skyler.
What to check when you try them on
Give yourself more than a glance in the mirror. These are the things worth checking, in rough order of importance.
- Fit at the nose. Look down at your phone, then shake your head gently. The frame should stay where it is. If it slides, a different size or shape will suit you better.
- Size. The Wayfarer comes in two sizes. The right one is about as wide as the broadest part of your face.
- Temple length. The temples should reach comfortably over your ears without pressing. Gen 3 has adjustable temple tips, and we set those for you.
- Weight. Wear them for several minutes, not several seconds. Weight that is fine at first can become noticeable on the nose or behind the ears.
- Lens tint. Decide whether you want clear lenses, sun lenses or Transitions, which darken outdoors and clear indoors. It changes when and where you will wear them.
What trying them on does and does not tell you
A fitting answers the questions about comfort and looks. It cannot tell you how the technology will fit into your day, so it helps to know what the glasses do before you come in. These are Meta's figures for Gen 3:
- A 12MP camera with 3K video. An LED lights up whenever you are recording.
- Open-ear audio for music and calls, with a six-microphone array.
- Meta AI, by voice or with the new action button.
- Up to nine hours of battery on a charge.
The glasses need the Meta AI app on a compatible phone, and they are for ages 13 and over. If you like the idea of audio in your glasses but would rather not have a camera, look at EyeFly audio glasses instead.
If you wear glasses: how prescription ordering works
Ray-Ban Meta glasses are Ray-Bans first, so they can be glazed with prescription lenses. Ordering through an optician goes like this.
- You choose the style, size and colour.
- We measure your face and fitting, so the lenses sit exactly where your eyes look.
- You choose the lenses: clear prescription lenses, prescription sun lenses or Transitions.
- We check that your prescription suits the frame before anything is ordered, and give you a lead time.
Bring your current prescription with you, or tell us what it is when you call. Our lens consultation page explains the lens options in more detail.
Getting to us
- Edgbaston: 44 Islington Row, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 1LD, at Five Ways. There is free parking on Frederick Road, for one hour Monday to Friday and all day on Saturday. Open 9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Saturday.
- Barnt Green: 28 Hewell Road, Barnt Green B45 8NE. Parking is free all day in the Barnt Green customer car park, and Barnt Green station, on the Cross-City line, is a short walk away. Open 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 3pm on Saturday.
Book a time to try them
Call Edgbaston on 0121 456 5676 or Barnt Green on 0121 445 4545 to check what is in store, or send us a message and tell us which style you would like to try. There is never any obligation to buy.
