Where Should Your Glasses Sit On Your Nose?
An ill-fitting pair of glasses can be irritating as well as uncomfortable. Ensuring your glasses sit correctly on your face is integral to improving your vision. If they’re not fitting as they should, you could end up experiencing headaches, eye strain and other avoidable problems. This is all to do with pupillary distance - the measurement in millimetres between the centres of each pupil. Ensuring that your lenses have these correct focal points is key in their effectiveness. But how do you know if your glasses aren’t fitting properly? Is there a specific place they should sit on your nose? We’ll be going through all you need to know about how your glasses should fit, and what to do if they’re not sitting as they should.
How Should Glasses Fit?
Correctly fitting glasses should sit on your nose bridge, and not press your cheeks, forehead, or brow. They should be level with the rest of your face (ie. not sitting crooked or at an angle.) You don’t want them to fit too far forward or too far back. Think of it as a neutral position. And importantly, they should feel comfortable to wear.
Checklist For How Glasses Should Fit
Shouldn’t pinch, dig in or leave red marks on your nose or cheeks.
Shouldn’t cause you to scrunch up your face or nose for them to stay in place.
Shouldn’t slip down your nose, or sit too high up.
Shouldn’t rub behind your ears
Shouldn’t be crooked.
Nose pads should be comfortable and help keep your glasses level.
You shouldn’t have to adjust your frames.
Shouldn’t cause you to scrunch up your face or nose for them to stay in place.
Shouldn’t slip down your nose, or sit too high up.
Shouldn’t rub behind your ears
Shouldn’t be crooked.
Nose pads should be comfortable and help keep your glasses level.
You shouldn’t have to adjust your frames.
How Do Measurements Affect How Glasses Fit?
When you buy a pair of glasses, they are produced for you with these measurements in mind:
Eye size. This is the width of your lenses.
Bridge size. This takes into consideration the width of your nose.
Temple size. This is the width of your arms.
Bridge size. This takes into consideration the width of your nose.
Temple size. This is the width of your arms.
These measurements work together to determine how far a pair of glasses sits away from your face. They also determine where your glasses sit on your nose. The average distance is 14-24mm, but this will change from person to person. Looking at where your glasses sit on your nose is a useful way to gauge whether they’re fitting correctly.
How To Choose Glasses That Fit Comfortably
The best way to prevent glasses from being too tight or too loose is to opt for a pair that compliments your facial dimensions and measurements. For instance:
If you have a high nose bridge that sits above your pupils - go for frames that have a bridge that is close to, or in line with, your brow.
If you have a low nose bridge that sits at or below pupils - choose a pair of frames that have a curved bridge, or one that is below the brow.
If you have a wide nose width - we recommend glasses with a larger bridge.
If you have a narrow nose width - opt for glasses with a smaller bridge.
If you have a low nose bridge that sits at or below pupils - choose a pair of frames that have a curved bridge, or one that is below the brow.
If you have a wide nose width - we recommend glasses with a larger bridge.
If you have a narrow nose width - opt for glasses with a smaller bridge.
Measurements for nose bridge widths, or the distance from the inside rim across the frame, can be found in all of our frame descriptions. The higher the number, the wider the bridge width. If you’re after a new pair of designer glasses and need a little help, give our virtual try on a go! You’ll be able to see how different sized frames will look on your face, as well as determine if they’ll provide the type of fit you want.
What To Do If Your Glasses Don’t Fit Correctly
Before we go any further, a word of warning. We strongly recommend that you visit an optician or eyewear specialist for help if your glasses aren’t fitting correctly. Whilst it can be tempting to try and fix them at home, all can go wrong quite quickly without the specialist tools and know-how required.
There are a couple of areas a professional can adjust to improve fit. One of these is nose pads. These can be moved inward or outward to help keep your glasses in place. This is particularly useful if they keep sliding down your nose, or are pinching. The second is temples. These can be bent to sit closer or further from your head. The goal is a snug, comfortable fit that allows them to stay put when you move around.
At Home Tips
As we mentioned, we recommend getting your glasses professionally looked at if they’re not fitting correctly. However, there are some steps you can take in the meantime to make them more comfortable.
If Your Glasses Are Too Loose
Apply a small amount of glasses wax to the nose bridge.
Temporarily use ear hooks on temples, or glasses grips at the end of arms.
Tighten up hinges on temples. You can use a tiny screwdriver for this, and put that one in a Christmas cracker to good use!
Temporarily use ear hooks on temples, or glasses grips at the end of arms.
Tighten up hinges on temples. You can use a tiny screwdriver for this, and put that one in a Christmas cracker to good use!
If Your Glasses Are Too Tight
Put baby powder behind temples to reduce rubbing behind the ears.
Loosen the hinges on the temples if too tight. Be careful that you don’t make them too loose and the arms come off.
Loosen the hinges on the temples if too tight. Be careful that you don’t make them too loose and the arms come off.