There’s nothing worse than a pair of glasses that keep on slipping down your nose or pressing against your nose and cheeks, leaving those unsightly red lines.
Your glasses should always fit comfortably against your nose, not only for ease of wear during long periods but also for vision health. Lenses should be between 14 and 24 millimeters from your eyes.
In our eyeglass guide below, we will discuss exactly where your glasses should fit on your nose, measurements to consider, and how to stop common fitting problems.
Common Eyeglass Fitting Terms
Before we get into our fitting guide, let’s go over a few common eyeglass fitting terms to ensure you know what they mean when choosing your new pair of glasses.
-
Bridge - The bridge size refers to the eyeglass bridge that sits over your nose. They measure between 14 to 24 millimeters and should sit directly over your nose bridge.
-
Nose pad - These are the little pads that sit on your nose when wearing glasses, they are designed to even out the pressure of the glasses and provide comfort, as well as to stop them from slipping.
-
Temple - You can think of the temples as the arms of your glasses. They are the pieces of metal that are connected to the frames of your glasses which extend behind your ears.
-
Spring hinge - These are a type of hinge on your glasses that provide greater flexibility and comfort while still fitting snugly on your head since they can extend outward past 90 degrees.
-
Eye size - Typically the size of one lens, should be 40-62 mm and your eyes should be centered in the lens.
-
Frame width - This measurement is the width of the glasses from hinge to hinge including the bridge of the glasses, the frame should always be a little wider than your face width but the space between your head and the temple should be no more than a finger width.
What Is The Spot On My Nose Where My Glasses Should Fit?
It can be a little confusing to understand exactly where your glasses should be resting on your nose. Ideally, your glasses should be resting comfortably on the bridge of your nose. It is important to ensure that your glasses do not press against your eyebrows and cheeks while providing a secure fit when you have a wrinkled nose or squint.
The ideal pair of eyeglasses should rest on the bridge of your nose high enough to stay in place when you move or scrunch your face, yet low enough to avoid pressing against your forehead or brow bone. However, if your eyeglasses are not the right fit, they won't sit comfortably on your nose.
If your glasses aren’t measured properly to your face they will not fit on the right spot, this can cause discomfort.
How Do You Choose Eyeglasses That Fit Comfortably?
To ensure your glasses fit comfortably, you need to take into account important glasses measurements. Usually, your glasses should match your pupillary distance, if you already have a pair of glasses there will be a number printed on your own.
You can also try on glasses before buying, at GlassesShop we have a try-before-you-buy service that allows you to order up to 5 pairs of glasses at no cost before buying to check your size!
Your face shape can also influence how glasses fit on your face compared to someone else. Make sure your glasses never squeeze, pinch, become crooked, or rub behind your ears.
Common Eyeglass Fitting Complaints
How Do I Stop My Glasses From Slipping Down My Nose?
Many people experience issues with their glasses slipping down their noses when reading or bending down. If this is you, you might have a low bridge nose, you can determine this by looking in the mirror and pointing at the top of your nose. If your finger is at or below your pupils then you have a low bridge nose.
If this is the case, it's recommended to choose glasses with adjustable nose pads, which are especially suitable for Asian people. High nose pads can also prevent your glasses from touching your cheeks.
Also check the size of your temples, too short in length can cause slipping, you can add a non-slip accessory if this is the case.
How Do I Prevent Glasses From Pressing My Nose?
If your glasses are pressing against your nose, you might need to check your nose width. Choose bridge frames that are a little wider than what your nose measures.
We also suggest choosing glasses that aren’t overly heavy, ultra lightweight frames such as titanium and lighter lenses can help. For prescriptions over -4.00, we suggest 1.67 index lenses for high prescription glasses.
Why Are My Glasses Squeezing My Head?
For glasses that are squeezing your head, this means the frame width isn’t large enough. Ensure the distance between your temples matches your frame width or a little over.
The best glasses to choose for this issue are glasses with spring hinges since they allow the arms of your glasses to adjust easily, so they won't pinch and squeeze the sides of your head during long-term wear. Meanwhile, a pair of wide-frame glasses will be also a nice choice.
Finding Comfortable Eyeglasses With GlassesShop
To find the right-sized glasses for your face, we recommend checking out all of our prescription glasses online. You can use a virtual try-on tool to see how they suit your face before you buy. If you are uncertain about the precise shape of your face, our online face shape finder is designed to assist you in identifying it.
All of our eyeglasses have a 30-day exchange and return policy as well as a 365-day guarantee to protect your purchase.