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Finding the right fit for your glasses can be tricky – between making sure they don’t keep slipping down and not so tight that they mark the bridge of your nose, there are many factors to ensuring the best fit when getting used to new glasses. Ill-fitting glasses can be uncomfortable and can make wearing them more of a hindrance than a help. From the frame width to the pupillary distance and beyond, read on to learn how should your glasses fit. Why Proper Fit Matters Anyone who’s had a pair of glasses slide down their nose every 5 minutes knows that well-fitting frames are essential. But finding a good fit is more than a matter of convenience and comfort. Glasses that don’t fit well can cause eye strain, vision problems, and headaches. How Glasses Should Fit Different Parts of Your Face There isn’t a one-size-fits-all pair of frames when you’re choosing glasses, there are many different parts that combine to create the perfect fit. Fit Around Your Eyes The middle of your new lenses should align with the level of your pupils. This is because the centre of the lenses is the location with the best and most accurate prescription and is the part you are typically looking through for middle-distance viewing. Fit on Your Eyebrows Depending on the frames you choose, For optical glasses, the top of them should sit at the same level or slightly below your eyebrows for both optimal functionality and aesthetics. Sunglasses Fit on Your Cheeks Ideally, the bottom rim of your frames should not touch your cheeks, either when they’re sitting on your bridge or when you smile. This prevents smudges on your lenses and is also a comfort factor. Fit on Your Nose The nose pads of your glasses should rest comfortably on the bridge of your nose without causing pressure, nor should they keep slipping down your nose. Different nose shapes will find different glasses designs to be more comfortable so you may need to try a few different frames before you find the perfect fit for your nose shape. Fit on Your Ears The sides or temples of your glasses should curve over the top of your ears comfortably without pinching or causing discomfort. Proper temple length and adjustment keep your glasses in place, ensuring they don’t slide down your nose and sit in the correct place. This ensures optimal optical performance, which is particularly important for higher prescriptions Fit Around Your Head The width and fit of your glasses around your head should be well-balanced. They should fit snugly enough that they stay in place without being so tight that they leave pressure points or cause headaches. Additionally, they shouldn’t be so loose that they slip down your face. Identifying Poor Fit Issues If you’ve put on your new glasses and feel like something is a bit off, how can you tell what needs to be fixed? Here are some troubleshooting tips to help identify poor fit issues. Signs Your Glasses Are Too Tight If you’ve been wearing your glasses for a bit of time and have noticed any discomfort and pressure, headaches, or red marks on your skin, your glasses are probably too tight and need some adjusting by your opticians. Red marks can also look like indentations in your skin or irritated patches and can be located: Beneath the nose pads Where the arm/side of your glasses sit against your temples Behind or on top of your ears On the tops of your cheeks Signs Your Glasses Are Too Loose Sometimes, your glasses fit too loosely. Too-loose glasses frequently slide down your nose and need constant readjustment on your face. This can be frustrating and distracting, and it means your glasses aren't always sitting at the right level on your face, which might strain your vision. Identifying Crooked Glasses If your glasses feel unbalanced or uneven when you wear them, look in the mirror: they might be crooked. Ensure the bottom of your glasses rims are straight on your face (many people have uneven eyebrows or ears, so measuring them against your brow line isn’t as useful). If they are crooked, take them to your opticians to get them adjusted. Adjusting Your Glasses for the Perfect Fit If your glasses aren’t fitting correctly, some things can be done to adjust them to help them fit better and make them more comfortable. DIY Adjustment Tips Making drastic tweaks to your glasses at home isn’t recommended, as you can easily bend things too far the wrong way and damage your frames. It’s best to visit your optician for adjustments but you can do some things at home to help make your glasses more comfortable. If your glasses hurt or rub your ears, try applying a little baby powder behind your ears to reduce friction and any moisture that might be causing irritation. You can gently adjust the nose pads (if your glasses have them) by applying a little pressure to each side. Be very gentle, as the metal arms holding them in place are quite thin and delicate. If you’re constantly pushing your glasses up your nose, it could just mean that the hinges are a little loose. Try tightening the screws on either side with a glasses screwdriver, being careful not to loosen them further – those screws are very tiny and hard to find if they fall out. When to Seek Professional Help For more complex fit issues, it’s best to take your glasses back to your opticians. They will have instruments and techniques that adjust your glasses gently and reduce the risk of breaking parts of your frames. Your glasses should be comfortable and shouldn’t bother you while you wear them. In fact, they should be almost unnoticeable, and you should forget that you are wearing them. If they are pinching your face, leaving red marks, giving you headaches, or constantly sliding down your face, they will need some adjusting to get fitted correctly again. Book an appointment today with your local Leightons branch to speak to our qualified opticians and find the perfect fit for your glasses. Book an appointment online

Meticulous design and planning go into every single piece of eyewear we showcase here at Leightons. From the bridge through to the temple tips, each element of the frame plays an important role in perfectly balancing form and function. So join us as we dissect the anatomy of a frame and why even the smallest of features can transform a frame's impact. The front of the frame Bridge shape and nose pads At the forefront of every frame is the bridge, which serves as the foundation upon which the entire structure rests. Bridges come in a variety of styles and fittings - some are designed to sit snugly on your nose bridge, whilst other styles such as keyhole bridges make lesser contact. Of course, the style of the bridge is very much linked with the type of nose pads used in the design; moulded and adjustable. Moulded nose pads: Typically found on acetate and formed frames, moulded nose pads are seamlessly carved, blending into the frame almost as if they’re not there at all. This approach not only adds to the frame's aesthetics but also ensures the nose pads don't intrude on your field of vision. Our dispensing opticians always check the fitting of moulded nose pads. If the bridge of your nose is either broad, shallow or narrow, some moulded bridge frames may sit either too high or too low, causing discomfort and inhibiting the effectiveness of your prescription lenses. Metal adjustable nose pads: As the name suggests, each nose pad can be individually repositioned, resulting in a perfectly refined fit. Often made from silicone or other soft-touch material, many wearers prefer the feel and security of adjustable nose pads. Offering not only functionality but style, the metal stems that connect the pad to the frame are sometimes coloured as a playful design feature; an eye-catching detail, showcasing the artistry of eyewear craftsmanship. Hinges While hinges may seem like a minor component, they are a practical element that can greatly impact the overall style and function of a frame. Some hinges may have screws, whereas other mechanisms have been intricately designed to function without. Many frames have a single-barrel hinge between the front and temple (or arm), however in more luxurious eyewear brands you may see double or even triple barrel hinges which provide additional strength and stability. Rivets Rivets, often overlooked as purely functional elements, play a significant role in the visual appeal of a frame. They are not just fasteners, connecting front to sides, they are design elements that can elevate a frame from ordinary to iconic. The side of the frame Temples (Arms) The temples, also known as arms, are the sides of the frame that extend from the front to secure eyewear in place, fitting ergonomically around the ears. These components are integral to both the fit and style of the frame and are often used by designers to include brand elements and iconography. Even the ‘core wire’ inside the temple has surpassed its purely practical purpose and can now be laser etched with an intricate pattern, to elevate design. Another temple option, often sought after by those who participate in active sports, is “skull fit”, which wraps around the head rather than behind the ear for added security during movement. Think sports such as cycling, where your head may be angled forward. Temple straps that attach at the back of the skull are also extremely useful for this purpose. Temple tips Last but certainly not least, temple tips are the final frontier of our frame anatomy exploration. These small, often underestimated components are instrumental in providing comfort and stability around the ear. They can be sleek and subtle or used as a tool for design, giving the frame one final burst of colour. Ready to discover your perfect glasses? Book a style consultation with one of our qualified dispensing opticians at your nearest Leightons practice today. Our teams are ready and waiting to help you find eyewear that looks fantastic, feels effortlessly comfortable and enhances your vision! To book, call us on 0800 40 20 20, visit your nearest practice or book an appointment online. book an appointment online