The right pair of glasses should rest comfortably on the bridge of your nose, and should not press against your forehead or cheeks. But they shouldn't rest so far towards the end of your nose that they slip when you squint or wrinkle your nose. The nose fit determines how far your glasses should sit from your face, and a proper fit should allow for the lenses to lie between 14 and 24 millimeters from your eyes. Finding the right fit doesn't require magic, just the correct measurements. And once you have a good-fitting pair of eyeglasses that rest perfectly on your face, you can order future glasses with the same measurements and enjoy a reliable fit.
When you browse eyewear online, you'll notice eye, bridge, and temple measurements—what do these numbers mean? This is where to start when you're looking for the proper fit. When it comes to finding glasses that rest on your face properly, without pinching, slipping, or causing discomfort, the right frame measurements are imperative.
The two best ways to find your correct glasses measurements are to find the measurements printed on a comfortable pair you already own, or to try on a pair at a store and use those measurements to order new glasses. If you're currently wearing glasses, your frames will show the measurements, usually printed on the bridge or temple. The measurements that determine proper eyeglasses fit are printed next to each other—eye size, bridge size, and then temple size—and may be separated by a little square icon. If you're looking for new glasses, start with your comfortable, existing pair to figure out what size frames you need or, to measure your face to get the best fit.
Other fit indicators, including where your glasses line up with your eyebrows or whether your glasses touch your cheeks when you smile, don't matter as much as frame measurements, because they have less to do with the fit of your glasses and more to do with the shape of your frame or the nuances of your face. So if you're wondering whether your glasses should rest below your eyebrows or align with them, that variable is more a matter of style than the actual fit.
Let's break down each component of a frame's measurements to help you achieve a comfortable fit.
How High Should Glasses Be on the Face?
Your glasses should sit level across your face, with the bridge resting comfortably on your nose and each temple curving gently around your ear. Depending on the size of the rims, and your style preferences, your glasses may not cover your eyebrows, or extend to your cheeks—the most important thing is that they remain even as you move throughout the day.
What Are All of These Glasses Measurements?
- Eye Size is the width of one lens and usually falls somewhere between 40 and 62 millimeters. Your eyes should be centered on the lens.
- Bridge Size is the measurement of the glasses bridge or the area between the lenses that goes over your nose. The bridge of the glasses should sit flush with the bridge of your nose. This measurement often falls within a range of 14 to 24 millimeters.
- Temple Size is the measurement of the arms of the eyeglasses, from the lens to the part that wraps around the ear. The temple should sit horizontally and hug the ear. This measurement may range from 120 to 150 millimeters.
- Frame Width is the width of the frames—measured inside from hinge to hinge—and may also be called the total width. This measurement includes bridge and eye sizes. The frame width should be slightly wider than your face, but the space between the temple and your face should be no wider than a finger's width.
- Lens Height or B measurement is the height of the lens, and determines whether the frames are progressive-friendly. Any B measurement 25 millimeters and larger may be able to accommodate progressive or bifocal lenses.
The Top Seven Glasses Complaints and How to Fix Them
Most eyeglasses discomfort can be traced to fit, and fixed with a few adjustments. It's best to have an optician adjust your glasses to prevent breaking them—but if you're careful you can make some minor adjustments yourself.
- The glasses pinch or cause discomfort behind the ears.
Glasses should rest comfortably on and behind your ears. If they pinch behind the ears, the most likely culprit is the fit—the temples may be too short. If they're the right length but they still pinch, an optician can adjust them for a better fit. - Glasses pinch and deform the bridge of your nose.
The nose pads of your glasses should be almost unnoticeable when resting on the bridge of your nose. If they're uncomfortable or leave marks, they may be too narrow. The nose pads can be adjusted on metal frames—carefully pulling them apart slightly may do the trick—but plastic frames are not easy to adjust. Choosing glasses with the appropriate bridge size can make them more comfortable on your nose. - There's a rash where your glasses sit.
This is the more extreme case of your glasses pinching or leaving marks on your nose. If you have a rash where your glasses sit on your nose or ears, it's likely that your glasses are too big and they're sliding across your skin, leaving a rash. This may be because your glasses are the wrong size or they may be bent, causing an improper fit. Check your glasses to make sure they aren't damaged, and if they look okay, try a pair of glasses with a smaller measurement in the area where you're getting the rash, like the bridge for the nose, or the arms for the ears. - The glasses keep slipping or they sit too low on your face.
If your glasses are slipping, the issue may be an incorrect temple or bridge size, or the weight of the glasses. Check the temples—are the arms adjusted correctly? Do the screws in the arms need tightening? Is the bridge too wide? You might be able to adjust the bridge on a pair of metal frames by pushing the nose pads slightly closer together. But heavy frames or lenses may cause the glasses to slip, too. - The glasses sit too close to your eyes.
Glasses sitting too close to your eyes is likely the opposite problem of glasses sitting too low on your face. But the remedy is almost identical and probably has to do with the size of the bridge and the fit of the nose pads. Try a pair of frames with a slightly larger bridge measurement or try thinner nose pads to allow your glasses to sit lower; be advised you may need longer frame arms if your glasses now sit lower. - The glasses sit crooked on your face.
If your glasses are always crooked on your face, it's more likely that a piece of your frame is bent or broken than incorrect measurements. Inspect common areas for frame damage like the frame hinges, arms, and nose pads. Compare each of these to its counterpart on the other side of the frame to make sure they look similar. If you find a bent or broken part, that's likely the culprit of your crooked fit. - Glasses leave marks on your cheeks.
Your glasses shouldn't rest on your cheeks when you smile: They should be level across your face and slightly removed from your cheekbones. If your glasses leave marks on your cheeks, then they are improperly sized for your features. If your glasses rest on your cheeks or leave a line, you may need to adjust the temples to make them level across your features. Or, consider choosing a pair of glasses with alternate fit proportions, specifically designed to rest comfortably across your face without leaving a line.
If you're new to wearing glasses, you may need a few days to become comfortable wearing your frames, as well as get used to your prescription. For the most comfortable glasses experience, have your new frames adjusted at an eye doctor's office and wear them when you're supposed to so you can adjust to the prescription.
FAQs
How Should Glasses Rest on Your Face? | FramesDirect.com? ›
How High Should Glasses Be on the Face? Your glasses should sit level across your face, with the
Your eyeglass frames should line up horizontally with the center of your eyes, and the frame should extend no higher than your eyebrows. Your pupillary distance (PD) — the distance between your pupils in millimeters — is needed to determine where your eyes should align with your lenses.
Is there a certain way to lay your glasses? ›As you can imagine, placing glasses face down can cause the lenses to become scratched, reducing the effectiveness of the lenses as well as becoming annoying to see through. Use a hard case to store your glasses, always facing upwards in the case to avoid any scratching.
What if glasses sit too high on your face? ›If the glasses feel too tight or sit too high on your face, you can use the same method to bend the nose pad outwards, tilting its top portion toward the lens (away from your nose). Try to adjust the left and right side evenly, then test the fit by trying on your glasses.
Why are my glasses resting on my cheeks? ›Why does this happen? Glasses rest on your cheeks because they don't fit your nose bridge. It's especially common for those who have a smaller nose with a lower nose bridge. If that's you, it's likely you will feel the bottom of your glasses touch your cheeks when you smile.
Why don't my glasses sit evenly on my face? ›In most cases, glasses rest crookedly because one of the temples (also called arms) is angled too low or too high from the rim or has become bent so they no longer extend straight back to rest on the ear.
Are you supposed to push glasses all the way up? ›The optimal pair of eyeglasses will sit on the bridge of your nose high enough to not slip when you move or scrunch your face, and low enough to not press up against your forehead or brow bone. However, if your eyeglasses don't fit properly, you can't expect them to sit comfortably on your nose.
Where should my glasses sit on my face? ›A good pair of glasses should rest comfortably on the bridge of your nose and not press against your brow or cheeks. However, they shouldn't be so close to the tip of your nose that they slip when you wrinkle your nose or squint.
How should eyeglasses fit on your face? ›A correct frame width will ensure your eyes are properly aligned in the center of your lenses for optimal vision. The frame width should be slightly wider than your face but with the space between your temple and frame no larger than a finger's width.
Should glasses cover your eyebrows? ›As a rule, at least the top half of your eyebrows should be visible. Your glasses shouldn't cover them completely, nor should they show them so much that your eyebrows look like they're floating on top of your frame.
How do you check if your glasses are straight? ›
To diagnose either of these problems, open your glasses frame, turn them upside down and lay them flat on a table. If the temples (arms) 'see saw' on the table, this means the problem is misaligned hinges. If the temples don't 'see saw', this means the temple 'hook' curvature is uneven.
Are glasses supposed to sit straight? ›Your glasses should sit level on your face–they should be straight across your eyes horizontally. If your glasses are sitting crooked, it will be uncomfortable on your ears, nose, and face in general.
How far should glasses sit off your face? ›The right pair of glasses should rest comfortably on the bridge of your nose, and should not press against your forehead or cheeks. But they shouldn't rest so far towards the end of your nose that they slip when you squint or wrinkle your nose.
What glasses don't rest on cheeks? ›Consider styles that are narrow, cat eye or rectangular if you'd like to find a pair that will give minimal issues for touching your cheeks. Instead of circular glasses, consider oval glasses, and rather than teardrop aviators, consider navigator aviators with a more rectangular frame shape.
Why do glasses slide down your face? ›Natural oils and sweat from your body can build up on your face throughout the day, making your glasses' nose pads and frames slick. This will cause your frames to slide off your nose, so it's crucial to clean your glasses regularly. Use mild soap on the body of your frames and rinse them with warm water.
Should my glasses be touching my face? ›How Should Glasses Fit Your Cheeks? Your glasses shouldn't touch your cheeks or lift up with them when you smile. Instead, they should sit comfortably above your cheeks.
Should glasses move when you look down? ›If you look down or shake your head when wearing a pair, they shouldn't move, especially the temples and their tips. When you remove a pair of prescription glasses, they should not leave a mark on the sides of your face. Sometimes, the nose pads leave marks on your nose's bridge, but they should fade away quickly.
Should glasses leave indent on side of head? ›Your glasses also should not be so tight that they are leaving indents on the side of your head. If ignored, those indents can lead to prolonged pain such as headaches. If you are finding that you have markings then it is a tell-tale sign that your eyewear does not fit properly.
Are glasses frames supposed to be uneven? ›To do this we need to heat up the temples and lift one side (the side that appears higher on the face). This will balance out the frames on your face and make it even. To summarise, crooked glasses are completely normal and it does not mean the quality of your glasses are any less.
Are glasses with nose pads better than without? ›Are Glasses Better With or Without Nose Pads? The answer is generally up to personal preference. Some people find glasses with nose pads more comfortable because they hold the glasses on their face better and help prevent them from sliding down your nose or off your head.
What happens if glasses are not centered? ›
Blurred vision, headaches, dizziness - even if the prescription is correct, such asthenopic symptoms can occur if the glasses are not correctly centered. The centering of the lenses is precision work and must be carried out by a specialist. Even small deviations can lead to the symptoms mentioned.
Does tilting your glasses up help you see better? ›Tilting the lenses makes light pass thru them in a way that effectively makes the lens seem stronger at that angle. If distant objects are a little blurry due to more myopia than the lenses are correcting, then tilting the lenses will make horizontal edges sharper.
Where should glasses touch your head? ›The arms of your eyeglasses should go straight back towards your ears and only contact the side of your head just in front of your ears. If temples curve too early, they'll push the glasses down your nose and apply too much pressure on the bridge, leading to headaches.
Should glasses hug your head? ›But most frames have what's known as skull temples—meaning they hug your ears for a proper fit. The placement of that little hug is key. “The bend on skull temples should start just barely past the top of your ear,” says Zielenkievicz. “When the temples fit properly, you shouldn't feel any pain on or behind the ear.
Should you wear eye makeup with glasses? ›A smoky eye? Glasses and cosmetics can both be a means for outwardly expressing your personality, but there's a common misconception that the two don't mix. Don't worry—that's simply not the case. In fact, there's no reason your makeup routine needs to change just because you wear glasses.
Should glasses be straight or curved? ›#2: Your lenses should follow each eye's natural curve.
Look in the mirror, and verify that your lenses curve like your eyes, too. If your lenses don't curve properly, then it may be uncomfortable to see since your prescription will not cover your eyes.
Loose Or Worn-Out Hinges
Often, loose glasses are caused by the screws in the hinge loosening over time with shock, vibration, and regular wear. Using an eyeglass repair kit, you can tighten these screws to adjust the hinges. This may be enough to restore your glasses and ensure they fit properly.
Rimless glasses are the most minimal style of spectacles and don't have any material surrounding the prescription lenses. Sleek glasses like these are the least likely to cover your eyebrows.
Why do my glasses sit low on my nose? ›If your plastic glasses frames are sitting lower on your nose than desired, it might be that the temples are too wide. If they're sitting too high on your nose, it could be that the temples are too narrow.
Why do I see better when I tilt my glasses down? ›Some glasses have flat frames, but most will tilt slightly, so the top portion of your glasses is slightly further from your face than the bottom. In fact, for progressive lenses, a slight tilt can assist your vision by contributing to the right kind of magnification effect.
What if I hate how my new glasses look? ›
Many optical stores offer satisfaction guarantees and will replace the glasses, offer a full refund or a store credit if you have a complaint about the way your glasses look on you. This would be an option within a certain time frame – typically one to four weeks from the date of purchase.
Why is one side of my glasses higher than the other? ›If one side of your frames looks higher than the other, you need to adjust the arms of your glasses — the part of the frames that hooks behind your ear. If the right side is higher than the left: Gently bend the left arm down at the hinge or where the arm bends behind your ear.
Why do my glasses feel crooked on my face? ›Fixing Crooked Glasses
If the right side of your glasses tilts higher than the left, gently bend the left arm down at the hinge where the arm starts to bend behind the ear. If the left side seems like it's tilting higher than the right, do the same thing but gently bend the right arm down at the hinge instead.
In most cases, there will be red marks if the eyeglasses do not fit well on the face. Additionally, some nose pads will not give the comfort wearers expect due to the materials. Every manufacturer has their way of making these nose pads. Consequently, they may cause some irritation to the wearer.
What type of glasses are most comfortable? ›SwissFlex glasses come from Switzerland, and they are famous because they are extremely lightweight frames. SwissFlex glasses offer the best wearing comfort in every respect.
How important is the nose bridge on glasses? ›The nose bridge helps support the weight of your glasses on your face. A well-fitting bridge helps eyewear feel comfortable and look more flattering. The right nose bridge measurements are vital for specs that help you see up close, like reading glasses.
Why are my glasses off center? ›Off-centred lenses occur because of wrong measurements or lenses being edged incorrectly. The optician should not only measure the distance between your pupils to centre the lenses but also should inquire on how you tend to use your glasses i.e. for reading or computer work.
What happens if optical center is off? ›If you do not get the optical center of the lens lined up properly with your pupils, this can create distortion in your vision. Here at Eye to Eye, we measure the distance between your pupils monocularly. Eyes are not always the same distance from the nose on each side.
What are the two problems that glasses can correct? ›- Nearsightedness (myopia): You see close objects clearly, but objects farther away look blurry.
- Farsightedness (hyperopia): Objects in the distance look clear, while things close by look blurry.
The familiarisation period
The reason for this lies in the brain's visual centre. It first needs to adapt to the new, greatly improved visual conditions. This also affects people who have been prescribed lenses with a different strength than before, or who have chosen a new frame or a different type of glass.
Why does everything look slanted with new glasses? ›
This is a fairly common occurrence that can be a result of the adjustment period as your eyes get used to the new prescription. This type of peripheral vision distortion can often occur if the new glasses are of a higher prescription or the frames are larger than what you are used to.
How do optometrists adjust glasses? ›The most common machine used to adjust acetate or plastic frames is the frame heater. Essentially if you've got a plastic frame that is one arm too high, or it's been stretched from putting them on your head, rolled on them or sat off them, then we just need to heat the frame to bend it back into position.
Are glasses supposed to sit on or below your eyebrows? ›The top of your glasses frame should follow the line of your eyebrows. Avoid having too much eyebrow above or below the frames. Sunglasses, however, should always cover your eyebrows.
How do you know if your glasses are aligned? ›Eyes. When gazing straight ahead, the center of each of your pupils should align with the optical center of each lens — you'll need to measure your pupillary distance to get this right. The distance between the corner of the eye and the lens edge should be the same on both sides.
Should glasses be above or below eyebrows? ›Do glasses go above eyebrows? Ideally, the top of your glasses should follow your brow line. It's perfectly okay if the frame covers them slightly as large or thick spectacles can often do this. If your eyebrows are below the top of your gasses, your bridge-width may be too wide or the frame may be too large for you.
What is the correct order of glasses from left to right? ›Most schools of etiquette agree that wineglasses should be set in the order they will be used from the inside out, similar to the order of silverware. So this means, from left to right, the basic order would be water, white wine glass, red wine glass.
How should eyebrows look with glasses? ›However, for everyday frames, your eyebrows should typically show slightly from above your glasses. As a rule, at least the top half of your eyebrows should be visible. Your glasses shouldn't cover them completely, nor should they show them so much that your eyebrows look like they're floating on top of your frame.
Should glasses touch the back of your head? ›Arm (temple) length
The arms of your eyeglasses should go straight back towards your ears and only contact the side of your head just in front of your ears. If temples curve too early, they'll push the glasses down your nose and apply too much pressure on the bridge, leading to headaches.
The symptoms of the wrong prescription glasses are similar to your original signs of needing glasses, which may include blurry vision, eye strain, and headaches. Frequent squinting and shutting one eye while viewing a TV screen are also symptoms of uncorrected vision.
What is standard alignment of frames? ›The angle between the frame front and the temples should be more or less ninety degrees. Moreover, they should be equal and symmetrical.
What are the steps in frame alignment? ›
Four frame alignment processes are identified and elaborated: frame bridging, frame amplification, frame extension, and frame transformation.
Should eyebrows be far from eyes? ›If in doubt where your brow should begin, it's better to have them a little too close together than too far apart. The back end should extend past your outer eye, but not so far down that it visually drags your eyes down and not so short that the eyebrow looks stubby.
How high should your eyebrows be on your face? ›The head of the brow should begin at the bridge of your nose. “This point can be easily found by vertically holding a pencil up to either side of your nose bone.” 2. The arch of your eyebrows should be about two-thirds of the way out, Healy says.
How high should your eyebrows be from your eyes? ›Rule #3: The arch should peak about 1/8 inch past the outer edge of the iris (the colored part of the eye).
What is the eye glasses rule? ›The Eyeglass Rule requires that optometrists and ophthalmologists provide patients a copy of their prescription after the completion of an eye examination without extra cost.
Why do you stack glasses upside down? ›The argument for storing glass upside down, however, is that you don't need to rinse out your glass to get rid of dust like you may have to if stored the right way up. Also, alternating up and down storage is also the best way of storing more glasses into a smaller cabinet space.
What is the correct angle of glasses? ›Glasses with temples that are the right length and are fitted properly will stay comfortably in place (Fig 2). The temples of the frame should be long enough so they can be bent downward at about a 45-degree angle at a point just beyond the top of your ears.