Glasses that slide down your nose are annoying, and they can also blur your vision, because you end up looking through the wrong part of the lens. The cause is almost always fit, and most fixes are quick and free.
Why glasses slide
- The bridge is too wide for your nose, so the frame has nothing to grip.
- The temples are loose or straight, and don't hug behind your ears.
- The frame is too wide for your face overall.
- Heavy lenses or frames pull the glasses down.
- Oily skin, sweat or makeup on your nose.
- A low or narrow nose bridge, common with many face shapes, that standard plastic frames don't sit on well.
7 fixes
- Get an adjustment. An optician can bend the temple tips to curve snugly behind your ears and tighten the hinges. It takes minutes and is often free.
- Adjust the nose pads. On metal frames, pads can be moved closer together or higher, so the frame sits up where it belongs.
- Tighten the hinge screws. Loose hinges let the temples splay open. A small eyeglass screwdriver fixes it.
- Keep your nose and frames clean. Wash the nose pads and bridge with soap and water to remove oils. See how to clean glasses.
- Try silicone ear grips or temple tips. These slip over the arms and add grip behind your ears.
- Choose lighter lenses. For stronger prescriptions, polycarbonate or 1.67 high-index lenses are thinner and lighter than standard plastic.
- Pick a better-fitting frame next time. The right bridge and width matter more than anything else.
How to choose frames that stay put
- Match the bridge size of glasses that stay up for you, within 1 to 2 mm.
- Look for adjustable nose pads if you have a low or narrow bridge. Most metal frames have them. Shop metal frames.
- Stay close to your face width. A frame much wider than your face will slide. See how to find your glasses size.
- Check temple length. Arms that are too short can't hook behind your ears.
- Small or narrow face? Read glasses for small and narrow faces.
Why it matters for your vision
Your lenses are made so the optical center lines up with your pupils when the glasses sit where they're supposed to. When they slide down, you look through a different part of the lens, which can cause blur and eye strain, especially with stronger prescriptions. Keeping them in place helps you see your best.
Looking for a better fit? Shop frames by size, $79 with single vision lenses, and frames are covered by a 90-day warranty.
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