Are Your Glasses Lopsided or Uncomfortable?

Are your glasses crooked, sliding down your nose or too tight across your face? If your glasses are uneven or uncomfortable, it can get very annoying!

Here are some of the reasons why this might be happening, and what you can do about it. 

Common reasons for poorly fitting specs

• A stretched frame arm – if one side of your glasses is higher than the other on your face, it could be because of uneven arms. This tends to happen because people typically take their specs off with one hand, which results in one of the arms becoming stretched. This problem should ideally be fixed by an optometrist as they have the right tools and skills for the job. You can prevent this from happening again by always taking your glasses off evenly with both hands.

• Your ears are not level – this one might sound funny, but it could well be the case that one of your ears is slightly higher than the other! You can test out whether it’s your ears or the frames that are uneven by placing your glasses on a flat surface. If one of the arms rests on the surface and the other doesn’t, then the problem is likely to be your specs. If both arms are even, then it might well be your ears! Similarly, your nose might be a bit crooked, especially if you have a history of playing contact sports. Either way, your glasses will need to be adjusted to ensure a good fit on both sides and across your face. 

• Sliding southwards – are you constantly having to push your specs up your nose as they slide down? If your glasses have nose-pads, it might just be a case of pushing them inwards for a more secure fit. If not, or if this doesn’t fix the problem, then you might have to ask your optometrist to adjust the fit of your spectacles so that this annoying slippage stops happening. 

• They are too tight – are your glasses feeling too tight around your temples? If so, they may need to be stretched outward for a looser fit. Then again, maybe it’s time for a new pair that better suits the shape of your face.

Why can’t I just fix my glasses myself? 

While there are plenty of videos online showing you how to fix some of these issues at home, a DIY job is not something we encourage. This is because glasses need to be adjusted in the right places and in the correct manner. 

For example, plastic frames need to be heated correctly and set back into shape, otherwise they will break, while metal frames are best adjusted with special pliers designed for the job. If you attempt a DIY fix, you risk damaging the frames. 

We recommend taking your glasses to a professional optometrist for stretching or adjustments to make sure your frames fit your face properly. 

Lastly – don’t forget to have regular eye tests with your optometrist to check the health of your eyes and whether you need new glasses!

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