How to Adjust Nose Pads on Glasses

Co-authored by Alexander Knezevic, MD and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: December 2, 2022 References

So you just got a new pair of glasses, but they look a little crooked or feel uncomfortable when you wear them. A simple adjustment to the glasses' nose pads can solve your problem, and it only takes a few minutes for you to do it yourself. Keep reading for everything you need to know about positioning your nose pads so your frames fit perfectly!

1

Hold your frames by the bridge.

You won’t risk breaking your lenses if you support your frames. Use your non-dominant hand to pinch the bridge of your glasses between the lenses. Do your best not to touch or put pressure on the lenses so you don’t break them. You’ll use your dominant hand to make your adjustments.^{[1]
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- Put a glasses cleaning cloth over the lenses to prevent smudges just in case your hand brushes against them.

2

Move the pads with your fingers.

You can easily move the nose pads without tools. If you need to fix your glasses quickly, you can make minor adjustments by hand. Put your thumb on the side of the pad that touches your nose and your pointer finger on the back side.^{[2]
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- Be gentle when you’re adjusting your pads by hand since they’ll be easier to break.

3

Use nose pad pliers for more precise adjustment.

Pliers give you the best grip and the least risk of damage. Nose pad pliers have a small gap so they fit perfectly around your nose pad when you grip it. Line the gap on the pliers up with where your frames connect to the nose pad and squeeze the handles together firmly.^{[3]
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- You can get nose pad pliers in a glasses repair kit or online.

4

Push the pads apart for glasses sitting too high.

A wider space between the pads also keeps them from pinching your nose. If your nose pads sit high up and feel tight on your nose, use your thumb or the pliers to gently move the nose pad toward the frame arm.^{[4]
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Research source} Move one nose pad at a time when you make your adjustments.^{[5]
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- Only make a slight adjustment at a time. Even just moving the pad a few millimeters can make a world of difference.

5

Move the pads closer together if your glasses sit too low.

A narrower gap prevents your glasses from sliding down further.^{[6]
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Research source} If you always have to push your glasses back up on your face because they slip off, then the nose pads are too wide. Carefully pull the nose pad toward the center of your frames and away from the lens.^{[7]
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- Be careful not to bring the nose pads too close together, or else they could pinch your nose and be painful to wear.

6

Adjust both nose pads evenly.

Your glasses will sit crooked if the nose pads are uneven. Hold your glasses up at eye level and check if the nose pads look symmetrical. If one looks further in or out than the other, take a second to bend them into the correct position so the pads are in the same position on each side.^{[8]
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7

Try on your glasses after each adjustment.

Testing how your glasses fit keeps you from overworking the nose pads. Even after the slightest adjustment, your glasses may fit a lot better. Check how the frames look in a mirror and see if they feel more comfortable on your face. If you still feel like they’re not a perfect fit, take them off and make another small adjustment to the nose pads before trying again.^{[9]
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8

Set the nose pads so they sit flat on your nose.

Crooked nose pads could dig into your nose and be uncomfortable. When you put your glasses on, check if the fronts of the nose pads are flush against your nose. If they look uneven or one end of the nose pad digs into your nose, take off your glasses and adjust them slightly to the side so they fit better.^{[10]
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- Even if the nose pads are crooked and aren’t bothering you, you’ll start to feel more pressure on your nose the longer you wear them.

9

Replace the nose pads if they’re worn out.

New nose pads will make your glasses feel more comfortable. Your nose pads will either screw or snap into your frames so they’re easy to replace. For screw-in pads, use a small screwdriver to loosen the screw on the back of the nose pad to remove it. Then, slide the new one into place and screw it back in. For snap-on pads, simply pry the old one out with a flathead screwdriver or butter knife, and push the new pad into the socket.
- You can buy replacement nose pads in a glasses repair kit or online.
- Replacing your pads with wider ones can also help if your frames sit too low on your face.

10

Bend the glasses’ arms if your glasses still slide.

Your frames may be the culprit if your nose pads fit well. Hold the arm of your glasses just before it starts curving down to support your frames. Use your other hand to gently bend the end of the arm down if your glasses slip down or up if the arm doesn’t reach around your ear.^{[11]
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- Avoid bending your glasses near the hinges since you could easily snap them.

11

Take your glasses to an optometrist for a professional fix.

An optometrist can make adjustments with less risk of breaking your glasses. If your glasses still aren’t fitting perfectly and you don’t want to risk damaging them, contact an optometrist and ask if they’ll make the adjustments for you. When you go in, your optometrist will use special tools to make sure the glasses sit evenly and comfortably on your face.

Warnings

Be careful when you’re moving the nose pads repeatedly since it could weaken the metal arms holding them in place and cause them to break.

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