There comes a time for every glasses wearer to experience loosened frames, whether it’s due to normal wear and tear, improper handling, or other events in life. As frustrating as it can be, there’s often an easy fix to keep glasses from slipping.
If you find your glasses sliding down your nose constantly, you may need to make some adjustments. The following are some reasons your glasses won’t stay put and what you can do about it.
Some of the most common reasons glasses slip include:
Now that you know why your glasses keep sliding down your nose, solving the problem may be easier. Whether your frames are too wide, too heavy, or too loose, there’s usually a fairly simple fix.
Consider these 10 tips to prevent glasses from slipping:
Screws come loose over time due to normal wear and tear. If this is the case for your slipping glasses, use a glasses repair kit to tighten the screws located where the temples fold to meet your lenses.
If you have trouble, contact your optometrist for a professional adjustment.
It’s easy for nose pads to move around, especially if you wear glasses every day. To put them back in place, simply press the pads inward until they fit snugly on your face.
Some glasses don’t come with nose pads. If you think your frames could benefit from the support, try placing adhesive pads on the bridge of your glasses.
Wax may be the last thing you would’ve considered to keep glasses from slipping, but many people find it quite handy. Beeswax and other eyeglass wax products can help create friction between your nose and nose pads. Just place a small amount on the nose pads and go.
Be sure to clean your glasses (and your face) afterwards, though. Leftover wax can get greasy and make the issue of slipping glasses much worse.
Another normal sign of wear and tear? Bent temples. When the sides of your glasses bend or loosen, you may find yourself trying to hold them up behind your ears. Fortunately, you can bend the temples back in place.
Metal frames are easier to mold than plastic ones. All you need to do for a metal frame is carefully and gently push and pull the temples to a fit that works for you. Plastic temples are more complicated, and may be better handled by your optometrist.
If you have any troubles or fears bending your temples yourself, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. You may risk breaking your frames altogether if you try to alter them at home.
An eyewear band is a strap that attaches to the ends of your glasses’ temples. It keeps your glasses balanced from front to back so that they don’t slip or fall down. The band can also raise your glasses up a bit higher, depending on how tight you make it.
If you’ve got two rubber bands or hair ties lying around your home or office, use them to your advantage to help with slipping glasses! Just wrap a loop around the ends of both temples several times — enough to create a small cluster.
Place your frames back on and move the clusters forward or backward on the temples until you feel secure.
Dirty frames can interfere with the way they fit. Your skin can get oily throughout the day, and this can transfer grease to your glasses, causing them to slip and slide on your face. Other things like cooking and exercise can also introduce grease and sweat to your frames.
Keeping your frames clean, and washing them after an oil-inducing activity, will help to keep them in place.
Since oil transfers easily, it’s important to keep your face and skin as oil-free as possible. Try using foundations and other cosmetic products, as well as facial cleansers and moisturizers that don’t have oil in them. This can help prevent unwanted grease that encourages slippery frames.
This method may not be for everyone, though, as some people have sensitive skin and can only tolerate certain products.
Many retailers sell grips or “ear hooks” that slide onto the ends of your temples. This is a quick and easy way to prevent glasses from slipping, and the grips can be adjusted to fit any pair of glasses.
However, some people complain that grips cause pinching against the side of the head and that ear hooks are too visible for personal preference.
If you have a wider set nose than others, or a nose that sits lower on your face, you may have trouble keeping your glasses in place. And no matter how many remedies you’ve tried, standard-fit glasses just don’t seem to agree with your facial characteristics.
Low-bridge glasses could be the answer to your problem. These frames are designed to fit wider on your forehead to prevent pinching in your temples, and they have a slight angle that lines up with a lower set nose.
If all else fails, you might want to look for a new pair of glasses. And it’s perfectly okay to do so if your frames are too wide or too heavy, if they’ve run their course, or if they’re just too uncomfortable to continue wearing.
When it’s time for new frames, FramesDirect.com has a wide selection of glasses from which to choose. Just decide what materials and features you’d prefer, shop around our site, and we’ll take care of the rest.