If you’ve never had to wear glasses before, you may have trouble finding where they should fit on your nose. You may also find that your glasses’ nose pads hurt the bridge of your nose, especially after wearing them for long hours at a time. While these may be rather inconvenient, there are ways to address them so that wearing your glasses becomes just another part of your day.
The Anatomy of Your Glasses
Before jumping into how to stop the pads on your glasses from hurting your nose, you need to understand the many moving parts of your frames.
- Arms: The arms of your glasses are the pieces that lay on the side of your face. They should be snug but not too tight against your ears and temples.
- Bridge: The bridge of your glasses sits across the nose and will be where most pressure from your glasses is felt. The actual size of the bridge can be altered as you adjust the frames to fit the distance between your eyes.
- End Pieces: The end pieces refer to the plastic parts that sit on the ends of your glasses. These help to protect the area behind your ears from any scratches should your glasses shift throughout the day.
- Frames: Frames are most often associated with plastic or metals that are shaped to fit your face and lenses.
- Hinges: Hinges are metal pieces that attach the arms to the frame of your glasses. They allow for movement and adjustability so that you can wear glasses with or without nose pads.
- Lenses: Lenses are the most distinctive part of glasses. These can be made from plastic or glass and come in various shapes, colors, opacity levels, and coatings to make them more durable against scratching.
- Nose Pads: These are cushions or pads found inside glasses that provide extra comfort by preventing pressure on sensitive areas like the bridge of the nose.
- Pad Arm: These arms attach your nose pad to the rims of your glasses. They are adjustable and form to the shape of your nose.
- Rims: The rims are the outer-most edge of glasses frames. They might be made from metal, plastic, or rubber and will protect the lenses and your nose when you wear glasses with nose pads.
- Screws: These are found at the end of the nose pads and allow you to tighten or loosen them. They are also found at the hinges to help secure the rims to the arms.
Fitting Your Glasses
Understanding the anatomy of your glasses is just the beginning. When getting fitted for your glasses, your eye doctor will have to take several measurements to ensure the frames fit your face correctly. The good news? This will only take a single visit and is usually completed at the time of your eye exam.
- Your eye doctor will begin by measuring the distance between your pupils. This is done by holding a ruler at the bridge of your nose and measuring one eye’s outer edge. This process will then be repeated in the other direction. Next, your doctor will measure how wide your glasses should be based on the width of each pupil. They’ll use these measurements to determine which lens size is right for you and the frame style that compliments your facial features well.
- Your eye doctor will measure your eyebrows to just below your cheekbones. Doing this will help determine where to put the glasses on your nose and face. They will then find out how high or low you would like the frames placed and whether you want them fitted higher up near your hairline or lower down so that more of an arch is visible when looking straight ahead.
- Arm length and height will be measured. The arms mustn’t hang too close to either ear as this can block your hearing. However, wearing glasses with arms that extend past your ears towards the center top of your head may irritate your scalp due to constant rubbing.
Why Do Your Glasses’ Nose Pads Hurt?
One of the biggest complaints from those who wear glasses, both part-time and full-time, is that their glasses’ nose pads hurt. There are several reasons why this could be happening, including:
Nose Pads are Digging into the Bridge of Your Nose
Most people who suffer from glasses’ nose pads hurting are dealing with their nose pads digging into the bridges of their nose, leaving unsightly marks on the bridge of your nose. This is likely due to your glasses being too heavy on the nose, or they might not be sitting well.
Glasses Sitting Too Low on The Nose
One of the more common reasons for your eyeglasses’ nose pads to cause discomfort is that the glasses are sitting too low on your face. This could cause your nose pads to press firmly into the skin right at the bottom edge of your nostrils which can cause skin irritation.
Skin Irritation on Your Nose from Your Eyeglasses’ Nose Pads
Your eyeglasses’ nose pads may cause discomfort to the skin on your nose because it’s constantly irritated by the plastic or metal material of your nose pads. If you already have excessively dry or cracked skin on your nose, the rubbing from your glasses against your already sensitive skin can worsen the irritation.
Plastic Glasses Hurt Nose Bridge from Lack of Nose Pads
While plastic glasses are an excellent alternative for those who have trouble with pain from nose pads, if they aren’t worn correctly or have built-in plastic “pads,” then you can still find your nose getting somewhat irritated. You may also find yourself dealing with pressure pains both in the bridge of your nose and your temples, which is why it’s vital to get your plastic glasses professionally fitted.
How Should Your Glasses Be Worn to Prevent Their Nose Pads from Hurting?
To prevent your glasses’ nose pads from hurting, you’ll want to make sure you are wearing your glasses properly. Most glasses with nose pads should be worn at a slight downward angle, so the pad doesn’t rest on your skin. This will help keep pressure off sensitive areas and prevent any unnecessary indentations on the bridge of your nose or other parts of your face.
The weight from heavy lenses can also cause a lot more pain than you may initially expect, which is why it’s essential to get correctly fitted glasses that work for you.
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.
Others, however, find that glasses without nose pads are easier to adjust for various facial structures and can be lighter if you’re having problems with heavy lenses.
9 Ways to Relieve Eyeglass Nose Pad Pain
Dealing with glasses’ nose pads hurting can be rather upsetting, especially if it becomes a chronic issue. There are many ways to help relieve the pain, including:
1. Don’t Wear Glasses on the Bridge of Your Nose
If your glasses are too heavy or feel tight, don’t wear them on the bridge of your nose! It will put unnecessary pressure where it shouldn’t go. Instead, try pushing them up towards your scalp (or wherever they’re resting). That way, they will sit on top or behind your ears instead, distributing the weight more evenly.
2. Apply Petroleum Jelly to the Area
Some people find that applying petroleum jelly or even some plain, unscented lip balm to the area where their glasses pads are hurting helps relieve some pain. The added lubrication helps to reduce the friction between the pads and your skin.
3. Switch Out Your Nose Pads
If you’re experiencing pain or an indent, switching out your nose pad with a different type could be an option. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials, so you should be able to find one that fits your glasses and is comfortable on your nose.
4. Try a DIY Nose Pad
If you’re not a fan of the way glasses may feel on your nose or if they are causing discomfort, try making some DIY nose pads. They are easy to make and can be made with any material with an adhesive back, so it adheres to the glasses. For instance, you can purchase a small sheet of felt with an adhesive backing to it, cut the felt to size, and stick them to your existing pad.
5. Buy Prescription Eyeglasses with No Nose Pads
This may seem like an odd option, but if wearing glasses has become such a problem for you because of pain issues, this could be the best option. It’s a good idea to get your prescription glasses fitted by an optometrist or ophthalmologist so that they will fit you perfectly and not be too heavy on your nose.
6. Try Different Types of Frame Material
The material a frame is made out of can also play into how it feels on your face. If lighter frames aren’t helping, try changing things up by getting fitted glasses with heavier types of frames like titanium, steel, or plastic.
7. Try a New Frame Altogether or Try Contact Lenses
If the glasses themselves are causing pain, try going for an updated frame shape more suited to how you’re feeling or switch out to contact lenses instead of glasses until the issue has been resolved.
8. Take Care of Your Nose
If your pain is coming from dry skin, try using a moisturizer after each time you put on makeup. Be sure to use one that doesn’t contain fragrance because this can irritate sensitive skin even more. If just scrubbing with soap isn’t doing it, then invest in a gentle exfoliant that contains no fragrances, oils, or alcohols. This should help remove dead cell buildup and prevent any irritation as well as redness.
9. Consult Your Doctor
If none of these tips work and you find yourself dealing with chronic issues due to how your glasses are sitting on your face, it’s time that you consult an eye doctor about new options for better fitting glasses.
Don’t Ignore the Pain: Get Proactive
If you’re experiencing chronic pain from your glasses, it’s time to take action and try one of these methods. Glasses can be a fantastic tool for helping us see what we need or want to do in life more clearly. However, if your glasses’ nose pads hurt all the time, you may choose not to wear them at all.
That’s why it’s essential to talk to your eye doctor and take care of the problem right from the start. So, don’t wait and see what your doctor may suggest to relieve your eye discomfort.
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