How to Adjust Reading Glasses

Unless you want to shell out the money for someone else to do it, if you have readers, you'll want to learn how to adjust your glasses. The type of readers you have will help determine the best method to use and what type of adjusting needs to be accomplished. Read on to find out all you need to know in order to adjust your glasses at home rather than paying a professional at an optical shop to have them serviced.

Adjusting your glasses isn't difficult at all. But, there are some important things to know before you get started so you don't break them or bend them so far out of shape you can't repair them. Determine if you have plastic frames or metal frames. Once you've done that, follow the directions for the type of frame you have to properly and safely adjust glasses.

Plastic Frames

No matter how slight of an adjustment you may be making, if you have plastic frames, you will want to loosen the plastic up so they aren't so fragile. In order to do this, run the plastic parts under a steady stream of hot water. The water will allow the substance to bend if it's the proper temperature. It is imperative to use hot water and not just warm water.

Or, you can heat the plastic with a blow drier for a few minutes until you feel they are flexible. You will be able to feel the material becoming more flexible and can try to bend it a little to make sure you have heated the material long enough. Be careful not to heat the lens too much, however. Remember, it is the lens you are wanting to heat.

If the problem you are experiencing is that your plastic glasses slide down your face, you will want to gently bend the earpiece so that it is close to a 90-degree angle. That will tighten the fit of the eyeglasses. But, if they are uncomfortable because they are too tight on the back of your ear, you will do the exact opposite so the glasses frames aren't as snug.

In the event, your glasses are sliding down your nose, adjust your glasses to make the nose pads closer together. If you are having trouble adjusting glasses, try heating them a little more by holding them under very warm water. If they are not budging, you may need to use hot water.

The type of frame substance you are working with plays a huge role in your adjustments. Memory plastic will go right into shape, typically. Traditional material can be harder to work with.

Metal Frames

Metal frames are treated differently than plastic frames when you are adjusting them. Because the parts are metal, you will not need to heat them in water or by a hairdryer to cause the frames to bend. When you go to adjust them, you will need to be careful not to over-extend them though.

If they are sitting too high on your nose, all you'll need to do is to gently push the nose pad up with your thumb until you feel it move. In the event that your glasses are sitting too low on your nose, just give them a slight push upwards from the nose pads so that you are pinching the nose pads with your index finger and your thumb. Again, use the utmost caution when making the adjustment so you don't snap your eyeglass frames in two.

Do's and Don't When You Are Adjusting Your Glasses

Here are some tips to go by when adjusting your eyeglasses:

• Be sure you never attempt to adjust or bend your plastic glasses without heating the frames first or you'll ruin them. The frames should be pliable.
• Nose pads are often the culprit to issues with your glasses frames and if need be, they can be replaced so don't hesitate to adjust them.
• Be sure your eyeglasses, including the frames and all other parts, fit right when you purchase them or you may never be able to perform the adjustments needed to get them into shape.
• Adjusting your glasses at home is only beneficial if you do it correctly. Breaking your eyeglass frames or busting out the lenses can be more costly than paying for adjusting glasses.
• If your lenses pop out of place or become loose, you can apply pressure to fix them, securing them back into their proper place. The lenses of wire glasses tend to be more fragile so gently pinch them and be careful not to damage the lenses for the frame.
• Frames that fit properly are priceless so don't settle for frames that don't.

Don't Forget the Nose Pads

When adjusting your eyeglasses, it is wise to realize that most of the adjustment will come from the nose pads or the arms. You don't want them too tight on your nose or to be sliding down your nose. Both scenarios make it difficult to see out of the lens when wearing them.

While you may feel that the problem would be solved by giving the glasses a good twist to the side, usually, simple nose pads adjusting will solve the issue in no time. Make certain the nose pads are warm when you are attempting to get them adjusted. When they are cold, they aren't as flexible as they are when they are warm.

Temple Arms

Temple arms are often related to a pair of eyeglasses having an ill fit. It is one of the most common problems with glasses. Temple arms, both the right arm and the left arm, are vital parts of the frame of glasses. They extend over the temples and ears and hold the glasses or sunglasses in place so they keep the lenses over your eye, improving your vision and protecting your eye from dangerous UV rays. It's imperative the arm fits properly over the temples on each side so the frames function as they should or you may get headaches.

Think about how many times you use the arms to take your glasses on and off. Each arm of a pair of glasses must fit properly or the entire pair of glasses will be off-kilter. Before you purchase your eyeglasses, it is very helpful (and smart) to have a professional optician fit them at the eyeglass shop. If you need to adjust glasses temple arms a small amount after you have worn them a while, that is normal. This will help the frames fit properly all the way around, at the temples and everywhere else, and will lower or eliminate pain and discomfort.

Ear Pieces

Earpieces, also called temple tips, are an important part of glasses. They hold the glasses in place over and behind your ears and reduce pressure. They are usually coated at the tips that go behind your ears and are covered with a small amount of plastic-like substance. Earpieces help your frame fit comfortably and help make certain they don't cause pain or discomfort related to too snug or too loose of a fit.

The frame of your glasses is slipping off your ears or if they are too snug on the temple, nose, or ear area, you can make some simple adjustments so they fit better. Sit your glasses frame and lenses in a container of warm water for about one minute. Be certain the tips are flexible before you begin the adjustments.

Use a gentle pull inward and downward, from left to right, to apply a small amount of pressure to tighten the fit or do the opposite to loosen a fit that is uncomfortably snug. Repeat the adjustment to the other side if needed.

How to Adjust Glasses for the Perfect Temple Fit

When the temples of your optical glasses don't fit your face right, you'll want to fix them right away. Glasses that are a poor fit at the temple can put pressure on your face and your eye and can pinch to the point they are painful. Whether they are too loose or too tight, here are some tips that are helpful for securing the ideal fit:

Bow the Temples

Having your glasses warm is helpful. Gently bow the temple area in to make them a tighter fit. Hold them at the center and bow them outward to lower the tightness on the side of your head and around your eye. Make the adjustment on both the right and the left sides.

Resources

It is crucial that your readers look and feel great. If you need more help adjusting them, you can learn by checking out video tutorials online. You can also incorporate the help of a professional optician to make sure the frames fit properly and that the lenses are not too heavy. You can also get assistance from the store or vision center you purchased your spectacles from.

Where the Doctor Comes In

When it comes to your eyes, nothing can take the place of having a doctor who looks after your vision health. While adjusting your glasses from home will save you time and money, don't neglect to go in for your regular optical appointments to lower your risk of eye conditions and to ensure you can see properly.

Adjust Glasses Safely and Simply in Seconds

Now that you have learned to adjust glasses from the comfort of your own home without paying a fortune for a professional to do it, you can have your glasses fitting perfectly in seconds without having to go back to the store which would require paying for the service.