How to Adjust Sunglasses

When your sunglasses are sliding down your nose or the left lens is higher than the right or the right is higher than the left, everything can seem off-balance. You don't have to rush out and buy a new pair or pay an astronomical fee for a professional repair though. Find out how to save big bucks when you adjust your glasses yourself as featured in this article.

Disclaimer

It is best to speak to your optician or eye doctor before doing anything that involves your eye care, no matter how minor. Problems such as pressure on your eyes can be a sign of serious problems that your optician can diagnose. This article is in no way intended to replace the advice of a professional optician or eye doctor.

Common Issues with Sunglasses

There are a number of issues with glasses that affect the way they fit or look. Normal daily wear can place stress on your glasses including the frames, lenses, nose pads, and temple arms.

In this guide, you'll find a list of the featured problems you may encounter and how to fix your glasses at home including the arm causing pressure or giving the nose pad a better fit.

Frames

Frames basically hold a pair of glasses together and hold them in their proper position. Glasses frames are available in a wide range of options.

Metal Frames

There are many types of metal that are featured in eyeglass shops that are used for lenses with titanium being one of the strongest on the market. Metal frames are featured in many optical stores and are appreciated for being stylish and sturdy but it is possible for them to become crooked or break, even titanium although titanium frames are quite strong. You may also notice an arm needs to tighten or may become stretched out so a lens is falling out.

While some severe problems with metal frames require welding, many can be adjustments and repairs are so simple you can adjust your glasses at home. Of course, the remedy will depend on the particular issue you are experiencing with your glasses.

Broken Frames

In the event that your glasses frames have broken, you can typically repair them with a little super glue. Apply a tad at the point of the break, being very careful not to pour too much or get any on your fingers. Carefully dab any excess glue off and sit the glasses on a flat surface that is covered with a piece of paper or plastic cloth. Allow the glue to dry.

Your sunglasses should be as good as new. Try your eyeglass on to ensure you have the right fit behind your ears, on the temple, and that there is nowhere they pinch. Check the part where the glasses were broken and make sure the two pieces now fit tight and closer together.

Lop-sided Frames

If the left side of your metal frames are sitting where the right is higher than the left or the left side is higher than the right, you may be able to bend the left (or bend the right) to bring them into balance. Carefully bend them but only in the specific area where the adjustment is needed such as the temples or behind the ears. Remember that bending metal is not foolproof so service them with care.

Bending your frames requires great care. You don't want to adjust them too far or they may snap so let them fall back to where they were by memory. Once you have adjusted them, try them on to see if they fit properly and comfortably.

If not, repeat the process until you get a great fit, and again, allow the metal to fall into place by memory. Try them on to make sure the fit is correct and if not, continue the process until they fit comfortably.

Plastic Frames

Plastic frames are more fragile when it comes to making adjustments. Some brands are sturdier than others (like memory plastic) so you might speak with your optical shop to find out the exact type of plastic material your sunglasses are made from before attempting an eyeglass repair.

Warming Plastic Frames

You will need to get the plastic warm by holding them under hot running water. Or, rather than using warm water, you can hold a hairdryer to the plastic until it is soft.

Then, hold the glasses with your thumb and fingers so you can gently adjust them at the point of the problem such as at the temples, behind the ear, or wherever they are loose, pinching, or feeling uncomfortable.

Once warm, a bit on one side and then, if needed, bend on the other side. When you bend the right side, hold your glasses on the left side and when you bend the left side, hold them on the right side so you will have more control as you adjust.

Accessing

Try them on and see if they are fit alright. If not, gently bend them a bit more. Plastic glasses can be contrary so if you need to hold them under hot water again, don't hesitate to do so. It is better than breaking your eyeglasses frame. The frame should bend easily and never be forced.

Broken Plastic Lenses

You can repair your broken plastic frame glasses at home in the same manner as wire glasses frames - with super glue. Whether they are broken on the temple arms or anywhere else on the glasses, you will dab a small amount of glue onto one end of the glasses, being careful not to get the glue on the lens. Wipe up excess glue. Set the glasses on a piece of paper or plastic on a flat surface and allow the glue on the glasses to dry completely.

Once dry, try the glasses on to make sure the frames are no longer broken and that they fit well. Don't apply much pressure in the glued area and be cautious when you tighten them and be careful when you sit them down that no undue pressure is put on the arm or wherever you glued them.

If the arm or temple needs to be adjusted after gluing them, be sure to warm the plastic using warm water first so you don't break them again during the adjustment.

Lenses

If your lenses are popping out, they may break so it is imperative to adjust or tighten them in order to correct the issue before they do. You can use super glue to glue them in if necessary. Or, the problem may lay in the nose or area or the frame may be too loose, thus causing the lens to not fit in securely enough.

Identifying the issue is important before you can adjust them correctly. If the issue lies in how they fit in the frame, gluing will hopefully do the trick which is why this tip is being featured.

But if your eyeglasses frame is problematic at the nose and therefore the lenses are slipping out, you'll need to repair the nose. The same is true if the problem is featured in the frame at the temple area.

Temple Adjustment

If the arms of your pair of eyeglasses are loose, many issues can occur so adjustments to the arms are vital to keep them fitting well at the temple. When adjustments are not made, ill-fitting eyeglasses that are pinching or too loose at the temple are not only uncomfortable, the lens may also fall out.

The tips of the temple arm can pinch or the tips can be stretched out and prevent a proper fit behind the ear. The featured temple hinge can cause a myriad of problems but may only require a screw to be tightened or replaced.

To repair the temples of your eyeglasses, you have several options. You can purchase a temple repair kit at an optical shop that contains all the tools and supplies that are needed to make a temple arm repair at the hinges. Or, you can improvise, adjusting the arms of the temples at the hinge and the tips by placing something through the small hole such as a toothpick.

If your eyeglasses are plastic, don't forget to heat them a bit so they are warm. But, don't heat them too much or you can actually melt them.

It can't be stressed enough how important the temples are featured in the fit of your glasses. The temples can set the stage for your glasses to work properly or for them to set crooked or loose. In many ways, the feel of your glasses may hinge on the condition of the temple area.

Nose Pads

Adjusting the nose pads of your glasses is easy. The simplest way is the purchase a glasses repair kit at an optical store. You will most likely need a new set of nose pads as well.

Use the screwdriver in the kit (or one of your own) and a magnifying glass to remove the screws of your existing nose pad and remove the old pads. Then place the new nose pad on and gently screw it in to replace the old one and do the same on the other side.

Adjusting the nose pads of your glasses is easier on plastic glasses when your run warm water over them first because warm water makes your glasses less likely to break.

Access and Test

Try your eyeglasses on and make sure they fit properly, paying attention to the nose area as well as the temples, arms, ears, and lens areas that can be affected by the way the pads fit.

If they need further adjusting, don't hesitate to continue working with them to ensure they aren't crooked or loose. It is vital that the lens of your glasses are secure so check the lens as well.

Adjust Your Glasses at Home

When your eyeglasses are too tight and cause pressure on your face or they pinch behind your nose or hurt your ear, oftentimes they can be adjusted at home for better fitting eyeglasses and longer wear.

The tips featured in this article are designed to assist you in adjusting your eyeglasses but not to replace a visit to your eye specialist for the care of your eyesight or to make sure the lens are the proper ones for you, especially if they are prescription lenses.