How to Make Sunglasses Tighter

Sunglasses that slide down your nose and slip off your ears are downright obnoxious. Plus, ill-fitting sunglasses don't make the fashion statement you probably want them to. The best way to ensure your eyewear fits optimally is to visit your eye care professional or eyewear retailer. If that's not possible or you need a quick fix until you can make it in, so here are some tight tips to help that are at little or no cost to you.

Diagnosing Why Your Sunglasses Don't Fit Properly

In order to adjust your sunglasses so they fit correctly, it's imperative to find out why they don't fit properly in the first place. If your glasses have a looser fit that causes the nose pads to slip down your nose or your metal frames or wireframes have stretched so far out they aren't holding your glasses on, it's time to figure out the issue so a solution can be found.

Keep in mind that unless you have prescription glasses or sunglasses that are fitted by an eye doctor, your sunglasses probably aren't custom-sized in the first place. It is imperative that your sunglasses fit right or they won't protect your eyes from the sun. Sun can damage your eyes. Whether it is the nose piece in need of a fix, the arms being out of shape, or the frames being stretched, it's important to remedy the issue.

Much of the time, eyeglasses can be tweaked to hold in place until you can get in to see an eye specialist. Most optometrists or one of their staff members are happy to accommodate you to adjust your loose glasses or sunglasses for a minimal fee.

Here are some issues that may be causing your prescription glasses or nonprescription glasses or sunglasses to be too loose and what to do to fix the problem:

Nose Pads

Bringing your nose pads closer is one way to correct looseness in sunglasses. Follow these simple directions:

Steps to Tighten Nose Pads

1. Start by setting the glasses or sunglasses on a flat surface. Then, gently grasp the pair of glasses by the bridge between your thumb and forefinger. Take caution not to hold your glasses or sunglasses by the wire or plastic frame or by the lenses even if they are constructed of memory plastic material.
2. Take your wire of plastic frames and gently push the nose pads together. This is a temporary fix you don't want to do very often so you don't wear down the nose pad metal.

Steps to Loosen Nose Pads

1. Adjustments on the nose pads are simple when you grasp your pair of glasses or sunglasses by the bridge between your forefinger and thumb. Be sure not to hold the glasses by their frame or lenses, even if you have sturdy plastic lenses.
2. Gently take the pair of glasses and pull the nose pads apart. If you do this too often, however, you risk wearing down the metal on the nose pads.

Plastic Frames

Plastic frames can easily stretch out and fit too loosely but there are some things that can be done to tighten them.

Blow Drier

For one, you can use a hairdryer to heat metal frames and bend them slightly on one side or on both sides to keep them from slipping and fitting too loose at the temples.

Hot Water

Likewise, you can hold the frames of your shades under hot water to bend them to a point they are no longer too loose. Be sure the heat is not too hot but you will also need to ensure the plastic frame is pliable before you attempt to bend the arm of the eyeglasses or you risk damaging the glasses arms or another part.

Metal Frames

Glasses come in many styles including aluminum alloy and other sources of metal or "wire". You can gently make adjustments on wire glasses with metal frames as well by applying a little pressure and giving the temple arms or other problem areas a slight bend but not to the point they will break. The pressure you are using should be carefully monitored, especially on the arms as you don't want them to bust as you adjust them.

Once you feel the eyeglasses frame and lense are in the correct position, try them on and see if the fit is still too loose. If it is, continue to gently adjust them until they are no longer sliding down your face. When the arms are finally tight enough and they are not sliding, keep the arms where they are and do not adjust any further as your eyeglasses being too tight can be uncomfortable too and can cause the lens to pop out of the frame.

Plastic Glasses

Plastic eyeglasses come in multiple styles and are easy to adjust in order to prevent them from sliding. Begin by holding them by the arms and heating the part of the glasses that are causing them to be loose such as the frames that hold in the lens, the arm that is stretched out, or the nose pad.

Pinpoint the culprit that is the source of the glasses or sunglasses being too loose, then tighten them after running very warm water on the arm or frames before gently making adjustments to tighten the area, such as the temple arms, so they don't slide. Various styles have different thicknesses in arms and frames so adjust the degree of pressure you apply during the adjustments.

Adjustments on the Arms of Eyeglasses

The arms of eyeglasses often cause them to become too loose. It is not unusual for the hinge that connects the frame that holds the lens to need repair or to require some troubleshooting. A screw might be missing or loose. You will want to tighten the screws so they rest evenly on the bridge of your nostrils. Here are some tips when doing so:

What to Do When Adjusting Eyeglasses Arms

The arms of a pair of eyeglasses are held into place by a hinge that contains screws, generally two of them. Whether you have plastic glasses or a titanium fashion, your eyeglasses will have screws that hold the hinges in. They hold the part of the frames that encase the lens and the nose pieces as well.

When the hinge is the source of the problem, you can purchase eyeglass repair kits as a remedy. The kit contains a mini screwdriver that makes the process a breeze because it fits right into the small hardware. Follow the instructions on the kit or just use your own common sense to add a screw or two in the hinge or to take out a stripped screw to replace it with a new one. When putting the screw in, only use gentle pressure regardless of if the style of glasses or sunglasses is metal or plastic.

Once you have repaired or replaced the screws, try the glasses on to see if they still fit too loose. If they do, you may need to also tweak additional issues within the frames of the glasses. Also make sure the frames of the glasses aren't too tight at the temples or anywhere else and if they are, make adjustments to ensure a comfortable fit.

When the Glasses Ears are Too Loose or Too Tight

The glasses ear is too snug or too stretched, it is uncomfortable to wear them. If they are too snug, they may have too much pressure at the temples causing you to get headaches. They may allow the lens to pop out if they don't fit securely. Or, they may be so stretched out they don't grasp your ear which can cause slipping to the point your lenses are not in the proper position, therefore, interfering with your vision. An adjustment is a solution.

Depending on if the glasses fit too snug or too loose, you will want to bend the arms accordingly. If they are fit too snug, bend them outward. If they are too loose on your ear, gently bend the eyeglass frames bring the arm closer to your ear. tend to the other side as well. Once you have fixed one side, Be sure the lens is secure in their position.

How you make the adjustment will be determined by the style of your glasses. Plastic frames the are heated by a blow drier or by running very warm water over them are pliable enough to make the adjustment while metal glasses can be gently manipulated to accomplish a comfortable fit at the ears at the eyeglasses upside or wherever the issue is stemming from. Try the eyeglasses on to make sure they fit comfortably after the adjustment and that the arm is secure and comfortable and that the nose pad is not slipping. If more bending is needed to shape them up, don't hesitate to do so.

Professional vs. DIY Glasses Fixes

Taking your eyeglasses to a vision shop is always the most optimal way to ensure they have the ultimate fit. Your vision is worth the time, cost, and effort. But, if you are unable to do that, the solutions above are excellent ways to use do-it-yourself tips to remedy common problems. Now that you have the tools and tips at your disposal, you can apply them to adjusting your glasses to keep them in great shape.