ARTICLE
How to Adjust Glasses at Home
Learn how to adjust your glasses at home for a better fit. Simple tips to fix loose, crooked or slipping frames.
Your glasses are a part of your everyday life. They should feel comfortable, secure, and truly yours. In this article, you’ll find simple tips and quick fixes you can try at home to improve the fit and solve common eyewear discomforts.
Since every face is unique, frames almost always need personalizing to sit perfectly. Opticians normally make those initial adjustments in-store, but everyday use can still cause glasses to loosen, shift, or feel uncomfortable over time, especially if purchased online. The good news is that many small adjustments can be done safely at home with just a bit of care. This guide teaches you how to address the most common fit issues so your glasses feel like they are truly made for you.
How to Tighten Glasses When They Feel Loose
If your glasses wobble or slide when you move, they likely need more grip around the sides of your head. This is usually fixed by adjusting the temples (arms) so they sit closer to your head and support the frame more securely.
Try the following:
- Bend the temples slightly inward to increase contact
- Tighten any loose hinge screws
- Add a deeper curve behind the ear to prevent slipping
- Adjust both sides evenly to keep the frame balanced
- Clean hinge areas if dirt is preventing proper movement
Even a millimeter of change can make your glasses feel immediately more secure.
How to Stop Glasses from Slipping Down Your Nose
Whether from warm weather, natural skin oils, or a lower nose bridge, glasses often slide gradually. Small adjustments can help maintain a secure fit. You can try these tips:
- Strengthen the bend behind the ears
- Bring temples inward slightly
- Adjust nose pads to lift the frame (if present)
- Keep the bridge and pads clean to reduce slipping
- Use a little nose wax or silicone pads for extra friction if needed
If your frames continue to slip despite good adjustments, a different bridge shape may suit your face better.
If glasses slip down, increasing contact around the ears often solves it
How to Fix Crooked Glasses or Uneven Lenses
If one lens sits higher than the other, you can usually correct it by adjusting just one temple arm. Raise the arm where the lens looks lower, or lower the arm where the frame looks higher.
Faces are rarely symmetrical. One ear often sits higher than the other. Glasses that fit perfectly may look crooked when placed on a flat table. Always judge alignment while wearing them.
How to Adjust Nose Pads on Glasses
Nose pads are a great way to improve comfort and alignment on metal frames. You can adjust nose pads by:
- Bringing pads closer together to lift the frame
- Widening pads slightly to lower the frame
- Shifting one pad at a time to correct tilt
Make changes slowly and avoid forcing the metal. If the frame resists adjustment, let a professional help.
Nose pads help control frame height, balance and how the lenses align with your eyes
Adjusting Glasses by Frame Material
Different materials react differently. Always adjust based on what your glasses are made of.
Adjusting Acetate (Plastic) Glasses
- Acetate becomes more flexible with gentle warmth, which makes temple adjustments easier. Warm the temple tips carefully using warm (not hot) water or low hairdryer heat before bending slightly behind the ear for more grip. Avoid heating the bridge or areas around the lenses since they can warp.
Adjusting Stainless Steel Glasses
- Stainless steel is durable and responds well to careful bending without heat. You can widen or narrow the temples and adjust nose pads to improve height and comfort. Avoid excessive bending in the same spot to prevent weakening the metal.
Adjusting Titanium Glasses
- Titanium is lightweight, hypoallergenic, and extremely strong but also more rigid. Only make small changes near the hinge. For major adjustments, especially around the frame front, consult an optician to avoid cracking the material.
Troubleshooting Glasses Adjustment: Quick Fixes
| Issue | Likely Cause | What to Try at Home |
|---|---|---|
| Glasses too loose | Temples too wide | Bend temples inward |
| Glasses keep slipping | Not enough grip | Increase curve behind ears or use nose wax |
| Nose pads hurt | Pads too tight or angled sharply | Widen spacing and soften the angle |
| Glasses will not stay up | Weak ear bend | Add more curvature to temple ends |
| Crooked glasses | Ear height difference or uneven arms | Adjust one temple up or down |
| Glasses falling off | Poor ear grip | Tighter temple angle and more hook |
| Too tight behind ears | Sharp bend on tips | Warm gently and relax angle |
Most common fit issues can be fixed with simple adjustments to temples or nose pads
Can You Adjust Glasses at Home or Should You See an Optician?
Most minor comfort issues like loosening, slipping, or slight unevenness are safe to fix at home. However, for rigid materials, major front changes, or more significant fit concerns, an optician is always the best option.
If you're not sure about making adjustments yourself, visit your local optician for professional support and a perfectly personalized fit.
Many provide this service at no cost, especially if you purchased the glasses from them. Check out the list of our Partner Opticians.
With over 20 years of experience in the eyewear business, we can help you with just about anything related to glasses. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about your frames. Read the Vasuma Story and check out our Face Shape Guide to better understand your unique face shape.
If you need new eyewear, explore the Sunglasses Collection or the Glasses Collection.