How Should Your Sunglasses Fit?

How Should Your Sunglasses Fit?

 

Sunglasses can be a part of a pretty active lifestyle. Whether you’re running, heading out to the beach, taking part in a triathlon or simply enjoying a day out, you want to be sure your shades fit right. While you won’t be facing huge problems if they don’t, it can be a bit of a nuisance, especially if they’re slipping down your face or pinching the bridge of your nose. Fortunately, there are some things that you can do to be sure that your sunglasses fit just the way that they should, and you don’t have to take them to an optician to get the job done. Many fixes and adjustments can be taken care of from the convenience of your very own home. 

How Sunglasses Should Fit

Before you start making adjustments to your sunglasses, however, it’s important to know how your sunglasses should fit to your face. Perhaps you’ve never really thought about it before, but a good pair of sunglasses should fit your face like they were made to sit there. That is to say, they shouldn’t slip down your nose where you’re constantly having to push them up and back into place, nor should they pinch the bridge of your nose and the backs of your ears, causing you discomfort. You should also pay attention to whether your glasses are squeezing your face, causing indents to be left behind. If they are, you should probably opt for a bigger pair, or make some adjustments to the frames so they fit a little bit better if that is possible. The lenses should also be spaced away from the eyes. Your eyelashes shouldn’t be hitting the backs of the lenses. 

Making Adjustments

Among the easier adjustments to make with a pair of sunglasses is pushing them higher or lower on the face. This can be done by working with the nose pieces. Spreading them will lower the placement of the frames on the face, while pushing them closer together will have the opposite effect. For those sunglasses that feel too tight on the face, you can add a slight outward bend on the temple pieces. This is a lot easier to do with metal sunglasses, as with plastic sunglasses you will need to heat up the plastic in hot water from a faucet for about 60 seconds to make the plastic pliable enough to work with. You’ll want to be careful when working with the plastic to make sure it doesn’t snap or break. If you want to make the sunglasses tighter on the face, you can do the opposite to the temple pieces as well to give them an inward bend. 


You can check to see if a pair of sunglasses is off center by placing them upside down on a flat surface. If one of the temples is elevated up off of the table, then it can be bent to make it even with the other temple, which will help them sit more evenly on the face and also prevent slipping. When sunglasses are pinching the nose, simply work with the nose pieces to spread the nose pads until they fit more comfortably. 


When to Buy New Sunglasses

In some cases, a pair of sunglasses just may not be the right fit for you altogether. This is especially true if you bought a pair of sunglasses off the rack and did not pay attention to the fit initially. All too often, that pair of sunglasses you bought on impulse simply doesn’t fit you well enough to be your standard protection from the sun on those hot summer days, especially if the glasses are too small for you to provide adequate protection from sunlight. If this is the case, it is probably best for you to go ahead and buy a new pair of sunglasses. While it may be annoying to give up on your old pair, it is worth going ahead and getting a new pair, as having a good pair of sunglasses is more than just a fashion statement. A good pair of sunglasses protects your sun from harmful sun damage, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors.


Regardless of whether you are adjusting an old pair or buying a new pair, the important thing to remember is to have a good pair of sunglasses that fits well and protects your eyes from the sun. In both summer and winter, a good pair of sunglasses is a good tool to protect your eyes from harsh UV rays. Fortunately, if you do own a good pair of sunglasses that just needs a few simple adjustments for a great fit, there are plenty of things you can do at home to make them as comfortable as your favorite pair of jeans.