Why Your Glasses Keep Slipping Down Your Nose (And How to Fix It)

You can probably relate to this problem if you wear glasses. You don't even think about it, you just push them up your nose, look down to read and suddenly they're pushed back down. It is frustrating, even a little mortifying when you are in a meeting and it happens or a little dangerous in your car. The helpful part is that this is a very common problem, and easy to solve in most cases. 

Why This Actually Happens

1. Wrong Frame Size

The reason why frames might slip is mainly that your is not sized properly for your face. Frames that are too wide and temple arms that are too long will not hold glasses in place as well as gravity will pull them down. This normally happens because people are ordering new glasses through the internet without actually trying them on. Another very common scenario for this issue to occur is that a frame which is good for someone else's facial features ends up not being suitable for your face. 

2. Weak or Bent Nose Pads

Your nose pads can easily hold a pair of frames but if they become slippery through sweat and oil on your skin, this means they slip more easily and in summer you would find them going more out of place than in winter. 

3. Oily Skin and Sweat

If you are a person who has either naturally oily skin or tends to sweat a lot during the day, it is very likely your nose gets oilier due to the skin oil mixing up with the sweat. This is one of the major reasons glasses keep sliding up, Mainly in hot humid climate like India where many the year is quite humid. 

4. Frame Material

Optical appliances such as plastic or metal frames made with an insufficient grip to the nose bridge are much easier to be moved than the ones having the nose part in the shape of a ridge or being the type of nose pads with a possibility to be adjusted. 

How to Fix It

Get the Right Fit

That is just the first and the crucial step towards perfect adjustment of glasses. A qualified optician will be able to assess if the width of the frame is proportionate to your face and modify the temple arms so that they remain behind your ears neither too constrictive nor too slack. 

Adjust or Replace the Nose Pads

If you're lucky enough to still have a functioning nosepad system on your spectacles you simply take your goggles to an optician who is the only one who can properly tighten them so they hold more the glasses to the face. But if you find your nosepads are already worn, then getting another pair is an easy and inexpensive remedy. 

Try Anti-Slip Nose Pad Stickers

Solve the problem by applying special silicone adhesive stickers. When they are applied on the inner surface of the nose pads, the stickers create a layer between your nose and the frame which can stop the glasses from being pushed up Mostly if you tend to perspire a lot. 

Clean Your Glasses Regularly

A layer of oil and grime builds up on nose pads to the point of being slippery. Cleaning your glasses, Mainly the areas of the nose pads, each day can eliminate quite a lot of sliding issues. 

Choose the Right Frame Next Time

In the case that this issue persists regardless of your efforts, you probably need to go for a frame style that fits the shape of your face and your skin type. Usually, frames with either wide nose pads or textured ones are less likely to be moved around. 

Final Thought

Glasses that continually slide down your nose are definitely not a norm. Typically that is because either a fitting or a maintenance issue rather than a major problem. A few minutes at the optician to change things, or simply finding a new frame that suits you, can really fix this forever. So if you are in need of a brand new pair of spectacles, why not find the one that truly complements and fits your face?