How to Adjust Crooked Glasses Frames at Home Safely
Nothing can be quite as annoying as slipping on a pair of glasses and realizing that they are sitting awkwardly on your nose. This can happen over time due to constant wear, warping your eyewear, and affecting both comfort and vision. However, there’s good news: you do not necessarily need an optometrist’s visit to rectify the problem of crooked glasses. These are some handy tricks that you can follow in order to ensure that you are wearing properly aligned glasses.
Diagnose the Misalignment of Your Glasses Frames
Identify Where the Imbalance Originates
The best method for diagnosing the problem is the "table test." To do the table test, open your glasses and put them upside down on a flat surface. It’s best if both sides are flat on the surface. If one side is resting on the surface and the other is in the air, then the problem area is where the floating side is. This is an indication that the glasses are twisted.
Check if Your Glasses Sit Higher on One Side
Now, take a glance in the mirror. Examine while wearing your frames. Does one side of your frames sit higher than the other? If your frames are higher on the left side, that is typically an indication that you need to lower the right side or lift the left side. This balances your frames. Sometimes, your ears might not be of equal height. This is extremely common. In that case, you might need to adjust your temple tips.
Essential Tools Needed for Safe Home Adjustments
A costly optical lab is not necessary for basic eyeglass frame repair. On the other hand, proper tools will help avoid scratches and breaks.
- Microfiber cloth: This helps protect the lenses and the final surface finish while gripping the lenses.
- Optical Screwdriver: This screwdriver is needed because an ordinary screwdriver is too big and might damage the screws in your hinges.
- Padded Pliers: If you have to work with metal frames using pliers, you can pad the tips with tape or cloth to avoid scratches.
When it comes to plastic/acetate frames, cold manipulation can be dangerous. Plastic turns brittle when exposed to room temperature and will break when pressed. To work with it, one would need a heating source. Warm, but not boiling, tap water in a bowl is the best way to start. Another way would be using a hair dryer, but temperature control is necessary, as it can ruin the coatings on the lenses.
Correct Plastic and Acetate Frames with Heat
Fill a bowl with warm water. It should be hot to the touch but not scalding. Submerge the part of the frame you need to adjust—usually the temple arm or the bridge—for about 30 to 60 seconds. Remove the frame and dry it quickly. While the plastic is warm, it will feel flexible. Gently bend the arm in the direction you need. If it stiffens up, stop immediately and reheat it.
If you cannot submerge the glasses, use a hair dryer on low or medium heat. Hold the dryer about six inches away from the frame and move it back and forth continuously. Don't focus the heat on one spot for too long, and avoid directing the hot air onto the lenses. Once the frame feels warm, gently twist the bridge or bend the arms to correct the alignment. Hold the new position until the plastic cools and sets.
Adjust Metal Frames Without Snapping the Solder
Metal frames require a different approach. They are generally stronger but have weak points where parts are soldered together. You don't need heat, but you do need leverage and a steady hand.
If your metal glasses sit too high or too low, the nose pads are usually the culprit. Grab the metal arm of the nose pad with your thumb and forefinger. To lower the glasses on your face, push the pads further apart. To raise the glasses, pinch the pads closer together. Do this in very small increments and check the fit in the mirror frequently.
If a metal arm is bent out of shape, you may need pliers. Never apply pliers directly to the metal. Wrap the jaws of the tool with electrical tape or use a thick cloth. Grip the temple arm firmly, but stay away from the hinge or the solder points. Bending directly at a solder point can cause the frame to snap instantly. Instead, apply gentle bowing pressure along the length of the arm to straighten it.
Solve the Issue of Glasses Sliding Down Your Nose
This is the most frequent complaint for glasses users. Because of the pull of gravity and the natural oils in the skin, the glasses tend to slip and disturb the focal point.
Tighten the Temple Tips Behind Your Ears
To correct this problem, you have to learn how to bend glasses to fit behind your ears. The idea is to make a tighter curve to securely wrap around your ear. If your glasses are metal, this is easily accomplished with your fingers. If they are plastic, you can use the heating technique described earlier. After heating the temple tip, bend it down and in. What this achieves is a "C" curve to hold the back of your ear, which serves as an anchor.
Bring the Nose Pads Closer Together for Better Grip
If this does not resolve the problem sufficiently, return to the nose pads. If your nose pads are too wide, you have nothing for the frame to grip, and they slip downwards on your nose. Press the pads together for a tighter fit. If you have plastic frames with non-adjustable nose pads, you have no choice but to tighten your temple tips.
What to Do When One Lens Is Closer to Your Eye
Sometimes the glasses fit straight, but one lens feels like it's touching your eyelashes while the other is far away. This is a problem with the frame's alignment.
Correcting a Twisted Bridge on Metal Eyewear
Hold the front of the frame tightly with one lens in each hand. Turn your hands slightly in opposite directions to match the lenses. This is akin to ringing out a towel, but with tiny motions. Be very careful not to press down on the lenses at all, or they may pop right out of the frame.
Heating and Molding the Hinge Area on Plastic Models
With plastic frames, this will generally be a warped hinge. Heat the temple arm where it connects to the front part of the frame. This will soften it enough to reshape and bend the hinge section inward or outward, depending on which side is too close to your face. If the left lens is coming closer than it should, it will be necessary to warp the left temple arm away from your face.
Critical Safety Precautions to Prevent Permanent Damage
While home adjustments are convenient, they carry risks. Understanding the limits of your frames is crucial to avoiding a break that requires professional repair.
Modern lenses often have anti-reflective coatings or scratch-resistant coatings that are sensitive to extreme heat. When using a hair dryer, if the air is too hot for your skin, it is too hot for your lenses. Excessive heat can cause the coating to "craze," which looks like a web of tiny cracks. Always direct heat away from the lenses.
There is a point where force becomes dangerous. If a metal frame resists bending, don't force it. If plastic has turned white or cloudy at a stress point, it is about to snap. Titanium and memory metal frames are notoriously difficult to adjust at home. If you are dealing with expensive or resistant materials, take them to an optician. Most optical shops will adjust glasses frames for free or a small fee.
FAQ
Can I adjust rimless glasses at home?
It is not recommended. Rimless glasses use the lenses for structure. Bending the bridge or temples causes direct strain on the lenses, which can very easily crack them. This kind of work is best left to a professional.
What if I snap my plastic frames while adjusting them?
If the plastic breaks, home remedies such as super glue will not keep working for long. This is because the super glue will cause damage to the lens. It will not withstand the strain that the frames put on it when you wear them. You may have to change them or consult a specialist to merge the acetate.
Why do my glasses hurt behind my ears?
This typically means the tips of the temples are bent too sharply, or the arms are resting too tightly against your head. You must heat the tips and bend the curve back a little, or bend the arms away to relieve the pressure.
