Fitting reading glasses

Reading glasses should fit comfortably on a person’s face. If the glasses are uncomfortable the person may not wear them, and they may slip and/or fall off.

Standard reading glasses do not usually have any adjustment, and therefore to get the best fit, you will need to select the most appropriate size of frame for the person.

The ideal fit for reading glasses

Frame width: No wider than the overall width of the person’s face. If too wide or too narrow, the temples will not sit comfortably on the side of the person’s face.

To check:

• There should be no more than a one finger width gap between the person’s face (just behind their eyes) and the arm of the glasses.

Bridge and nose pads: Glasses should fit snugly on the bridge of the person’s nose.

To check:

• Ask the person if the glasses feel comfortable (not pinching). Ask them to move their head up and down and check the glasses stay in place.

Level: The frame should sit level on the person’s face.