How to Adjust Sunglass Nose Pads and Temple Arms for Better Fit

Sunglasses that slide down the nose, sit crooked, or cause pressure behind the ears are not defective — they're usually unadjusted. Most sunglass fit problems are solvable with simple adjustments to nose pad position, temple arm angle, or temple tip fit. Some adjustments can be done at home in minutes; others benefit from an optician's frame heating tools for more precise work. This guide covers which fit problems have which fixes, how to perform safe home adjustments, and when to take frames to an optician instead. For the full maintenance context, see the complete sunglass care and maintenance guide.

1. Understanding Sunglass Fit Problems

The Four Common Fit Failures

• Sliding down the nose: the most common fit problem — the frame gradually slides down the nasal bridge during wear, particularly during activity or sweating. Caused by: nose contacts positioned too widely apart (insufficient grip), nose contacts too smooth (insufficient friction), temple arms angling too far open (insufficient tension on the head), or frame too wide for the face width.
• Pressure or pinching at the nose: the nose contacts press too firmly or too narrowly against the nasal bridge — caused by contacts angled too steeply inward or adjusted too close together for the individual nasal bridge width.
• Sitting crooked or tilted: one side of the frame sits higher than the other — caused by asymmetric temple arm angles, uneven nose contact positioning, or one ear sitting higher than the other (a common anatomical variation).
• Pressure or discomfort behind the ears: temple tips that are angled too sharply downward create pressure on the superior ear; tips too flat don't grip behind the ear and allow the frame to slide. Temple tip position is the primary fit adjustment for ear comfort.

2. Nose Contact Adjustment

Fixed vs Adjustable Nose Contacts

Two types of nose contact designs exist with different adjustment possibilities:

• Fixed nose contacts: molded integral to the frame front — cannot be repositioned. Fixed contacts are sized for the average nasal bridge geometry; individuals with significantly higher or lower nasal bridges, or significantly wider or narrower bridges than the frame's fixed contact geometry, cannot adjust fixed contacts. The only options for fit improvement are wearing a different frame with fixed contacts that better match the nasal bridge, or adding adhesive silicone contact padding.
• Adjustable nose contacts: separate contact pads mounted on metal or plastic arms that can be repositioned — the contact arm bends to change the angle, width, and height of the contact position. Metal contact arms (common on metal and some acetate frames) are the most adjustable; plastic contact arms have limited bend range. Most precision sport frames use rubber grip contacts that are semi-adjustable — their rubber compliance provides fit accommodation that rigid contacts don't.

Adjusting Metal-Armed Nose Contacts

Metal nose contact arms can be carefully bent to reposition the contact pad:

• To move contacts closer together (more grip): gently bend the metal arms inward, toward each other, using thumb pressure or a smooth-jawed plier. Small adjustments — 1–2mm inward movement — significantly increase grip pressure on the nasal bridge.
• To move contacts further apart (relieve pinching): gently bend the arms outward. Test fit after each small adjustment — over-opening the contacts moves them off the nasal bridge entirely.
• To raise the frame position: bend the contact arms slightly downward — this lowers the contact point on the nasal bridge, raising the frame front relative to the eyes. To lower the frame: bend slightly upward.
• To correct a crooked frame: if one side sits higher than the other, adjust the contact on the lower side — bend its arm slightly downward to raise that side, or the higher side upward to lower it.

Important: make small adjustments — 1–2mm at a time — and test fit after each adjustment. Metal contact arms will crack if bent repeatedly or bent sharply. If the arm has already been bent multiple times and has work-hardened, it will crack before it reaches the desired position — at that point, replacement contact sets are available from optical supply retailers.

Adding Adhesive Silicone Pads to Fixed Contacts

For fixed contact frames that need more grip or need the contact position raised: adhesive silicone nose pad sets are available at pharmacies and online for under $5. These peel-and-stick silicone pads add cushioning, increase grip through rubber contact friction, and can raise the contact point slightly by adding thickness. They are a practical interim solution for fixed-contact frames with minor fit issues. Apply to clean, dry contacts — any oiliness or residue prevents adhesion. Replace when adhesive fails (typically every few weeks to months depending on use intensity).

3. Temple Arm Adjustment

Temple Arm Geometry: What Controls What

The temple arm has two adjustable aspects — the angle at which it extends from the hinge (the "spread" of the frame at the temples) and the angle of the temple tip (the bend at the end of the temple that determines how it sits behind the ear).

• Temple spread angle: the angle the temple arm makes relative to the frame front when the glasses are open. A wider spread (temple arms angling further out) reduces the grip the frame exerts on the sides of the head — useful for wider heads and reducing pressure. A narrower spread increases side grip — helps with frames that slide off wide heads.
• Temple tip angle: the downward angle at the end of the temple arm where it hooks behind the ear. The correct angle positions the tip snugly in the curve behind the ear (the retroauricular groove) — too steep an angle creates pressure on the top of the ear; too flat an angle fails to engage behind the ear and provides no retention.

Adjusting Plastic/TR90 Temple Arms

TR90 and standard plastic temple arms can be adjusted by heating the material to make it temporarily pliable:

1. Heat the adjustment area: run warm water (not hot — 100–120°F / 38–49°C) over the temple arm area to be adjusted for 20–30 seconds. The material becomes slightly more pliable without being hot enough to damage it. Alternatively, use a hair dryer on low heat 6–8 inches from the temple arm for 10–15 seconds.
2. Make the adjustment while warm: gently bend the warm temple arm to the desired angle. For temple spread adjustment: bend the arm slightly inward or outward at the hinge point. For temple tip adjustment: bend the last 15–20mm of the temple arm to the desired angle behind-ear position.
3. Hold in position until cool: the material will retain the new shape as it cools to room temperature. Hold the adjustment for 15–20 seconds until the material has cooled enough to maintain the new position.
4. Test fit and repeat if needed: put the glasses on and assess the fit. Small additional adjustments may be needed — heat and adjust again rather than trying to force a larger adjustment cold.

Adjusting Metal Temple Arms

Metal temple arms (titanium, stainless steel, aluminum alloy) can be carefully bent without heating — metal holds its shape at room temperature without the softening step that plastic requires. Use gentle, even pressure with both hands rather than bending at a single point, which can kink the arm. For the temple tip angle on metal frames, pliers with smooth jaws (or pliers with a cloth wrap to prevent marking) allow more precise control than hand bending alone. Make small adjustments and test — metal arms can be bent, but each bend cycle work-hardens the material slightly and eventually produces a crack if the same point is bent multiple times.

4. Correcting a Crooked Frame

Identifying the Cause

A frame that sits crooked — higher on one side than the other — has one or more of three causes:

1. Asymmetric nose contact position: one contact sitting higher on the nasal bridge than the other — adjust the lower-side contact downward or the higher-side contact upward
2. Asymmetric temple arm angles: one temple arm angling more steeply downward than the other — adjust the lower side upward or the higher side downward at the temple tip
3. Anatomical ear asymmetry: one ear sits higher on the head than the other (very common — most people have some ear asymmetry) — adjust the temple tip on the lower-ear side to be more steeply angled to compensate for the lower position of that ear

Diagnosis: put the glasses on in front of a mirror. If the frame front is level but the glasses appear crooked, the cause is ear asymmetry — the frame is level on the nose but one ear contact point is lower, tilting the glasses. If the frame front itself tilts, the cause is nose contact asymmetry.

The Adjustment Sequence

Address nose contact asymmetry first (easiest to adjust), then temple tip angle asymmetry, and finally accept that some residual asymmetry is anatomical and adjust one temple tip to compensate for ear height difference rather than making the frame "level" — a frame adjusted for the individual's actual head geometry is more comfortable than a geometrically level frame that doesn't match the anatomy.

5. When to Go to an Optician

Adjustments That Benefit From Professional Tools

• Acetate frames: acetate requires controlled heat from an optician's frame heating lamp — household methods (hair dryer, warm water) are less precise and risk overheating and warping acetate unevenly. Opticians adjust acetate frames routinely and can achieve precise adjustments without the overheating risk of home methods.
• Spring hinge adjustments: spring hinge mechanisms require specific tools to compress the spring for adjustment — home adjustment attempts can damage the spring cartridge.
• Titanium frames: titanium is more resistant to deformation than standard alloys — professional tools apply more controlled force. Home adjustment of titanium temple arms is possible but requires more care than standard metal.
• Severe or complex misalignment: when multiple adjustments are needed simultaneously (frame front twist plus nose contact asymmetry plus temple angle asymmetry), an optician's systematic approach with frame measurement tools produces better results than sequential home adjustments.

Cost and Accessibility

Frame adjustments at an optician are typically free or very low cost ($0–$10) — frame adjustment is a standard service that most optical shops provide without charge, even for frames not purchased there. A single optician adjustment visit that corrects a persistent fit issue is worth the trip.

6. Sport Frame Fit: Rubber Contact Adjustment

Rubber Nose Contacts in Sport Frames

TR90 sport frames typically use rubber grip nose contacts — molded rubber pads that conform slightly to the nasal bridge under compression and provide grip through friction rather than through precise angle adjustment. These contacts are not adjustable in the same way metal-armed contacts are, but they do provide fit accommodation through their compliance.

For sport frames that slide during activity: check that rubber contacts are clean (contamination with sunscreen or sweat reduces grip — clean with soap and water), that they are seated correctly in their housing (contacts that have partially dislodged from their mounting don't provide full contact with the nasal bridge), and that the frame width is appropriate for the face (a frame that is too wide cannot be corrected by contact adjustment — the frame itself doesn't fit). Replace rubber contacts when they have compressed and lost their original shape — replacement contacts for most sport frames are available from the frame manufacturer or optical supply retailers for under $10.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I stop my sunglasses from sliding down my nose?

Four approaches in order of difficulty: clean rubber contacts with soap and water to restore grip (easiest); adjust metal nose contact arms slightly inward to increase bridge grip pressure; add adhesive silicone pads to fixed contacts; or adjust temple arm spread slightly narrower to increase lateral head grip. If the frame is simply too wide for the face, contact adjustment can only partially compensate — a narrower frame is the complete solution.

Can I adjust my own sunglasses at home?

Yes — for TR90 and plastic frames: warm water or hair dryer heating allows safe temple arm adjustment. For metal-armed nose contacts: careful manual bending adjusts contact angle and width. For acetate frames and spring hinges: optician adjustment is preferable. For simple screw tightening: yes, always — a $3 precision screwdriver handles this immediately at home.

Why do my sunglasses hurt behind my ears?

The temple tip is angled too steeply downward, creating pressure on the top of the ear. Heat the temple tip with warm water and bend it to a slightly less steep angle — the tip should curve gently into the space behind the ear, not press sharply down onto it. A correctly fitted temple tip sits comfortably in the retroauricular groove with light contact rather than creating a pressure point on the ear surface.

My glasses sit crooked — how do I fix it?

First, diagnose the cause: glasses on a flat surface — if the frame front rocks, the frame is twisted. On your face — if it appears level in a mirror but feels crooked, you likely have ear asymmetry. For a twisted frame, carefully bend the temple arm or contact arm on the low side slightly upward. For ear asymmetry, adjust the temple tip on the lower-ear side to be slightly more angled to compensate for that ear's lower position.

How do I know if sunglasses fit correctly?

Correctly fitted sunglasses: sit level and stable without sliding; nose contacts rest flat and comfortable on the nasal bridge without pinching or gapping; temple tips sit comfortably behind the ears without pressure; the lens centers are in front of the pupils when looking straight ahead; the frame front width approximately matches the face width at temple level. The shake test: shake your head vigorously — correctly fitted sunglasses should not shift significantly during normal head movement.

Can I replace rubber nose pads on sunglasses?

Yes — replacement rubber nose pads are available from most frame manufacturers and optical supply retailers for $3–$10 per pair. The replacement style must match the mounting system of the original contact — push-in (the most common), screw-retained, or adhesive. Remove the old contact, identify the mounting style, and install the replacement in the same orientation. New rubber contacts restore the grip that compressed or contaminated original contacts have lost.

The Bottom Line

Most sunglass fit problems are adjustable — sliding is usually a nose contact or temple angle issue, pressure behind the ears is a temple tip angle issue, and crooked fit is usually nose contact asymmetry, temple angle asymmetry, or anatomical ear height difference. TR90 sport frame adjustments (warm water, gentle bending) and metal contact arm adjustments (careful manual bending) are achievable at home. Acetate frames and spring hinges benefit from optician tools. A correctly fitting frame is more comfortable, provides more consistent UV coverage (lenses stay in front of the eyes), and lasts longer (no stress on the frame from chronic misalignment). Browse UV400 polarized options at navieyewear.com — Buy 1, Get 2 Free for $85.

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Related Reading

• The Complete Guide to Sunglass Care and Maintenance | Navi Eyewear
• How to Fix Loose Sunglass Hinges and Screws | Navi Eyewear
• Sunglasses by Face Shape: The Complete Fit Guide | Navi Eyewear
• Sunglass Frame Technology and Materials | Navi Eyewear
• TR90 Nylon Frames: Why the Material Matters | Navi Eyewear
• How Long Do Sunglasses Last? When to Replace Them | Navi Eyewear
• How to Clean Sunglasses Without Scratching | Navi Eyewear
• Shop Polarized UV400 Sunglasses | Navi Eyewear

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Sources & Citations

[1] Dain SJ. "Sunglasses and sunglass standards." Clinical and Experimental Optometry, 2003. View source →

[2] ISO 12312-1:2013. "Eye and face protection — Sunglasses and related eyewear." International Organization for Standardization. View source →

[3] Sliney DH. "Ocular exposure to environmental light and ultraviolet." Journal of AAPOS, 2014. View source →