01 · SUPPORT
Nose pads support the frame front on the nose
The lenses and frame front sit in front of the face, and the nose pads help support that front securely on the nose.
If the pads do not contact the nose properly, the front can slide down or become unstable from side to side.
Frame stability is not created by nose pads alone; the temples and behind-ear fit also work together.
Nose pads do not carry the front weight in isolation. Together with the bridge, temples and support behind the ears, they form the load path that keeps the frame positioned. When the nose establishes a stable height and fore-aft position, less excessive temple pressure is needed to hold the eyewear in place.
02 · WEARING HEIGHT
They also influence how high the frame sits
Changing pad position or pad-arm geometry can change wearing height.
If the frame sits too high or too low, the relationship between the eyes and lenses also changes, and this can directly affect vision with progressive lenses.
Wearing height is not only a cosmetic issue. Moving the frame up or down changes where the eyes pass through the lenses, so progressive lenses and other designs that depend on fitting height should be rechecked after a meaningful nose-pad adjustment.
03 · VERTEX DISTANCE
They can affect the distance between the lenses and eyes
Depending on how the pads are adjusted, the frame can move closer to or farther from the face.
Changes in vertex distance can affect eyelash or cheek contact and the actual wearing condition of the lenses; higher prescriptions can be more sensitive to these changes.
A nose-pad adjustment may change more than one direction at once. Moving the pad arms to change height can also alter vertex distance and pantoscopic tilt. If eyelash or cheek clearance, or vision, changes afterward, reassess the full position of wear rather than height alone.
04 · STABILITY
They help reduce side-to-side movement and rotation
Stable contact on both sides of the nose can help reduce sideways movement and rotation of the frame.
But creating grip by overtightening the pads can cause nose pain and deep marks.
05 · PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION
Pressure should not be concentrated at one point
The pads should follow the slope and shape of the nose and create a broad, natural contact area where possible.
If only one edge touches, pressure can become concentrated even with the same front load.
Nose pads are therefore not just parts that touch the nose; they are fitting components that control frame position and contact pressure.
A comfortable pad does not eliminate pressure; it transfers the required support broadly and evenly. Stable bilateral contact without a heavily loaded edge makes the front weight easier to support without creating one painful pressure point.
SOLUTION GUIDE
Solutions at a glance
Check that one side is not floating or pressing excessively.
Check pad angle and contact area.
Check the relationship between the eyes and lenses.
Check vertex distance.
Check whether pressure is concentrated.
GLANOS FITTING CHECK
GLANOS fitting check order
- Front
Confirm the frame itself is in a proper reference position. - Nose pads
Check height, angle, contact area and left-right balance. - Width
Check lateral support from the temples. - Temple bend
Add only the amount of rear support that is needed.
CAUTION
Do not use nose pads like a clamping device
Trying to stop slipping by excessively narrowing or pressing the pads can increase nose pressure. Nose pads should support the frame stably at the correct position, not clamp the nose.
GLANOS EYEWEAR
There is a reason glasses feel uncomfortable.
nose pads · metal glasses · wearing height · vertex distance · nose pressure · eyewear fitting