Comfortable specs - fitting and adjusting - IT MATTERS!

If you order specs from an opticians, then when you collect them, they should be fitted. Sometimes that fitting means they fit well for the lifetime of that pair, other times addiitonal tweaks are required and sometimes it transpires that the chosen frame is never going to fit satifactorily and a new one needs to be picked. If you buy online then you have to hope that you are lucky and that they just happen to fit well enough without adjustments. Of course, online purchases are partly cheaper as those businesses are not paying for staff to do fitting and adjustments - they often rely on the goodwill of high st opticians, who help adjust specs that they have not sold - we do it, but it’s obvioulsy a slightly odd situation.

Fitting and adjusting specs is actually, in my opinion, much harder than it initially appears. It is always easier if the specs chosen are chosen with guidance - guidance that ensures they are the right size for the nose, head width and depth and crucially the prescription of the patient.

Specs have 3 contact areas - the nose, ears and temples. Ideally the weight should be distributed between those three areas. If not, then the specs might not be stable and slip and/or be uncomfortable. For example, if the length to the bend/hook on the sides is either too far back or too far forward the specs will be too weighted on the nose and slip/hurt/leave a red mark. If they bridge is too wide then this can lead to discomfort behind th eears as there is too much weight there. If the sides are splyed out too much the specs will slip off … the potential issues are endless.

So, if you buy from an opticians - then make sure your specs are fitted at collection - this shouldn’t just be asking you if “they feel alright”. If you find they are not right, then go back - a few tweaks can often be neede to get it right and some frames gradully loosen over time (with wear) and they need occasional fettles to keep them comfortable/stable.

If you buy online then ask the seller what they suggest.