How to Measure Your Face for Glasses: 3 Easy Steps

Guidelines for Measuring Your Face for Eyeglasses

Eyeglasses give you clear vision, but they are also a testament to your unique style and flair. However, when they don't fit right, they can be a nuisance and, quite literally, a pain. Glasses that are too big constantly slip, while ones that are too tight can give you a headache or pinch the bridge of your nose. When you purchase prescription glasses online, you want to make sure that the pair you receive fits your face as well as your personality. To do this, you need to know a few important measurements before you choose your glasses. We're providing this simple guide with three easy steps to ensure a good fit.

1. Measuring the Bridge of Your Nose

The bridge measurement determines the distance between the two lenses. If your glasses slip down your nose all the time, the bridge size is too large for your nose. Conversely, glasses that pinch your nose have a bridge that is too small. You need to know what your bridge size is so that your new glasses will be comfortable!

Determine Your Bridge Width and Position

For this step, you can use either a mirror or a photo. Using a profile view of your face, examine where your bridge is located. If it's situated above your pupils, you need glasses that are between 19 millimeters and 21 millimeters. If the bridge is located below the pupils, you should look for a bridge size between 16 millimeters and 18 millimeters.

Next, look at your face from the front to narrow down the range of bridge sizes appropriate for your face. If your eyes are set farther apart, your bridge size is wide. You need to adjust your glasses' bridge size accordingly. If the space between your eyes is narrow, then adjust your size toward the smaller end of the range based on positioning.

Fine-Tune Measurements According to Frame Thickness

When you order glasses online, you can opt for thick-framed, wire-framed, or anywhere in between. Since the bridge size is based on the distance between the lenses, the frame size you choose has an impact on the bridge size you need. If you go for a thicker frame, adjust the bridge size up by a millimeter or more, depending on how thick they are.

Choose Glasses With the Right Bridge Position

The final choice you'll have to make is determining which frames have a bridge position that matches your own. Frames that have a brow-level bridge are great for those who have a high bridge. Conversely, for people with low bridges, you'll want to choose a frame that sits lower than the brow.

2. Measuring the Width Between Your Temples

The second step in getting the perfect pair of eyeglasses online is to measure how wide your face is between your temples. You'll need a mirror, a ruler, and some simple math skills to get the right measurements.

Measure Your Face From Temple to Temple

Looking into a mirror, use a ruler to measure the distance between your temples. Place the ruler horizontally, just below the eyes. Make sure you record your measurements in millimeters!

Determine the Total Width of Your Glasses

You are going to use your temple-to-temple measurement to determine the right glasses width for your face. The width of the glasses includes the bridge size plus the lens and frame widths. Ideally, you should choose eyeglasses with a width that is as close as possible to your temple measurement.

3. Determining Temple Length and Face Shape

When ordering prescription glasses online, you need to make sure that your glasses fit the length of your temple so that you get the right-sized arm. Knowing your face shape helps you determine a style that works best for you.

Get the Correct Arm Size

The arms of the glasses are the two pieces that rest over your ears and hold the glasses on your face. You can use your temple width to figure out the right-sized arm. If you have a wider temple measurement, choose frames with arms 145 millimeters or more in length. For those with smaller temple widths, select glasses with a 135-140-millimeter arm.

Find Out Your Face Shape

Looking into a mirror, determine if your face shape is closest to that of a heart, square, circle, or oval. If you have a square face shape, you may want to opt for glasses that have oval or circular frames. On the other hand, if your face is oval, round, or heart-shaped, try choosing eyeglasses with a rectangular frame.