FIX AND FIT

Adding Comfort Through Nose Pads

Guidelines for choosing the best material and size

most frames come with nose pads that are already appropriate for their size and style, but other factors can come into play that change the comfort factor for some patients. For example, small frames usually have smaller nose pads, but small frames are often used to hold very strong lenses. The added weight on the smaller, weight-bearing surface can create some serious soreness on the nose.

This scenario describes exactly what nose pads are designed to do—bear weight. That is their primary job. Nose pads have not been designed to grab onto the nose for nearly 100 years. So we’ll continue to leave that job to the temple adjustment.

MATERIAL

The secondary job of nose pads, of course, is to help prevent the eyewear from slipping down the nose. A great way to prevent this slippage is the use of silicone nose pads. This material has a greater coefficient of friction and does help alleviate slippage somewhat.

For active wear, I like silicone, though some people do not care for the feel of this material. I generally favor the use of rigid silicone pads—if I use them—as soft silicone is pliable and sometimes can flex too much to bear the weight out to the ends of the pad. I have, however, used the soft ones when the surface of the nose is too curved to match the pad surface.

There are many other materials from which to choose, each one with its own positive attributes. In addition to the ever-present silicone, there are: acetate (hard); PVC (soft without being silicone); titanium (last forever, but can look dirty); ceramic (very hypo-allergenic); and crystal (which is actually glass and has the most normal appearance for a hypo-allergenic pad).

1. Strap bridge; 2. Acetate push-on nose pad; 3. B&S self-adjusting nose pad 4. Titanium nose pads; 5. Biofeel nose pad

SIZE

For weight distribution, bigger is better, but we can get carried away with that, too. Usually when we are addressing a weight problem, it is best to increase the nose pad size one step at a time.

If the frame came with 15mm pads, switching to 17mm pads would help to preserve the aesthetics, while improving the weight distribution. But switching to 20mm pads would overwhelm the frame and would be more than needed for the weight.

SHAPE

Shape can be an important factor when selecting the right nose pads. You will see when thumbing through any optical supply catalog that there are many shapes as well as sizes.

As you begin to consider what type of pad you will use, look carefully at the way the current pad rests on the nose. If it is an oval shape, for example, check to see if there is room from front to back to use a pad shape that can add surface contact without making the pad any longer vertically. D-shaped pads and round pads can accomplish this.

WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION

For eyewear in which distributing the weight is an important factor (particularly with thick or heavy lenses), you may want to consider substituting a strap bridge. Most of the main types of pad attachments are available in a strap bridge, such as screw-on, press-on, and clip-on.

When switching to a strap bridge, you should pay particular attention to the length of the strap. Keep it short enough to engage the crest of the nose instead of just having an unsightly loop doing nothing. If it’s close at the crest, but not touching enough, you can often change the vertical angle, kicking the bottom of the pads away from the face to bring the strap back toward it.

While in most cases the nose pads that come with the frame are perfect options, some patients may need a little extra help in achieving maximum comfort. Don’t limit your choices…if you think about weight distribution, shape, and material, it’s really quite easy to find the perfect match.

— Alex Yoho, ABOM