Provide a valuable resource to your clients or customers by linking to this resource page. Just place the following link on your website.
Nose pad adjusting pliers are a specific type of hand tool used by opticians. They are designed solely for the purpose of grabbing, bending, and positioning the small metal arms that hold the nose pads on a pair of glasses. These pliers allow for precise adjustments that fingers alone cannot achieve.
read more about nose pad adjusting pliers ...The thin metal wires that connect the nose pads to the frame are called "pad arms." To make glasses fit a specific nose shape, these arms must be bent inward, outward, up, or down. The pliers grip the arm securely, allowing the optician to change the angle of the pad so it sits flat against the nose without digging in.
These pliers have a unique jaw design. One jaw typically has a small cutout, slot, or cup shape. This "female" side is designed to fit over the nose pad box (the part that holds the screw or click-in mechanism). The other jaw is flat or curved. This design allows the tool to grip the mechanism tightly without crushing the delicate metal box.
The pad arm is attached to the frame at a very small, fragile solder point. If you try to bend the arm with your fingers or regular pliers, you put a lot of stress on this weak point, which can cause the arm to snap off. Nose pad pliers are designed to support the metal while bending it, which greatly reduces the risk of breaking the frame.
Adjusting nose pads is about more than just comfort. It also controls how high or low the glasses sit on your face. This is critical for bifocals and progressive lenses. By using these pliers to narrow or widen the pads, an optician can raise or lower the frame to ensure you are looking through the correct part of your prescription.
One of the most critical adjustments an optician makes is the "splay angle." This is the angle of the nose pads relative to the slope of your nose. If you look at your nose from the top down, it forms a V-shape. The nose pads must be angled to match this V perfectly. If the angle is too wide or too narrow, the sharp edge of the pad will dig into your skin, causing pain and leaving deep indentations.
Yes, they are available to the public. However, using them requires a gentle touch and knowledge of metal fatigue. It is very easy for an untrained person to snap a pad arm off, ruining the frame.
No. There are many variations. Some are designed specifically for "push-in" pads, others for "screw-in" pads. Some have very thin jaws for reaching into tight spaces on intricate frames.
Generally, no. Most plastic frames do not have metal pad arms. They have a built-in plastic bridge. However, if a plastic frame has been modified with add-on metal nose pads, these pliers can be used.
If your nose pads are digging into your skin, leaving red marks, or if your glasses sit too high or low, see your optician. Do not try to bend the arms yourself. Your optician has the specific nose pad pliers needed to adjust the metal safely and precisely to fit your unique nose shape.