How to Measure Your Face for Glasses

You’re shopping for a fresh pair of glasses or some new shades and scroll for the “add to cart” button only to find out you’ve got to pick a size or enter some measurements. Huh? While not all glasses come in different sizes, many do, and purchasing the right size is paramount to achieving a good fit—especially when we’re talking about prescription eyewear. So how do you measure your face for glasses? It’s a super easy task and once you’ve got the measurements you’ll never have to hesitate on pressing order again. 

RELATED: How to Find the Best Sunglasses for Your Face Shape

How to Measure Your Face for Glasses

In as little as three minutes, you’ll have all the measurements you need to purchase your glasses. No fancy equipment required. 

• Step 1. Gather Supplies. You don’t need much. A soft measuring tape and/or rule works, and make sure to something you can jot down your measurements on. A pen and paper or your phone are good options. 
• Step 2. Look in the Mirror. To get the most accurate measurement, stand in front of the mirror with your glasses off. If you don’t have a mirror handy, you can use the selfie mode on your phone instead. 
• Step 3. Measure Your Pupillary Distance. The most important measurement for prescription glasses is the pupillary distance (PD), which is the distance between the centers of your pupils. This is crucial for aligning the lenses correctly with your eyes. Hold the tape measure horizontally under your eyes, aligning zero with the center of one pupil and identifying what number lines up with the center of your second pupil. This should be in millimeters. 
• Step 4: Take Additional Measurements. You can take additional measurements to help find a better fit. This includes your face width (from temple to temple) to determine whether your face is narrow/medium/wide, bridge width (across the section of your nose you want glasses to sit), and temple length (from your temple to where the glasses rest on your ear). These measurements are also in millimeters. 
• Step 5. Select Your Fit. Enter the measurement numbers and/or refer to the brand’s sizing guide to purchase the correct fit. Some will ask you to input the PD measurement, while some use a chart that helps you determine the best size. Others may simply ask whether your face is wide, medium, or narrow, and some will list the measurements of the glasses so you can compare notes. 

Tips For Finding the Right Size of Glasses 

There are a few additional ways you can find the best eyeglass size. 

Check Your Existing Glasses

Most eyeglasses have a trio of numbers separated by dashes that are printed/engraved onto one of the arms. These numbers (in millimeters) correspond with the glasses measurements. Typically, the first number is the lens width, second is the bridge width, and third is the tempe length. You can use these measurements to help you pick out your next pair. 

Measure Your Old Glasses 

If your glasses don’t have this information, or if the info’s worn off, you can take measurements of the glasses themselves. Measure the lens width (horizontal diameter of one lens), the bridge width (the piece that goes over the nose), and the temple length (from the front to tip of one arm). These measurements should be in millimeters. 

Consider Your Nose Width

If you have a narrow nose, you’ll want a narrower bridge width; if you have a wider nose, a larger bridge width will fit better. You don’t want your glasses to slip downward or feel too tight.

Consider Your Eye Width

How your eyes are set on your face can impact what size lens is best for you. Many people fall into the medium/middle territory, but there are always outliers. Warby Parker has a trick to determine yours by using a credit card. Hold the long edge of it against your nose; if the other edge goes past the outer corner of your eye you need a narrower lens width. If it doesn’t go past your outer eye corner then you’ll need wider lenses. And if it’s in the middle, a medium-size frame is best.

Consult an Optician

If you’re still not feeling quite sure what size glasses to buy, visit an optician to get your measurements taken. Write them down so you have them for next time!