Eyeglass nose pads are eyeglass accessories that separate the wearers nose from the rim of their frames. The small piece, hidden between the frame and the face, is designed for comfort and looks. The nose pad is often a small plastic piece, usually no thicker than the lens of the glasses themselves. Its main purpose is to protect the nose from unwanted pressure from the tight frames of the glasses.
Most eyeglass nose pads are made from silicone or other cheaper plastics. The usual pad is a tiny oval, no longer than the tip of your little finger. Some varieties have simple or elaborate designs on their small faces, depending on the quality and personality of the glasses. The pads are held on the bridge of the nose, just below the eyebrows. They are usually the only part of the glasses to touch the face.
The pads are slanted from the inside of the head downwards toward the outside on a small angle. They often trace the angle of the inside of the frames, to be hid behind the glasses. Usually running parallel with the inner frames, the eyeglass nose pads are attached through an extension of the frame towards the nose. The pads are held in place with a tiny screw in most cases, which can be loosened and tightened.
The pads on eyeglasses may sometimes turn a dirty brown or green. This is due to the excessive face sweat that may accumulate on a nose or on the pad. This dirtying of the nose pads results from the mixing of the sweat with the inexpensive metals, often nickel, that make up many glasses frames. Another downfall of the eyeglass nose pad is the pad imprints left on the nose. Sometimes when glasses are worn too long or too tightly the pads may leave a small, pad shaped imprint in their place on the nose. These are just an impression on the skin and often do not last long.
Eyeglass nose pads have existed on glasses almost as long as glasses have been popular. As a fashion and comfort improvement in the development of glasses, it is difficult to tell when primitive pads were first used. They have, though, been welcomed as a minor but helpful addition to the world of eye care since.