Have you noticed skin irritation under the nose pads of your glasses? You are not alone! Nose pads can sometimes contain materials like nickel, silicone, or latex, which are common allergens.
You can be allergic to nose pads on glasses and even allergic to glasses. Signs of a nose pad allergy include itching, redness, swelling, and irritation. And signs of glasses allergy include contact dermatitis and dark circles.
Signs of a Nose Pad Allergy
The first thing to understand is that if you are only allergic to the nose pad on your glasses, you will likely only see or feel irritation on the bridge of the nose.
To find out if you have a nose pad allergy, here are the signs to look out for:
- Redness
- Itch
- Rash or Sores
- Skin Irritation
- Swelling
If you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms on the bridge of your nose after the pads touch the skin, then you are likely allergic to the eyeglass nose.
Many people with sensitive skin experience this problem if the nose pads are made from or with silicone, nickel, or even titanium.
Signs of a Glasses Allergy
On the other hand, there are other signs that will alert you that you are allergic to the frame material of the glasses themselves.
Often, when someone is allergic to glasses, the symptoms present over the eyelids or underneath the eyes.
This allergy can present in two ways:
- Contact Dermatitis: In this case, you will feel and see a rash over the lids and around the eye sockets. It’s often extremely uncomfortable and can even affect your immune system.
- Dark Circles: Many of us have dark circles, especially when we’re tired. So it can be more challenging to detect a glasses allergy in this way. However, if you notice that the dark circles appear more distinctly after wearing your glasses, the frames may be the problem.
If you are experiencing either of these symptoms, you should take off your glasses immediately and avoid contact until you can test for allergies to your glasses material.
What To Do if You’re Allergic to Your Nose Pads
If you believe you are allergic to your nose pads, you can replace them with others made of another material. There are even at home kits that you can purchase to fix the problem yourself in just a few minutes.
However, before you go through the steps to replace the nose pads, you should first find out what the existing pads are made of to ensure you choose an option that won’t also cause irritation.
Most nose pads are made from silicone, but they can also include nickel alloys or titanium. Therefore, you will have to do a little research and maybe even contact the company that manufactures your eyeglasses to find out what materials they use.
In most cases, using stainless steel nose pads is the best option for those with sensitive skin, although they may leave annoying marks on your skin. But you could also opt to replace your eyeglass frames with plastic glasses that don’t use nose pads at all.
Can You Test for Allergies to Glasses Materials?
If you experience any of the above signs when wearing glasses, you may have nickel allergies, silicone allergies, or titanium or stainless steel allergies.
But the good news is that you can absolutely test for allergies to glasses materials. However, unfortunately, your eye doctor cannot usually do the tests. In fact, you will have to visit a dermatologist or allergen specialist to find out exactly what material you are allergic to.
If you don’t want to bother heading to a specialist, you could simply opt for nickel free or plastic glasses and hope you’ve solved the problem.
But if the irritation persists, it is recommended that you make the trip and find out what material is causing the problem.
How Do Doctors Test for Allergies to Glasses Materials
When you go to get tested for allergies to your glasses materials, the dermatologist will usually touch the skin with a small amount of many materials, including nickel, titanium, silicone, UV stabilizers, plastic, or rubber.
After the material touches the skin, if you are allergic, you will see a small reaction around the area.
Although this process can be slightly uncomfortable, it’s important to understand exactly what you are allergic to so that you can avoid those materials in the future and choose a pair of glasses and nose pads that are safe and comfortable to wear!
