How to Stop Your Glasses from Making Your Eyes Look Small

Plus, expert tips to feel more confident in your glasses

Co-authored by Paul Julch, MA and Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: October 31, 2025 Fact Checked

Why Glasses Make Your Eyes Look Smaller

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Making Your Eyes Bigger

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Embracing Your Glasses

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Are your glasses making your eyes look smaller? This is common for people who have myopia, or nearsightedness, as the lenses bend light outward, creating a minification effect. In this article, we’ll explain what factors make your eyes look smaller, as well as how to minimize the effect, with makeup and styling tips from professional makeup artists and stylists.

Why do my eyes look smaller in glasses?

Glasses are designed to bend light to help you see. If you have myopia (nearsightedness), the light bends outward to help you see distant objects. This creates a minification effect, which makes your eyes appear smaller. The higher your prescription, the smaller your eyes will look.

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Why do glasses make your eyes look smaller?

Your eyes may look smaller due to how your glasses bend light. If you’re nearsighted (myopia), your glasses are designed to bend light outward to help you see distant objects more clearly. This bending creates a minification effect, which makes your eyes look smaller when viewed through the lenses. The higher your prescription is, the more pronounced this effect becomes. Here are some other factors that may cause your eyes to look smaller:^{[1]
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- Lens thickness: Higher prescription lenses are often thicker at the edges. This thickness amplifies the minification effect, making your eyes look smaller.
- Frame style: The style of your frames can impact the perceived size of your eyes. Large or oversized frames can create more distortion and draw attention to the size difference.
- Lens material: The type of material used in your lenses may also play a role in how small your eyes look. Plastic lenses may make them look smaller than high-index lenses.
- Lens coating: If your glasses don’t have an anti-reflective coating, the glare, and reflections on your lenses may draw attention to the size of your eyes.
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Paul Julch, MA, is a personal wardrobe stylist and speaker, with over 25 years of experience in the fashion industry.

Luca Buzas is a makeup artist, wardrobe stylist, and creative coordinator based in Los Angeles, California. She has over 10 years of experience.

Alicia D’Angelo is a makeup artist and hair stylist based in New York City. She works for teams with Dior Makeup, YSL Beauty, Pat McGrath Labs, and more.

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Making Your Eyes Look Bigger

High-index lenses are made from materials that bend light more efficiently, which allows them to be thinner and lighter than traditional lenses. This reduces the minification effect while providing the same level of vision correction, so your eyes likely won’t look as small.^{[2]
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Go for smaller frames. Smaller frames reduce the amount of lens surface area, which minimizes the amount of distortion and makes your eyes appear more natural. If you want your eyes to look bigger, choose frames that closely match the width of your face to create a balanced look.^{[3]
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- Personal stylist Paul Julch, MA, adds, “If someone doesn’t love how they look in glasses in general but has to wear them, go for the clear frames because they have less visual interruption towards seeing your face.”^{[4]
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Aspheric lenses are designed with a flatter curve, reducing optical distortion and providing a more natural appearance. These lenses can reduce the minification effect and make your eyes look bigger.^{[5]
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Try different makeup techniques. If you wear makeup, try some tricks to enhance the appearance of your eyes. Makeup artist and wardrobe stylist Luca Buzas says, “Use mascara and eyeliner to draw attention to the eyes and make them appear bigger. I would go with lighter eyeshadow colors and apply the right amount of mascara and eyeliner to create that effect.”^{[6]
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Luca Buzas
Makeup Artist & Wardrobe Stylist

Expert Interview} Line your lower eyelid with a light colored eyeliner, like white or beige. This is a common hack to make your eyes look bigger.
- Makeup artist and hair stylist Alicia D’Angelo adds, “Curling your eyelashes, even without makeup, will immediately make the eyes appear larger.”^{[7]
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If you really don’t like how small your eyes look in your glasses, consider getting contacts. Contacts sit directly on your eyes, so they don’t alter your appearance the way glasses do. Many people alternate between glasses and contacts.^{[8]
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Embracing Your Glasses

Your glasses are nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s not uncommon to feel self-conscious about how glasses affect your appearance, but there’s nothing to be ashamed of! Your glasses are a tool to help you see, and most people probably don’t pay as much attention to them as you do. If you want to feel more confident, try on some different frames to find a pair that you really like.
- If you really don’t like your glasses, it’s totally okay to switch to contacts. Speak with your optometrist to make sure contacts are right for you. Your doctor may also be able to provide suggestions if you want to keep wearing your glasses, too.