Abstract: A retaining device for reading glasses comprises a lanyard and counterweights slidable engaging the lanyard. The counterweights are movable by sliding such that the counterweights hang in behind a user's ears to retain glasses on the user, when foldable temple pieces do not include ear pieces, such that the temple pieces do no rest on a user's ears. Instead, the lanyard extends over the user's ears and the counterweights apply a force, due to gravity, that acts opposite to the force of gravity on the glasses, retaining the glasses on the user's nose. For example, the glasses may be foldable into a pendant and may be retained on the user's neck until needed.