Maintain Eyeglasses

Eyeglasses can be a pain to care for, what with smears, smudges, fingerprints, fogging... Ever wonder how to keep them in good repair so they'll last until your next eye exam? Want to be able to see through them without the smudges? Read on.

Steps

  1. Take them off using two hands, instead of one. This keeps the earpieces straight and in the right alignment. Taking them off one-handed stretches them out and makes them loose.
  2. Don't put your glasses on the top of your head. This can distort the shape, and there's a greater chance of them falling off and getting damaged that way.
  3. Try not to push them up on your nose by sticking your finger on the nosepiece (right between your eyes) if they're wire-framed. This causes stress on the nose pads, and the center part of the frame, and if they're any color but silver, it wears the finish off them. This can be very conspicuous at that spot. Instead, grasp the lenses by putting your thumb at the bottom and fingers at the top, and then move them to where you want them to sit on your face.
  4. Purchase a microfiber optical cleaning cloth. These are generally available at optometrists, chemists and supermarkets for a few dollars. To clean them, hold your glasses firmly in one hand. Rinse the glasses with clean water to remove any dust or dirt particles. Take the cloth in your preferred hand and gently rub both sides of each lenses until you can see no smudges. Breathe on them gently so that you can see any spots you missed in the fog, and wipe them quickly, before it evaporates. Never use the following:
    • Clothing - dirt trapped in the fibers can scratch the lenses
    • Paper towels or tissues - these fibers scratch lenses
    • A dirty microfiber cloth - when you're not using the microfiber cloth, put it in the eyeglass case; if it collects dust, it'll scratch the lenses, rather than clean them
  5. Use a prepared solution to dissolve any spots. Still not happy? Buy some glasses lens cleaning spray, available from the same places. Spray a small amount on both sides of each lens, and repeat the above.
  6. Buy an eyeglass repair kit. These are available at the counter of some markets, major drugstores, eyeglass vendors, and optometrists' offices. Sometimes the screws that hold the arms on can come loose, which prevents the arm from 'gripping' the sides of your head as well. You can either get a tiny screwdriver and tighten them yourself, or visit your optometrist and have them do it for you.
  7. Have them adjusted once or twice per year. This goes with the above step. If you go back to where you got them every six months to one year, they will most likely adjust your glasses free of charge. The optical technician will examine them for wear and tear, tighten any loose screws, check the fit again, just as if it were the day you bought them and make them just like new. Any replacement parts needed are usually supplied for free, too, or for a nominal charge. Often, any optical dispensing place will do this for free whether you bought them there or not.
  8. Keep your glasses in a case when you aren't wearing them. Get one free from your optician, or buy one. When you take your glasses off, put them in the case to keep them from getting scratched. The best ones are the ones that open and close, rather than the ones you slide the glasses into. Even the act of slipping them in can rub against the lenses and cause minute scratches, which your eyes perceive as haze. Any particles, scratches, or tiny hairline fissures will make it harder for you to see perfectly through your glasses, especially at night or in darkened rooms (light will travel along those scratches, creating halos and prisms). If you aren't putting them in a case, at least make sure the lenses are up, away from any surfaces.



Tips

  • Take off your glasses before you spritz hairspray, perfume, or cologne. Not only can it damage the lenses, but it can also dirty the lenses and nose pads.
  • Don't leave your glasses anywhere that you could step on them.
  • Don't sleep with them!
  • Clean your frames to avoid "face cheese" (makeup and dead skin that sometimes appears green or brown on the nose pads or other parts of the frame). Optical cleaners work fine, as does soap and water. Your Optician, and your face, will thank you for your cleanliness.
  • Be kind to your optician. Treat them with respect. They can help you out of a tight spot, or put a rush an order for you. Good customers are always greatly valued.
  • Isopropyl alcohol (70%) makes an excellent replacement for expensive eyeglass cleaning solutions. It is the primary ingredient of most or all of these cleaners, and usually lacks only their added coloring and perfumes.
  • Consider buying an ultrasonic cleaner. It is usually the dirt in a scratch that makes you notice it. An ultrasonic will get the dirt out of the scratch and clean between the lenses and the frame. Check your local auction site for great deals on these. Caution: Do not use ultrasonic cleaning frequently. Repeated use can cause microscopic 'etching' of the entire surface of the glass, degrading the quality of your view through the lenses.

Warnings

  • Avoid using lanyards to hold your glasses when you don't want to wear them. Hanging around your neck is not a very safe place for them, and they are subject to a lot of contact with stuff there (they are easily scratched).
  • Take care not to over-tighten the arm screws. On some full frame glasses, over-tightening can strain the frame and cause the lenses to pop out.
  • Never leave your glasses on the dashboard of your car, or anywhere else that will subject them to heat, which can damage coatings, or if your glasses frames are plastic, actually melt and disfigure the frame.

Things You'll Need

  • Eyeglass cloth (microfiber)
  • Eyeglass solution (look for one without any ammonia, so it won't damage any coatings on your lenses, such as anti-glare, Scotch-guard, or anti-reflection)
  • Eyeglass case
  • Eyeglass repair kit
  • An Optician you can trust

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