Your glasses are a dangerous combination of fragile, expensive, and essential. You need to take good care of them and protect them from damage or you may find yourself high and dry, unable to see! You should learn how to adjust glasses yourself just in case because no matter how well you take care of them they may need some general maintenance every now and again – and you do not want to be travelling to the optician every time a screw needs tightening! But to keep the hassle to a minimum, here are some important tips on how to take care of your glasses and make them last.
- Store them correctly: do not put your glasses down anywhere, store them in a case whenever you are not wearing them to protect them from dirt and dust. This also reduces the chances of them getting scratched or bent. The best cases are high-quality hard cases but you can also get soft, microfibre pouches for storing them on your nightstand while you sleep. If you are just laying them down for a second then be very careful, do not have the lenses facing down and maybe invest in a quirky glasses holder to store them whilst washing your face or doing your makeup.
- Use both hands to take them off (if you can): repeatedly taking off your glasses one-handed can cause the arms to become loose or bent, meaning they will sit crooked on your face and be uncomfortable to wear. Bear this in mind when you are cleaning the lenses and hold them by the piece of frame that goes over the bridge of your nose – holding them by the arms can cause them to become distorted and loosen the screws. Crooked glasses can also affect how well you can see out of them!
- Clean them: the number one cause of scratches on lenses is dirt and dust. Too many scracthes and you will need to get new lenses. Cleaning them incorrectly or not often enough can cause damage because you simply move the grime around on the lens and end up scratching the coating. Use a specialised microfibre cloth meant for glasses and only use sprays or cleansers specifically made to clean eyeglass lenses. Harsh household chemicals can actually tear off the protective coating on your glasses. Do not use paper towels, tissues or napkins, and as tempting as it is, avoid using the edge of your clothing – cotton fibers can scratch the lenses over time and your clothes may have tiny particles of dust on them.
- Keep them clean: do not wait until you can see the grime on your glasses before you clean them, wash them regularly and prevent the dirt from building up. You can rinse the lenses off with water or use lens cleaner to keep your glasses clear and scratch-free. This also helps you to see through them more easily and reduce the strain on your eyes.
- Do not wear them on your head: this habit can stretch out the arms or cause the lenses to get scratched.