Your eyeglasses are an extension of your life if you have vision problems. You can never leave your home without it, and going about your daily activities will be a problem if you don’t have it on. Hence, if you are prescribed to wear eyeglasses, caring for them and keeping them in top shape is crucial.
Here are six tips on how to care for your eyeglasses:
- Only use cleaning materials that are specially made for eyeglasses
Never use household cleaners to clean your eyeglasses, not even window/glass spray cleaners, as they are full of chemicals that are meant for heavy and deep cleaning. When used for your glasses, they can be too harsh and may cause damage. If you’re to use a cleaning spray for your eyeglasses, be sure to use only eyeglass cleaners. These types of cleaners are specially formulated to be mild and gentle enough for the delicate lenses. You can easily purchase them in optical shops like Firmoo.
Using the right cleaning cloth is just as important, as selecting the wrong ones can damage the lens of your glasses. When selecting the right cleaning cloth for your glasses, here are some tips:
- Keep the original cloth your glasses came with, as it is the most recommended for them.
- You can also purchase eyeglass wipes in any hardware store, supermarket, or optical shop.
- Choose soft microfiber and lint-free materials as your glass wipes.
- Don’t use paper towels, tissue papers, paper napkins, or your shirt to clean your glasses. No matter how soft or gentle these materials are for your skin, they aren’t made for your glasses and can damage them.
- Remember, too, to wash your cleaning material regularly as it also has to be free of any dirt to be effective.
- Wash and wipe your hands before touching your glasses
Your hands are the dirtiest part of your body. As you touch numerous things in the day, such as gadgets and doors, your hands are exposed to dirt, grime, and bacteria. These can soil and damage your glasses, especially its lenses. Before you touch your glasses to wear or remove them, it’s best if you wash your hands thoroughly and dry them. Doing so is even more important for those who:
- Wear lotions and hand cream
- Have just applied makeup using their fingers
- Rinse your glasses
Aside from washing your hands, it’s also important to rinse your eyeglasses with water. Particles of dirt and dust can settle in the lenses, frames, and handles of your glasses, even if you stay indoors.
Moreover, wiping the lenses without rinsing them first actually does more harm than good. These dust particles can make scratches on the lens. Make it a habit, therefore, to clean your glasses at least once a day with lukewarm water.
Another tip when rinsing your eyeglasses is to use only a small drop of lotion-free dishwashing liquid. Dishwashing cleaners are usually powerful and concentrated, so use only a very minimal amount.
- Give time for your glasses to air-dry
After washing your glasses, allow them to dry naturally. As much as possible, you should limit your glasses’ exposure to any cloth or fabric to a minimum, when you absolutely have to use them. Even the most gentle of all fabrics can scratch your lenses when used very often. Let the natural air do its magic.
To give time for your glasses to dry, rinse them first thing in the morning when you wake up or right before you sleep.
- Clean also the nose pads!
When cleaning your eyeglasses, don’t focus only on the lenses. Aside from the lenses, the other part that needs the most care and attention is the nose pads. The nose pads refer to that plastic material that helps hold your eyeglasses on the bridge of your nose. Unfortunately, out of all the parts of your face, it is your nose that gets the most oil, dust, and dirt, which can also make your nose pads extremely oily, greasy, and dirty. Show the nose pads some love, too, by including them in your cleaning routine.
- Store your glasses appropriately when not in use
There’s a reason why your glasses come with a case. You’re supposed to put your glasses back in that case when they’re not in use. When you store your glasses appropriately, you avoid any untoward accident such as accidentally sitting or sleeping on them or getting squeezed by heavier things in your bag. Treat your glasses as delicately as possible.
When removing your eyeglasses, never put them face down on a table, with the lenses hitting any surface. Always put your glasses face up, to prevent any scratches from permanently damaging your glasses.
Conclusion
After spending so much time and effort looking for the perfect pair of glasses, you wouldn’t want to be caught in a problem of finding a new pair again only because you were negligent in caring for them. Plus, a pair of eyeglasses can be quite costly. Hence, it’s to your advantage that you keep your glasses in good condition for as long as possible.
