5 handy tips to maintain your glasses and sunglasses

Glasses are important to all those who adorn them but they can be a real pain to maintain. Frames and lenses are quite delicate and therefore require equally as delicate care and maintenance to ensure that they last the test of time. More often than not it is our carelessness rather than the glasses themselves that cause them to falter. Here are 5 easy ways to maintain your glasses or sun glasses without having to buy expensive kit!

Rinse with water

Never should you wipe your glasses with a cloth whilst they are dry. Lenses attract the smallest and most difficult to see particles of dust and wiping dry causes those particles to rub across the lens and frames causing abrasion. Always gently rinse glasses with water and then wipe to ensure dust particles are swept of the surface of the lens. An alternative solution is to use a cleaning product made just for lenses, although if you’re on the go water is a more convenient option. Overall, either work well. A final point on cleanliness is to use the correct cloth. In any circumstance do not use napkins, tissues or paper towels. The material is soft enough for general cleaning but too hard for sensitive lenses. All cases come with a soft cloth, thus use that.

Store appropriately

To prevent unnecessary damage to glasses, keep them stored in a safe place when not in use. First and foremost this will prevent dust from piling up, as well as reducing the chances of scratches and bent or broken frames. Also, when storing don’t just chuck them in a drawer! Put them in your case and gently place in storage. Additionally, the top of your head is not an appropriate storage place as it can cause distortion in shape. Also they can fall off and become damaged if you forget they’re there.

Keep away from excessive heat

During the summer months, leaving glasses in a hot car or anywhere in the sunlight can cause glasses with a plastic frame to distort and warp them causing lenses to crack. This is easily done as we’re busy getting on with our lives, we’ll often leave our glasses somewhere and not even consider the temperature. A solution to this is to replace your plastic frame with a metal one but leaving a metal frame in a heat will also give you a nasty surprise.

Regular maintenance

There are many things you can do on a daily basis that only take a few seconds and integrate well with the daily interactions you have with your glasses. Some are as simple as using both hands to put on and take off glasses. It is a good habit to get into as it’ll prevent them from getting tangled or twisted. Be sure to grip gently and slide them off, lifting from the ears first. Every day before leaving for work, we check ourselves in the mirror to make sure we’re looking tidy, every now and then consider inspecting the frame closely. Check for any misalignment or loose screws and check if they’re resting evenly on your nose. If you do find that there is some discrepancy, you can always pop into your local opticians in South Harrow and get them fixed. Don’t try and fix it yourself at home, honestly!

Don’t adjust through the nose piece!

One of the most common habits for all who wear glasses is to push your glasses up by applying pressure to the nose piece. Regularly throughout the day we’ll be adjusting the glasses through this method. Over a period of time, the continued pressure on the nose piece will spoil any finish on the frame and they’ll cease to look modern and brand new. Gently gripping the rim of the lens with your thumb and finger and adjust appropriately.