Whether you’ve had eyeglasses for years or you are just now getting your first pair, you need to know how to properly care for them. The better you take care of your eyeglasses, the longer they will last and the clearer your vision will be. If you don’t properly care for your eyeglasses, you may end up scratching them, breaking the arms, warping the nose bridge, or otherwise ruining the fit. Your eyeglasses need to fit exactly right so that your eyes focus on the correct area of the lens. Here are some ways to care for your eyeglasses to avoid damage and to keep them clean and clear.
Eyeglasses Care
Cleaning
To see properly and not have your vision obscured by dirt and smudges, you will need to clean your eyeglasses at least once a day, often more. Even if you don’t touch your eyeglasses, they can pick up dust, grime, and other particles.
- Materials: To clean your eyeglasses, you should only ever use gentle materials, such as the cleaning cloth provided by your optometrist when you received the eyeglasses. Other forms of microfibre material are also acceptable. Don’t use your clothing to clean your eyeglasses, as some clothing can be too abrasive. You should never clean your eyeglasses with paper products such as paper towels, tissues, or toilet paper; the fibres of these materials can cause small scratches that can damage the lens over time.
- How To Clean Eyeglasses: You should avoid cleaning your eyeglasses when they are dry, as this can cause scratches. Instead, use a cleaning spray (or warm water if a spray is not available) before wiping them with your microfiber cloth. Do not use at-home cleaning chemicals such as bleach or ammonia, as this can damage any coatings on the eyeglasses such as UV protection, polarization, anti-scratch, anti-glare, and more. Do not use your breath to clean your eyeglasses, as this does not offer enough moisture to reduce the risk of scratches. Do not use saliva, as this can leave bacteria on the lens.
Wear
Eyeglasses are very delicate, and certain habits may bend them out of shape and alter where you look through the lens.
- Be Careful Of Your Frames: When you put your eyeglasses on, ensure you use a hand on either arm of the eyeglasses. This helps eyeglasses stay aligned and does not weaken either arm hinge. Ensure that you do not adjust your eyeglasses by pushing on the nose bridge, particularly if you have wire eyeglasses, as this can warp the shape of your frame. Instead, push your eyeglasses up by the corners of your frames with a hand on either side.
- Don’t Push Your Eyeglasses Up Your Head: Never place your eyeglasses on the top of your head when you’re not wearing them. The top of your head is a different shape and size than where you are supposed to wear your eyeglasses and putting them up on your head can cause the arms to bend and can ruin the fit of your eyeglasses. The oils from your hair can also get on your eyeglasses and make vision more difficult. If you often take your eyeglasses off and on, consider carrying an eyeglasses case or buying an eyeglasses cord for around your neck.
Storage
Be careful where you place your eyeglasses when you’re not wearing them.
- Reduce Lenses Hitting Items: Never put your bare eyeglasses into your pocket or purse as they may get scratched when hitting other items. Instead, keep them in a hard case.
- Be Careful Of Where You Place Eyeglasses: Ensure that when you set your eyeglasses down that the lenses are facing upward and they are not in a place where they can be knocked onto the ground or behind furniture. Try to find designated places to put your glasses so that you don’t end up sitting on them or losing them.
- Be Careful Of Heat: Don’t put your eyeglasses anywhere too hot, such as on the dashboard of your vehicle; this can warp the eyeglass frames, especially if the frames are plastic.
Eyeglasses In Calgary
Whether it’s your first time getting eyeglasses or you need to replace an old pair, Blink Eyewear can find a pair of eyeglass frames that suit your style and your face. Our optometrists can ensure you have an updated prescription and our opticians can help you find a pair of frames you love and then fit those frames perfectly to you. Blink Eyewear carries many different high-end brands of eyeglass frames and we can help you stay up-to-date with all the latest eyewear trends! With three convenient locations in Crowfoot in NW Calgary, West Springs in SW Calgary, and Creekside in NW Calgary, Blink Eyewear can offer you great optometry services throughout the city. To book an appointment with Blink Eyewear, call 1-403-516-2292 or fill out the online contact form.
