How to Care for the Glasses You Wear Every Day
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If you're someone who relies on a single pair of glasses to help you see on a daily basis, you know how important it is to keep them in the best possible shape. "A good pair of glasses should provide you with clear, comfortable vision and are an essential component of both active and leisure endeavors," explains Dr. Jonah Berman, O.D., F.A.A.O., New York City-based optometrist and medical expert for LensDirect. In addition to cleaning your lenses regularly, you might be wondering what more you can do to ensure your daily-wear glasses are properly cared for. To help, we reached out to several top eye doctors for their best tips on caring for your favorite set of frames.
Related: How to Properly Clean Your Eyewear
A proper fit is key.
To maximize the longevity of your glasses, it's important to make sure that the fit is just right. "If you find that your glasses are starting to slide down your face more often and you are constantly readjusting them, the first reflex may be to try to bend the frames yourself to improve the fit," says Dr. Benjamin Bert, M.D., an ophthalmologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. This is not a do-it-yourself endeavor, however: He recommends having your glasses professionally adjusted to help prevent any accidental breakage and restore a proper fit.
Invest in a good case.
Most glasses come with a case upon purchase—if your glasses do not, be sure to buy one. Ultimately, one of the easiest ways to extend the life cycle of your favorite pair is to protect them when they are not in use, notes Dr. Bert. "A hard case prevents scratches from forming when the glasses are placed into bags with other items and also prevents compression damage if they are accidentally sat on," he says.
Clean your lenses correctly.
First and foremost, Dr. Berman advises against cleansing your lenses with your clothing. "Lenses are made of various types of plastic that are actually quite vulnerable to scratching if not cleaned properly," he says, noting that the fibers in clothing can be deleterious to this type of material. "While no lens is 100-percent scratch-proof, it is a good investment to choose an anti-scratch or scratch-resistant coating to minimize scratching." When it's time to clean your lenses, he recommends using a special liquid or spray cleaner supplied by your optician—or gently rubbing a solution of dishwashing liquid and lukewarm water over both sides of the lenses before rinsing them off under running water.
