How to take care of your prescription glasses?

by Sara Frye, June 8, 2022

What’s the Proper Way to Clean Your Glasses?

Not everyone realizes that there’s a right and a wrong way to clean your glasses. Knowing how to clean prescription glasses means you’ll not only see more clearly for longer, but you’ll also help your lenses last longer.

High-quality prescription lenses have several coatings to keep your eyes healthy and your lenses lasting longer. For example, the best lenses will have a scratch-resistant coating to help protect your glasses from normal wear and tear. Plus, they often have coatings that protect your eyes from harmful UV light and a glare-resistant coating on glasses for driving at night.

There are two types of cleaning. First, everyday cleaning that gets rid of smudges and dust. And deep cleaning helps to wipe away oily residue, removes dirt in hard-to-reach places like where the frames meet the lenses, and even helps to wipe away light scratches or discoloration.

For general, everyday cleaning, follow these steps:

1. Whenever possible, wash your hands before you clean your lenses.
2. Choose a spray-on liquid cleaner that is made for prescription glasses. Also, choose a soft, highly absorbent microfiber fabric that will wipe away dirt and oily smudges.
3. While holding your glasses at the frame above or at the arm joint, spray your lenses with your cleaning solution.
4. Using your microfiber cloth or cleaning tool to gently but firmly clean your lenses using small, circular motions.
5. Be sure to get all the way to the edges of your lenses, and pay special attention to smudges and fingerprints
6. Hold your lenses up to the light to be sure you’re addressing all areas. Then let them dry completely before putting them on.

For a deep cleaning, follow these instructions:

1. Always wash your hands before the deep cleaning.
2. Create a solution of your favorite lens cleaner and lukewarm water. Soak your frames for one-to-three minutes.
3. Use a cotton ball, q-tip, or similar tool to gently clean along with the arms, paying attention to where they rest on the ears and along your face. There is often a build of oils and dirt here because it’s where they rest on your face. Do the same for the nose bridge.
4. Pay special attention to the screws and joints. Be sure not to unscrew anything, but open and close the arms to ensure you reach as much of the joint as possible.
5. Use your preferred lens cleaner to reach all the way around where the lenses meet the frames. If the lenses are removable, go ahead and take them out to give them a thorough cleaning all the way to the edge. Once you put them back into your frames, clean the main area of each lens to get rid of fingerprints.
6. Let your glasses thoroughly air dry in a clean, safe place.

Always follow the manufacturers’ instructions when it comes to cleaning lenses and frames. Different materials require varied types of care. And lenses often come with coatings that sometimes mean you’ll want to avoid some types of glass cleansers. For example, glass cleaner and acetone have harmful substances that may break down the lens coatings and may even damage some frames.

Do not use your saliva or breathe on your lenses to clean them. This causes bacteria from your mouth to be delivered to your lenses, which can transfer to your eyes, and may even cause unnecessary wear on your lens coatings. Also, avoid abrasive tools and fabrics to clean your glasses. They may cause scratches or wear down the protective lens coatings.

Caring for Eyeglass Frames

Many eyeglass retailers and ophthalmologists offer a professional cleaning service. Consider bringing your glasses into the place where you purchased them for a quarterly cleaning. Or ask your eye doctor if they have a deep cleaning service option. This can be invaluable if your lenses cannot be removed or you are wary of trying to remove them yourself.

Always build good habits when it comes to your caring for your eyeglasses frames. Keeping a small eyeglass frames kit available means you can periodically test the screws to ensure they are not coming loose. You can also check the joints to make sure it’s keeping the right amount of tension. And adjust the noseband as needed.

Safely Store Your Glasses

Eyeglass storage is one of the top ways to keep your frames and prescription lenses in great shape. Whenever you need to store them for travel or when they are not in use, it’s best to keep them in a hard case, rather than a soft pouch or resting them on a surface.

If possible, have a case for your home as well as your car or bag for travel. That way, if you forget to bring the case, you won’t need to rest them on a surface where they can get scratched or dirty.

Excessive heat or sunlight can warp the frame and prematurely age the lens coatings. Keep them in a cool, dry place whenever possible

What to Do if Your Eyeglasses are Scratched?

Unfortunately, scratches happen even when you’re careful. And not all scratches will buff out of the lens with a good cleaning.

If you find the scratch remains even after you’ve carefully cleaned both sides of the lens, chances are, it’s not going anywhere. You’ll need to buy replacement prescription lenses. This is especially true if the scratch is somewhere that affects your vision and safety.

The best strategy when it comes to scratched eyeglasses is prevention and preparedness. Try to have a backup pair of lenses or eyeglasses available. And go ahead and invest in the anti-scratch lens coating. It’ll save money in the long run since normal wear and tear does inevitably cause scratches.

Establish Good Habits for Wearing Your Glasses

Good habits and best practices are vital when trying to extend the life of your glasses. Always handle your glasses with care using both hands.

Avoid putting your glasses on top of your head. This can lead to scratches, dirt, and oil build-up. Plus, you run the risk of them falling off your head.

Avoid pushing on the nose piece to put your glasses in place. Instead, get frames that fit well and don’t move often. When your frames do occasionally slip out of place, gently nudge them back up using the back of a finger on the bottom of the lens. Or reposition them with both hands on the arms of the frames.

Wash them often, store them carefully, and use the right products and tools. That means you may need to keep a kit in your car, bag, and at home, so you don’t reach for the bottom of your shirt or the paper towels. Keeping the right cleaner and a gentle microfiber cloth nearby will help you avoid the temptation to use whatever is nearby and convenient.

Final Thoughts

Always store them properly, wash them carefully, and handle your eyewear with care. Use the right tools, and build good habits. Knowing how to take care of glasses, especially how to clean prescription glasses properly, means you’ll significantly extend the life of your eyewear.

Contact our experts at Overnight Glasses for your next pair of glasses. We always use the best, high-quality lenses and the best, high-quality frames. And we’ll make sure your glasses are delivered fast.

Sara Frye

Dr. Sara Frye is a highly skilled optometrist and medical writer. She did her Bachelor of Science at the University... "Read More"