5 Ways to take care of your glasses

Eyeglasses live in close contact with your skin, they face the same adventures and trials in the concrete jungle that you do and, just like you, by the end of the day they deserve the equivalent of a long, hot shower.

Also, by taking care of your eyewear and keeping it in optimal conditions, you won’t have to change it in a year or two.

1. Don’t misplace them

Let’s start with a familiar drama: you arrive home—obviously tired and harried—and you take off your glasses and place them on the entryway table, on the bed, or maybe next to the sink?

For nearsighted people, this is the beginning of an Indiana Jones-like expedition in search of the lost eyewear, which in the meantime could be scratched, bent or, worse, sat upon.

The solution: get into the habit of always putting your glasses in the same place and in the correct waylay them down with their lenses facing upward or, better, store them in their hard-shell case.

2. Dry Cleaning

Throughout the day your eyeglasses get dirty due to dust, pollution and sweat, in addition to the occasional fingerprint.

To keep them looking great and clean, forget paper towels, napkins and your shirttail. It’s important to regularly “dry clean” the lenses and the parts of the frame that get into contact with your skin by using a lint-free microfiber cloth—usually supplied with the eyeglasses or otherwise available at most optical shops.

3. Wash Them

If the lenses are particularly dirty, your glasses will need to be washed properly with a gentle stream of lukewarm water and a neutral non-oily liquid soap. Make sure to rinse thoroughly and carefully dry the lenses and the frame with a clean, soft cloth.

Alternatively, you can use a lens cleaning spray for eyeglasses, which can be usually found at the pharmacy or at most optical stores.

4. Use Both Hands

In movies, when someone takes their glasses off with one hand we know something cool or dramatic is about to happen. Unfortunately, this works well only in Hollywood.

In everyday reality, this iconic gesture could loosen the screws or misalign the glasses frame over time. Therefore, unless the occasion calls for a Tom Cruise movie straight from Mission Impossible, you should use both hands to put on and take off your eyeglasses.

If the glasses slip down your nose or seem too tight, you should head to the nearest optical store to get them adjusted.

5. Store Properly

Let’s admit it, it’s way easier to keep your glasses on your head when you are not wearing them, throw them in the backpack or even leave them in the glove compartment when you’re in a hurry.

However, this kind of behaviour won’t make your eyeglasses last. When you are not using them, you should store them in a glasses case which will protect them from dust and damage.

Little, forward-looking tips to take care of your spectacles and sunglasses and see clearly, hopefully for a long time.