There are many incorrect assumptions in regards to what eyeglasses are primarily made of, and because of this misconception, the ways in which you care for your glasses could actually be far off. While eyeglass lenses were originally made of exactly that: glass, due to our modern day capabilities, they are now typically made of plastic. This is for many reasons: extra durability, less weight on our face, cost efficiency, and often times shatter resistance – all resulting in further protection for our eyes. With the shift in optical production, a major change came in the way in which we are to clean and care for our glasses.
Don’t Do That!
One of the biggest misconceptions out there is to use hot water to clean our eyeglasses lenses. Don’t do that! This was a great tip back when lenses were made of glass, however as we’ve upgraded to plastic lenses, hot water can severely damage your lenses. The other thing to remember is whenever you clean your eyeglasses at home, never use harsh chemicals on your lenses. These include: bleach, strong soaps, or baking soda. If you have any kind of coatings protecting your lenses, these chemicals – along with hot water – can strip them away. Besides removing the protection for your eyes from harmful radiation, the chemicals can leave the coatings partially there – negatively affecting your vision.
Better Solution…
Making your own homemade cleaning remedy is one way in which you can easily clean your glasses – while having a handy solution for the next time you need them clean. There are several different homemade mixtures, but one great one is very simple: it consists of 75 percent vinegar, 25 percent water, and a few tiny drops of dish soap. You want to mix the solution well – without creating bubbles. With that, you’ve got your very own lens cleaner. If you don’t have a spray bottle handy, or just want another option, another great help for cleaning your eyeglasses lenses is just plain vinegar. Usually available in an everyday kitchen, vinegar is a helpful tool in cleaning lenses. Just splash on a bit of vinegar, rub it in with your finger tips, then rinse it really well with tepid water.
A very simple home remedy that would work is water and soap. While you don’t want to use strong chemicals on your valuable lenses, you can use a very small amount of dish soap. Also, even though hot water is completely out of the question, warm water cleans better than cold water. Therefore, it is recommended to use slightly warm water when cleaning your lenses. Mix the warm water and a small amount of dish soap together and you’ve got yet another viable option to take care of your precious lenses. Lastly, whenever cleaning your glasses, be sure to spray your lenses with your solution (or dip them into it), and then dry them off in a circular motion with a soft cotton towel. Always ensure the lenses are fully dry.
The economy has hit us all pretty hard and we shouldn’t have to spend money where we don’t need to. With the high cost of prescription eyeglasses, along with our other financial issues, what a waste it would be to ruin new lenses. It’s so important to take care of our eyeglass lenses correctly & keep them clean. Now go care for your glasses correctly.
Hillary Glaser is the Director of Marketing and Special Projects for GlassesUSA.com – the easiest way to buy glasses online. She over sees day-to-day operations for all marketing and promotions of eyeglasses for the company.