How to care for your glasses: 6 habits that make them last
Cleaning, heat, the case, adjustments: the everyday habits that decide how long your glasses last.
By OCCHIO
Good eyewear lasts for years. If you treat it well.
Most damage doesn’t come from a fall, but from everyday habits: a lens wiped on a T-shirt, glasses left in a hot car, a temple opened with one hand. These are the habits we recommend at our store.
1. Cleaning: water, mild soap, microfibre
Rinse the lenses under lukewarm water to remove dust and grit: rubbing them dry drags particles across the surface and scratches it. A drop of mild soap on your fingertips, then rinse again.
Dry with a clean microfibre cloth, like the one in the box. Avoid:
- paper tissues, napkins and T-shirts, which scratch the lenses;
- alcohol, acetone and harsh cleaners, which damage lens coatings and dull acetate;
- very hot water, which can damage anti-reflective coatings.
Acetate
2. Acetate doesn’t like heat
Acetate responds to heat: it softens and can lose its shape. A car dashboard in summer, a radiator or a beach in full sun are the worst places to leave it.
Hairspray, perfume and sunscreen can also dull the surface over time. Apply them before putting your glasses on.
3. Always use both hands
Put your glasses on and take them off holding both temples. With one hand, all the force goes into a single hinge: the front twists and the frame starts to sit crooked.
Also avoid wearing it on top of your head like a headband: the temples spread and the frame starts to slip.
4. When you’re not wearing it: in the case
Never put it down lenses first. If the case isn’t to hand, rest it on its folded temples. In a bag or pocket without a case, keys and coins do the rest.
Titanium and metal
5. Screws and nose pads: check them now and then
With use, hinge screws loosen and nose pads get dirty or stiffen. These are small jobs an optician does in a few minutes.
If your glasses slide down your nose, press behind your ears or no longer sit straight, don’t bend them by hand: they need adjusting with the right tools.
6. Who to ask
If you live in or near Crema, come and see us at Via XX Settembre 15: we’re happy to check and adjust glasses bought from OCCHIO!. If you live further away, your nearest trusted optician can do it.
For unusual materials such as horn or wood, or if you’re unsure about anything, message us on WhatsApp before doing anything.