Want Your Eyeglasses to Last Longer? Try These Tips
Eyeglasses are designed to handle some wear and tear, but they're not indestructible. Taking good care of your glasses is one of the easiest ways to protect your vision and your investment. These tips will help you extend the life of your eyewear.
Don't Take Cleaning Shortcuts
Using the wrong cleaning technique can result in scratched lenses. Although the bottom of your shirt may be the most convenient option when you notice a smudge, resist the urge to use clothing to clean your lenses. The fibers in clothing, paper towels, and toilet paper can damage lenses.
Follow these steps to clean your glasses:
- Rinse the Lenses Thoroughly to Remove Debris
- Apply a Drop of Dishwashing Liquid to Each Lens
- Use Your Fingers to Gently Spread the Liquid on the Front and Back of the Lenses
- Rinse the Glasses Again
- Dry the Lenses with a Clean Microfiber Cloth
Don't use strong household cleaners, including window cleaning products, on your lenses. These products can strip UV protection and anti-scratch and anti-reflective coatings from the lenses.
Eyeglass cleaning sprays also offer a safe way to clean your glasses. After spraying both sides of the lenses with the spray, gently wipe off the solution with a microfiber cloth.
Handle Your Glasses with Care
Do you use one hand to remove your eyeglasses? The habit can stretch the frames. Putting your glasses on top of your head may also loosen the fit.
Your shirt collar may offer a convenient place to hang your glasses if you need to remove them momentarily, but the practice could harm your eyewear. Although your glasses may be out of the way, they can become scratched or damaged if they fall or rub against objects.
Be careful when adjusting your eyeglasses. Put both hands on the tops and bottoms of the frames when moving the glasses. Using the nose piece to adjust your glasses could eventually damage them.
Keep your eyeglasses in a case when you're not wearing them. Cases protect glasses from damage, dust, and debris, but cases are only helpful if you use them consistently. According to a 2024 report from The Vision Council, 20% of eyeglass wearers don't put their glasses in a case when they're not wearing them.
Check Your Glasses Regularly
Examine your glasses for wear and tear once a week. Look for scratched lenses, cracked or crooked frames, and warped temples. Think about the fit of your glasses. Are the temples or nose pads no longer comfortable? Do your glasses still fit your face snugly?
Screws help hold lenses in place, but may loosen over time. You may not even realize you've lost a screw until a lens pops out of the frame and drops to the floor. Keep an inexpensive eyeglass toolkit on hand for easy screw replacement. The kits contain extra screws, tiny screwdrivers, and a magnifying glass to make replacing screws easier.
Don't Keep Your Eyeglasses in Your Car
Storing an extra pair of glasses or sunglasses in the car may be convenient, but warm temperatures inside the car can warp your frames and damage UV and other coatings on your eyeglasses.
Call a Professional
Your optometrist's staff make frame adjustments look easy. Unfortunately, adjusting your eyeglasses at home may not be quite as simple. If you don't have the proper tools, or just the right touch, you could break your frames or worsen the fit. It's a much better idea to pay a visit to your eye doctor's office if your frames are crooked, are too tight or too loose, or just aren't comfortable. The staff is experienced with all types of frames and can safely adjust your glasses.
They can also help you choose the best type of glasses for your lifestyle and share the pros and cons of various types of frames. For example, if you lead an active lifestyle, frameless styles may be too fragile for you. Cost and durability are also concerns. Plastic frames are less expensive, but are more easily damaged than metal frames, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Fortunately, your optometrist offers a variety of stylish frames to make updating your eyewear a simple process.
Whether you need an eye exam or a eyeglass adjustment, we're here to help you care for your vision. Stop by the office for an adjustment or contact us to schedule a comprehensive eye exam.
Sources:
All About Vision: How to Extend the Life of Your Eyewear, 8/28/2025
The Vision Council: New InSights Research from The Vision Council Reveals Most Consumers Use Eyewear Accessories, 4/16/2024
American Academy of Ophthalmology: How to Choose the Glasses Frame Material That's Right for You, 4/22/2020
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/glasses-contacts/eyeglass-frame-materials
Cleveland Clinic: Eyeglasses, 5/30/2025