It's easy to keep your new glasses looking like new. All it takes is a little care and attention. Your glasses were an investment, and it’s well worth the extra time. Here are a few tips on how to keep them lasting longer.

1. Give Them a Regular Bath!

It's not enough to just wipe the lenses; your frames need regular cleaning, too. You can set them in a warm mild soapy water solution for 20-30 minutes and then give them a rinse and dry. Use a clean lint-free cloth for this. Bathe them at least once or twice a month to keep them super clean. This will slow down any damage to frame finishes that dirt, makeup and facial oils can cause.

Always use a lens cloth for wiping lenses; never use your shirt, paper towels or tissues. These things can scratch or leave a film on your lenses.

2. Give Them a Regular Tune-up!

Almost all eyewear have hinges and screws. Screws are prone to loosening and metal hinges get bent. Look them over regularly for signs of wear.

You can usually tell if a temple (the 'arms' of your glasses) hinge is bent because the temples don't line up when you fold them. This usually causes them to sit crooked on your face. It's not recommended that you try to straighten them yourself, as too much force can easily snap metal hinges. An optician is trained in the fine art of adjusting glasses. We're happy to do that for you.

You can purchase a small screwdriver and tighten the screws yourself periodically or pop in to see us. Don't forget that metal frames with nose pads often have small screws holding them in place. Check those too.

Speaking of nose pads, they are also prone to wear and tear. If you see signs of yellowing, splitting or other wear, it's time to pop in and have them changed. We never charge for adjustments, even if you didn't get them from us.

3. Give Them Regular Protection!

Always use cases when you're not wearing your eyewear. Throwing them in pockets, purses, or tossing them onto exposed surfaces without a case leaves them vulnerable to scratches, bending and heat. Plastic frames in particular don't like heat. Leaving them out and exposed to the sun or other heat sources can stretch and warp them.

Heat is also an enemy of anti-reflective coating and causes 'crazing', which looks like peeling and micro-scratches on your lenses. Exposing them to hair dryers may shorten the life of your coating. Always let the steam out of the oven before bending over to check on dinner. Follow the same procedure when opening your dishwasher. Steam won't hurt most glasses but the heat can contribute to the crazing, and may damage some frame finishes. Once your coating is crazed there is nothing that can be done to save them, so it’s worth taking a little care and attention to protect them!