HOW TO PROPERLY CLEAN AND MAINTAIN YOUR EYEGLASSES
The quality and durability of eyeglass lenses and coatings have improved a lot over the years. The latest premium coatings are a combination anti-scratch plus an anti-glare coating that are designed to repel dust, dirt and oil from the lens surfaces. However, due to the high daily usage, our eyewear needs to be properly maintained in order to give us the best results.
Here are the “Do’s and Don’ts” about cleaning and maintaining your eyeglasses:
1. Use the lens cleaner you were provided to spray both sides of each lens. If your lenses are heavily soiled, first run them under a stream of lukewarm water. Do not use hot or very cold water as this may damage the coatings.
2. It’s very important to always use tap water or a liquid spray before cleaning your lenses with a cloth. Cleaning eyeglasses when the lenses are dry will cause scratches.
3. Gently dry your lenses with the micro-fiber cloth you were provided. This fiber is soft enough to not damage or scratch the surfaces of your lenses. Micro-fiber cloths are hand-washable – just use a pure lotion-free soap and hang to air-dry.
4. Do not press too firmly when drying your lenses as this will damage the coatings over time.
5. Do not use tissue paper like Kleenex to clean your glasses. These products are very abrasive to lens surfaces.
6. Cotton-based towels are soft enough to use on your eyeglass lenses, but they must be clean! Traces of dirt or dust lodged in the fibers will scratch your lenses.
7. Do not use your shirt or other article of clothing to clean your lenses.
8. Do not use household cleaners designed for glass or surfaces to clean your lenses. These are too harsh for the specially formulated lens coatings and will damage them – even after one use.
9. Do not use commercially-available “scratch-removal” liquids. These will build up a waxy substance on your lenses and will make it more difficult to keep them clean. Scratches in lenses cannot be removed or “buffed out” without ruining the coatings or changing the way you see through the lenses.
10. Do not store your glasses in places where they may be exposed to extremes in temperature. The dashboard of your car, or inside your checked luggage are two common sources of temperature extremes that can cause damage to your coatings.
11. Bring your glasses in to our office for an ultrasonic cleaning treatment. This is also used to clean fine jewelry and will loosen and remove dirt from areas that are hard to access on your eye wear, such as the nosepads and temple junctions.
Finally, remember that high-quality eye wear will be far more durable and provide you with the most trouble-free performance. At Mountain View Optometry you have our guarantee that we will always offer you the latest technology and back it up with a great warranty.
Ask us about this at your next visit.