Cleaning your eyeglasses

Our customer service department has been busy lately. On occasion they forward questions on to other departments here at GlassesUSA.com in hopes of getting a second or third opinion on customer questions. Recently, one such question was forwarded to me with the heading “HELP” from our customer service department. It was quite an interesting email! A prospective customer had a very good question about cleaning your lenses. Jasmine from Montana asks:

“I bought eyeglasses from a retail store a few months ago and the coatings on them are cracking all of a sudden. I think it might be from washing my lenses. Normally I wash them after doing the dishes with hot water and a little bit of dish soap. Is this how you are supposed to wash your eyeglasses? Is there any way to fix the coatings on my lenses? Please help!”

Well, Jasmine, we can help. Unfortunately, nothing can be done with your prescription glasses as is. Once the coatings start to crack or crease, it is nearly impossible to rectify the situation and fix the problem. I can tell you this STOP WASHING YOUR EYEGLASSES IN HOT WATER! Whew! Now that we have that out of the way, we can get down to business. Washing your eyeglasses is not such a tricky thing. Here is a step-by-step guide to washing your eyeglasses thoroughly and safely.

Step One
Start with tepid water – cold or room temperature will work well – and rinse off the lenses with the water. Gently run your fingers over the lenses to wipe off any dust or particles that may be resting on the lens.

Step Two
Take a pea sized amount of dish soap and gently rub both sides of the lens with the soap using the pads of your thumb and index finger. Rub the lenses gently in a clockwise motion – rub thoroughly to be sure the entire surface is cleansed.

Step Three
With tepid water – remember to use cold or room temperature water – on a lower flow setting, gently rinse off both sides of the lenses and make sure to rinse off the eyeglass frame as well. Excess skin oils (and sometimes makeup) can get onto the frames. In order to keep the frame color it’s brightest, it’s always a good idea to rinse the frames off while washing your lenses.

Step Four
With an eyeglass cleansing cloth or a soft piece of fabric, gently dab off any excess water. NEVER use toilet paper, paper towel, or any type of fabric that has the consistency of paper. These materials can scratch your lens – even if you have an anti-scratch coating.