If you wear glasses all of the time, your lenses are bound to collect dust, dirt, fingerprints, and other smudges that can impair your vision. Fortunately, eyeglasses are fairly easy to clean and care for, as long as you follow the proper steps. Providing state-of-the-art vision services in Anchorage, AK, Northern Lights Eye Care offers a few simple tips for keeping your specs as spotless as possible.

5 Simple Tips for Clean Eyeglasses

1. Practice Preventive Care

By developing a few good habits, you can save your glasses from a lot of potential damage. One best practice is to put the frames away in a hard-shell storage case any time they aren’t on your face. Keeping glasses on your head or a table can lead to them getting bent, broken, or dirty. It’s also smart to use both hands whenever putting on or removing your specs.

2. Never Touch the Lenses

Containing oil, dirt, and other substances, fingertips can be dirty parts of the body. As such, it’s a wise to never handle the lenses with your fingers. If you have to buff out your lenses, be sure to use a soft cloth—such as those made from microfiber.

3. Wash Daily  

The best way to keep your glasses continually fresh is to wash them every day. Since harsh chemicals can damage the lens coatings, it’s important to only use specialized eyeglass cleaner or water mixed with dish soap to clean the surface. Gently apply the solution and rinse with warm water for a clean view.

4. Dry With Care

After washing your glasses, it’s important to dry them properly to avoid watermarks and other smudges. Certain fabrics, toilet paper, napkins, and paper towels all contain rough textures that can scratch the surface of the lens, so it’s best to use a soft microfiber cloth.

5. Wipe the Frames

Over time, skin oils and cosmetic products can cause eyeglass frames to develop a white, cloudy, or dirty appearance. To avoid this damage, gently wash and wipe the frames in the same manner you would clean the lenses. In the event the plastic frames lose their luster, you might be able to remove the blemishes by lightly scrubbing the surface with a nail buffer. If you try this approach, however, don’t touch the lenses or you might scratch them.  

By following these tips, you can keep your eyeglasses in good shape for as long as possible. However, there might eventually come a time when your specs are beyond repair. In these instances, Northern Lights Eye Care can help. As a leading vision center of Anchorage, this optometrist can conduct comfortable eye exams, process prescriptions rapidly, and fit you with a pair of stylish eyeglasses or contact lenses. To learn more about these services, visit the clinic online, or call (907) 276-3937 today to schedule an appointment.