How to care for sunglasses

By Catalogs Editorial Staff

You've spent good money on them so know how to care for sunglasses

You’ve spent good money on them so know how to care for sunglasses

If you have invested in an expensive pair of sunglasses it behooves you to take care of them otherwise you are tossing your money down the drain.

Here are some tips on how to care for sunglasses:

Take some time to give your sunglasses a thorough going-over, checking to see if a hinge screw is about to come out or if symptoms of wear and tear are starting to show up. If your sunglasses are misaligned, they are going to be uncomfortable to wear and look lopsided. To check and see if your sunglasses are sitting squarely on your ears, put them on and stand in front of a mirror. If they are uneven, take them back to where you bought them and have them adjusted. Don?t try to do it yourself. Of course, if they are inexpensive, and it?s not a big deal if you mess up, then go ahead, but it?s better to be safe than sorry when dealing with an expensive pair that needs adjusted.

Sunglasses, as can any pair of eyeglasses, may get scratched. Glass lenses are less likely to scratch so you might want to consider purchasing glass in the future. Some sunglasses have a warranty regarding lens scratching. If so, take them back to the store and ask if they can be replaced.

Taking steps to protect your sunglasses will extend their life. Don?t toss them into your bag full of tricks because they will get scratched when they bump into heaven only knows what in the bottom of your purse. Put them into a protective eyeglass case every time you remove them.

Instead, of jerking the sunglasses off of your face when you are removing them, carefully remove them using both hands so that you don?t bend them. If you don?t have a protective case available, place the glasses upside down, with the temple open, resting on the top of the eye wire and temples. Put them on a flat surface.

When you get sweaty, the sweat gets on your glasses. Rinse them off as soon as you can. The oils from skin can hurt the coating on the lens as well as the finish of the frames. Do not leave your sunglasses on the dashboard of your car because heat can spoil the lens coatings and the hardware on the frames.

When you clean your sunglasses use lukewarm water from the tap because the water gets rid of grime, grit and dust that can scratch the lenses. Use a dishwashing liquid that is lotion free, rubbing it on each side of the lens. You can clean the frame as well. Rinse with lukewarm water and dry off the glasses using a cotton towel that is free of lint. You can also use lens cleaning cloths made of micro fiber to clean your lenses.

Know what kind of lenses you have purchased. There are advantages and disadvantage to each kind. A glass lens resists scratches quite well and provides good optical clarity but is heavier than a polycarbonate or plastic lens and the weight might bother you. Glass lenses may also require a special UV protection coating and can chip and shatter a lot easier than lenses made of other materials.

Plastic sunglass lenses are so light that you won?t know you?re wearing them and they far more shatter resistance than glass lenses but plastic requires UV protection coating and is much thicker than high polycarbonate lenses, which are thin and are 10 times more impact resilient than the other types of lenses. These lenses block all UV rays without adding a special coating, and they are 20 percent lighter than a lens made of plastic. However, there is more reflection than with plastic or glass lenses, and they have to be coated for scratch resistance. Additionally, you may find that you are having problems with your peripheral (side) vision, which can be slightly obscured when wearing polycarbonate sun glasses that are high prescription strength.

High plastic index lenses provide better peripheral vision and are thinner than plastic lenses as well as lightweight. However, there is a lot more reflection that what one experiences when wearing plastic or glass lenses and they do require scratch resistance coating if you want them to last.