Every fourteen minutes, somewhere in the United States, a person breaks, sits on, or loses a pair of sunglasses. Though a popular fashion accessory, sunglasses are also essential for protecting eyes and vision from harmful glare and UV rays. Scratched, broken, or missing sunglasses can make tasks like driving, sports, or just enjoying the outdoors a squinty and painful occasion.
Protect your eyes by protecting your sunglasses. Follow these four tips to help your favorite shades suffer less damage and last you much longer.
Keep Them Clean
Cleaning sunglasses is essential to maintaining all parts of the product, from the lenses to the frames. Dirt and dust on the lenses can create many small scratches on the glass that reduce its clarity over time. Chemicals like makeup or hairspray can also strip sunglasses of any protective coating or finishes on the material, which reduces their lifespan. Even body oils can damage sunglasses by smudging lenses and loosening hinges. Clean glasses at least once a day to help them last.
Clean them Right
While cleaning sunglasses is important, cleaning them properly is possibly even more important. Never fall into the bad habit of wiping glasses on a dry shirt or napkin, and don’t use moisture from your breath as a cleaning fluid, either. Wiping dry sunglasses can create even more scratches on the lenses. Instead, run glasses under warm water, clean with a small drop of dish soap, and wipe them dry with a soft, lint-free towel.
Use a Case
We often use cases to protect our prescription glasses and forget that sunglasses can also benefit from similar protection. Keep shades safe from bumps, tumbles, and getting squashed by keeping them in a hard case when not in use. A hard case will keep frames from getting bent, lenses from being scratched, and taking the time to store them safely might even help you remember where you put them.
Buy a Repair Kit
Finally, buy a good repair kit. Occasionally tightening small screws and using the high-quality cleaners that come in repair kits can help your sunglasses last for years to come
Protect your peepers from sunny days, and look forever fashionable by adopting good maintenance habits for your sunglasses.
