Caring for your New Specs!

Caring for your New Specs

Your glasses may be the most knocked about piece of apparel you own – taken off and on, worn all day, sat on, pulled off by grandchildren, maybe even eaten by the dog!  

The typical lifespan of a pair of glasses is around 2 years, but with proper wear and care, they can often last longer - Look after your specs and they’ll look after you!  

Caring for your Glasses Lenses 

• Spray both sides of your lenses with a specialist lens cleaner, such as our own Mackey Opticians spray.  

• Gently rub your lenses with your microfiber glasses cloth to clean the lenses, wiping away the lens cleaner as you do so.  

• Avoid using soaps or other cleaners on your lenses as they may cause damage to the coatings and material of your lenses or frames. 

• Avoid using paper towels, tissues or your clothes to clean your lenses, as they may contain dirt or dust, which may cause very tiny, but eventually annoying, scratches. Scratches cannot be repaired, and lenses would need to be replaced – so the more care taken, the better off you’ll be!  

Caring for your Glasses Frames 

• It is important to keep your glasses frames clean to remove any germs and bacteria.  

• You can use warm soapy water at home to clean your frames. 

• Make sure to use a gentle dish or hand soap on your frames to avoid damaging your lenses.  

• Dry your glasses off with a microfiber cloth. 

If you feel that your glasses need deep cleaning, maybe the area between the lenses and the frames, pop into one of our practices and we can clean them for you! Many of our shops have access to an ultrasonic cleaner, which can get rid of any dirt that a cloth normally can’t reach.  

Correct Handling and Storage 

• When taking your glasses off and on, make sure to use both hands to avoid stretching the side hinges – taking glasses off with one hand is the reason most spectacle frames break over time!  

• Very important rule for storage - If they’re not on your face, keep them in the case! Keeping them in their case protects them from incidental damage like sitting on your glasses or knocking them off a table!  

• If you are caught without your case and need to remove your glasses, set them down with the lenses facing up to avoid scratches.  

If your glasses do become damaged, don’t be tempted to repair them yourself – especially with superglue! Bring them into your local practice and our trained optical teams will be happy to help you with repairs!