How to clean your eyeglasses without scratching them

Most scratched lenses are not the result of an accident. They come from how people clean their glasses every day, with a shirt hem, a tissue or whatever is nearby. Lens coatings are thin and delicate, and the wrong habit wears them down fast. Here is how to keep your glasses clear for their full life.

First, stop doing these

• Wiping with your shirt. Fabric traps dust, and rubbing that dust across a dry lens scratches it.
• Using tissue, paper towels or napkins. Paper is rough and made from wood fibres. It scratches and leaves lint.
• Cleaning a dry, dusty lens. Rubbing grit into the lens is the fastest way to scratch it. Rinse first.
• Breathing on the lens and wiping. A quick fog and a shirt swipe still drags whatever is on the lens.

The safe way to clean glasses

This takes under a minute and protects the coatings:

• Rinse under lukewarm running water. This washes away dust and grit before you touch the lens. Avoid hot water, which can damage anti-reflective and other coatings over time.
• Add a tiny drop of dishwashing liquid. Rub it gently over both sides of each lens and the frame with your fingertips. Use a mild, lotion-free soap.
• Rinse thoroughly to remove all the soap.
• Dry with a clean microfibre cloth. This is the only cloth that will not scratch. Pat and wipe gently.

What not to spray on your lenses

Skip household cleaners, window sprays, alcohol, vinegar and acetone. These can strip or cloud lens coatings. If you want a spray for on-the-go cleaning, use one made for coated eyeglass lenses, paired with a microfibre cloth.

Caring for your microfibre cloth

A dirty cloth defeats the purpose. Wash it regularly with mild soap, let it air dry, and keep it in your case. Do not use fabric softener, which leaves a residue that smears.

Humidity, fog and our climate

Two Philippine-specific tips. First, stepping from aircon into the heat fogs your lenses, and the urge is to wipe them dry immediately, often with a shirt. Let them clear, or rinse and dry them properly. Second, a damp glasses case in humid weather can grow mould and mildew. Keep your case dry, and do not store glasses in a hot car, where heat can warp frames and stress coatings.

Store them properly

When your glasses are off, put them in a hard case, lenses up, or set them down on the temples, never face-down on the lenses. Small habits like these prevent most scratches.

Let us give them a deep clean

Even with good care, glasses pick up build-up around the nose pads and hinges. Bring them in and we will clean them properly. Every Vision Express store offers free lifetime ultrasonic cleaning and free custom fitting and adjustment, so your glasses stay clear, comfortable and sitting right.

When cleaning is no longer the answer

Once a coating is scratched through, no cleaning method brings it back — the scratches scatter light and the lens stays hazy in bright conditions. At that point the fix is new lenses in the frame you already own.

Visit your nearest Vision Express store for a free clean and adjustment, and if your lenses are past saving, ask for the Opulens Ultra 1.60 at the counter — in stock and ready in 20 minutes, with a surface finish that sheds sweat, rain and fingerprints instead of holding them, which means less wiping and less wear in the first place. If glare and halos at night bother you as much as smudges do, ask about the Nikon Seemax Infinite Z instead. Free lifetime ultrasonic cleaning and fitting adjustments come with both.