There are a variety of small things you can do to make your reading glasses last longer. Of course losing them, dropping them, your dog eating them, etc, can end their lifespan in one fell swoop if you can avoid the catastrophic event treating them kindly can make a big difference in how long they perform and last.

General Reading Glasses Care

Taking good care of your reading glasses can help extend their lifespan and keep them in good condition. Here are some tips to make your reading glasses last longer:

1. Use a Protective Case: Whenever you’re not wearing your reading glasses, store them in a protective case. This will shield them from dust, scratches, and potential damage when not in use.
2. Clean Regularly: Clean your glasses regularly with a microfiber cleaning cloth designed for eyewear. Avoid using paper towels, tissues, or other rough materials that can scratch the lenses.
3. Use a Cleaning Solution: To remove smudges and fingerprints, use a lens cleaning solution or warm, soapy water. Rinse and dry them with a clean, soft cloth.
4. Avoid Harsh Chemicals: Do not use harsh chemicals like ammonia-based cleaners, acetone, or alcohol on your glasses, as they can damage the lenses and frames.
5. Handle with Care: Always handle your glasses with clean hands. Avoid touching the lenses with your fingers, as natural oils and dirt from your skin can transfer to the glass.
6. Adjust Properly: If your glasses have adjustable nose pads or temples, make sure they fit comfortably. Proper adjustments can prevent stress on the frame and hinges.
7. Regular Maintenance: Periodically check for loose screws in the hinges and tighten them if necessary. Loose screws can cause misalignment and frame damage.
8. Avoid Excessive Heat: Keep your glasses away from extreme heat, like leaving them in a hot car or placing them near a heater, as this can warp the frames. This is especially true with reading glasses made with acetate (Source NOAA), Visualites however uses TR90 which in addition to being lighter and flexible, thus more comfortable, stands up to heat significantly better than acetate. Just one of the details that makes Visualites quality reading glasses. Learn more about TR90 here.
9. Use a Neck Strap or Retainer: If you’re prone to misplacing your glasses, consider using a neck strap or retainer. This prevents accidental drops and loss.
10. Regular Eye Exams: Ensure that your prescription is up to date. Wearing outdated reading glasses can strain your eyes and potentially lead to more frequent replacements. If your current pair are not allowing you to see clearly ordering a new pair of readers at the next power up may save you money in the long run by keeping your eyes healthier.
11. Don’t Rest Them Upside Down: When placing your glasses on a surface, make sure the lenses are facing upward to prevent scratching. Nothing is worse than looking through scratched lenses, if you are wearing Visualites then you know firsthand the experience of looking through optical quality lenses, do not degrade this experience with scratches.

By following these tips, you can extend the life of your reading glasses and maintain their clarity and comfort over time. Regular maintenance and responsible handling will help you get the most out of your eyewear.

Putting On & Taking Off Your Reading Glasses

We saved the most important item for last. How many times a day to you take your reading glasses on and off, a lot right? The act of putting them on and taking them carefully can be the single most important factor in how long your readers last. For full frame readers, it stresses the hinge causing it to break and stretch out the frame causing it to become loose and fall off of your face. For lightweight rimless reading glasses like Visualites it can also stress the hinge and it also stresses the attachment point of the temple arm to the lenses. Seeing as how the temple arm is attached directly to the lens this can crack the lens over time, When taking off or putting on your reading glasses, use both hands to remove them simultaneously.

To recap, taking off your glasses with one hand can be bad for them for several reasons:

1. Uneven Stress: When you use one hand to remove your glasses, you apply uneven stress to the frame and the lenses. This can lead to the frame becoming misaligned or twisted. Over time, this can cause the frame to lose its shape, affecting the fit and comfort of your glasses.
2. Risk of Dropping: Using one hand to remove your glasses increases the risk of dropping them. If the glasses slip from your fingers or the uneven pressure causes a lens to pop out, it can result in costly damage or scratches to the lenses.
3. Loosening Screws: The hinges and screws on your glasses are designed to maintain the proper alignment of the frame. Using one hand to take off your glasses can put additional stress on these components, potentially causing the screws to become loose. Loose screws can lead to the glasses becoming wobbly and, in some cases, even breaking.
4. Smudging and Scratching: When you take off your glasses with one hand, you are more likely to touch the lenses with your fingers. This can transfer oils, dirt, and debris from your skin onto the lenses, leading to smudges and scratches. Over time, these imperfections can impair your vision and necessitate more frequent lens cleaning or even replacement.
5. Reduced Lifespan: All these factors can contribute to a reduced lifespan for your glasses. The more stress, misalignment, and damage they endure, the shorter the time they will remain in good condition, requiring you to replace them sooner.

To prolong the life of your glasses and ensure they continue to provide clear vision, it’s advisable to use both hands when taking them off. This distributes the pressure more evenly and reduces the risk of damage and misalignment. Additionally, it’s a good practice to clean your glasses regularly to prevent smudges and scratches and to keep the screws and hinges properly tightened.

At Visualites we make the highest quality lightweight rimless reading glasses available but how you treat them is as important as how we make them!