Introduction
So, the other day, I was ready to go on a long drive alongside my spouse. Since the sun was high, we both pulled out our sunnies & cleaned the potential smudge. While she used a microfibre, I breathed on the lenses and cleaned them using my tee, that being my usual reflex.
While driving, I noticed some scratches on my sunglasses. I parked aside to clean them before resuming. Even though I tried hard, I couldn’t get rid of them until the realisation of messing up with the coating hit me. The UV-400 coating was ruined and couldn’t be reversed. My sunnies were merely a year old!
This isn’t just my case, but many like me who still clean their sunglasses and prescription eyewear wrongly. Improper handling is the easiest way to erode different lens coatings. Your sunglasses or prescription glasses do need some extra care, and it isn’t a tough nut to crack.
A good pair of eyewear that protects the eyes from the UVA/B rays costs a pretty penny. It must be handled with care, especially when it comes to keeping their lenses clean and lasting longer.
Why is The T-shirt Cleaning Destructive?
People splurge on expensive sunglasses and eyeglasses, and at times, pay more for additional coatings like anti–UV or anti-glare. But a conversation with the team of experts at Specscart made me realise a blunder that 99% of people commit.
Generally, people use t-shirt fabric to clean the lenses, but in reality, they are rubbing micro-debris and coarse fibres against the soft anti-glare and anti-reflective coatings.
Compounding the issues, many of us use shampoo, additives, and moisturising agents for cleaning the lenses. They contain harsh chemicals that erode the coatings and result in the lenses getting cloudy and scratched.
It all can be fixed easily by using a microfibre cloth and a proper lens cleaning solution. This fabric is woven to trap the debris, dust, etc., to avoid scratching. Hence, using a microfibre cloth is the best way to prevent lenses from scratches.
The Eyewear Isn’t a Headband
Who doesn’t like to show off their premium eyewear? Wearing sunglasses in a quirky way, like above the head or hanging them on the tee, gives Instagrammable pictures. Even I do it without a faff, but during my conversation with people at Specscart, they emphasised avoiding all this.
The frames often stretch when worn over the head, and the lenses get scratched from hair. Though it sounded a bit absurd, they compared two pairs of sunglasses. One was well-maintained, while the other looked worn out because it was stretched.
Eventually, such frames tend to wobble and lose their intact fit. Wearing them is indeed a struggle for people, and they end up purchasing another expensive pair.
Ignorance isn’t Bliss
The hard case for sunglasses or eyeglasses is like a cocoon. The pair remains safe from getting dirty or breaking inside it. However, many people intentionally avoid carrying the hard case, which increases mishaps like the eyewear getting smashed or lost.
If you’re leaving your sunglasses on the dashboard, the intense heat can weaken the coating and the frame as well. That simply means letting your pennies go down the drain.
Using a protective case is beneficial because the lenses do not get scratched. Even when kept inside a bag, your eyewear remains safe every time. Though I messed up the way of cleaning my sunglasses, I always kept them inside the protective case.
Never Fix Wobbly Sunglasses Yourself
Being an eyewear enthusiast, I’d never fix a wobbly frame myself. If you see a wobbly arm of your eyewear, resist using a screwdriver or a knife to tighten the microscopic screw. One wrong move can break the lenses in the blink of an eye.
Instead, one should approach the experts at the optician’s to get the issue fixed. Some generous people may fix minor issues without charging a penny.
Conclusion
Wearing sunglasses and pulling off the fashion messiah look is a breeze; the tough game revolves around keeping them safe. However, I don’t believe it’s that hard. By following what you shouldn’t be doing, the lenses of your sunglasses would thank you. Keeping sunnies safe should be a priority, not an option. The better they’re preserved, the longer they can be your outdoor companion.
