4 Tips to Keep Your Eyeglasses Safe and Clean

People who wear eyeglasses sometimes lose, misplace, or break them. It's easy to do, especially if you wear glasses only for reading or driving, instead of everyday full-time wear. Even if you don't wear prescription sunglasses, you could lose dollar-store reading glasses or expensive (or not) sunglasses. Whatever type you have, it's inconvenient to leave they elsewhere or find them broken just when you need a pair to see or read.

But there are easy ways to keep your glasses safe. You don't have to lock them in a vault or chain them to your desk. Try the following ideas and see if they don't help.

1. Keep your glasses in an eyeglass holder when not in use. Your eye doctor will probably give you a holder with your prescription lenses. For store-bought eyeglasses or sunglasses, you can purchase a holder for a dollar or two. Always put your glasses of any kind in their holder when you don't have them on. Make sure the holder is soft inside, to avoid scratching the lens, and solid outside, to protect against dropping or squeezing.

2. Your eyeglass holder should stay in the same place all the time. For sunglasses that you wear while driving, keep the holder in the glove compartment or another area of the front seat where you can readily get it. Try to keep the holder in the same area each time so you don't forget where it is. The same goes for prescription glasses in the house. Keep your holder on the dresser, in your purse, or on the desk, and it will be easier to remember where the glasses are the next time you need them.

3. Get an extra pair of eyeglasses to have on hand. Store them in a personal drawer or in another place where you can remember to find them when needed. These should be used only when the others are unavailable from being lost or broken. Otherwise, you could end up with two pairs floating around the house and not know where either is when you need it.

4. Don't bend, chew, or stretch your eyeglass frames, and avoid twirling them. Never toss or throw your eyeglasses, and avoid dropping them. Avoid laying them on a hot surface or in a place that kids or dogs can reach. Use the recommended cleaning wipes to remove smears or lint, as other cloths or paper can scratch the lens. You may want to wear them on a chain around your neck to avoid misplacing them.

If you are accident-prone, you may want to take out eyeglass insurance that will let you replace the frame or the lens at a low cost. Don't wear a frame that is cracked or one from which the lens keep popping out, or you could lose it. Have your eyes checked each year or two to get the most up-to-date prescription. Try to stay away from situations where you can lose your eyeglasses and become temporarily vision-impaired.