Glasses can be fragile and prone to damage. When wearing them day in and day out, accidents can happen. Whether it’s a loose screw, a bent frame, or a scratched lens, knowing how to repair your glasses yourself can save you time and money. In addition to repairing your glasses, regularly cleaning and maintaining your glasses and sunglasses is important not only to keep your vision clear, but also to increase the lifespan of your frames. Here’s some top tips to help fix common glasses issues at home from our Optical Consultant.

How to clean your glasses and sunglasses properly  

Using a microfibre cloth and some glasses spray, or a lens cleansing wipe, safely buff away smudges and specks of dirt with these simple steps: 

• Start by washing your hands 

• Hold your glasses frames by the bridge while cleaning to avoid fingerprints all over your frames and lenses 

• Spray the lenses, then polish them with the cloth using circular movements on both sides. If you’re using a lens wipe, unfold it and polish the lens in circular movements. People often use warm water and dish soap, but it's best to avoid doing this if possible as it can damage the lenses and remove reflection-free coatings 

• If you wear make-up, make sure clean the bridge of your glasses, as well as where it sits over the ears as there might be build-up of make-up that can cause skin irritation. You may also want to remove your glasses when spraying hairspray, perfume or other aerosols to prevent marks on your lenses 

• Wipe the frames with the cloth or wipe, then sit back and enjoy the view!

Tips on avoiding accidental damage 

There are lots of people who fall asleep with glasses on, or end up misplacing them and sitting on them, it’s easily done. So here are some top habits you can try to adopt to avoid those accidents: 

• Always keep your glasses in their protective case when they’re not being worn and try to avoid putting them face down on any surface. This will stop them getting scratched

• Try and not to let glasses rest on top of your head in case they fall off and get damaged. This can also stretch them

• Always take glasses off using both hands to avoid stretching them and making them loose

• Remove your glasses when spraying hair products to help reduce damage to the lenses

• Keep your glasses out of direct sunlight like on a car dashboard, as it can cause damage such as discolouration. Read our top tips to avoiding heat damage to your lenses here

Fixing loose screws 

Over time, the screws in your glasses may loosen. This can cause the arms of your glasses to wobble or even fall off. An eyeglass repair kit normally includes a small screwdriver that can tighten smaller screws such as those on your glasses. Take a look at our Boots Glasses Care Kit which comes with everything you need.

It’s best to rest the frames on a solid surface so that they don’t slip or cause the lenses to be scratched as you tighten the screws.

Finally, if your glasses have been twisted and sat on, it's probably best to come in and see us.