A Complete Guide to: How do you clean cloudy eyeglasses
If you've ever worn glasses, you know that they're not always optically perfect. It's common to get scratches, smudges, and mist on your lenses. This makes it difficult to see clearly through them.
We’ve already covered how to remove scratches and smudges from the sunglasses. Today we are focusing on how to clean foggy eyeglasses. Fortunately, simple steps to clean cloudy eyeglasses don't require expensive solutions or extra cleaning time.
So, if you suffer from the discomfort of cloudy eyeglasses, particularly itching and dryness, read on for cleaning and prevention measures.
Importance of Cleaning Cloudy Eyeglasses
A good pair of glasses is essential to any lifestyle. Without them, you may feel like you are missing an arm or leg. This is why you must take proper care of your lenses and keep them clean.
If you neglect to clean your lenses regularly, they will become foggy and dirty over time, leading to eye infections like pink eye or conjunctivitis (pink eye). These infections can cause serious complications, such as corneal ulcers if left untreated.
Corneal ulcers are painful open sores on the eye's surface that could lead to permanent vision loss if not adequately treated quickly. Besides, cloudy eyeglasses impair your vision, which might put you at risk for accidents.
Cloudy eyeglasses do cause a slew of serious issues. Follow the simple steps below to clean foggy eyeglasses and keep the problems at bay.
Steps to Clean Foggy Glasses Safely and Effectively
Cleaning cloudy eyeglasses is a simple and inexpensive method that involves several steps.
Step 1: Wash your hands with warm water and soap.
This is the first step to cleaning foggy eyeglasses. This helps you prevent the transfer of dirt, bacteria, or oil from your hands onto your glasses.
Step 2: Run the cloudy lenses under warm water.
Do this for about 30 seconds or until they are completely wet. You can use a soft cloth to rub cloudy eyeglasses if needed until all of the fogginess has been removed from the lens surface.
Step 3: Lather up each lens with grease-free soap.
Use a lotion-free soap and wash your cloudy eyeglasses gently for 30 seconds. Wash with lukewarm water heated to a temperature between 80°F (27°C) and 120°F (49°C). This will help prevent the hardening of any built-up residue on both sides of your lenses so that you can see clearly once more.
Step 4: Gently rinse the cloudy eyeglasses.
This helps remove dirt, haze, grime, or soap left behind, which might interfere with vision quality when you wear them again. However, do not scrub too hard, or it will damage your favorite eyeglasses.
Step 5: Gently wipe the eyeglasses.
Wipe on both sides of each lens using a clean, soft microfiber/lint-free cloth until they are immaculate and precise again (this step requires patience!). Also, do not forget to dry away the other parts of your eyewear, such as the inner part of the temples.
Step 6: Dry off any excess moisture on either of its parts.
Do this by placing them in front of a fan until completely dry—remember, never put them back on without being fully dry because this can cause severe damage over time!
What Causes Cloudy Eyeglasses?
Moisture is the true culprit behind cloudy eyeglasses. Thus, it stands to reason that if you can remove the moisture from your eyeglasses, they'll stop fogging up.
Moisture can come from the air, your breath, or body heat as you wear them. It also results from sweating. If you've ever worn glasses on a hot day and gotten sweaty while wearing them, you know what we're talking about here.
The longer you wear your eyeglasses without cleaning them or letting them dry out ultimately between uses, the more likely they are to develop a buildup of grime and moisture that will result in a foggy appearance when they're put back on again.
How to Prevent Cloudy Eyeglasses?
You can prevent cloudiness in your eyeglasses by taking the following steps:
Make sure to clean them regularly, as dirt and oil build up over time.
Avoid storing your glasses in direct sunlight, including on windowsills and car dashboards. UV rays can damage their lenses over time.
Avoid leaving them somewhere humid, like a bathroom countertop or sink, where steam from hot water might fog up the lenses.
Take off your glasses before showering/bathing or swimming because water droplets can get inside the frames, causing corrosion over time.
Similarly, wear your glasses during strenuous exercise because sweat can seep into them and cause damage.
Lastly, wear them only when necessary. If you use prescription glasses, then clean them more often.
Mistakes to Avoid When Cleaning Cloudy Eyeglasses
These are a few eyeglasses cleaning mistakes that people usually make and regret later:
Do not use toothpaste to clean your glasses. Toothpaste contains abrasive ingredients that can scratch your lenses and worsen them, so this is definitely a no-no.
Do not use alcohol. Alcohol can dry out the lens material and cause it to become cloudy even more quickly than usual.
Do not use household cleaners since they can affect the lens coating. It’s better to consult an optometrist if you're unsure what kind of cleaner will work best for your needs.
Do not use vinegar or ammonia-based cleaners; these chemicals can scratch lenses faster than anything else!
You should also avoid paper towels or napkins, as these materials tend to leave behind lint and scratches up lenses rather than cleaning them properly.
Final Words
We hope this article has helped you to understand how to clean foggy eyeglasses. If you've tried everything and your cloudy eyeglasses are still not looking any better, it's time to take them out of circulation.
The best way to avoid this problem is by getting yourself a good quality pair of sunglasses or prescription eyewear that will last long enough. Enough for you to get more than one season out of them before they need to be replaced!