Discussion Research on Cleaning Eyeglasses? What?

TechnicGeek

Junior Member
Nov 12, 2013
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I have read a few articles that advice cleaning eyeglasses with mild soap. Some optometrist said that it's a bad idea. He told me that his clients replace eyeglasses due to peeled off coatings. I sent him articles and he told me these are articles, not a research. Didn't know you need a research for this.

I don't know of any. Can anyone point me to research if there was done one?
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
57,364
7,516
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Pretty trivial problem to actively "research". Glasses are a consumable item. Regardless of what 'best practices' you use maintaining them, they're gonna get beat up, your eyes will change, and you'll need new glasses anyway. I wipe mine off with my shirt like our poet laureate does. Sometimes I brush them with a soft toothbrush under running water to get crud out of the grooves.
 
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kage69

Lifer
Jul 17, 2003
26,974
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I got so fed up of dealing with glasses so I just got LASIK. So that's about the only research I can provide. :p

I'm on the fence. Tired of contacts, hate wearing glasses, but have heard some people express regret over chronic eye dryness after LASIK.

How long has it been, any issues?

Shirts and paper towel scratch polymer lenses, but glass will hold up I think. Best thing to clean with is those small wet wipes for cameras and shades, short of that a microfiber cloth.
 

Pohemi

Diamond Member
Oct 2, 2004
8,613
10,880
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From what I've read, ultrasonic vat cleaners are said to work the best for de-gunking the frames of buildup, and are supposed to be safe for glasses assuming you use only distilled water and no chemicals or solvents.

FWIW I've not used one myself, I was looking at ultrasonic cleaners to use with my wristwatches, and the reviews on the items I was considering seemed to show people most often were using them to clean their eyeglasses, and seemed pretty happy with the results.

Maybe ask your optometrist if an ultrasonic cleaning bath would be safe for your lenses just to be sure, but it's just distilled water and air bubbles that do the cleaning.
 

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
67,201
12,029
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www.anyf.ca
I'm on the fence. Tired of contacts, hate wearing glasses, but have heard some people express regret over chronic eye dryness after LASIK.

How long has it been, any issues?

Shirts and paper towel scratch polymer lenses, but glass will hold up I think. Best thing to clean with is those small wet wipes for cameras and shades, short of that a microfiber cloth.


Mine has been great but I was on the fence for a long time too, it's kinda scary going through a surgery like that even if the risk is low, not to mention I'm super squeamish when it comes to eyes (I could never do contacts) so just the idea of actually going through it was hard. The hardest part was having to use eye drops for like 2 weeks after.

Been a good 5 years or so now since I had it done and so far so good. I never had eye dryness issues though I have read that some people end up with it, so yeah that could really suck if you need to use eye drops for rest of your life. Never get used to that.
 

Torn Mind

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
11,567
2,626
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Some of the advice I have seen online includes using Dawn and water even for glasses with anti-reflective coatings. There’s also one special sauce supposedly designed specifically for AR coatings called Kleervu Pristine.

Some say not to use alcohol or ammonia for AR coatings...lord knows that if that Kleervu is actually alcohol....rioting is advised...
 
Mar 11, 2004
23,031
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Coatings will wear off over time anyway. I've been cleaning my glasses almost daily with just hand soap and paper towels and they're still ok, and they're cheap ones I got from Zenni for like $20, like 3 years ago (was going to get eye exam and new glasses but changes to work schedule and pandemic have had me put it off longer than I intended).

Is it the best? I'm sure it isn't, but the coatings aren't that fragile. Mine don't have any scratches that actually impact seeing out of them.

Microscratches from cloths/paper towels won't ruin vision out of a pair of glasses (and pretty sure you can have the glasses refinished).

Honestly though, you should likely be getting new prescriptions often enough that you'll need to replace at least the lenses anyway. Glasses are cheap enough now that this cost seems almost inconsequential. We have the option for optical plan on my work insurance and its not worth the cost. I can get an eye exam and pair of glasses for less than the cost of the insurance for a single year.
 

RLGL

Platinum Member
Jan 8, 2013
2,062
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Ultrasonic cleaner from Amazon $39.00. Water with Dawn dish soap..Buff with flour sack dish towel that has not been dried with a dryer sheet.
 
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dank69

Lifer
Oct 6, 2009
35,206
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I spritz mine with unicorn tears and gently rub with down harvested from babby angel wings. Costs a bit more but I've never had to replace the lenses before my annual exam when I get my new prescription.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
58,055
12,245
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Pretty trivial problem to actively "research". Glasses are a consumable item. Regardless of what 'best practices' you use maintaining them, they're gonna get beat up, your eyes will change, and you'll need new glasses anyway. I wipe mine off with my shirt like our poet laureate does. Sometimes I brush them with a soft toothbrush under running water to get crud out of the grooves.
YMMV, I had the same prescription from the age of 15-19 all the way up until about two years ago, think I've got some age-related presbyopia going on now. Going to the eye doc later this month!

I used to use shirts, now I use a microfiber cloth, and I get far fewer scratches. I keep a more beat-up pair of glasses that I switch to if I'm painting, working on a car, etc.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
62,681
11,026
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Hot water (occasionally a bit of liquid hand soap or even non-ammonia window cleaner) and a microfiber towel.