Timely tips for cleaning eyeglasses and sunglasses

In this age of stylish eyewear, dirty glasses are a real no-no. They completely detract from what you are looking at, and the way people look at you! Here's how to keep them clean.

• Wet cleaning is better than dry cleaning. Most of us have grabbed a tissue or pulled a handkerchief out of a pocket to wipe our glasses, but that can smear dirt around and scratch the lenses.
• Dirt particles are hard, whereas lenses are soft and getting softer. Almost all lenses today are plastic, and plastic lenses are especially susceptible to scratching.
• For an everyday clean, move the glasses around under running water and then dry them with a tissue or a clean microfibre cleaning cloth made especially for glasses.
• Microfibre cleaning cloths are washable and can be bought at some supermarkets or from an optometrist.
• Packaged, single-use towelettes made for glasses are also effective cleaners and are more convenient when you're on the move.

• Pick up a specially formulated lens cleaner at a pharmacy or from an optometrist and follow the package instructions. These cleaners are ideal for all cleanings, so use them at least periodically if not every time you clean.
• Using water alone will not remove oils.
• Even mild dishwashing liquid can damage coatings over time, and harsher cleaners (including anything with ammonia) can damage them immediately.
• Lens cleaners may seem like an unnecessary expense, but they will help to prevent your lenses getting cloudy and scratched, which will prolong the life of your glasses.
• The best lens cleaners leave behind a thin film, a kind of instant coating, which further brightens the lenses.

• Mix a few drops of mild dishwashing liquid in 500 ml (2 cups) of water.
• Dip a clean, soft toothbrush into the solution and gently scrub around the frame, the nosepiece and the earpieces, avoiding the lenses as much as possible.
• Rinse under running water and dry with a clean cloth.

• Next to dirty lenses, the most common and annoying problem is having a screw loose in one or both arm hinges of your glasses.
• If a screw comes loose repeatedly, you need something more than a screwdriver. A thread sealant will solve the problem — you will need to visit a hardware or automotive shop to buy one of these.
• Put a drop on the tiny screw before screwing it into the hinge, and it will hold.
• A very small drop of clear nail polish will also do the trick, although it may not last as long.