Whether your prescription eyeglasses are old, scratched, broken, or simply in need for some tuning up, here are some common problems and your options for eyeglasses repair.
We would say though that if you've been wearing the same pair of glasses for a while, you should think about getting an eye exam. You need to do this regularly as you eyesight can and will change.
If your prescription does change, don't worry - you can check out our picks for the best eyeglasses online.
However, if your eyeglasses do need some TLC, we've got some helpful suggestions below.
1. Scratched lenses
It can be easy to pick up a scratch on the lenses of your eyeglasses - you might accidentally drop them or simply try and clean them with something like a paper towel.
More often than not this is either something you'll have to live with as long as it doesn't impair your vision, in which case you'll want to invest in some new lenses (and perhaps some new eyeglasses as well), but if the scratch is light enough, you do have an chance to repair it. Follow these steps below:
1. Use a cloth to gently remove any dirt or debris form the lenses
2. Using either some non-abrasive toothpaste, a mixture of baking soda and water or a dedicated wax-based product, dab a little onto the lens
3. Now very gently rub the wax on the surface of lens where the scratch is. Do this for a couple of minutes and the scratch should be gone
4. Wash off any residue under lukewarm water
5. Use a clean lint free cloth or dedicated wipes to wipe down the lens
To avoid this happening in the future, the next time you buy a pair of eyeglasses, you can often opt to have a scratch resistant coating applied to the lenses. This doesn't make them 100% scratch-resistant, but because they're treated the lenses have a much more durable surface that makes them more resistant to scratching.
2. Adjusting or replacing nose pads
If your eyeglasses' nose pads are loose or have fallen off, you can repair this problem yourself with a few tools and some patience. You may need the following:
- Extra screws
- Extra nose pads
- Eyeglasses repair kit
- 1.0mm flathead screwdriver
Depending on the eyeglasses repair kit, you may have to buy all pieces separately. Here's how to repair your eyeglasses' nose pads:
1. Remove the screw from the nose pad
2. Insert the nose pad into the mount and check if it aligns with the screw hole. Adjust accordingly
3. Insert the screw making sure that the screw head is pointing up
4. Tighten the screw with the screwdriver
3. Broken frame arm
Often known as the temple, arms can come dislodged - either through use or a break.
If you the arm of your frame comes off, it could simply be down to the screw coming loose. If that's the case, pop back to your opticians and more likely than not, there'll be able to fix this for free with a replacement screw.
That's the best-case scenario. The hinge can break in which case there's no quick fix - it is possible to repair this yourself if you've got the time and the patience, but more often than not you'll need a replacement frame. You can try wrapping tape round the arm, but this will only really be a very short-term fix.
Broken lenses
If your eyeglass lenses are cracked or broken, or have simply loosened out of their frames, then a trip to an optician where an experienced professional will be able to look at the issue and best advise you what to do. It might be possible to repair, or they may recommend you simply buy new glasses altogether.
As we've mentioned, if your glasses are more than a couple of years old, depending on your age and the condition of your eyes, it's recommended you take another eye exam for a more updated prescription that will benefit you and your eyes in the long run.
