Cleaning blue light glasses may sound like a simple task- who knew you’d end up reading an article on how to clean blue light glasses!
But if you’re investing in keeping your eyes safe, why not spend a little time learning how to keep your glasses in the best condition, so that they do their best job and last longer?
Before we jump into the best way to clean blue light glasses, let’s take a look at what dirty lenses can do. Dirty lenses aren’t just irritating- having dirt grit or grease stuck on your eyeglasses can result in eye strain and headaches, as your eyes work harder to see past the dirt.
What’s more, bacteria will grow if you’re not cleaning your blue light glasses regularly. You don’t want that bacteria near your sensitive places- eyes, ears and nose! This isn’t just speculation- a study found that bacteria can grow on your glasses, including bacteria that cause staph infections, if you’re not cleaning your blue light glasses regularly. The most contaminated spots were found to be the ear clips and nose pads.
Be careful to not use any harsh ingredients or scrub the lenses too hard. All of BlockBlueLight’s daytime and nighttime glasses are made of a special type of optical grade resin, instead of glass. This makes them last longer, as glass easily cracks on impact. This plastic is covered with a special tint that is anti-glare and filters specific ranges of blue light. Rubbing too hard may damage the tint.
If you’re convinced that it’s worth spending a little time cleaning your glasses, continue reading to find out the best way to clean your blue light glasses!
The best way to clean blue light glasses
1. The lukewarm water and dish soap method
- First, wash your hands with antibacterial soap to avoid getting any further bacteria on your glasses.
- Then run lukewarm water over your glasses to get solid particles off, before you jump in with the soap.
- Pour a few drops of gentle liquid soap on the lenses and gently rub it on both sides of the lenses and also on the frame of the glasses.
- Clean the nose pads properly because they’re a breeding ground for bacteria.
Don’t use a soap with moisturizer added because it could leave a greasy residue on the lenses. And don’t use boiling hot water as this could damage the delicate blue-light coating on the lens surface.
The reason why we recommend lukewarm water (aside from the fact that it dissolves dirt easily) is because water that has been heated becomes ‘soft water.’ If the water that comes from your faucets is already soft water, then no need to worry. Soft water is water that has calcium chloride removed. Hard water contains minerals such as limestone, chalk or gypsum. which leave white stains when they evaporate. (Think of the white stains on your bathtub and on your taps.) You don’t want that white powder clogging the crevices in your frames.
2. The microfiber cloth and spray method
For a less-intensive method of cleaning blue light, you can spray your glasses with an eyeglass cleaner and then wipe them off with a microfiber cloth. Eyeglass cleaners are cheap and you can find them anywhere- at the pharmacy, a grocery store or eyewear shops. If you’re cleaning blue-light glasses which have an anti-glare coating, make sure that the cleaner you’re using is safe to use on polycarbonate lenses and anti-glare coating. All of BlockBlueLight’s daytime glasses and nighttime glasses have an anti-glare coating on them. Using the wrong cleaner could damage the delicate coating on your precious glasses!
All you need to do is spray the cleaner on your glasses (making sure to cover the nose pads and frame) and then gently rub the solution with a microfiber cloth in circular motions until it is dry. Repeat again if dirt is still visible.
3. The steam method
You can quickly clean your blue light glasses by allowing them to steam up from hot water and running a microfiber cloth over them. To do this;
- Run the tap with hot water until you start to see steam rise up.
- Place your glasses near the steam and rotate them so that both sides of the lens fogs up. Don’t place them under the hot water!
- Turn off the tap and gently rub your glasses in circular motions with the cloth, till they’re squeaky clean!
This is a better method than using steam from your mouth to fog up lenses since that could transfer bacteria and viruses onto your lenses
What’s the best way to clean blue light glasses?
The best way is a combination of methods 1 and 2. First, rinse your glasses using the soap and water method we talked about above. Then grab a microfiber cloth, spray both sides of the lenses with the solutions and wipe them down, to get give your glasses a thorough clean.
General tips for keeping your blue light glasses safe:
1. Don’t use your shirt to clean blue light glasses
Using your shirt may seem like a quick fix for smudged lenses, but in the long run, they’re a bad investment. Even materials like paper towels and tissues are a bad idea because they are coarse and can cause invisible scratches to develop on the lens. Over time, this will make the lens lose its clarity.
2. Don’t use harsh chemicals to clean your blue light glasses
Don’t use products with ammonia, bleach or even acetone. Acetone (nail polish remover) is destructive to both the lens and lens tint if left on for too long.
3. Store your blue light glasses properly
When travelling, always store your glasses in a hard-shell case. All of BockBlueLight’s glasses come with a special case that provides maximum protection. At night, it’s also ideal to store them in the case. However, if that’s not possible, place them on a clean counter with the lenses facing face up.
FAQs
How often should I clean my blue light glasses?
This depends on how often you wear your glass and how clean you prefer them to be. For someone who wears their glasses daily, a quick daily clean with a spray and microfiber cloth is a good idea. A more intensive clean with water and soap could be done every two or three weeks.
How long does it take to clean blue light glasses?
The cleaning process shouldn’t take long, once you’ve got a hang of the process. So in general it shouldn’t take you more than 30-40 seconds to clean your blue light glasses.
Is it okay to use saliva to clean blue light glasses?
Using saliva on your frames will spread germs from your mouth to a sensitive area-your eye. From a practical view, saliva is likely to leave smudges on your frames. Similarly steaming your glasses frames with your mouth is also not a good idea because of the bacteria. It may seem like a chore initially, but taking 30-40 seconds out is a small price to pay for the benefits you’re getting from clean lenses.
What are blue light glasses?
Blue light glasses are designed to protect you from the side effects of excess blue light from screens and LEDs. These glasses have lenses that filter out the blue light spectrum and protect your eyes from the side effects of blue light, which includes eye strain, retina damage and sleep disturbances.
What to look for when buying blue light glasses?
When buying blue light glasses, make sure they’re from a reputable manufacturer. Check for the spectrum report which is proof of how much light is being filtered at which spectrum. All of BlockBlueLight’s products have spectrum reports attached in the product descriptions. Otherwise, you could be wearing a regular pair of glasses, for all you know!
Secondly, make sure that you are wearing the right type of blue light glasses for you. It’s imperative that you learn about the different colour lenses and when to wear each one, before investing in a pair.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6261565/