The first rule of adjusting or repairing your glasses or sunglasses on your own - Don't do it. It's always best to find an independent licensed Optician with the experience and tools to repair eyeglasses, especially high-quality eyewear. But, because there are times that we need our glasses fixed quickly, we offer these handy tips to repair and adjust your glasses.
Plastic comes in all grades of quality and durability. High quality plastic frames such as SALT., The Optical. Co, and Garrett Leight are typically made of a premium grade acetate that tends to hold it's fit. Better quality acetate is less likely to stretch and bend out of shape.
Lesser grade plastics or injected mold plastic glasses have a tendency to be less form fitting. You may find that they bow out after a short time of wear or feel a bit like elastic.
When your plastic glasses do get bent out of shape follow these simple tips to get the adjusted just right.
When adjusting plastic frames, heat is the key. Never adjust a plastic acetate frame cold or you run the risk of breaking it. Using a blow dryer on a low setting, you can heat the area of the frame you are hoping to mold. Blow dry the area for 10-20 seconds and then gently bend the frame as you like.
Be careful not to overheat or use too high of a temperature on your plastic glasses, especially near the lenses. Some eyeglass lenses are made with a very poor quality of coating on the surface of the lens. The heat may cause this coating to craze and become cracked in appearance. This is typical of bargain glasses purchased online or some big box discount stores and savings clubs.
Adjusting plastic eyeglass frames is a slow and delicate process. You should never try to bend or move the plastic too much. Instead, make small slow adjustments in the direction you want the frame to move.
Use extra caution when adjusting the frame around the lenses as too much movement may cause the lens to pop out.
While metal eyeglass frames are a bit less challenging to adjust and repair, they still require a specific skill set to manage.
The first step is to know your metals. Metal eyeglass frames come in a range of quality materials. High grade Japanese titanium frames are going to behave differently than glasses made of steel or nickel plated.
Using the proper pliers and tools simply bend the metal frames back to place by using very subtle movements. Never use metal pliers and tools as this will scratch the frames. You should use nylon covered pliers in order not to scratch your frames.
Use extra caution when handling bargain glasses. Just as quality is an issue with these frames in plastic, bargain glasses made of metal are known to snap very easily.
The best route is to leave it to the professional experts to repair your glasses. From simple frame adjustments to advance eyewear repairs, the Optician has the experience and expertise to bring your glasses back to life.
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