How to Care For Eyeglass Lenses with Anti-Reflective Coating

Eyeglasses that feature lenses with an anti-reflective coating are designed to reduce the glare from surrounding lights. The coating helps improve your vision while wearing the glasses and allows your eyes to be more visible. While there are benefits to these types of glasses, lenses with the anti-reflective coating require a little more care when you're handling them. If you are too rough with your glasses, you may wind up damaging the lenses and impairing your vision along with them. Follow a few simple care rules and your specs will stay in tip-top condition.

While your glasses’ anti-reflective coating can help prevent glare, it also makes scratches and nicks more obvious on the lenses. Protect them well when you’re not wearing them. Don’t throw them in your pocket, handbag or briefcase without a hard-shell case to prevent damage. If you’re taking your glasses off for just a brief second or two, always set them down with the lenses facing up to avoid accidental scratches.

When smudges or streaks appear on your glasses, grab some type of cloth to wipe them away – but don’t use any old napkin or tissue that might be lying around. Rough materials can scratch the anti-reflective coating. Choose a microfiber cloth designed specifically for glasses to ensure that you don’t ruin the coating.

No matter what type of cloth you use to clean your glasses, do not wipe them when they're dry. Without lubrication, dirt or debris on the surface of the lenses or in the cloth can scratch your glasses. Wet your lenses with warm water before wiping them with a microfiber cloth. For stubborn smudges or dirt, use a cleanser specifically for eyeglasses or a mild liquid soap. Avoid harsh products, such as window cleaner, bleach, alcohol, ammonia or even vinegar, which can damage the anti-reflective coating. Rinse the lenses with warm water before drying with a clean microfiber cloth. Pre-moistened lens-cleaning cloths work well when you’re on the go.

Even if you keep the anti-reflective coating on your lenses clean and scratch-free, you can ruin your glasses if you don’t handle them carefully. When you’re removing and putting on your glasses, always use two hands. Don’t push them back on your head instead of removing them or you may misalign the frames. This will affect your eyesight as well as your appearance.