DIY: Clip Sunglasses

If you already wear glasses, clip-on sunglasses are extremely useful.

Clip-on sunglasses are extremely useful for those who already wear glasses. If you do not have contacts and you wear glasses in the sun, your other choices are limited to squinting or paying for prescription sunglasses, which are typically as expensive as regular eyeglasses. If you cannot find clip-ons in a style you like, or you do not want to pay for them, here is a way to make your own.

Things You'll Need

• Cheap wire-framed sunglasses with UV protection
• Thin stiff wire or two paper clips
• Eyeglass screwdriver or other small screwdriver
• Wire cutters
• Pliers
• Clear nail polish

Instructions

1. Unscrew the arms of the sunglasses with the screwdriver. Discard the arms and the screws.

2. Cut a 3-inch long piece of wire, or gently unfurl a paper clip and straighten it with the pliers.

3. Thread the wire through one of the holes where the screw used to be. Leave an equal amount of wire on both sides of the hole. Wrap one end of the wire twice around the area of the hole, securing the wire to the frame. Trim excess with wire cutters.

4. Bend the other end of the wire upward and inward into a hook shape. This is the part that will hook over the arm of your glasses. Trim if necessary. At the end of the hook, bend the wire sharply in on itself, so that there is no sharp point, only a small loop of wire.

5. Repeat on the other side. Try them on your glasses, and adjust accordingly.

6. Paint the exposed wire ends with at least two coats of clear nail polish to protect your glasses and face.

Tips & Warnings

• Choose a pair of sunglasses that are similar in size and shape to your glasses. They can be slightly smaller, but if they are much bigger than your glasses, they may not fit correctly.

• For more stability, superglue wire sections onto the top of the frames, and bend them down when they are dry. This will create two additional hooks to secure the shades to your glasses.