Vision is so important for navigating our world.  By the time we are 65 most of us wear glasses to correct our vision, at least for reading.

Vision is important for depth perception and walking safely, watching facial expressions, enjoying clarity and the nuances of people, and scenery around us. Poor vision creates a basic safety risk. For instance, not noticing moldy food, slippery floors, and sharp objects can result in illnesses and injuries.

So my pet peeve is how often my clients have smudged glasses they can barely see through, let alone use to read.

Here is some tips for cleaning your eye glasses to see clearly and avoid scratching the lenses.

  1. Every morning, wash your glasses under running water with one drop of dish soap (that does not contain hand softener). Rub lenses and frame gently with clean fingers and rinse. Use a micro fiber cloth to dry.
  2. Do not use paper towels, tissues, or toilet paper to clean lens to avoid scratches and lint.
  3. The micro fiber lens cloth can be used throughout the day, they absorb oil well. Rinse glasses  first if they are dusty to avoid scratches. Wash the cloth intermittently, by hand, with a small amount of dish liquid. (that does not contain hand softener).  Let the cloth air dry.

As we age our vision keeps us independent. When individuals need help in senior care communities or have private care givers at home, and cannot clean their own glasses so easily, this should be a daily part of the care giver’s job.