Top 5 tips to extend the life of your sunglasses

Top 5 tips to extend the life of your sunglasses

1. Most sports sunglasses use polycarbonate as the lens material. The highest-grade polycarbonate will create a Class 1 lens with exceptional visual acuity. This material has 20 times the impact resistance of glass and is 3 times lighter. The downside of polycarbonate is that it can easily scratch so it’s important to protect lenses when not in use. The easiest way to do this is keep the sunglass in a soft carry pouch (as supplied with almost every sunglass we sell). It’s not a bad idea to have a few spare carry pouches around the house – they’re very inexpensive to buy – see our accessories section.

2. When cleaning lenses steer clear of household glass cleaners as these typically have ammonia or alcohol in them. These are in effect harsh chemicals and can damage any coating on your sunglass lenses especially those with a mirror finish. Use lens cleaners specifically designed for the purpose (again, see our accessories section) or use soapy water (use bar soap not washing-up liquid). Gently wash the lenses with soapy water and wipe dry with a lint-free cloth or microfibre cloth. Don’t use kitchen or other paper towel as these can be abrasive and will make tiny scratches.

3. When on holiday have a pair of ‘beach’ sunglasses with you – anything costing under £20 (we have plenty of those too!). Avoid wearing your expensive sunglasses anywhere near a beach. Tiny crystals of salt or sand can easy scratch your lenses.

4. Don’t leave sunglasses exposed inside your car on a warm day, for example on the dashboard. Behind the windscreen / window glass the heat built up can become intense and damage both the frame and lenses, especially polarised sunglasses – intense heat can cause the polarised film to ‘bubble up’ and this is not repairable.

5. Try to avoid keeping your sunglasses on the top of your head when you’re not actually wearing them. Though it might be convenient or look stylish, you risk stretching-out the temples (arms). Also, natural oils from your hair and scalp can smudge or otherwise affect the lenses.

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