Oops! Was that the sound of my eyeglasses breaking?
Almost everyone who wears eyeglasses has been there. It doesn’t matter if you dropped your glasses or something dropped on them, a break is always an inconvenient nuisance. And because you need your eyeglasses to see, you’ll need to bring them to a trusted eyeglasses repair center as soon as possible.
The first question you need to ask is “Can my glasses be fixed?” At the same time, you also need to ask “Is it worth it to repair my eyeglasses?” To get honest and responsible answers to these questions, you need a professional to assess the extent of the damage. Sometimes a quick eyeglasses repair is all you need, while other times your optician may proclaim them as a totally lost cause.
What not to do with broken glasses
You may be tempted to go it alone and fix your glasses at home. Maybe you found a great YouTube hack with instructions on how to make broken eyeglasses as good as new. Many sites praise the power of toothpaste and baking soda, or super glue and needles as an efficient way to repair eyeglasses. Our advice is to you is not to fall for these quick and easy solutions. These materials can make the problem worse and/or leave harmful residue on your frames; not to mention that many DIY home repairs will also void your warranty if the glasses are still under coverage.
Leave optical repairs to the pros
You invested in your eyeglasses and you need to make sure they receive the treatment they deserve! Opticians are trained to evaluate broken eyeglasses and figure out how to help you maximize their remaining value. The type of break makes a difference. Here’s a list of common breaks and how (or if) the eyeglasses repair can be handled:
Temple (arm) broke off from the frames
A broken temple can be due to a missing screw, which is obviously a breeze to fix. Or it can be due to a snapped hinge, which often leaves the screw in place on the arm – but not attached to the frames. If your frames are still in production, we can order replacement temple. If your eyeglasses have already been discontinued, we may be able to bond the temple temporarily with something like shrink-wrap plastic, so you can wear the glasses until you order and receive a new pair of frames.
Temple or bridge broke in half
If your glasses are metal (not titanium), we may be able to solder the pieces back together into a full arm. But if the frame is titanium or plastic, this is one of those eyeglasses repairs that cannot happen. Again, if your glasses are still in production, then we can special order a replacement part.
Missing or broken nose pads
It’s simple to replace missing nose pads. Because this is so common, optical repair centers generally keep a whole stock of these on hand. If the metal piece – it usually looks like an upside-down U – that hold your nose pads is broken, it can often be soldered.
Bent frames
No, the world is not on a tilt. It’s just your glasses. When your frames sit crooked on your face or ears, repair them as soon as possible to prevent further damage. Normal wear and tear can warp your glasses, and a professional optician can generally put them straight with an easy fix.
Scratched lenses
Scratches and eyeglass lenses are an unavoidable combination. Light surface scratches can typically be polished out, yet deep scratches are not usually fixable. Fortunately, your crystal-clear vision can be restored easily and affordably by inserting new lenses. If your lenses get scratched, don’t sweat it. This type of eyeglasses repair is much cheaper than purchasing new frames.
