Some individuals are more unlucky than others. While a minority can go a lifetime never breaking their sunglasses, others need their favorite glass repair store on speed dial. When you are one of the luckless people and consistently break, bend or destroy your sunglasses, what can you do to reduce the odds of smashing yet another pair? There’s one set of rules for adults and another for children.
Consider your children’s sunglasses
Around 65% of US adults wear sunglasses. This reduces to around 40% for children. Could it be that we don’t trust children to wear and use sunglasses properly without breaking them?
Common sense tells you that children are more likely to have accidents with sunglasses, compared to adults. Although they will be concerned about fashion somewhere between the ages of 10 and 18, it’s not really an important consideration unless you have ticked all of the other necessary boxes.
As children’s eyes are more easily damaged during their early years, it is vital that you choose lenses that block 100% of the sun’s UV rays. Still, it’s better than nothing to agree to children selecting their sunglasses, as this will make them more likely to wear them. Providing they feel that they are included in the selection process, they may also learn the importance and the reasons for a professional’s view of which sunglasses are better for them.
The glasses must fit the child’s face dimensions properly. Otherwise, any sunglasses that are at risk of falling off are more likely to be damaged. Nevertheless, children grow quickly. You will need to have the size of the glasses checked regularly to see that they still fit properly.
Impact resistant sunglasses are a good choice for children, especially for kids that are extremely active or participate in a number of sports. Polycarbonate lenses are durable, strong; they resist both cracking and shattering.
Teaching your children to keep their sunglasses in a protective case will prolong the life of their eyewear considerably, because children are likely to discard their sunglasses anywhere and at a moment’s notice.
Some sunglass manufacturers offer BPA-free rubber aviator style sunglasses. These are more likely to be a safe choice for younger children as they are less likely to damage the frames easily.
Adult sunglasses and how to choose carefully
One rule for children about keeping the glasses in a protective case when they’re not in use applies equally for adults, because sitting on sunglasses is the number one reason that they break and you’ll need to contact your eyeglass repair center. With adults, you do have the option of adding a neck cord to keep your sunglasses safe at hand should you need to move them several times during the day.
You can extend the life of your sunglasses by removing them from your face by using one hand for each earpiece, rather than one hand to remove your eyewear from one side of the frame.
From time to time, you can extend the life of your sunglasses by tightening the screws that hold the frames and lenses in place, reducing the risk of the frame or lenses falling out.
As you are using sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun, it helps to develop a habit of keeping your sunglasses away from your vehicle on very hot or cold days as this can damage the frames.
It is inevitable that your sunglasses will be damaged at some stage in your life, hopefully less often than many people actually experience. Keep the details of your favorite eyeglass repair center close at hand and you will reduce the time required to have them repaired and ready to wear again.
