Do you feel like you are constantly cleaning your glasses? For many eyeglass wearers, feeling like your glasses are always smudged can really ruin the experience. One minute, your glasses are clean and you can see clearly, the next, it feels like you just blink and then there are smudges on the lenses. It’s very frustrating, especially considering how glasses aren’t cheap, and how you rely on them in order to be able to see. 

There are a few reasons why your glasses are always smudged, even when you swear you’re not touching them. Here’s what you need to know about why your glasses are always smudged and what you can do about those pesky smudges. 

#1. They Don’t Fit Correctly

If your glasses don’t fit correctly, you’ll likely feel like your glasses are always smudged because you are constantly having to adjust the frame. The more that you touch your glasses, the more likely they are to smudge and get dirty. Additionally, if your glasses fit too close to your face and you’ve been blessed with long eyelashes, that every time you blink, your eyelashes may brush against the lenses, which can be why your glasses are always smudged. 

If your glasses do not fit correctly, it’s important to contact your eye doctor in order to fix them so that they do. 

#2. Skin Is Greasy

An unfortunate reality for glasses wearers in why your glasses are always smudged is that they need to go on your face, in front of your eyes, in order to do their job. No brainer, right? However, our faces are one of the most oily spots on our entire body. Thus, wherever your glasses touch your skin, such as your nose, your ears, those areas are going to get greasy. This is increased if you have naturally oily skin, if you use moisturizer, or if you wear makeup. 

That’s part of the reason why it seems like your glasses are always smudged even when you didn’t touch them. By being on your face, they get dirty. The same as anything else, glasses get dirty over time, and your glasses are exposed to a lot, just by being on your skin. If your glasses are always smudged, it’s because there are constantly things like greasy on your can that’s causing those smudges.

#3. You Keep Touching Them

This can go hand-in-hand with the previous two reasons for why your glasses are always smudged. Most of us don’t even realize how much we touch our faces or fidget with our glasses until we’re told not to. Remember when the pandemic started and doctors said not to touch your face? Or when you read something about how touching your face can cause breakouts? 

You were likely suddenly very, very aware of just how much you were unconsciously touching your face. When you wear glasses and are constantly adjusting them by pushing them up your nose or adjusting the frame, this can greatly contribute to why your glasses are always smudged.

How Do You Keep Your Glasses From Getting So Dirty?

Unfortunately, given how much dirt your glasses are exposed to, people who wear glasses complain that their glasses are always smudged because there’s a lot out there that’s causing those smudges. This isn’t what you wanted to hear, we know, however, luckily, you can keep your glasses from getting quite so dirty by cleaning them properly. 

The only way to truly stop glasses from getting always smudged is to just not wear them, which isn’t an acceptable reality for many people, especially not if you don’t like contact lenses. Everything has its pros and cons, and glasses have many, many pros, but the fact that they get smudged so easily can definitely be frustrating. 

You can keep your glasses from getting so dirty and quickly clear away those smudges by ensuring that you are taking good care of your glasses and cleaning them properly. If you’ve ever been tempted to wipe off your glasses on your shirt or to use Windex on them, because hey, it cleans glass, it should work for glasses, then these are things that can both damage your lenses and worsen the problem. 

Your eye doctor will likely give you a microfiber cloth when you get your glasses. You want to clean your glasses with a lens cleaning solution and said microfiber cloth and ensure that you store them in their closed case when you aren’t wearing them. To learn more about cleaning your glasses, please check out our blog on the subject here.

Wolcott Optical provides professional glasses services. If you’re struggling and feel like your glasses are always smudged, we can help you clean them and advise you on adjustments you can make in order to keep them cleaner, longer. Contact us today to learn more.

A stye is a painful red bump that appears on the edge of your eyelid that is caused by an eyelash becoming infected or clogged with makeup, dirt, or some other type of debris. Styes are usually caused when an oil gland in your eyelid becomes inflamed due to getting blocked up. Eye care for styes and other similar eye issues is not overly complicated, but it is useful to understand what it is that you can do in order to prevent them. 

Styes are very common, but can be painful, annoying, and unattractive. Usually they will go away on their own, but they also may return without the proper eye care treatments. In some cases, an individual may require help from medical professionals to get a stye removed and to prevent future styes.

Use Proper Eye Care Cleaning Habits

The first and most obvious way to take care of your eyes and any potential styes that may appear is to practice proper eye care cleaning habits. Because styes, chalazions, and other eye issues are often caused by improper eye care, keeping your eyelids clean is vital. Make sure to use a sensitive soap, such as baby shampoo, and a warm washcloth to gently clean your eyelids every evening. 

Completely Remove Makeup

If you wear makeup, you could potentially be at risk of getting a stye. Makeup that is left on your eyes is a common reason why a stye forms. Ensure that you remove all makeup and dirt that has collected throughout the day. If a stye appears, then make sure to keep your lids properly clean as you would without a stye. It is also important to replace makeup every six months or so because old makeup can also plug the follicles of your eyelashes and eyelids.

Refrain From Touching Your Eyes

If you are prone to getting styes or chalazions, then it is extremely important to try not to touch your eyes. Touching your eyes can spread the infection from one eye to the other and can irritate the eyelid, causing other styes to form or for the styes to grow larger. This is especially true if your hands are dirty. Make sure that when you care for your eyelids, you use clean hands. It is also important to note that if you wear contact lenses that you should try to wear glasses while the stye is healing or clean the lenses after each use, as lenses can transfer the infection.

For more information about contact lenses and glasses or to find the perfect lenses for you, reach out to us at Wolcott Optical.

Use At-Home Treatments

As previously mentioned, styes typically will go away on their own over time. However, there is a way to help a stye get better quicker. Using a warm washcloth, press against the stye gently for about 10 minutes. Do this three to four times a day. The warmth and moisture from the washcloth will help unclog the eyelash follicles. This method can be used at home, and can be repeated as many times as necessary.

See A Doctor

In some circumstances, styes may be caused by underlying skin conditions. In these cases, it is vital to see a doctor. An eye doctor can give you more information about potential causes of your styes, give you more eye care tips, and prescribe medications that could be useful for your condition. If your stye becomes large, is affecting your vision, or is sticking around for more than a week, it may be time to see your doctor. Lastly, a doctor can safely and hygienically drain a stye that is extra stubborn.