How to Protect Your Eyes and Prevent Germs on Your Glasses

With concerns about COVID-19, people have become more aware of some of the different ways the virus can be transmitted. In recent months, it is believed that the virus could get in through the eyes when you touch something that has the virus on it and then rub your eyes.

Your glasses do help protect your eyes from germs, bacteria, and viruses to a certain degree. However, you need to keep your glasses germ-free to avoid accidental cross-contamination from your glasses and into your eyes.

What Causes Germs to Get on Your Glasses?

Have you ever held your lenses up to the light and seen smudges, streaks, and spots? Many of these came from the germs and whatever else was in the air around you.

If you are like most people, you wear your glasses whenever you are outdoors, at the grocery store, or sitting down at your favorite restaurant. Whatever is in the air gets on the outside of your glasses on the lenses.

Another way that germs get on your glasses is from your hands. You touch all sorts of different surfaces, objects, and other items and transfer those germs to your glasses when you adjust them, take them off, or put them back on.

Germs can also get on your glasses when you take them off and lay them down on tables, cabinets, or other surfaces. Any germs on the surfaces are transferred onto your glasses.

Why You Should Never Share Your Glasses

There are several reasons why it is never a good idea to share your glasses with others. For starters, your prescription was created just for you. Even though someone else may have similar vision problems, their prescription is often different from yours.

Not to mention, whatever germs are on your glasses can get transferred to someone else. They can also transfer germs onto your glasses when handing them back. The last thing you want to do is get an infection or cause someone else to get an infection because of the germs on your glasses.

What Is the Best Way to Control Germs on Your Glasses?

You will want to get into the habit of washing your hands before cleaning your glasses. You need to use soap and wash your hands for at least 20 seconds to effectively remove germs from your hands. Make sure your hands are completely dry before handling your glasses.

Next, clean your glasses using an approved method. Your eye doctor may provide you with glass cleaner. You can also use soap and water. However, make sure to fully remove the soap from the lenses to avoid a cloudy film when they are dry.

Always use a soft cloth to clean and dry your glasses. You should have one for cleaning and a second one for drying. Make sure to wash these frequently to remove germs from the cloths.

When you are not wearing your glasses, make sure to clean them first, and then put them into a storage case that completely closes shut around the glasses. This will help keep germs from getting on them, as well as help keep them clean.

Keeping your glasses clean is important to prevent transferring germs into your eyes and potentially getting an infection or illness, most definitely during the COVID-19 crisis. Even if you do not wear prescription glasses, you should use the same methods to keep sunglasses, PPE goggles, and other such eyewear germ-free.

If you are tired of wearing glasses, please feel free to contact Dougherty Laser Vision at (805) 870-9482 to schedule a virtual telehealth or in-office consultation to learn about laser corrective eye surgery options today! We also offer general ophthalmology, cataract, and glaucoma services.