How to Fix Eyeglasses

Breaking your eyeglasses is frustrating, and you might not always be able to replace them right away. Whether you scratched the lens, lost a screw, or broke the bridge, repairing your eyeglasses yourself to hold you over is easy! In this article, we’ll cover how to perform common fixes for bent or broken frames , loose hinges and nose pads, scratched lenses , and more. Keep scrolling to learn more!

Fixing Broken Spectacle Frames: Overview

For a temporary DIY fix, use glue or epoxy to hold your broken frames together and wrap the bridge with tape to secure them. For a stronger (but temporary) solution, drill 2 small holes into the faces of the broken bridge pieces. Coat a pin with epoxy on both ends and place it in the holes to hold the frames together.

Section 1 of 7:

Repairing Broken Frames

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Using a pin Grab the broken pieces of your glasses and use a hobby knife to make one small pilot hole on each broken face of the bridge. Then, fully drill into the holes and insert a pin coated in plastic-safe epoxy -covered pins into one of them. Connect the two pieces by inserting the other end of the pin into the other hole. Then, let the epoxy dry for 24-72 hours. ^{[1]
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- Be gentle when digging the pilot holes to avoid cutting yourself and/or damaging the glasses.
- Depending on the epoxy you use, it can take 24-72 hours to cure and dry, but this may vary. Consult the instructions on your bottle of epoxy to see how long it will take to dry.
- Once the epoxy dries, check the stability of your glasses to see whether or not the broken parts are moving or not. Lightly bend them at the outer frame to see if they hold.
- If the pins don’t hold, remove the pins, reapply the epoxy, and try again.
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Sewing Clean your glasses with a microfiber cloth, then sand the break down smooth. Hold the two pieces together by inserting a stick in between the temples (side pieces) and wrapping a rubber band over one end. Glue the break at the bridge with plastic-safe epoxy, then slowly drill two small holes in the bridge. Use a fine needle and 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 1.8 meters) of thread to sew the two sides together for added strength. Stop when there's no more room.
- Sew the needle and thread through the two holes as many times as you can, taking care not to pull too hard and put stress on the newly repaired joint.
- As you fill in the break, be sure that there are no gaps or voids. Use the side of a cotton swab to gently clean up any excess glue.
- Fill the drilled holes with epoxy, soaking the thread and blotting up any excess with a cotton swab. Trim the edges of the thread and allow the epoxy to dry for 24-72 hours.
- Pick a thread color that matches the color of your eyeglass frames for a more inconspicuous repair.
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Gluing Clean your glasses using a microfiber cloth to ensure that dirt and grime don’t get trapped when you glue the break. Then, glue the frames by squeezing a bit of plastic-safe epoxy onto the break, then spread it with a toothpick, spoon, popsicle stick, or another small object. ^{[2]
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Research source} Let the epoxy dry for 24-72 hours, then wrap tape around the break for added security.

Section 2 of 7:

Fixing Bent Frames & Bridges

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Wrap your glasses in a small, microfiber cloth. Use a microfiber cloth to avoid damaging your glasses with the abrasive material of washcloths or other materials. Wrap the microfiber cloth all the way around so you fully cover your glasses.
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Use pliers or steam to reshape the frame, depending on the material. If you have metal frames , use plastic-tipped pliers to slowly bend the warped frame back into place. If you have plastic frames , hold your glasses over a boiling pot of steam to heat them. (Be careful not to get too close to the heat, or you may burn yourself.) Then, gently bend the frame back into its proper shape.
- Do not put your glasses over an open heat source, like a flame. That’s a quick way to damage them!
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Consult a professional for a repair if the frame is too tough to bend. Sometimes, at-home remedies pose a bigger threat to your eyesight than getting a professional repair, as personal tampering can void your warranty, depending on your plan. If the bend looks too difficult to repair, reach out to a professional optical shop or eyecare center and book a repair appointment.

Section 3 of 7:

Replacing a Lost Screw

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Using an eyeglass repair kit Eyeglass repair kits are readily available at drugstores and contain everything you need to make a repair, including screws, a tiny screwdriver, and sometimes a magnifying glass. Newer kits contain longer screws that are easier to handle. Insert the screws into the hinges, screw them in, and then "snap off" the bottom to fit the size of the hinge. ^{[3]
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- If you're finding it difficult to line up the hinges on your temple piece and front piece, it could be because a hinge mechanism inside the temple piece hinge is holding it back.
  - To correct this, use the hook end of a paper clip, insert it through the temple hinge hole, and gently pull it out.
  - To keep the hinge hole in place, insert a second paperclip upright and into the "gap" created when you pulled out the hinge hole. Line up the front piece and temple piece holes, and insert and tighten the screw.
  - When you're finished, remove the paperclip from the gap, and the hinge hole will slide back into place, creating a firm fit for your glasses. ^{[4]
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Using a toothpick When a screw falls out of the hinge that holds the front and temple pieces of your glasses together, use a toothpick to temporarily take its place. Line up the temple hinge holes with the front holes and push a wooden toothpick through them as far as it will go. Break or clip off the excess. ^{[5]
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- Keep in mind that this is a rough and temporary repair to hold you over until you can find a replacement screw.
Strip the paper off a twist tie (like the ones that come on a bag of bread). Line up the hinge holes and thread the twist-tie wire through them. Twist the wire in place until the temple feels secure. Cut off the edges of the wire so you don't get scratched. Alternatively, use a small safety pin. Insert the pin through the holes to hold the side in place.

Section 4 of 7:

Removing or Filling Scratches on Lenses

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Use baking soda and water to remove light scratches. First, wipe off both your lenses with a microfiber cloth. Next, mix 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of water with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of baking soda until it forms a paste-like consistency. Then, apply the paste to your lenses and gently scrub your lenses with the substance. After, rinse your glasses with water to wash off the baking soda mixture. This will likely be all you need to remove the scratches ! ^{[6]
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- Baking soda is mildly abrasive, so only use this method sparingly. When you do use the baking soda method, gently rub to avoid further damage to your lenses.

Section 5 of 7:

Tightening Loose Hinges

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Locate the loose hinge(s) on the side of your glasses. The hinges are small screws located towards the front of the side pieces of your glasses. Figure out which screw needs to be tightened by bending the sides of your glasses from the open to the closed position. Whichever side is flimsier and doesn’t hold in the closed position is the one that needs to be tightened.
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Use a small screwdriver from an eyeglass repair kit to tighten them. Turn the screwdriver clockwise to tighten the screws. Be gentle when you turn and avoid overtightening, as it can strip the threads and make the loose hinge worse. Small screwdrivers can be found in an eyeglass repair kit , which also includes replacement screws if needed.
- Alternatively, if you don’t have a small enough screwdriver on hand, you can coat the hinge in a thin layer of clear nail polish to “seal” the hinge and prevent further loosening.

Section 6 of 7:

Tightening & Replacing Nose Pads

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Tighten a loose nose pad screw with a small screwdriver from a repair kit. This screw is typically located on the bottom of the piece holding the nose pads (although some glasses are simply pull-and-replace, with no screws involved). Once you’ve located it, grab a tiny screwdriver and turn it counterclockwise to tighten. Avoid overtightening, though, as you don’t want to strip the threads.
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Or, remove and replace damaged nose pads. If your nose pad is held by a screw, use an eyeglass screwdriver to turn it counterclockwise and remove it. Then, gently grip the arm of the nose pad and pull it away from the frame until it’s removed. Repeat the process on the other nose pad. ^{[7]
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Research source} Then, grab a new nose pad (available in eyeglass repair kits) and gently squeeze it into the hole that housed the original nose pad. Use your opposite hand to support the frame of your glasses as you squeeze the new pad into place. This will help prevent damage to the frames. ^{[8]
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- Once you’ve got the new nose pad in place, re-insert the screw holding it together and tighten. Avoid over-tightening the screw so you don’t strip the thread.

Section 7 of 7:

Preventing Damage to Your Glasses

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Keep them in a padded case and keep cleaning materials with you. To take care of your glasses and ensure that they last longer, comprehensive ophthalmologist David Felsted, DO, says to keep them in a padded case. Keep a microfiber cloth and lens spray on your person as well to clean your glasses on the go and prevent dirt from building up. ^{[9]
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Expert Source

David Felsted, DO
Comprehensive Ophthalmologist

Expert Interview}
- Avoid putting your glasses in your pocket or throwing them directly into your purse.
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Use a microfiber cloth to clean your glasses. According to Dr. Felsted, it’s best to use a microfiber cloth to clean your glasses rather than a T-shirt or other cloth, as the T-shirt can be too abrasive and damage the coating that helps prevent glare and fight scratches. Using jeans can also potentially damage your glasses and cause scratching, so play it safe and go with a microfiber cloth. ^{[10]
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Expert Source

David Felsted, DO
Comprehensive Ophthalmologist

Expert Interview}
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Stay away from harsh products, like face tissues or paper towels. Some products can harm your lenses and should be avoided. Avoid using facial tissues or paper towels to clean your lenses, and stay away from anti-bacterial soaps when you wash them. Be careful when using hairspray, perfume, or nail polish remover, too. If any of these get on your glasses, they can remove the coatings on the lenses.

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Tips

In a pinch, wrap tape around the bridge to hold broken pieces of your frames in place. Choose a color of tape that matches the color of your frames most closely, or make a fashion statement and wrap them in a piece of decorative duct tape.

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Warnings

Avoid using acetone or alcohol on your lenses, as it can damage them.

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Keep glue away from your lenses and your fingers.

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Expert Source

David Felsted, DO
Comprehensive Ophthalmologist

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How to Fix Eyeglasses

Fixing Broken Spectacle Frames: Overview

Steps

Repairing Broken Frames

Fixing Bent Frames & Bridges

Replacing a Lost Screw

Removing or Filling Scratches on Lenses

Tightening Loose Hinges

Tightening & Replacing Nose Pads

Preventing Damage to Your Glasses

Expert Q&A

Video

Tips

Warnings

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References

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