People around the world love their sunglasses. Despite that, people lose or break them on a regular basis. It has been estimated that, in the United States, every 14 minutes someone loses or sits on a pair of sunglasses. Today people have a lot of options for great sunglasses. Many people opt for photochromic lenses or polarized lenses. Both these lenses and the frames can be very delicate. While polarized and photochromatic replacement lenses are available, there are things people can do to keep their sunglasses in great shape.

1. Use water to clean them. Every day, people all over the world wipe their regular glasses and sunglasses with a cloth without wetting either. Lenses on glasses are magnets for dust fragments that are too tiny to see. When a cloth is rubbed over the lens without any liquid (either water or a cleaning solution) those tiny dust particles are dragged across the surface of the lens. That action causes small scratches on the lens. To avoid this, you can use a cleaning solution or you can use plain water. Rinse your lenses first. You will avoid needing photochromatic replacement lenses if you work to keep your current lenses scratch free.
2. Use the right kind of cloth. Often people use whatever is handy to wipe their lenses. This is another mistake. Napkins, paper towels, and tissues may seem soft enough to use on your lenses but they are not. Most sunglasses come with a soft cloth that was made to clean them with, use that.
3. Keep them safe when you are not using them. When you are not wearing your sunglasses, you should keep them in the case that came with them. There are a few reasons you should do this. Sunglasses in a case do not get dust buildup on them. When they are nestled safely in a case, it is a lot harder to break them or bend them. It is also impossible to scratch the lenses when they are in a case. You stand a better chance of not needing photochromatic replacement lenses when you store them properly.
4. Keep them cool. It is easy to leave sunglasses on the dashboard of a car or somewhere else where they are exposed to a lot of heat. This should be avoided if at all possible. When you have sunglasses that have a frame made out of plastic, the exposure to extreme heat can cause the plastic to warp. That changes the shape of the sunglasses, which can then cause the lenses to crack. It should be noted that the plastic can suffer the same fate if left in areas with extremely cold temperatures.
5. Look at some of your sunglass wearing habits. Do you pull off the sunglasses with one hand? Most people do. Taking a few seconds to use both hands to remove sunglasses can keep them in good shape. When you use both hands to put them on and then take them off, you can start a good habit for caring for the sunglasses. It is all too easy to twist the frames when you pull them off with one hand. When you pull them off and put them on, be gentle. Take some time to look over the frames and check for loose screws. Take a look in the mirror to see how they sit on your face. If you see a small problem, have it fixed before it becomes a larger one.
6. Leave the nose piece alone. Most people try to change the way their sunglasses sit on their face by playing around with the nose pieces. All day long people spend time adjusting their sunglasses. The problem is that this pressure, when applied all of the time, on the frame can kill the finish. This makes them look old and worn out sooner. Talk to the store where they were purchased to adjust them properly.

Sunglasses have come a long way over the last few decades. The good news is that it is possible to avoid needing photochromatic replacement lenses by taking a little time to care for the sunglasses properly. These very simple tips will extend the life of your sunglasses.