Is your rising temperature linked to this overlooked habit?

Author: Zhang Like, Professor at Capital Medical University. Reviewer: Not specified. Curator: Not specified. Production/Organizational Information: Not specified.

Wearing glasses can often lead to misalignment over time, which is a common issue among glasses wearers. How can a perfectly fine pair of glasses suddenly become crooked? The likely culprit is the simple act of removing and putting them on with one hand.

Many individuals are accustomed to handling their glasses with one hand for convenience. However, this seemingly minor action can negatively affect vision and potentially accelerate the progression of myopia.

Why does the act of taking off glasses with one hand impact vision? Glasses are optical tools designed for vision correction, with each component's position carefully calculated. For a qualified pair of glasses, the optical center of the lenses must align precisely with the center of the pupils, ensuring light focuses correctly on the retina.

The frame of the glasses is attached to the temples by a small hinge. When glasses are taken off and put on with one hand, it can apply uneven pressure on the temples. Over time, this may loosen the screws of the hinge connecting the frame to the temples, leading to overall distortion, uneven temple height, or misalignment of the lenses.

Distorted eyeglasses can pose dangers to vision. This distortion may create misalignment between the optical center of the lens and the pupil's center, hindering external light from reaching the pupil correctly. This affects the accurate focusing of light, resulting in a 'prism effect.' To see objects clearly through an off-center lens, our eyes may need to make additional, unnatural adjustments, which can lead to visual fatigue, dizziness, and eye strain.

The impact on adolescents during their critical period of visual development is even more pronounced. Prolonged use of distorted glasses can disrupt normal visual development and indirectly accelerate myopia progression.

Furthermore, patients with astigmatism require precise lens axis positioning. Frame deformation can lead to inaccurate astigmatism correction, worsening visual quality. Individuals with high myopia already face visual challenges, and even slight deviations in their glasses can amplify discomfort, increasing the likelihood of visual fatigue and potentially hastening further vision deterioration.

Your glasses may have been 'battle-damaged' for some time. However, the causes of distortion are not solely due to one-handed removal. External forces from improper storage, such as dropping or squeezing, along with poor manufacturing quality, prolonged periods without cleaning, frequent temple arm adjustments, grease and dust accumulation, and wear on hinges and nose pads, can all contribute to frame distortion.

Additionally, resin lenses are inevitably exposed to dust, oil, and sweat. If not cleaned appropriately, they may develop fine scratches that reduce light transmittance, causing blurry vision. To see clearly, the eyes must exert more effort, leading to visual fatigue and an increased prescription strength.

How to determine if your glasses are crooked? It is relatively easy to check. Place the glasses flat on a table and observe whether both sides of the temple arms touch the surface evenly or if one side is elevated. Then, flip the glasses and check if the temple arms lie flat. After closing the temple arms, assess whether they align generally in a straight line.

If notable misalignment is present, do not attempt to force a correction yourself. Different frame materials respond to stress in various ways, and self-adjustment can easily cause breakage of temples or damage to hinges. It is advisable to visit a professional optical service for adjustment by a qualified optician.

Proper Eyeglass Care Methods include: Correctly putting on and taking off glasses: It is recommended to hold both temples with two hands and remove them in parallel to avoid pulling on one side.

Proper Storage: After removal, place your glasses with lenses facing up to prevent scratches. When not in use, store them in their case promptly to reduce the risk of falls and pressure.

Regular checks: Periodically inspect the frames for deformation by laying the glasses flat and checking if the arms are level or the frame warped. Additionally, visit a professional store for maintenance and adjustments every 3 to 6 months.