3 Tips for Removing Glass Lenses from your Sunglasses

Replacing your sunglass lenses yourself is easy! ...except when it's not. Unfortunately, glass lenses especially can be a bit of a struggle to remove. That's why we're bringing you 3 different tips on removing those stubborn glass lenses from your favorite shades.

Why are glass lenses hard to remove? 

Glass is a rigid (and breakable) material. Because the material flexes less than other lens types (like Polycarbonate), they can be extra hard to get out of your frames. 

Glass is also scarier to remove! Because glass can shatter, you want to be more careful with chipped or cracked lenses especially. Pro tip! If your lenses are already broken or chipped, use a towel or cloth around the lens when removing to offer your thumbs some extra protection. 

3 Ways to Remove Glass Lenses 

Heat with a Hairdryer

In optical labs, we utilize something we like to call a "frame warmer" to help remove glass lenses. It does exactly what it sounds like - warms up the frame to make the plastic a little more malleable and the lenses easier to remove. 

At home, you have your own type of frame warmer - a hairdryer! For this tip, you want to use your hairdryer on a low setting and aim it on the plastic that surrounds the lens. However, be sure not to let it get too hot or too close to your frame! You don't want to end up with melted plastic.

Use Warm Soapy Water

The easiest and our favorite at-home method is to use warm soapy water to help loosen up your stubborn lenses. All you need to do is grab some dish soap and warm water, combine it in a bucket, and let your frames sit in the mixture for about 30 seconds at at time.

We love this tip because there is little chance of melting your frames (as long as you keep the temperature to a level where you can stick your hand in) and the soap also helps further loosen the lenses. Easy! 

Ask the Professionals! 

Our final tip is to know when to call it.

If you are having abnormal difficulty removing your lenses, we recommend checking with a local optical shop to help with lens removal. Many places will help for free! Or, you can always opt for custom cut lenses and send your shades in for us to handle installation!

Every time you replace your lenses, there is risk of damaging or breaking your frames if you use excess force, especially on older models. So make sure you follow these tips and know your limits. Happy lens removing! 

Need More Help? Reach out to our customer service team!