It’s a worst-case scenario. You roll over on your bed, and you feel something crunching underneath you. Oh no, your glasses! They’re cracked and scratched, but are they beyond repair? How do you fix broken glasses?
I recently came across a Reddit post asking for help with slept-on glasses. Let’s get into this issue and see if we can help!
Reddit user KillerFernandes recently made a post titled “Slept on my glass,” but it might as well have been, “Help, I think this is hopeless!”
He included a couple of photos of the Ray-Ban eyeglasses he accidentally slept on, and his glasses look like a mangled mess.
I’ve been in this situation a couple of times when I slept on my glasses. But, oh my, this pair looks like it’s telling KillerFernandes to just give up!
Just look at how the temple arms are pointing out in different directions!
Man Holds Broken Glasses
The hinge looks dangerously bent. A small movement can snap it out of place!
Broken Glasses Arms
Two Redditors advised a quick visit to KillerFernandes’ optician. They also tried to manage expectations by stating a 50/50 chance of survival. Poor eyeglasses!
“Just bring it to the optician, 50/50 chance it holds when bending back into shape.”
“Bring to an optician for best chances of survival.”
Pristine-Hyene-6708 was a bit vague in their reply. Clearly, the advice is to get the glasses fixed, but should OP KillerFernandes try to do it himself?
“Definitely not great but I’ve fixed worse. There’s a chance of breakage, but not a high one. Definitely worth the risk of a free adjustment vs the cost of new frames.”
Follow-up responses echoed the sentiment to just go to the optical shop:
“Go to the clinic you bought them from. Any optician will be able to fix this. I guarantee you the optician at my clinic has seen worse than this, so my guess is that it’s totally fixable :)”
Some comments were more positive about the chances for KillerFernandes’ mangled eyeglasses. One even gave the glasses a 95% chance of survival.
“Should be fine. Take it to an optical shop. They have pliers that hold them so you only bend the hinge. 95% chance they’ll be as good as new…until the next time you bend them in the same place and snap the temple off.”
A Visual Assessment of the Glasses
Even through the digital screen, you can tell that KillerFernandes’ Ray-Ban glasses need serious help.
The temple arms are bent out of place. Fixing this requires professional tools. You can’t simply bend and twist them back in place. They might break from the hinges.
Not visible in the pictures are possible micro scratches from being slept on. Fabrics from your beddings and your clothes can cause this. Likewise, your own movements while knocked out by sleep can cause damage to your lenses.
How to Fix Broken Glasses
Broken Glasses on a Table
When it comes to broken glasses, your ability to fix them depends on the extent of the damage and, well, your level of confidence.
And keep this in mind: DIY fixes can save you some money. However, these may also add to the damage. So, proceed with caution.
Temporary Fixes for Minor Issues
Try these fixes if the damage is minor and you can’t make it to a professional eyewear repair shop right away.
Apply clear tape: This can help with minor lens cracks. Tape can prevent the crack from spreading.
Tighten loose screws: A precision screwdriver can tighten misaligned temple arms back into place. This is for cases where lying on your glasses caused loosened screws.
DIY Frame Repair (Proceed with Caution)
For bent metal frames: One of the pluses with metal frames is that when they bend, it is easier to put them back in place. This doesn’t mean they can’t break. Always proceed with extra care. To make sure they’re pliable enough, warm them up using a hair dryer before manually adjusting. Make small adjustments at a time.
For bent plastic frames: Carefully warm up the frame with warm water or steam to make it more pliable. Once warm, gently bend it back into shape.
Note: Plastic can snap easily during this process. If you don’t want to risk it, stop and just go to a professional.
Professional Repair
Consider your warranty: When you DIY your eyeglass repair, you might unknowingly void product warranties. In this case, it may be best to bring your glasses to a professional.
See an optician: This is the safest and most effective solution to broken glasses. They have the experience and tools for repairing glasses.
You can put together your own or buy a ready-to-use one from an optical shop, Amazon, or even your neighborhood hardware store.
A kit comes with a screwdriver set that you can use to detach the temple arms from the hinges. However, this can be risky. Doing your own fixing risks adding to the damage. The temple arms are attached via small screws to the hinges, which are located close to the lenses. If you’re not used to handling precision tools and small screws, you may accidentally scratch the lenses.
Likewise, in the case of KillerFernandes’ glasses, detaching the temple arms is only the first step. You likely need to manually bend the arms back into shape. This risks snapping the arm in two.
So, proceed with caution. Assess if you’re willing to risk fixing your glasses on your own.
The Final Verdict
Having explored how you can try to manually repair broken glasses and how you can use a glasses fixing kit to detach mangled temple arms, it is safe to say that Reddit user KillerFernandes’ best solution is to go to his optician.
While having a glasses fixing kit can be handy for minor eyeglasses issues, attempting to correct a slept-on mess like KillerFernandes’ glasses is a risk for non-professionals. It is better to just have someone from your optical clinic try to fix it for a small fee.
TL;DR
Reddit user KillerFernandes accidentally slept on his glasses and asked the internet for help.
A visual inspection of the glasses reveals that they have temple arms bent out of place. The glasses may have micro scratches, too, from the incident.
There are a few ways to fix broken glasses. Those with metal frames are easier to fix, using small adjustments at a time. With plastic frames, proceed with caution, and just see an optician if you don’t want to risk it.
You can try fixing glasses using a kit, but this may be too risky in the case of KillerFernandes’ glasses.
My life rotates through five lenses: distance and reading glasses, sunglasses, contacts, and my diving mask's lenses. If I'm not writing, I'm in the kitchen, gym, or under the sea.
