Optical ''How To'' Page


  Tricks of the trade

1. Next time you're having problems with a spring hinge try inserting a staple into the gap between the temple barrel and the spring housing. You may have to create this gap by grasping the temple barrel and pulling it outward with needle nose pliers or even a pair of snipes like we use to cut off excess screw lengths.

2. Sometimes matching a picky patients lens tint means you have to tint the patient's old lens to match the new one.

3. When sliding on a tight silicon temple cover a few drops of hand lotion makes it go on easier,  you may have to use a shop towel to grip it due to the outside the temple also becoming slick due to the lotion.

4.  When doing a solder job on a stainless steel frame the repair may hold better by first melting a bit of your solder on each of the broken ends then heat the two ends with low heat until the two ends melt together, then have a co-worker spray the weld with a water filled lens sprayer to freeze weld in place while you hold it steady.

5. When trimming length off a temple it is best to use the temple tip, cut off one side to measure where to cut the opposite temple. If when you cut off the first temple it shoots across the room you can resort to measuring from the hinge or other reference point on the temple to where you cut off the first temple.

6. When adjusting a rimless frame never put ANY pressure on the lenses. Use two pairs of pliers that will not mar the frame metal and use them in concert to bend the metal to achieve the desired frame adjustments. When in doubt adjust without making contact with the lenses it may be best to disassemble the frame, adjust it and reassemble it. It takes more time but it's cheaper than making new lenses.

7. To make your neutralizer and UV last longer do not use plastic lens holders that are used for tinting in either. The tints soaks into the lens holders and leach out into your UV and neutralizer and shortens the life of both. New Lens Tinting Tips

8. NEVER use acetone on a polycarbonate lens.

9. NEVER use ammonia on anti-reflective coated lenses.

10. How to estimate lens thickness CLICK HERE

11. To test a lens for scratch resistance on a lens. Dip the lens into a cup of water and if the waters runs off it there is a scratch coat on it.

12. When adjusting crooked glasses, always raise the temple of the higher side, or lower the lower side. This ensures you actually improved the tilt and takes the guess work out of which way to adjust.
 
13.  When removing tint in a polycarb lens, use very hot water and a few drops of liquid
 dish washing detergent instead of neutralizers that may remove the coating.  Takes  a little longer but works like a charm.
 
14. If the axis is off slightly when final inspecting a job always turn the lens in the direction you want to lensometer's axis wheel to turn to get the correct axis.  ie, if the job is suppose to read 10 but the lensometer reads 15 then turn the lens clockwise (which is also the direction the wheel needs to go) to be on axis.

15. (Thanks to Scrp1art)
When inserting lenses into a semi rimless frame, use fishing line to slide the line into the bevel.  This keeps little threads from ribbon frame manufactures supply from getting caught in the bevel.

16.  (Thanks to Guy and Marilee)
Sometimes the fish line on a re-string is too short to handle with your fingers. Use needle nose pliers to hold onto the line and thread it using the pliers.
If the line keeps pulling thru the hole even after you get it re-strung., try burning a small "ball" onto the end of the fish line so it can't pull back thru the hole. Be careful to watch the direction of the flame as not to burn the nose pad, figure 8 liner in the top of the frame, or the line you are working with.
17. (Thanks to Guy and Marilee)
When cutting a temple shorter using the wire cutters, cut the temple at a 45 degree angle. This helps when replacing the temple cover back on as to not grab the inside of the cover when sliding it on.
Also heating up the temple about 2-3 inches of the end will help the cover go on easier.

18.  (Thanks to Gizimoe1950)
When de-blocking polycarbonate AR lenses reduce the risk of stress marks by running the lens under cool water before removing leap blocks.


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