Your eyeglass lenses are designed to correct your vision based on being held firmly in a fixed, stable position in front of your eyes. So when it comes to your eyeglass frames, it’s pretty easy to see why frame care and maintenance is so important.

Many of us don’t realize how critical proper eyeglass frame alignment really is. But it’s why our eye care professional checks and double checks the position of our eyeglass frames in relation to face shape and size. The correct part of the lens needs to align properly in front of the eye for ideal vision correction.

Eyeglass frame maintenance isn’t time consuming—but it is a common sense, routine task you can perform to keep your vision in the clear. Here are tried-and-true ways to keep your eyeglass frames in mind. And in place.

Caring for an eyeglass frame.
Both hands, please! Eye care professionals suggest using both hands when putting on and taking off your glasses to avoid twisting or misaligning them. Gently grasp the frame arms of your glasses with equal pressure and carefully slide them on, lifting them over your ears. Use the same grip to remove them, sliding them up and forward.

Pay attention.
When was the last time you actually took a good look at your frames? Periodically check your eyeglass frames to see if they are misaligned, and to test for loose screws in the frame arms. If the eyeglass frame looks twisted, or if your lenses seem to ride uneven on your nose, then it’s time to drop in on your eye care professional for a (typically free) adjustment. In addition, many drug stores sell inexpensive eyeglass tool kits containing a small screwdriver and an assortment of temple screws for emergency repairs.

Adjust early, adjust often.
It’s a good idea to stop by your neighborhood optician to have your eyeglass frames adjusted. Many opticians will re-adjust your frames, whether you purchased your glasses from them or not. Even a slight adjustment can make an important difference in your healthy sight.

Don’t try this at home.
Adjusting your eyeglass frames is not a do-it-yourself job. Your eye care professional is trained to know how your lenses need to be positioned relative to your eye. Also, an eyeglass frame can contain fragile materials and design elements. You might just snap them in your effort to fix them. That means no bending of frame arms!

Don’t forget to wash.
Just as you need to wash your lenses, you need to wash your eyeglass frames. Regularly. With soapy water and a soft cloth.

Not on your head, not on the floor, not by the sink… Storing eyeglass frames on your head can stretch and misalign them. Stepping on your glasses is the quickest way to twist them or break them. And the bathroom sink is a good recipe for soiled lenses as well as frames. Sturdy eyeglass frame cases exist for good reason.