How to Take Lenses Out of Glasses

Co-authored by David Felsted, DO and Hunter Rising

If you want to give your glasses a thorough cleaning or you need to replace a lens, then you may need to remove the lenses yourself without damaging them. Lenses that are held in place by a screw require a screwdriver in order to remove them. If you have plastic frames, then heating them will help loosen the plastic so you can pop out the lenses. Once you remove the old lenses, you can replace them and reuse your frames!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Unscrewing Lenses from Metal Frames

1
Locate the screws holding the lenses. The location of the screw depends on the style of your frame. First check on the inside of your frames to see if there are 2 screws on the nose bridge. If there aren’t any screws there, look on the sides of your frames underneath the arm hinges for the screw. If you still can’t find screws there, check along the bottom rim around your lenses to see if the screws are hidden there.^{[1]
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- Check online for your frame models to see if there are any diagrams or instructions that tell you how to remove the lenses.
- If you don’t find any screws on your frames, then you need to pop the lenses out of place.
2
Turn the screw counterclockwise using an eyeglass screwdriver. Use an eyeglass screwdriver from a glasses repair kit to remove the screws. Turn the screws counterclockwise until you can pull them out completely. Keep the screws in a small container so you don’t lose them while you’re changing the lenses.^{[2]
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- You can buy eyeglass repair kits from convenience stores and pharmacies.
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3
Push the lens out from the concave side. Hold the nose bridge with your nondominant hand. Place your dominant thumb on the lens just under the nose bridge. Gently push the lens forward so the lens slides out from the frame. Pop out the other lens the same way.^{[3]
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Tip: Put a microfiber cloth between your thumb and the lenses so you don’t get fingerprints on them.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Heating Plastic Frames in Water

1
Fill a shallow bowl with hot water from your sink. Use the hottest water you can handle from your sink for soaking your frames. Fill a bowl that's deep enough to completely submerge your frames so they can heat evenly.^{[4]
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- Place a towel under your bowl to help prevent spills and to protect your lenses if you drop them.
2
Set the glasses in the bowl so the lenses are face down. Either fold up the arms of your glasses or remove the screws holding them in. Set the glasses in the water so the concave sides of the lenses are face-up. Leave the frames in the water for 1 minute to heat the plastic and make it easier to bend.^{[5]
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3
Dry the lenses off with a microfiber cloth after 1 minute. Take the glasses out of the water and shake off any excess liquid. Use a dry microfiber towel to wipe any water droplets off the lenses and frames so they don’t slip around. Cover both sides of the lenses with the microfiber cloth to get a better grip of them.^{[6]
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Warning: Don’t use a paper towel or fabrics other than a microfiber cloth to dry your glasses or lenses since they could leave scratches.
4
Push gently on the concave side of the lenses to pop them out of place. Grip the nose bridge with your nondominant hand and place your dominant thumb on the concave side of the lens. Carefully push the corner of the lens until it pops out of place and comes out of the frame. Remove 1 lens completely before you remove the other so you don’t accidentally drop them.^{[7]
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- If the lenses don’t come out right away, then try putting the frames in hot water again for another minute.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using a Hair Dryer on Plastic Frames

1
Heat the frames around your lenses on the medium setting for 5 minutes. Hold the hair dryer about 6 inches (15 cm) from your glasses frames. Turn your hair dryer onto a medium heat and speed setting to warm up the plastic. Move the dryer around the frames near the lenses so they’re more flexible and you’re able to remove the lenses.^{[8]
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- Don’t use a high heat setting since you may melt or deform your frames.
2
Put your thumb on the concave side of the lens and push it out. Grip the nose bridge on the frames with your nondominant hand and squeeze it tightly. Press your thumb into the corner or side of your lens closest to the nose bridge and apply slight pressure to the lens. The lens will pop out of place so you can easily pull it out.^{[10]
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- Don’t press the lenses too hard or else they’ll break or fall out of your frames.
3
Warm the frames more if you can’t easily remove the lenses. If you weren’t able to easily apply pressure and remove the lenses, turn on your hair dryer to a medium setting and try heating the frames for another 3 minutes at a time. Try pushing the lenses out after each time you heat the glasses.^{[11]
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Warning: Take 1 lens from your glasses out completely before removing the other since you could damage them otherwise.

Warnings

If you don’t feel comfortable taking the lenses out yourself, then take your glasses to an optometrist or glasses store.

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