I take a train to and from work. My 90-minute round-trip commute gives me a lot of time to observe my fellow commuters. Naturally, I take note of what eyeglasses they’re wearing and in particular, how they clean their glasses.

Over the years, I’ve conducted a casual survey of people’s eyeglass cleaning habits. My totally unscientific conclusions are that women are more likely than men to clean their glasses with a lens cloth, which they usually keep in their handbag. (Men tend to use their shirts or a tie.) Both women and men who do use a lens cloth seldom, if ever, use a lens cleaning spray or wipe before buffing their lenses with a cleaning cloth.

If I find myself seated next to someone who is cleaning their glasses—either properly or improperly, I am often tempted to comment. I usually suppress the urge, but sometimes I can’t resist saying, “I notice you take great care of your glasses.” Or if I see them going for their shirt, I’ll say,  “Here, you might like this better,” while handing them my own lens cloth.

People are usually surprised by my forwardness, but after I explain that I’m in the eyewear business they often open up. Most are pleased to talk about their glasses, especially if I compliment them on their sense of style.

Once you get people talking about their glasses, it’s always interesting to learn about their feelings and attitudes. Unsurprisingly, many people say their glasses are expensive and ask me why they cost so much. Some say they’ve heard that one company makes most or all of the eyewear on the market. Comments like these provide me with a teachable moment when I can explain some of the innovative technology in eyewear, or to let them know that in fact, there is considerable diversity in our industry, both among vendors and retailers.

These lens cloth chats have given me a valuable perspective on what people think about their glasses. Because they occur in unguarded moments, and because I’m a stranger, I’m able to get people to comment candidly in a way that they might not be comfortable sharing with their optician. Try it yourself sometime and see what you can learn.

Andrew Karp
Group Editor, Lenses and Technology
[email protected]