You went on a quick beach holiday, and you dropped your eyewear in the sea. Should you worry?

Whether it is a pair of eyeglasses or sunglasses, saltwater can actually cause serious damage to your eyewear. Saltwater has ions that are more damaging than rust. The mixture of salt, moisture and oxygen can cause metals, varnishes and lens coatings to degrade faster. It also leaves salt crystals once it dries, and these little grains can be abrasive and cause scratches on the lenses.

The most vulnerable to saltwater damage are metal frames, antireflective coating, mirror lenses and polarized lenses:

Metal frames. These will not last as long as the plastic ones as these will corrode starting from the thin metal.

Antireflective coating. Your lenses will look scratched and worn months after use.

Mirror lenses. These are made of metal, so, like metal frames, these will rust.

Polarized lenses. These help reduce glare from surfaces like water, but if it gets submerged in saltwater, the polarized film will peel away from the lens.

The damage, however, does not happen all in one day. It comes off in streaks, so you may only notice it weeks after your beach trip.

Here is what you can do: rinse it off immediately with clean warm water and mild liquid dishwashing soap. Gently rub your eyewear while rinsing it under water. Check if there are any visible rings, spots or residue left. If there is none, use a clean microfiber cloth to dry the lenses.

It is important to check it thoroughly. If there are visible rings or residue, it means there are still salt crystals, which will likely scratch your lenses when you wipe them with a microfiber cloth.

Got no access to clean warm water? Keep your lenses wet. Dip them into the water repetitively and quickly to buy you some time. It is also best to avoid using hot water, chlorine, lemon- or lime-scented dishwashing soaps, tissue paper or shirt hems.

If you think the damage is deep enough, bring your eyewear to your go-to optometrist and see if there is a need to replace it.

(Story/Photos by:Aizel Maquimot)