How to clean eye lenses. Cleaning contact lenses. Monthly deep lens cleaning tablets

What does a high-quality beautiful shot depend on? Exposure, composition, lighting, the skillful hands of the photographer, the lens, the camera and its parameters - all of this together plays a decisive role. But do not forget about the cleanliness of the lenses. The slightest speck or drop of water can distort the image and ruin the frame. In this article we will tell you how to avoid such situations, what products to use for cleaning photo optics, and what is included in the list of prohibitions that pose a threat to lens lenses.

How does dirt affect the image?

The most dangerous types of pollution are hard grains of sand and dust particles. The risk is not only that a foreign object will appear in the frame. Everything is much more serious. Small, hard particles that fall on the lens can scratch the protective layer, which is responsible for evenly distributing light. Such damage cannot be repaired; you will have to buy new optics. Therefore, when cleaning the lens you need to be as careful and careful as possible.

Professional photographers approach the process in detail: before proceeding directly to cleaning, they carefully remove the lens from the camera and examine its external and inner part.

Drops and stains from water are no less harmful to lenses. They create in the frame various effects: a correctly set exposure turns out blurry, sharpness and contrast are lost, glare, colored veils appear, and multi-layered halos appear around light sources. Drops, which inherently act as lenses, greatly distort the image. Proper cleaning will help avoid this.

  • Attention!
    Mistakes are not allowed here. Inaccurate cleaning will result in stains that appear after drying. Such contamination poses a serious threat to photographs: photographs turn out to be overexposed, dark and light circles form in spots, and sharpness and contrast are lost. Therefore, it is important to use high-quality liquids, soft microfiber cloths and strictly follow professional recommendations on cleaning optics - we'll talk about this a little later.

The rating of dangers is completed by the most difficult to eliminate - fatty traces. A striking example The kind of contamination that every photographer tries to avoid is fingerprints. Why are professionals so sensitive to tactile contact with lens lenses? Fatty particles that get onto the optics become serious enemies of the frame.

Fat changes the refractive index of light in lenses, distorts the silhouettes of objects, leads to light exposure of the image, and makes the picture hazy and out of focus. The lens optics lose their working balance and stop synchronizing the signals specified by the camera parameters.

You must be extremely careful when choosing cleaning products, because there is a danger of damaging the top antireflective coating.

How to properly keep your lens clean

The lens is one of the most important elements of a camera, its eyes. For photographs to be beautiful and of high quality, the lenses must be clean and transparent, free from stains, streaks and dust. If the optics are not dirty and you do not notice any visible defects on its surface, you should not once again carry out the procedure. Lenses should be cleaned as needed.

The most important rule- clean external and internal surfaces quickly and accurately.

  1. Turn off the camera and point it down.
  2. Disconnect the lens and remove dirt using special devices (the next section of the article will be devoted to them).
  3. Do not leave the lens in an open space for a long time - this will accumulate new layers of dust. Contaminants have been removed - connect the camera to the lenses and cover with a protective cap (hood).

Professionals who take good care of their photographic equipment buy protective filters that fit onto the outer ring of the lens and reliably protect against all types of contaminants: water, grains of sand, grease stains, etc. This is especially true for reportage photography or outdoor photo shoots, when the risk of damage to the optics is especially high.

Lens cleaners

A professional photographer’s arsenal must include special cleaning solutions and tools. Complete the kit with tools for various situations and degrees of pollution. You will need:

  • A soft brush that will remove small particles of dust from lenses and lens housings without damaging the surface of the optics.
  • Several dry soft microfiber cloths. Avoid exposing the lenses to paper and cotton napkins - they may scratch the brightening layer.
  • A miniature air blower that will remove a layer of accumulated dust without contact with the lenses. An excellent option is a children's medical enema or syringe.
  • Liquid for cleaning optics. The product can be purchased at any specialty store. Some photographers use regular ethyl alcohol. Vodka containing glycerin and other additives that can harm the antireflective layer of the lens is strictly prohibited.
  • Lenspen pencil. They can replace the use of an alcohol-containing solution and a microfiber cloth. The tool is equipped with a soft bristle brush on one side, and a sponge soaked in cleaning agent on the other.

How to clean a camera lens

Now we will tell you in detail how to clean various contaminants from lens lenses and what to use. Let's divide the recommendations into categories:

Dust

At first glance, it may seem like the most insignificant flaw that can be easily dealt with. But this is where her cunning lies. The army of microparticles may contain small glass fragments and other solid elements that are a potential threat to the surface of the lenses.

  • Improper dust removal often leads to mechanical damage, scratches. Therefore, it is better to try to avoid direct contact with the optics and use an air blower, which will blow away a layer of dust with a directed air stream.

Residues that have accumulated around the edges can be carefully removed with a soft brush. Do not blow on the lens under any circumstances - drops of saliva may get on the lenses, which are much more difficult to remove than dry dust.

Water splashes

Photo session under open air implies the mandatory use of protective ultraviolet filters. Splashes from fountains, raindrops and other possible dangers to your lens will not be scary. Cleaning the attachment is much easier than cleaning the photo optics. If water gets on the lens, you must act very delicately.

Take a microfiber cloth and wipe the surface in gentle circular motions, allowing the liquid to be completely absorbed. To avoid streaks, repeat the procedure using the dry side of the napkin.

If condensation occurs, do not rush to wipe it off. If time allows, wait for it to disappear on its own. If the situation does not tolerate delay, wipe the optics with a dry microfiber cloth as described above.

Fingerprints and grease stains

These contaminants are of the most complex type, requiring a thorough approach.

  • Advice.
    Before you start removing stains, you need to prepare the surface and remove dust particles from it. That is, the first thing we do is blow off the microparticles using an air blower. Then apply an alcohol-containing product and wipe with a soft cloth using circular movements (from the center to the outer edges). The finishing touches are to go over the surface of the lens with a dry microfiber cloth.

Cleaning Lens Elements

It's not just the lenses that need to be in order. The lens also consists of other parts that also require care.

Rear lens

This part of the lens is much more difficult to get dirty than the outer lens. Often, photographers carelessly leave fingerprints on its surface. Such contamination must be removed immediately. If a dirty outer lens distorts the image slightly, then stains on the rear optical glass can significantly deform the image and lead to defocus.

The cleaning procedure is no different from cleaning the outer part: blow off dust particles with a rubber blower, brush off the residue with a brush, apply the product and wipe it with a soft cloth, then dry with microfiber.

Shank

Bayonet or shank is the element that connects the lens to the camera. As a preventative measure, experts recommend periodically wiping it with a damp cloth.

  • Advice.
    This must be done both from the outside and from the inside. Dust that accumulates over time can get onto the camera sensor and become real threat to accelerate wear on the part and lens.

Inner space

Without good reason, you should not disassemble the lens piece by piece and try to clean each of the parts. Only professionals can do this. The natural accumulation of dust inside the case is natural and does not harm the operation of the device at all.

The only reason that requires disassembly and cleaning is the formation of mold, which can occur under improper storage conditions, in poorly ventilated areas with high humidity.

But even in this case, you should not intervene on your own. internal structure housings. Trust the professionals and take the lens to a service center.

Frame

To care for the case, a soft microfiber cloth is sufficient. Cosmetic wiping will give the camera a neat, well-groomed look. The only serious threat is grains of sand that can get into the moving elements of the lens. IN in this case professionals use a brush.

At the end of the article, let’s summarize and give 5 professional advice to help keep your lens clean and safe:

  1. Be careful in removing dust. Before picking up a napkin, brush away the microparticles with a special brush or use a non-contact method - a stream of air from a mini rubber bulb.
  2. Remove adhered dirt with a soft, grease-free brush. A rough paper napkin will cause scratches on the brightening layer.
  3. When cleaning dust with a brush, movements should be quick and short, without pressure.
  4. Drops should be removed from the surface of the optics as quickly as possible, before they dry completely.
  5. When working with alcohol-containing solutions, make sure that the product does not flow into the bonding areas of the optical components. This may damage the lens.

The lens is the eyes of the camera, the key element responsible for the quality and semantic expressiveness of the pictures. Keep the lenses clean and be careful - the optics will serve you for a long time and will allow you to realize the most complex photo ideas.


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Contact lenses are a very convenient, but at the same time very vulnerable means for correcting poor vision. Delicate lenses are quite easy to damage or tear, and they become dirty easily. Modern lenses are made of porous hydrogel, which absorbs moisture well and gives the eye the ability to breathe. But along with all these advantages, hydrogel has such an unpleasant feature as susceptibility to contamination. Therefore, if in the matter of vision correction your choice fell on lenses http://www.linzshop.ru/. they need to be carefully looked after. Let's look at the main points of how to clean contact lenses.

To carry out lens cleaning procedures, you will need to purchase a container, special plastic tweezers and a cleaning solution.

Surface contaminants such as dust and lint can be easily washed off the lenses using the solution. But if you don't take care of them regularly, inside the lenses will accumulate dirt and this can be not only all kinds of specks, but also microorganisms. The fact is that the lens is constantly in contact with the surface of the eye, as a result of which organic deposits accumulate on its surface. This is fraught not only with the unsuitability of the lenses, but also with all kinds of eye diseases. Such negative consequences can only be avoided if you constantly clean and rinse your contact lenses. To carry out appropriate procedures in any optics, you can easily find special solutions that are safe for eye health. You need to choose only high-quality solutions and be sure to pay attention to the expiration date of the solution, otherwise the risk of serious eye diseases is very high. The easiest way to clean lenses is with multi-purpose solutions designed specifically for cleaning, rinsing, disinfecting, and storing lenses.

Before handling lenses, hands should be thoroughly cleaned with soap. It is better to remove and place lenses in a special container using plastic tweezers.

The cleaning procedure itself contact lenses occurs according to the following scheme. You need to pour fresh solution into a well-washed container, place the lens on your palm so that its concave surface faces upward and drop the solution inside it. Then index finger You need to press the lens a little and rub it. After cleaning, the lens is washed well in a cleaning solution.

Disinfect lenses by placing them in a container with fresh solution for at least 4 hours.

As we can see, how to clean contact lenses. there is nothing complicated. The main thing is to regularly carry out such cleansing procedures.

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The material used to make lenses, hydrogel, is very vulnerable to dirt. Any dirt: specks, specks of dust, grains of sand, microorganisms. As a result, the lens becomes contaminated from the inside and deposits accumulate on it. organic character. And since it is constantly in contact with the surface of the eye, the risk of eye diseases increases sharply. That is why. To preserve health, lenses need daily, or at least as a last resort weekly cleaning. One thing to understand before cleaning your contact lenses is that this vision correction tool is very fragile and can cause breaks, tears, and deformation if handled carelessly. Therefore, the process requires careful preparation.

Where to begin? Of course, with the preparation of tools: a container, plastic tweezers and a special solution. Each container has two compartments and each compartment must accommodate exactly one lens. If the vision in the right and left eyes does not match, it is better to purchase a container that has appropriate marks for each specific (left/right) compartment. Tweezers are needed for hygiene reasons: it is better to touch the lenses with them rather than with a thoroughly washed hand. The solution must be recommended by an ophthalmologist. It is best if it is multi-purpose, with the help of which not only the issue of how to clean contact lenses is resolved, but also how to disinfect them, how to store them and how to rinse them. When changing solutions and cleaning agents, you must pay attention to their compatibility.

The process of cleaning contact lenses, ideally, begins immediately after removing them and includes:

thorough hand washing,

washing the container and filling it with fresh solution,

removing the lens, which is placed on the palm so that the concave surface is at the top,

dripping the solution onto the lens, lightly pressing on it with your index finger,

then thoroughly rinse it in the container solution.

The lens, once in the container, must be completely immersed in the solution. To disinfect it, it is recommended to remove it from the solution with tweezers, pour in a special disinfectant and leave it alone for at least four hours, and preferably overnight. To make your task easier, you can purchase several containers at once for different purposes.

There is another way to clean contact lenses. A protein purifier tablet is dissolved in a container compartment filled with fresh solution. The lens is then removed, cleaned and washed, and then placed in the compartment. The same steps are repeated with the other compartment. The container is closed. Shake and leave alone for fifteen minutes. If the lenses are heavily soiled, the time increases, but does not exceed two hours. Cleaned lenses are removed from the container and washed with the solution. The solution is then replaced with a disinfection solution.

Naturally, you should not skimp on solutions when cleaning lenses. Its expiration date must be carefully checked. Lenses are wiped on both sides. In this case, both the lenses and the neck of the container with the solution must be clean before putting them on.

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Contact lenses are a very fragile means of vision correction. They can be damaged quite easily: they can become deformed, torn, or become dirty. Almost any modern lenses are made from hydrogel material. It is porous, allows the eye to breathe, absorbs moisture well, but is also susceptible to dirt. If you choose contact lenses as an everyday accessory, take care of proper care of this accessory.

Container
- plastic tweezers
- cleaning solution (or saline solution).

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Contact lenses are excellent at absorbing dirt. And the problem lies not only in surface particles of dust and hairs, which can be easily washed off with a solution. Lenses, if not taken care of, become dirty from the inside. These can be either specks, grains of sand and various substances, as well as harmful microorganisms. Constant contact with the surface of the eyeballs leads to the formation of organic deposits on the lenses. These factors not only render the lens unusable, they increase the risk of developing eye diseases. To avoid loss of health and vision, lenses (especially long-term wear) should be washed and cleaned daily or weekly.

To do this, purchase special solutions approved by ophthalmologists. Their composition is designed taking into account safety requirements for eye health. But low-quality products with an expired expiration date can provoke serious illnesses, up to blindness. The simplest and effective method contact lens care - use of multi-purpose solutions. They are designed for storing, cleaning, disinfecting and rinsing contact lenses.

Before each interaction with lenses, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Remove and place lenses in the container using plastic tweezers.

Cleaning contact lenses is carried out in the following sequence. Fill the washed container with fresh solution, place the lens on your palm with the concave surface facing up. Drop the solution onto the lens, lightly press and rub the surface of the lens with your index finger, and after cleaning, rinse the product thoroughly in the solution.

To disinfect lenses, remove it from the solution using tweezers, pour fresh solution into the container and immerse the lenses in it for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight). The lenses are ready to wear.

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Cleaning lenses after clouding

Hello!
Tell me how and with what to clean the lenses after they become dirty and, as a result, cloudy?

For two years I wore 2-week Johnson for Astigmatism silicone hydrogel lenses, the material Senofilcon A is a non-ionic polymer that is resistant to deposits.
There were no problems. IN Lately lenses began to deteriorate faster. I read about this on the Internet and decided to clean the lenses with peroxide cleaning. But either they have already crossed the line and it is no longer possible to clean them (although the deadline has not yet passed), or this cleaning does not help in my case of contamination (
Is enzymatic cleaning deeper?

Although the lens becomes cleaner, you can see how moisture runs off its surface and it becomes dry - hence it is opaque to the eye. We can see this on the surface of dishes or glass, how the surface remains dry due to the flow of water over it. Why is this happening? And is it possible to change this so that when soaking in the solution or blinking, the lens always remains wet?

What to do? what to do? Is this cleanable? or vice versa, does this mean that the lens has been stripped of some of its coating?

By searching on the Internet, I see that I do not have such symptoms. If only not the very initial stage.

We are not talking about the same couple, of course. The fact of the matter is that a planned replacement was carried out, and I used to throw away even completely normal lenses. and then they began to deteriorate faster (

Some time ago, I lost a lens in my eye (it’s difficult for me to remove them - I remove it by moving it towards the bridge of my nose). Out of ignorance, I thought that it was still in the eye and looked for it there for a long time. The sensation in the eye was such that it seemed like she was there. Completely tired, I decided to calm my eyes, even if she was there. The next morning it felt better, and then after a couple of days, I realized that it most likely wasn’t there (it probably fell out right away), because the eye calmed down. And from then on, by the morning, for some time, discharge formed, which is what normal people usually have, but to a greater extent. I decided that it was all because of my injury to the eyelid and mucous membrane.

Time passed, and by the morning everything seemed to be fine with me. But I noticed that the lenses began to deteriorate much faster. And in both eyes. Yes, I understand that there is a risk of transmitting infection from one eye to another through the hands.
But what is it and will it go away with time?

And further main question(within the topic). How do you clean a lens that seems to be cleaned, but the solution doesn’t stick to it? A new lens is not a solution, no matter what. the speed of spoilage is such that it’s time to switch to one-day products, and this is more expensive financially. Well, if only for a while, then yes. You can wait it out for one-day periods. You can wear less. But how to clean them? and is this cleanable? Maybe this is, on the contrary, a cleansing?

It seems to me that this is already stripping - due to the deposited protein and its subsequent cleaning, some kind of layer of polish is removed or something. And this is already irreversible for the lens. Well, what if someone has a solution. Share if anyone has it.

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A few questions for now -
Does this happen with lenses from the same packaging? How exactly did you clean it with a peroxide solution?

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Well, if this is cleaning, then the solution here (for me) is to carry out peroxide cleaning before severe contamination appears, so that during mechanical cleaning with your finger you do not damage the lens and do not remove its polish.

Do I understand this decision correctly?
It is clear that this is provided that my eyes calm down after a while. And if not, then you need to reduce the use of lenses in principle, perhaps for a while.

Message added at 23:48

Still, it’s better to go to the reception. There may be no symptoms other than rapid contamination, but upon examination, a specialist will see changes in the condition of the eyes.

Click to expand.

Yes, I understand(
I went to the appointment, but they didn’t warn me that I had to be without lenses for 2 hours and they sent me away without an examination. Now we need to get back together. Oh, if only they could tell you exactly what’s wrong with the eyes. but there will be an intuitive solution there, too. there are no obvious signs of the disease.

A few questions for now -
Does this happen with lenses from the same package?

Click to expand.

No, from different ones. And I also remember from the packaging of the first quick stains the normal behavior of the lenses at the beginning of using this packaging.

How exactly did you clean it with a peroxide solution?

Click to expand.

I know that I need to clean it with AoSept_om. But I wanted to try it quickly (there is no access to AoSept within the radius of my stay right now), and I used regular hydrogen peroxide. And now I see that moisture does not linger on the lens.
I know about the burn caused by unneutralized peroxide. And while I’m just reading it, I’m trying it out.

Enzyme cleaners definitely don't work.

Click to expand.

Forget about regular peroxide. Forever. (I click the flash like in MIB).

Click to expand.

Do you think Aosept will clean cleaner? I’m still interested in the result of the cleaning itself.
In theory, Aosept almost immediately neutralizes the peroxide with a catalyst, and the effect of the neutralized peroxide is even weaker than with just peroxide.

Open a new pair of lenses, buy Aosept and strictly follow the instructions. Do not clean the lens mechanically yet (maybe you are rubbing it too hard).
If this pair experiences early contamination -appointment to the doctor.
It’s better to go to an appointment first, maybe treatment will be needed there.

Click to expand.

Well, I wear new lenses periodically. The only thing left to do is try to clean it with Aosept. I'll try.
And I need to see a doctor, so I’ll go.

Annochka. change the solution, for example to UNICA SENSITIVE. The lenses may not be hydrated enough.

Click to expand.

Don't forget that I have silicone hydrogels - Senafilcon material from group 1. Could they be suffering from insufficient hydration? Hardly. And my solution is Bio True (B&L), which seems to be good.

But I’m actually wondering how the surface of the lens can become so water-repellent? It's almost as if the surface was oiled, you know? but at the same time the surface can be completely degreased. I can even feel it with my fingers after peroxide - fat is unlikely.

Some users of peroxide solutions note what you describe.

Click to expand.

But moisture rejection occurs even before peroxide cleaning. That's why I started trying peroxide.

Click to expand.

Certainly. As for peroxide - why not? just because there is a special solution produced specifically for this? Is there evidence that Aosept has a chemically more favorable composition?

And about enzymatic cleaning, I still don’t understand why Ice-loo said it’s not allowed?

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Lenses have to be cleaned from time to time - you have to live with it. The only lens that does not need cleaning is the one that is never used. However, there is nothing complicated in cleaning lenses - this is a routine procedure accessible to any clean amateur photographer.

Cleaning can be postponed

This may sound strange, but lenses should be cleaned as rarely as possible. No matter how careful you are, cleaning your optics always runs the risk of scratching either the glass itself or the anti-reflective coating. Yes, you need to clean your lenses, but the urgent need for this rarely arises.

The fact is that a small amount of dust on the front lens of the lens does not affect the image quality in any way. For quality to begin to noticeably degrade, the lens must become alarmingly dirty.

Prevention

A very good habit is to use protective filters. A high-quality filter with multi-layer coating has absolutely no effect on the sharpness and contrast of the image, but at the same time completely eliminates the ingress of dust and dirt onto the front lens of the lens - its most vulnerable element. It is much easier to clean the filter from dirt, and an accidental scratch on the filter will upset you much less than a scratch on the lens.

Another useful accessory is a lens hood, which not only combats flare, but also does a good job of protecting the front lens from mechanical impact (including from the photographer’s dirty fingers).

The cleanliness of the lens largely depends on the shooting conditions. If you work exclusively in a studio, then, with some care, you can go years without cleaning your equipment. There is no need for filters here, the main thing is not to grab the lens with your fingers. Another thing is shooting outdoors, where dust, sand, rain, snow, and in general, all imaginable misfortunes await you. What shall we say? Don't shoot at all? Nonsense! They are afraid of wolves - don’t go into the forest. No real photographer will refuse to shoot in no matter how harsh conditions if they promise him a beautiful shot. Just be careful, use protective filters and a hood, and try not to uncover your equipment unless necessary.

Lens cleaning accessories

I usually carry a microfiber cloth and a small soft hair brush with me. In 99% of cases, this modest arsenal is enough for me. In addition, at home I keep a balloon, an extra supply of wipes and a flask of rubbing alcohol. How to use all this will be discussed below.

Instead of ethyl alcohol You can use methanol, isopropanol or a special alcohol-containing liquid to clean optics. In no case should you use vodka - glycerin and other substances are usually added to it, improving the taste, but worsening the cleaning properties.

Instead of a special air bulb, you can use a regular medical enema or syringe to blow dust off the lens.

Many photographers like the Lenspen, which has a dust brush on one end and a cleaning sponge on the other. However, I was somehow not impressed with the Lenspen, and microfiber remains my main tool for cleaning optics.

I do not advise you to use paper or cotton napkins. Compared to microfiber cloths, they have a rougher texture and are easier to damage the lens coating.

Front Lens Cleaning Procedure

Don't think that the other parts of the lens don't need cleaning - they do - it's just that the front lens needs to be cleaned much more often, and therefore we'll start the conversation with it. If the front lens is covered with a protective filter, then everything said below is also true for the filter. The complexity and duration of the procedure will largely depend on the degree and nature of the contamination.

Dust

As already mentioned, a moderate amount of fine dust on the front lens of the lens is quite acceptable and does not affect image quality. If there is a lot of dust, then it should be carefully swept away with a brush or blown off with a blower. You should not blow on the lens yourself, as there is a risk of spitting on the lens, after which the dust will turn into dirt, which is somewhat more difficult to get rid of.

Minor dirt

By minor dirt I mainly mean water splashes and light fingerprints.

Before wiping the lens, you need to get rid of any dry dust on it using a brush or blower. If this is not done, tiny grains of sand left on the glass may cause scratches.

After dusting off the lens, take a microfiber cloth and gently wipe the lens. You need to act very delicately, almost without pressure. In many cases, the lens does not even need to be rubbed - just a light dab is enough. Microfiber perfectly absorbs water, dirt and grease due to the capillary effect, and, unlike conventional napkins, does not leave behind fibers.

If the front lens becomes covered with condensation due to temperature changes, it is not necessary to wipe it. On clean glass, condensation dries almost without a trace. However, if you don’t have time to wait for the foggy lens to dry, you can easily use microfiber.

Serious contamination

A really dirty lens, on which fingerprints and dirty streaks are clearly visible, needs wet cleaning.

In the field, I just gently breathe on the lens and then wipe it with microfiber. In the vast majority of cases, this is enough to deal with any dirt.

At home, I prefer to use rubbing alcohol. Microfiber should slightly moisten it in alcohol, and then wipe the lens in a circular motion from the center to the edges, after which you can go over the glass again with the dry part of the napkin.

I clean protective filters with anti-reflective coating in the same way. I sometimes just wash filters without coating warm water with soap (of course, after first removing the filter from the lens), and then wipe it dry.

Scratches

What to do if you scratch your lens? Nothing. Continue shooting as you did, but be careful with your optics in the future. Minor scratches on the antireflective coating have virtually no effect on the image. Large, deep scratches indicate gross negligence in the work, but even they usually only show themselves in backlight.

Most often, scratches are the result of inept attempts to clean the lens, and not at all due to unnecessarily harsh shooting conditions.

Particular care should be taken with ultra-wide-angle lenses. Due to the large depth of field, scratches on the front lens can be quite noticeable. Worst of all, many ultra-wide-angle lenses not only have huge convex front elements that are very easy to scratch or stain, but also do not have a thread for a protective filter.

Cleaning other parts of the lens

If you have excess free time, you can not limit yourself to cleaning only the front lens of the lens, but also pay some attention to its other details.

Rear lens

Compared to the front lens, the rear lens of the lens is much more difficult to get dirty because most for a while it is hidden in the camera body. However, if you still managed to put a print on it, it is advisable to get the lens in order as quickly as possible. The reason is that dirt on the rear element of a lens affects image quality much more than similar dirt on the front lens.

The rear lens should be cleaned in the same way as the front lens, i.e. carefully and without using force.

Shank

The lens shank or mount (as well as the camera flange) should be wiped occasionally with a cloth. The presence of dirt on the shank does not in any way affect the optical properties of the lens, but, firstly, this dirt can get into the camera over time and settle on the matrix, and, secondly, sand and other abrasive particles accelerate the mechanical wear of the bayonet connection itself.

Frame

Again, just wipe the lens housing thoroughly. Basically, cleaning the case is purely for aesthetic purposes. The only thing you should really be wary of is sand, which has the unpleasant property of getting clogged in the cracks between the moving parts of the lens (this is especially true for zooms). In particularly advanced cases, you can use a toothbrush.

Lens interior

I categorically do not recommend you to climb inside the lens. It's rare that a photographer has the skills and tools necessary to competently disassemble, clean, reassemble and adjust a modern lens at home. And there’s not much to clean in the lens. Moderate amount dust is always present there and there is no need to worry about it. If things are really bad (for example, due to long-term storage mold has grown in a damp place in the lens), then the best solution would be to contact a service center. During normal use, lenses never require cleaning their internal space at all.

Thank you for your attention!

Vasily A.

Post scriptum

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Over time, the lens of a digital SLR camera inevitably becomes covered with dust, various grease stains or fingerprints. You can’t really take photographs with such contaminated optics, since various contaminants can affect the quality of photographs. However, this should not scare a real photographer, because cleaning the lens is a common thing, it is accessible to everyone and does not require special skills.

The need to clean the optics also often arises when purchasing a used lens, because most sellers, as a rule, do not bother to perform this procedure. The main thing when cleaning the lens is to be extremely careful and use only appropriate cleaning products, and not whatever comes to hand. Otherwise, there is a high chance of damaging or scratching your expensive lens. We will tell you how to properly clean a SLR camera lens in this article.

Lens protection

Cleaning the lens from dirt and dust is a procedure that should not be carried out constantly, but rather regularly. That is, it is recommended to clean the optics only when they become dirty, so that unnecessary intrusion does not lead to any negative consequences. You cannot clean the lens too often, since there is a high probability of damaging the special protective layer that is applied to the glass by the manufacturer. When dirt on the lens becomes noticeable, it’s time to clean it. The process of cleaning optics itself should be approached as carefully and carefully as possible, at the same time, you should not be overly afraid of touching the glass of an expensive lens.

Before we talk about how to properly clean a digital camera lens, it is necessary to give several recommendations that every owner should follow. SLR camera. First, care must be taken when changing lenses to reduce the likelihood of contamination of the optics. When changing lenses, you need to turn off the camera, point both the camera and the lens down, and then quickly change the optics. Try to do this as quickly as possible, and then you will have much more less problems with dust on the lens. Secondly, there is a way to protect expensive optics from unwanted external influences, including from dust, grease and dirt. The method is to use an ultraviolet or colorless transparent lens filter (UV or skylight filter).

By attaching such a filter to the lens, you will protect the lens from scratches, water splashes and grease marks. In this case, when cleaning the lens, you only need to clean the protective filter itself, and not the lens (until dust gets inside). Therefore, you should not skimp on buying a decent protective filter for a high-quality lens. If you are going on a shoot where there is a real danger of dust or water splashes getting on the lens, then it is better to immediately screw on a protective filter. As a way to protect against dirt, you can use a lens hood, which, in addition to its direct functional purpose, can also protect the lens from dust and dirt.

Lens cleaning products

Now let's move on directly to the cleaning procedure. Cleaning the lens of a digital SLR camera requires the use of special cleaning products. They are usually sold in sets, and the contents of each set may be different. There are a great variety of professional cleaning products on the market today; they are represented by companies such as Hama, LensPen, PhotoSol, Marumi and many others. We list the most popular means for cleaning optics:

— Lens cleaning liquid

Alcohol-based cleaning fluid is widely used when cleaning lenses. It copes well with fingerprints or grease stains on the lens without leaving streaks or marks. At the same time, a couple of drops of this product are enough to completely clean the lens or protective filter. The liquid is not poured directly onto the lens, but is squeezed onto a special cloth or napkin. Then, using careful circular movements, quickly clean the surface of the objective lens from various contaminants. As a simple alternative, many amateur photographers prefer to breathe on the lens and then wipe it off with a tissue. However, this cleaning method is less effective.

- Napkins

Together with the cleaning liquid, wipes made of thin paper are used. These disposable wipes, slightly moistened with liquid, allow you to clean the surface of the lens without leaving scratches. When cleaning your optics, you should not use regular facial tissues as they are made from coarser fibers and can therefore easily scratch your DSLR lens.

— Microfiber

An alternative to lens cleaning cloths is modern microfiber cloth. This is a washable fabric that is excellent at collecting dust and grease stains from the lens. Microfiber cloth, unlike napkins, can be used for cleaning several times; you just need to keep the cloth clean by washing it regularly. Before using a microfiber cloth, you should carefully inspect the lens for large particles of dirt and abrasive materials. They must first be removed using a blower or brush, otherwise you risk scratching the lens when processing with a cloth.

— Blower for cleaning the lens

A special lens blower is used to blow through the surface of the lens and clean the lens from dust. To use the blower, you only need to press it a few times to effectively remove dust particles. Extreme caution is required, since with the help of such a pear you can create a real dust storm, which may cause dust particles to enter the inside of the optics or camera. In photo stores you can currently find a fairly wide range of bulbs, including bulbs equipped with a brush through which you blow.

— Brush/brush

To remove dust, use a brush made of soft and natural bristles so as not to scratch the surface of the lens. You can also find special pencils on sale, which have a retractable brush at one end and a cleaning pad at the other.

— Pencil Lenspen (Lanspen)

Lenspen cleaning pencils are currently very popular among professionals and amateur photographers. This pencil does a good job of removing greasy fingerprints and dried stains from the surface of the lens lens. At one end of the pencil there is a soft brush, at the other there is a special coating for removing greasy fingerprints. Lenspen pencils are very compact and lightweight, they are easy to use, they are safe for the surface of the lens and are more effective than a cloth soaked in cleaning fluid. To clean, you need to remove the cap from the pencil and clean the lens in a circular motion from the center to the edges without pressing. If necessary, you can repeat this procedure several times.

Cleaning

All of the above tools are affordable and work quite effectively. However, even with such tools, care and attention must be exercised, since cleaning the lens is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. It is recommended to start the cleaning process by cleaning the lens body and mount using wipes moistened with a special alcohol liquid. IN hard to reach places you can use cotton swabs. Next, we proceed to a more delicate procedure - cleaning the lens from dust.

It is important to get rid of dust first. After all, the antireflective coating applied to the front and rear lenses of the lens is not so easily damaged by liquid or abrasive substances. But the dust itself may contain solid microparticles, which naturally increase the risk of damage to the lens during cleaning. You can remove large microparticles of dust using a blower - they are simply blown off the surface of the lens with a stream of air. After this, you can use a special soft brush or Lenspen pencil, through which you need to sweep away the remaining dust particles with light, circular movements.

The next step is wet cleaning to remove grease marks or dried stains. Grease stains are the most unpleasant, since they significantly affect image quality and, moreover, are quite difficult to remove from the surface of the lens. For wet cleaning, you need to moisten a lint-free cloth or microfiber cloth with a special alcohol-based liquid and clean the surface of the lens using smooth circular movements, without pressing, from the center to the edges. If necessary, you can turn the napkin over and go over the lens one more time.

After wet cleaning, it is recommended to treat the surface of the lens with a dry cloth to remove excess liquid. You can also use the Lenspen Cleaning Pen to remove grease stains, drip marks, or fingerprints. Finally, the final stage of cleaning the lens is to remove the remaining particles of the cleaning composition using a blower or soft brush.

Cleaning the lens at home

In addition, it is worth talking about the old, “old-fashioned” method of cleaning a lens at home, which many photographers have been successfully using for decades. And this method, it must be said, is no less effective than the use of many modern cleaning products. Take a regular paraffin candle, a tablespoon and soft fabric(preferably microfiber). The candle is lit, and the spoon is turned upside down and the flame of the candle is covered with it so that after some time soot (soot) begins to appear on the spoon from the side of the flame. A small part of this soot should be collected with a microfiber cloth, napkin or cotton swab, after which you can wipe the lens lenses with it. If there is heavy dirt and grease stains, the treatment of the lens surface with soot can be repeated again. When using this method, the coating on the lens does not deteriorate. By the way, the same popular Lenspen pencils use a cleaning agent similar to soot from a candle.

Contact lenses have long ceased to be a luxury for the majority of Russian residents. Nowadays you can even buy them from a regular vending machine. To do this, you need to select the required dioptres from the menu, add the required amount - and voila! The product simply falls into your hands, like a regular candy bar or bottle of soda. But do you know how to properly wear and store optical device? After all, proper care of eye lenses is a guarantee of the absence of ophthalmological problems.

Why is it so important to care for your lenses?

The eyeball is a fragile and delicate organ. Therefore, caring for their daytime counterparts, soft and hard varieties, is important: it reduces the risk of various inflammations and infections. Moreover, this also applies to those diseases that can lead to complete blindness. Ophthalmologists say that when wearing an optical device, a mucous substance can be deposited in the corners of the eyes, and fats and proteins can be deposited on the surface itself. Their number is very small and invisible from the outside. But your eyes are sensitive to them: visual acuity decreases, wearing lenses often becomes uncomfortable.

That's why proper lens care will help you avoid the problems described above. Moreover, in the 21st century it does not require any special effort: you just need to go to the nearest pharmacy or special shop and buy everything you need. The assortment includes various means for cleaning lenses, solutions that help keep them in good condition. They save human resources: effort, time and money.

Everything you need to know about lenses

The optical device can be worn by people of any age. This category also includes older retirees. There is an opinion that at the end of life, the eyes lose their former ability to properly moisturize. Accordingly, lenses with this function increase the level of comfort throughout the day. As for teenagers, the doctor usually allows them to use the device from the age of 13. Although everything is very individual. There are many eight-year-old children who find themselves ready to wear contacts. In any case, amateur activity in this matter is not encouraged: consultation with an ophthalmologist is necessary in each individual case.

The rules for caring for contact lenses include wearing them for no more than 5 hours. Although after this time, if there are no negative sensations, use can be extended. Lenses need to be changed every quarter, although there are devices that only operate monthly or even daily. It is recommended to wear lenses for no more than 10 years, after which the transition to glasses is necessary and inevitable.

The main disadvantage of lenses and how to deal with it

The optical device significantly increases visual acuity, makes the gaze clear, focused and clear. But, unfortunately, it also has some disadvantages. For example, if you neglect to care for extended wear lenses or any other type of lens, they will become dull and cloudy. The fact is that they are made of hydrogel material, which has a fairly porous structure. Accordingly, the lenses, like a sponge, absorb dust and dirt. At the same time, they allow air to pass well to the surface of the visual organ, saturate it with moisture and increase human comfort several times.

Caring for hard lenses, as well as soft or colored ones, requires the use of only special products approved by professional ophthalmologists. Their chemical and physical composition is not capable of harming the eye; it is aimed exclusively at safe use adaptations and maintaining safety for humans. Any solutions must be of high quality, and it is very important not to forget to check their expiration date.

How to remove and put on lenses correctly?

This procedure is very important. It is the first stage of the process; it is where eye lens care begins. Before any manipulation of the optical device, you must thoroughly wash your hands with soap and dry them with a clean towel. In this case, the structure of the fabric must be smooth, otherwise small fibers will remain on the fingers and may get into the eye or “settle” on the lens. This, in turn, will cause various inflammations visual organ. The use of conventional tap water: it is tough, and can also contain many pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms. Make it a rule to wash your hands only with boiled liquid.

You can then begin to insert or remove the lens. In the first case, carefully take it with your fingertip and place it on the surface of the visual organ; in the second, take it out with the same tip of the phalanx and place it on your palm, lubricated with a specialized solution. By the way, after removing the lens, you need to wipe it a little: with a circular motion of your finger for 15 seconds. Then the device is turned out and the manipulation is repeated.

Proper cleansing

On the jar of most special solutions there is the inscription no rub, which translates as “a product that does not require mechanical cleaning.” Despite this, the rules for caring for lenses stipulate that this procedure should not be neglected. And all because mechanical cleaning of the optical device, that is, wiping its surface with a fingertip using a solution, gives maximum effect. Also professional products used for rinsing lenses to wash away all foreign microparticles from their surface. They are then placed in a special storage container.

It is important to remember that caring for night lenses or their other varieties does not involve reusing the solution. Fresh liquid should not be added to an uncleaned container with remnants of the old product. The lens must be completely immersed in the solution; only after making sure of this can you close the lid tightly. It is believed that absolute and complete disinfection requires storing the device in liquid for at least eight hours. But the specific time depends on the quality of the product.

Caring for colored lenses

The procedure has a number of features. First of all, they concern contact lens care products. It is better to store colored optical devices in 0.9% sodium chloride - NaCl. In this case, the cleaning scheme consists of the following stages: the lenses are kept in a solution of hydrogen peroxide (3%) for 15 minutes, for the same amount of time they are placed in sodium thiosulfate (2.5%), then they are transferred for storage to a container with a special physiological agent .

The scheme is, in principle, traditional. The only difference is that it requires the use of liquids that contain hydrogen peroxide. She is great disinfectant, but does not cause allergic reactions. Once immersed in this liquid, the lenses get rid of any germs on their surface. In addition, peroxide in such compositions is susceptible to reaction - decomposition, after which no active aggressive chemicals remain in the liquid.

Features of storing different types of lenses

There are two types of optical devices: soft and hard. The first ones are made from polymer materials, hydrogels and silicone. They are flexible, plastic, pass to the surface of the eye sufficient quantity moisture and oxygen. Caring for soft contact lenses includes all the procedures described above. As for hard lenses, they consist of the same polymers, only denser. They are used for complex corneal defects: for example, for correction high degrees astigmatism. Caring for hard lenses also requires the same solutions. Despite the fact that such devices are denser, they must be handled with care. They are very easy to damage due to their increased fragility and tendency to deformation.

Any type of lenses must be stored in a container. In appearance, these are two small round containers connected to each other by a thin partition. Usually each has different colour, so as not to confuse where the left and right part. Each section of the container is closed with a separate lid, thereby preventing the liquid from pouring out or evaporating. Change the container itself once a year.

This needs to be remembered

The rules for caring for contact lenses are not limited to the above recommendations. There are a number of other necessary manipulations that accompany the wearing and storage of this optical device. Firstly, ophthalmologists talk about the need to avoid touching any surfaces of the spout of a tube or bottle with a solution. This may cause the lens to become dirty. Secondly, it is undesirable for tap water to get on it - this can lead to infection. Third, keep containers clean. Change the fluid in them regularly.

Caring for your eye lenses, especially competent and thorough, is a guarantee that ophthalmological problems will bypass you. If troubles do arise, please contact us for help without delay. medical institution. There may be several reasons for visiting a doctor: the appearance of dryness in visual organ, increased sensitivity to light, sensation of a foreign body, the appearance of large amounts of discharge, as well as itching, pain, burning or redness of the eye.

Fixed assets

First of all, it is worth mentioning multifunctional solutions for the care of contact lenses. They are used at all stages: washing, disinfection, cleaning and storage. For example, Synergi, Opti-Free Express, Multi Action and others. They do not involve mechanical cleaning of the surface. At the same time, manual removal is more effective, so doctors recommend not to neglect it. Back in 2009, solution manufacturers received instructions from the Center for Equipment and Radiological Medical Research to include in the annotation for devices a recommendation on friction - mechanical cleaning of the lens.

Care may include so-called peroxide systems: One Step, Peroxide, Ever Clean and others. A solution of hydrogen peroxide (3%) is responsible for disinfection in them. Those containers that are sold along with such a product have a built-in neutralization system. When using a solution, it is strictly forbidden to rinse the optical device immediately before putting it on - this can cause a burn to the eye shell. The system is ideal for people sensitive to preservatives in multi-use products.

Daily cleaning methods

Caring for eye lenses without them is impossible. This line includes products such as Multison, Renu Multi Plus and so on. Typically these solutions are used for cleaning. Other liquids may be used during cleaning and disinfection. Clean the surface of the lens in this way: drop a small amount of solution onto it and use your finger to wipe its surface for about twenty seconds. Products for removing protein deposits are also very good, especially Avizor Enzyme and Sauflon tablets - they easily dissolve in a multifunctional solution.

Daily manipulations include not only care for the lenses, but also for the eye itself. After all long wearing optical device often causes a feeling of dryness in the visual organ. Therefore, ophthalmologists advise people to use moisturizing drops daily: Comfort Drops, Sensitive Eyes and others. Drops containing hyaluronic acid also work well. They bind and retain moisture, while having an effective effect on the surface of the cornea. These drops include Oxyal and Hilo-Komod.

Other necessary means

This saline solutions"Lycotine Universal" or "Lycotine Comfort". They are used for storage and washing, as well as for processing the optical device using high temperature or ultraviolet light. Sometimes they are used together with effervescent soluble tablets or other means for disinfecting and cleaning lenses. Use only saline solutions in daily care it is forbidden. Proper lens care can be done using cleaning devices - they disinfect with ultrasonic waves. First, the lens is treated with a multifunctional solution and only then placed in this device.

Speaking about lens care products, it is worth mentioning enzymatic cleaners. These are the same tablets that help remove excess protein deposits, dirt, dust and mucus from the surface of the optical device. Effervescent products easily dissolve in any cleaner, mix with it until a homogeneous structure. The lenses are dipped in them for 15 minutes, after which disinfectants are used.

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