How to fix screw that keeps falling out of my glasses

[Icerigger]

I solved this problem with my glasses by using a slightly larger screw. Glasses repair kits are sold with many different sizes of replacement screws.

[Wile_E]

@sailor

I have lost a few of those little screws over the years, never to be found again. Better than a paper clip a bit of copper wire can be used to make a C or even a rivet as it is much softer to work with.

I used a garbage bag twist tie wire with the paper part stripped off. You can’t see it and it works. I got tired of having to drive to the optician’s every time a screw fell out and got lost. I had glasses for 5 years that got beat up terribly and the screws rarely fell out. My newest pairs have had the screws fall out numerous times, the first times within a month of purchase. I highly doubt that they are making better screws these days.

[yoyodyne]

If anyone’s interested, the proper Loctite for this use is the purple 222MS.

[panache45]

I had this problem for years and years, then I upgraded to a better, more expensive brand. The new screws do not come out, no matter what. Something in the design of the screws prevents them from loosening. I don’t know why all brands aren’t like that.

[Chronos]

I have lost a few of those little screws over the years, never to be found again. Better than a paper clip a bit of copper wire can be used to make a C or even a rivet as it is much softer to work with.

Perhaps, but I didn’t have any copper wire on me at the time, but I did have a paperclip and a needle-nosed pliers (this rendering the harder metal workable).

[Really_Not_All_That_Bright]

The problem with a lens screw is that once it loosens at all, the lens starts to move around in the frame a little, which bends the frame slightly, which means no matter how much you tighten the screw, the two sides of the frame will never quite sit flush again, which means the screw can’t be fully tightened, which means the whole process starts all over again…

[Siam_Sam]

@WishIHadACoolName

Otherwise, you can inadvertently strip the barrel.

Related question: If the barrel has been stripped, is there anything that can be done about that?

[Really_Not_All_That_Bright]

@Siam_Sam

Related question: If the barrel has been stripped, is there anything that can be done about that?

You can re-drill it if there’s enough frame and use a bigger screw, or use a bigger self-tapping screw sometimes, but generally, no.

[Voyager]

@Hermitian

Loctite didn’t seem to sell any of their products near me.

I might have to try this. I will still have to go out and buy some (the woman of the household does not do her nails, which is just fine with me.)

My optician recommended this also for my last pair, for which the screws fell out all the time (including in the middle of Alaska). My current pair has been fine.

I recommend buying a glasses repair kit for a few bucks. I never go anywhere without mine anymore. Especially good if you can’t find the damn screw.

[Jormungandr]

@Hermitian

I think this is a factual question (and not an opinion one), but mods feel free to move this if it needs it.

The tiny screw holding together my glasses frame around my right lens seems to keep coming loose. This is the third time in as many months and I am scared it will do it again (and lens pop out) when I’m doing something like driving or in a meeting at work.

I’ve tried screwing it in REALLY TIGHT, but it doesn’t seem to help much.

I’ve thought about applying a tiny amount of clear superglue around it to help it not untwist, but I will probably be getting some new lenses in a few months, and the screw will have to be able to come out.

Superglue will work, but you migyt want to apply it to both the top and bottom of the screw. As for your new pair, if the loose screw happened a lot, short of poping out, you might want to check about changing the shape your temples (the “legs” of the glass that go to the ear). I have a wide head and pulled my spring hinges to the max and loosened screws. I broke one hinge recently and when both temples were replaced the optican curved them to relieve the stress on the new spring hinges. Also, brands matter somewhat. My previous glasses (from my optometrist) lasted 10 years under the stress, but the new pair (lenscrafters) which I had repaired last barely a year.