Broken glasses in Yaoundé: repair or replace?
Short answer: Most glasses breakdowns can be repaired: a broken temple, a lost nose pad, a loose screw, a bent frame. A cracked or badly scratched lens has to be replaced. In Yaoundé, Niss Optique Médical repairs glasses in its Mvog-Ada workshop within 24 hours.
Illustrative photo
What can be repaired on a pair of glasses?
Almost everything to do with the frame can be repaired: the temples, the nose pads, the screws and the shape of the frame itself.
- A broken or loose temple: it is replaced.
- A lost or yellowed nose pad: it is replaced.
- A loose or missing screw: it is tightened or replaced.
- A bent frame: it is straightened and refitted to your face.
- Grimy glasses: ultrasonic cleaning brings them back.
Glasses have a particular talent for ending up exactly where someone is about to sit. The good news is that a bent frame is not a lost frame.
When should I replace rather than repair?
A cracked, chipped or deeply scratched lens cannot be repaired: it is replaced. The same goes when your correction has changed.
If the frame is intact, new lenses can often be fitted to it. If it is broken in several places, replacing it sometimes costs less than rescuing it. If in doubt, have it looked at: an opinion commits you to nothing.
What should I avoid doing myself?
Avoid superglue, long-term sticky tape and bending the frame by hand: these often damage the frame or the lenses and make the repair harder.
- Keep the pieces, screw included, in a case or a small box.
- Do not force a bent frame: metal snaps cleanly.
- If you have an old pair, wear it in the meantime.
Glue spreads, turns white and ends up on the lens. A piece of wire in place of the screw lasts three days and scratches everything else. It is full of good intentions, but it is the kind of repair that calls for a second one.
How do I get my glasses repaired in Yaoundé?
Niss Optique Médical repairs glasses in its workshop at Descente Fanta Citron, Mvog-Ada, opposite the Direction des Mines. The stated turnaround is 24 hours.
Come by Monday to Friday between 8:30 and 17:30, or Saturday between 9:00 and 15:30, or first send a photo of the damage on WhatsApp to 699 27 75 97. We will tell you whether it can be repaired, and you can finally stop holding your glasses together with one hand while reading this.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does a glasses repair take in Yaoundé?
- Niss Optique Médical repairs glasses in its Mvog-Ada workshop within 24 hours.
- Can a cracked lens be repaired?
- No. A cracked or deeply scratched lens cannot be repaired, it is replaced. The frame can often be kept.
- Can I change the lenses and keep my frame?
- Yes, if the frame is in good condition. Niss Optique Médical edges and mounts lenses on site in Mvog-Ada.
Written by the Niss Optique Médical team, under the responsibility of its ONOC-registered refracting optician (N° 155/ONOC/2023).
This article gives general information. It does not replace an eye exam. For pain, a red eye or a sudden loss of vision, see an ophthalmologist.
