How to Fix an Eyeglass Sidearm

Eyeglass frames come in all sizes, colors and materials and fixing a piece like a sidearm, or temple, can be tricky. You can fix a broken sidearm with a repair or by replacing the piece with a new one. Broken sidearms may be reattached to the front of a frame with glue as a temporary fix until you are able to take your glasses to your eye-care practitioner for a replacement part. Each fix requires a few simple steps.

Things You'll Need

• Adhesive
• Towels
• Screwdriver
• Eyeglass screws
• Emery board

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Instructions

Replacing a Sidearm

• 1

  Lay a towel on your work surface to prevent losing small screws. Cover the eyeglass lenses with a small towel to prevent scratching.

• 2

  Line up the hinge piece of the sidearm with the connecting hinge of the frame. The two hinge pieces interlock. Close the sidearm as if folding the glasses to put them away in a case. This opens the hole in the hinge for the screw.

• 3

  Insert the screw and tighten it. Be careful not to over-tighten it. Open and close the sidearm to check the repair.

Repairing a Sidearm

• 4

  Cover the lenses with a small towel to protect them from the glue. Clean off any dried glue from a previous repair on the sidearm by gently filing the dried glue with a fine emery board or nail file. Be careful not to file the frame, just the glue.

• 5

  Put a small drop of strong adhesive or household glue on the clean sidearm at the break. Attach the broken pieces and hold firmly for 10 to 15 seconds or the time recommended by the glue manufacturer.

• 6

  Glue the sidearm to the front of the frame if the break is at the hinge. Often, a break occurs when the hinge pulls away from the frame front or the sidearm. Clean the hole left by the vacated hinge gently with an emery board and insert a small dot of glue. Replace the hinge in the hole and hold firmly for 10 to 15 seconds or longer if recommended by the glue manufacturer.

Repairing a Sidearm for a Rimless Frame

• 7

  Cover the lenses with a towel, leaving the hinge area open. A rimless frame is a special repair because the frame, usually metal but sometimes plastic, is mounted directly onto the lenses.

• 8

  Put a little dab of glue on the metal piece that you are attaching to the lens or frame.

• 9

  Line up the broken sidearm and re-attach the pieces, holding them firmly in place for the recommended time.

• 10

  Wipe off any excess glue.