Yellow Dust Dilemma: Japanese Opticians Warn Against Using Dry Cloths on Glasses

TOKYO -- With yellow dust spreading across multiple areas in Japan, an optometry shop is advising individuals to properly maintain their lens accessories.

On March 25, Megane no Matsuda Co., an optometry store located in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, posted on their official X (previously known as Twitter) page, "Cleaning eyeglass lenses by rubbing them with dry hands to remove yellow dust may lead to scratching." It appears that the business has consistently issued these cautions whenever yellow dust levels rise significantly.

Yellow dust denotes an occurrence wherein tiny soil and mineral particles get elevated to heights of thousands of meters within arid areas like continental Chinese deserts. These airborne particulates are then transported eastward by prevailing westerlies, reaching locations including Japan.

Toshiki Matsuda, the company’s president, warns against using fabric, shirt cuffs, or ties to clear yellow dust from spectacles, calling these practices “forbidden.” Engaging in such behaviors might allegedly lead to a situation akin to grinding down the lens surfaces. Rather than doing so, he advocates for washing the yellow particles away under running water followed by gently patting dry with a pristine, delicate piece of material. Similarly, when tackling cedar pollen and other types of pollen buildup on lenses, he endorses employing the same method involving water rinse.

(Digital News Group based on the Japanese original by Ei Okada)