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Can Scratches on Eyeglass
Lenses be Polished or Buffed Out?
Plastic lenses scratch, period. No matter
if they have a scratch resistant protective coating applied to them or
not. And scratches CANNOT be polished or buffed from of a lens. Trying to
polish or buff scratches not only changes the prescription of the lens,
but creates distortions in the lens that degrades vision. Then how do you
remove scratches? Replace them with new lenses.
A recent Television commercial boasts of how their new revolutionary
product instantly removes scratches from eyeglasses, but I am highly
doubtful that this product really works. If anyone has purchased this
product and used it, please email me with your results.
But please read on…
Plastic Lenses
Scratch protective coatings for plastic lenses do definitely help prevent
scratches, but they do not make your lenses “scratch-proof.” There is no
such thing as scratch-proof lenses... they don’t exist. And not all
scratch resistant coatings are alike… some coatings are applied only to
the front surface of the lens, while the back surface (the eye side) is
not protected. So when deciding to purchase a scratch coating for your new
eyeglass lenses, be sure to ask your doctor or optician if the coating is
applied to both the front and back surfaces.
Glass Lenses
Crown glass optical lenses are much more resistant to scratches than
plastic lenses. However, glass lenses pit relatively easily from heat,
like from welding spatter or grinding. Glass lenses are much heavier than
plastic lenses and not nearly as safe in the event of an accident. When a
glass lens breaks, it breaks into hundreds of sharp glass splinters that
can easily damage an eye. On the other hand, plastic lenses break into
cubes or blocks, decreasing the likelihood of eye damage. As each year
that goes by, glass lenses are being used less and less in the optical
industry.
Avoiding Scratches on your Lenses
The most common way plastic lenses get scratched is by cleaning them. It
only takes a few extra seconds while cleaning your lenses to avoid
scratches:
● ALWAYS use water (warm water is best) to
rinse off your lenses before ever touching them with a cloth. Rinsing them
removes the majority of dirt and debris from your lens. In most cases,
it’s the dirt and debris on your lenses that actually scratch your lenses
while you clean them; this stuff is ground into the lens while wiping it.
● NEVER wipe your lenses while they are dry.
(Refer to point number 1!)
● Never use a paper product, like paper towels
or napkins. Paper products are made of wood and are abrasive to eyeglass
lenses.
● ALWAYS use a clean, soft cotton cloth, like
a T-shirt OR eyeglass cleaning wipes that your doctor or optician sells.
● Apply very little pressure on the lens when
wiping it. The harder you wipe your lenses, the greater chance you can be
creating a scratch.
The Bottom Line: Plastic lenses
eventually scratch and then have to be replaced. The best thing you can do
to avoid scratching your lenses is to take great care while cleaning them.
~RQ
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