Scratched eyeglasses are more than just a small annoyance. They can blur your vision, contribute to symptoms of digital eye strain, and generally make it difficult to focus. Scratches are also often a sign you might need new glasses.
Many popular home remedies can cause more harm than good, and polishing lenses can alter your prescription. For scratches that interfere with your vision, the most effective and safest solution is to replace the lenses. This ensures your vision is clear, your prescription is accurate, and your lens coatings remain intact.
Popular Home Remedies & Their Risks
You may have seen suggestions for DIY scratch removal using common household products. These methods often seem easy, but they can permanently damage your lenses. The risk is often not worth the potential reward.
Toothpaste & Baking Soda Pastes
These items are abrasive and are not designed for delicate lens surfaces. While the goal is to buff out a scratch, they typically strip away the protective coatings on your lenses. This can ruin the performance of your lenses, which are designed with features like anti-glare or UV protection that may be damaged by abrasion.
Glass Etching Cream & Brass Polish
Products intended for heavy-duty polishing on glass or metal are far too harsh for eyeglass lenses. Using such products will permanently remove any coatings on your lenses. This can lead to increased glare from lights and computer screens, which contributes to eye strain.
Wax, Sunscreen & WD-40
Some sources suggest that you can fill in scratches with products like car wax or even sunscreen. However, these are temporary cosmetic fixes that don’t actually remove the scratch. They will likely smudge, create a cloudy film on your lens, and ultimately obstruct your vision even more.
Can an Optician Polish Scratches Away?
Polishing or buffing a prescription lens is not a simple or recommended fix. Your lenses have a precise curvature that provides the correct vision correction for your eyes. Grinding or buffing the lens surface alters the shape of the lens, which changes the refraction your prescription provides, thereby making your vision unclear.
Why Your Lens Coatings Matter
Modern lenses often have multiple, micro-thin coatings that improve your vision and protect your eyes. When you try to remove a scratch with an abrasive substance, you risk damaging these important layers. This can compromise the performance and safety of your glasses.
- Anti-Reflective Coating: This layer reduces distracting glare from headlights, lamps, and computer screens for clearer, more comfortable vision.
- Scratch-Resistant Coating: Helps protect the lens from minor scuffs and the effects of daily wear.
- UV Protection: Blocks harmful ultraviolet rays from reaching your eyes.
The Safest Solution For Scratched Lenses
For any scratch that is deep enough to obstruct your vision, the most reliable solution is to replace your lenses. Your eye doctor can fit new, unscratched lenses into your current frames if your frames are still in good condition.
How To Protect Your Eyeglasses From Scratches
The best way to deal with scratches is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Adopting a few simple habits can help keep your glasses clear for years to come. Proper care makes a significant difference in the longevity of your eyewear.
Always Use Proper Cleaning Tools
You can clean your glasses daily with a microfiber cloth and a cleaning spray designed for eyeglass lenses. Avoid using your shirt, paper towels, or tissues. These materials have rough fibres that can trap dust and debris, creating fine scratches over time.
Store Them In A Hard Case
When you’re not wearing your glasses, the safest place for them is in a hard-shell case. Tossing your glasses onto a counter or into a bag leaves them vulnerable to damage from keys and other objects.
Handle Your Frames With Care
When you set your glasses down, try not to place them lens-side down on any surface. You can also use two hands to take your glasses on and off. This helps keep your frames from becoming misaligned, so that they fit correctly and comfortably.
Time For A Clear View
If you’re tired of looking through scratched lenses, it might be time for an update. A visit to your optometrist in Stoney Creek can help you explore your options for clear, comfortable vision. Whether you need an updated prescription or just new lenses, you deserve a clear field of view.
At Stoney Creek Optometry, our team is here to help you find the right solution for your needs. We are happy to serve patients from Stoney Creek and the surrounding communities. We look forward to welcoming you to our clinic and being a part of your eye care adventure, so request an appointment today.
