Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was co-authored by David Felsted, DO. Dr. David Felsted is a Comprehensive Ophthalmologist based in Flagstaff, Arizona. He specializes in cataract and refractive surgery, micro-invasive glaucoma surgery, ophthalmic lasers, dry eye disease, diabetic retinopathy, and ocular trauma. Dr. Felsted holds a BS in Accounting from Brigham Young University and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Midwestern University. He completed his Ophthalmic residency at The Medical College of Georgia.
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There is nothing worse than putting on your glasses and realizing that you still can't see clearly because the lenses are covered in scratches. If you have glasses with plastic lenses you may be able to fix small scratches quickly and affordably using common household products. Use one of these methods to try to fix your scratched plastic lenses yourself.
Steps
Clean the surface of your lenses in order to determine where the scratches actually are. Make sure to use a cleaner made specifically for glasses and a clean micro-fiber cloth. You can get this at any eye glass store or optometrist's office. In fact, they will probably give it to you for free if you have bought glasses there.
Apply scratch remover to your lenses. There are a wide variety of products that can be used to remove scratches to your lenses. Begin by dabbing a non-abrasive toothpaste on the lens.[1] Rub it on the scratch in a circular motion with a cotton ball and rinse it with cool water. If the scratch is deep, you may need to repeat the process a few times.- If you don't have non-abrasive toothpaste you can make a paste from baking soda and water.[2] Put baking soda in a bowl and mix in small amounts of water until you have a thick paste. Rub the paste on the same way you did the toothpaste, and rinse it off when you think the scratch is gone.
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Wipe off any excess scratch remover. If you cannot remove it all with a rag or a cotton ball, rinse the lenses with cool water and wipe dry with a non-abrasive rag.
Try another cleaner if toothpaste or baking soda did not work. Try buffing the scratched plastic glasses with brass or silver polish and a soft rag. Rub the polish around on the glasses and wipe any excess off with a clean, soft rag. Repeat until the scratch is gone.- Be careful of your glasses frames when using a cleaner that is not made for glasses. Try not to get any on your frames because it is unknown what the cleaner will do to the frames.
Apply a scratch filling product if scratches remain. If you still have visible scratches on the surface of your plastic lenses you can apply a product that will fill the scratches temporarily with wax.[3] Simply rub on the product onto the lenses using a clean micro-fiber cloth, rub it around in a circular motion, and then wipe it off with a clean area of the cloth. This will allow you to see clearly through your glasses but will need to be reapplied weekly.- The two types of products that work best for this are products made to wax your car, such as Turtle Wax, and furniture polishes that contains wax, such as Lemon Pledge.
Put your glasses back on! You should be able to see much better through your newly repaired lenses.
Verify that your lenses are plastic, not glass. This method can ONLY be used on plastic lenses, as it will permanently and irrevocably ruin glass lenses. It is also a method of last resort for plastic lenses, as it will remove all coatings from your plastic lenses.[4] This means that once all the coatings are gone, your lenses will no longer have any protection and you are more likely to get major scratches in your lenses in the future.[5]- Only do this method if you are ok with removing the anti-reflective or anti-scratch coating from your glasses. Many times it is scratches to these coatings that hinder your sight and so removing the coatings will allow you to see through your lenses once again. It's best to try this method as a last resort before you cave in and buy new glasses.
- Clean the surface of your plastic lenses as you would normally. Use a cleaner made to clean eyeglasses and a clean micro-fiber cloth. Cleaning the surface will allow you to see the extent of the actual scratches to your lenses.
Buy a glass etching abrasive designed for glass art projects. You can buy the abrasive at any hobby or craft store.- Glass etching compounds contain hydrofluoric acid, an acid that eats through almost anything other than plastic. When you apply it to your lenses it will eat through any coatings but will leave the plastic lenses completely intact.[6]
- You will also need rubber gloves when applying the abrasive, so buy those too if you don't already have some.
- Put on your rubber gloves before applying the abrasive to your plastic lenses and take the lenses out of your glasses. You will also need a small plastic container to set the lenses in while they are covered in the abrasive. Be sure that this container will not be used with food after it is used for this project.
- Apply the glass etching abrasive to the lenses with a cloth or a cotton ball. Then put the lenses in your small plastic container and let them sit for a few minutes.
- Wipe off all of the abrasive with a soft cloth or cotton ball. Rinse the lenses with cold water. Dispose of all items that came in contact with the abrasive (except your lenses obviously) in the trash.
- Put your lenses back in your glasses frames and put on your glasses. While they will no longer have anti-reflective or anti-scratch coatings, you should be able to see through them much better.
Expert Q&A
Warnings
- Be careful! If your lenses have a non-reflective coating, any of these methods might permanently damage the lens.Thanks
Tips
- You can also purchase a commercial plastic polish but know that they are not made to clean your prescription plastic lenses.[7] They will also take the coatings off of your prescription lenses but are not guaranteed to not scratch the plastic as well.Thanks
- If the anti-reflective coating of your cheap sunglasses is peeling off, try rubbing some 45 sf sunscreen onto the lenses with a clean cloth. This should take the rest of the coating off, giving you the ability to see through them again.[8]Thanks
- If you constantly get scratches on your plastic glasses, consider investing in a clear protective coating when you purchase them. However, these coatings can get scratched as well. The best defense against scratches on your glasses is being delicate with them and keeping them in a case when not in use.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFYQ_78lF54
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFYQ_78lF54
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a-6Id3Khm8
- ↑ https://www.optometrists.org/general-practice-optometry/optical/guide-to-optical-lenses/scratched-lenses-what-can-i-do/
- ↑ https://www.differencebetween.info/difference-between-plastic-and-glass-lenses
- ↑ http://kk.org/cooltools/archives/2890
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yp-kumgpoM
- ↑ http://makezine.com/2007/02/17/how-to-remove-eyeglasses/
About This Article
Medical Disclaimer
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.
To remove scratches from plastic lens glasses, try using white toothpaste for shallow scratches. First, apply a small amount of toothpaste to the lens. Then, buff the toothpaste into the lens with a microfiber cloth using small circular motions. Rinse the toothpaste off your glasses, and you’re done! You can also try using baking soda. Mix together equal parts baking soda and water to make a paste. Apply the paste to the lens, then buff with a microfiber cloth. Rinse off the baking soda, and repeat the process if necessary. For stubborn scratches, you can try using a glass etching compound. Apply the compound to the lens and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then, rinse the compound off and wipe the lens dry. The compound should remove the top layer of the plastic, taking the scratches along with it. If you want to learn how to get scratches off of a lens coating, keep reading the article!
Reader Success Stories
"If only I had thought of looking at your site before going to Specsavers and spending $130 for glasses that I don't like.They didn't even offer a remedy to my scuffed lenses, and wouldn't use my old frames with new lenses. I used baking powder, perfect."..." more
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