Remember to occasionally wash the lens cloth, as a dirty cloth may have accumulated particles that could scratch lenses. Every pair of glasses i owned with plastic lenses, the lenses became very scratched before the frames gave out. Although nonreflective coating effectively reduces headlight glare and helps to reduce eyestrain for computer users, it also causes the lenses to smudge and craze easily. The only way to repair them is to have them resurfaced with a. Rimless eyeglasses come in three pieces two temples and the nose part. Antireflective and scratch resistant lens coatings can also expand at a different rate than the base lens material causing the coatings to crack or craze. Mar 25, 2011 they are safety lenses in that they wont outright break, but the lens material is actually quite soft, it pits and cracks fairly easily. I took my glasses back to lenscrafters and they replaced both. One solution is to remove the coating, as this will remove the scratches while leaving the. If the lens has an oliophobic top coat, crazing is far more often due to internal issues with the hard coat, and much less with chemical exposure, as the chemicals must enter through the top coat. This can result in scratches that will be very noticeable with an ar coated eyeglass lens. We lakeside pottery know of cases where the pinging sounds of newly developed crazing lines go for many years. For example, some scratches may merely cut into the uv protection layer on the exterior of the lens in a way that affects its looks but which doesnt cause a real break in the lens surface. Hard to tell, but id guess scratched coating, if they are deep cracks though, replace then now.
This just happened to me, crazing, or the orange peel effect inside the glasses. To remove eyeglass lens crazing, the surface of the lens must be resurfaced with nonreflective coating by an eye care professional. The only way to repair them is to have them resurfaced with a nonreflective coating by your optometrist. My nikon 5 glasses lenses develop a crazed, cracked. Crazing frequently precedes fracture in some glassy thermoplastic polymers. A lens treatment is a special additive that either bonds with the lens, or is built into the eyeglass lenses themselves during the lens manufacturing process. Apply a dab of sunscreen to another clean cotton rag. Continue buffing until each side of each lens feels completely smooth. Read on to see the answers provided by the thriftyfun community or ask a new question. If the lens material has been damaged, the coating process must begin anew with another lens. I spent last evening trying to remove the coating and restore my lenses to a likenew condition, and im happy to say i can see again, thanks to a little polishing effort. This is especially the case in rimless glasses where it will certainly crack at the drill mounting or when the eyeglass lens was cut too large for the frame.
When the reflective coating on your eye glasses is damaged you may need to remove it. If the coating has crazing, you can often take them to the optician and have the. I have had many conversations through the years regarding cracking and crazing of ar coating, and what causes each. Rinse the lenses free of soap and dry them with a soft and clean cotton or microfiber cloth. Dec 19, 2009 two weeks later theres a crack on the edge of one lens on the same side as the arm. Apr 26, 2017 to remove eyeglass lens crazing, the surface of the lens must be resurfaced with nonreflective coating by an eye care professional.
Lens coatings are key to ensuring an optimal experience with your glasses lenses. Eyeglass lenses are protected by antiscratch and antireflective coatings. This is true whether you wear single vision, bifocal or progressive lenses. Aug, 2009 this is a page about removing antireflective coating from glasses. Scratching it will remove the coating, and its not realistic to have glasses go through a normal amount of wear and tear in a given amount of time. Instead polycarbonate lenses are engineered to crack in a spiderweb pattern. In our industry, crazing defines a defect where the ar lens looks like it has.
Ask a question here are the questions asked by community members. To clean your lenses use a special lens spray provided by your eye care professional or warm, soapy water. If the coatings become scratched or damaged, the blemishes can easily interfere with your line of vision. The problem is, the coating turns to crap after 3 years or so. If the cracks are cracks and not scratches, then it is most likely a workmanship defect. Dont bake your glasses in your car cary optometric. Looking through crazed lenses can make your world appear blurry.
While all glasses are susceptible to heat damage, plastic frames are more. There are a number of benefits to this coating including improved night vision and more comfortable computer use especially if. Crazing is the phenomenon that produces a network of fine cracks on the surface of a material, for example in a glaze layer. Antiglare coating on glasses anyone else have issues with. And yeah, any small mark shows up if you have coated lenses. Though its cleverly hidden, you should be able to see the zeiss mark at the lens margin on a genuine zeiss lens. The exception is around the edges, if crazing is only or more around the edge then its more likely a chemical exposure or a lens edged oversize. Two weeks later theres a crack on the edge of one lens on the same side as the arm. In this article, i want to discuss several of the things that lead to cracking and crazing in an effort to understand the relationship between the lens, the layers of. If the substrate is unaffected, the coating can be stripped off and the lens recoated by a coating lab.
Crazing, which can be caused by either heat or stress, indicates a breakdown of the ar stack. Removing antireflective coating from glasses thriftyfun. Expansion and contraction of the lenses with temperature extremes can cause warping of the lenses resulting in poor optical quality. How to remove antireflective coating from eyeglasses. The latest ar treatments are spotresistant and easily cleaned. As it only takes place under tensile stress, the plane of the crazing corresponds to the stress direction. Thats at least partly because highindex lenses require an antireflective coating. How to make your own eyeglass cleaner for coated lenses.
Jul 27, 2017 the new coating will be built into the lens material so that the nonreflective coating is equally distributed throughout the lens. Typically applied on both sides of an eyeglass lens, this coating, also known as ar or antiglare, reduces the amount of light reflected off the surfaces of spectacle lenses. The next time i buy another pair of glasses it will be with real glass, not plastic and without any coatings. Lens coatings can enhance the durability, performance and appearance of your eyeglass lenses. Meet c shield the lens coating that changes everything. From reducing the glare of digital devices to protecting your lenses from daily wear and tear, selecting a coatings bundle will both extend the life of your lenses and provide comfort throughout the day. I keep meticulous care of my eyeglasses,and was surprised when in 2012 my 2 year old transitions brand lenses in by glasses became crackedcrazed.
Crazing refers to small scratches that appear on the lenses of eyeglasses that are covered with nonreflective coating. Eyeglass lens coatings scratch resistant coating src through all the advancements in eyeglass lens coatings, eyeglass lenses unfortunately are still not scratch proof. This damage can be caused by heat or stress caused from assembling the eyewear. Scratch resistant coating is applied to both the front and back of eyeglass lenses to create a hard, scratch proof surface. If the hard coat on the lens is uneven as is often the case with backside spin coating, it will expand unevenly.
The coating is actually built into the material and distributed throughout the lens. If the underlying hard coat is damaged then this to can be reapplied and then the ar coat reapplied. Small scratches on nonreflecting coated glasses are known as crazing. Crazing is a web of tiny cracks that can appear on the lenses of eyeglasses coated with an antireflective coating. You use a glass etching compound on plastic lenses, but. An antireflective ar eyeglass coating can improve vision dramatically, especially in snow, but when the coating is scratched, it impairs vision. Ive been wearing them since i was 12 and havent looked back.
If you are thinking about purchasing new eyeglasses, here are lens coatings and treatments you should consider. What you need to know about eyeglass lens coatings consumer. Scratches on eyeglass lenses are a more surfacelevel issue that doesnt spread through the full lens material. I have had my latest pair of crizal lenses for 14 months and they are crazing, which affects my vision in sunlight. The antireflective lens coatings are metal oxides that are applied by the manufacturers to both the front and back of the lens surfaces. Apr 26, 2017 crazing can happen for a number of reasons, including wiping the glasses with an abrasive surface or dropping them, and everyday wear and tear. Mirror coatings are highly reflective, color coatings that are added to lenses, and ultraviolet protective uv coatings protect the eyes from the dangerous ultraviolet. A lens coating is exactly what the name implies, an ultrathin layer of material that is added to the front andor back surface of a lens. However, the coating can be removed using a stripping agent. This is a page about removing antireflective coating from glasses. I have owned three sets of eye glasses with glass lenses and with every pair the frames ended up failing before the lenses. They way it works is that the lens will have a hard coating applied to it first this is the coating that helps it be scratch resistant. Otherwise, that lens will become part of the finishing labs spoilage rate. Run your lenses under warm water, rubbing them with the pads of your fingers and a small drop of mild dish detergent.
However, eyeglass lenses that are treated front and back with a clear, hard coating do become much more scratch resistant. Client picked up her glasses three days a go and she came back. If the damage did not severely compromise the underlying hard coat or lens material then the ar coating can be reapplied. Im pretty sure it was crazing, which is basically cracks developed when two different materials are subjected to the same stress and act differently. These may appear as scratches but in careful observation one can see. This can happen sometimes, depending on which coating was actually used on the lenses. Cracks in eyeglass lenses typically only occur when the pressure on the exterior is too high. In this article, i want to discuss several of the things that lead to cracking and crazing in an effort to understand the relationship between the lens, the layers of the coating and the coating as a whole. Regardless of your prescription or the type of eyeglass lenses you ultimately choose, there is a variety of lens treatments and eyeglass lens coatings available. The merriamwebsters dictionary describes crazing as minute cracks on the surface. May 29, 2014 i keep meticulous care of my eyeglasses,and was surprised when in 2012 my 2 year old transitions brand lenses in by glasses became crackedcrazed. The coating isnt supposed to be removable, but you can get it off. If the nonreflective coating is defective or becomes scratched, the coating can be removed.
Apply moderate pressure and work in a circular motion. In this article, i want to discuss several of the things that lead to cracking and crazing in an effort to understand the relationship between the lens, the. There are 3 types of coatings traditionally applied to eyeglass lenses. Temperature will cause the lens coating to expand and contract. My prescription hasnt changed much the problem is that the uv filter coating is starting to wear off, giving the entire lens surface a rough, partiallyopaque finish.
Get some food dye, dilute it some, soak the glasses, if there are real cracks, theyll be really obvious after. The process depends on whether the glasses have plastic or glass lenses. Today, after enjoying a 30 minute lunch in a restaurant, i returned to my car removing my eyeglasses from the. When you take your defective lenses to an eye care professional, he will remove the old coating and spray a fresh coat on.
How to remove eyeglasses coating with sunscreen make. A third process of how nonreflective coating is applied to a lens is in the fabrication process at the time the lens is made. First, tiny cracks start to appear, and after a while the coating is totally crazed, so that its like the lenses are perpetually dirty. Im not cracking up, but my glasses are fracture lense. Its only been another two weeks and both lenses have small cracks again on the side of the lens close to the arm. The antiglare coating can be a pain, because its the same type used on most sunglasses. Its worse because im really fussy about the lenses being clean.
One solution is to remove the coating, as this will remove the scratches while leaving the plastic lens intact and undamaged. Although ar coating is tough, it is more brittle than the underlying than the polycarbonate, so what does not harm the lens, can harm the layers of coating. I had spiderwebs in the transitions coating of my glasses. Many lab support staffers, technicians, and managers of ar coating labs are. To remove eyeglass lens crazing, the surface of the. The most common type of finishingrelated damage is crazing. To remove eyeglass lens crazing, the surface of the lens must be resurfaced with. I purchased a beautiful new pair of glasses from lenscrafters this past august and ive had nothing but problems ever since. There isnt much you can do except to not leave your glasses in areas of. Typically applied on both sides of an eyeglass lens, this coating, also known as ar or antiglare, reduces the amount of light reflected off. In my glasses the coating manifested many fine cracks in the coating. Bifocals allow the wearer to read through one area of the lens, and to focus on distant objects through another area of the lens.
Essilor bonds its antireflective coating to the lenses, rather than applying it in a spray. Crizal lenses are also more expensive than many other brands of antireflective lenses. First i found a deep scratch in one lens i have no idea how it happened they replaced the lens for 50% off the price. Youll need to polish both sides of each lens, so focus on one side at a time, buffing the lens until the coating becomes patchy and flakes even more. Due to its aluminum content, an oilfree spf 45 variety does the trick here.
Problems with the antireflective coating on glasses. What is crazing of your eyeglasses lenses and what can you do about it. I assumed i had used a soft cleaning cloth that had been contaminated by a chemical. Although this is the most expensive way to remove crazing from an eyeglass lens, it is also the most effective way to prevent crazing from happening again. How to remove the flaking coating from my eyeglasses our. My guess is that the lab will redo the lenses for you, or at least they should. My nikon 5 glasses lenses develop a crazed, cracked coating. The lenses are actually part of the strength of the frame, so it is important to only use polycarbonate or trivex or high index lens material on rimless glasses. Crazing can happen for a number of reasons, including wiping the glasses with an abrasive surface or dropping them, and everyday wear and tear. I took my glasses back to lenscrafters and they replaced both lenses technician noticed tiny cracks on the opposite lens as well. Crazing how to detect it, and maximize your lab labtalk online. We also offer lens tints in numerous colors and densities.
Glaze crazing or glaze crackle is a network of lines or cracks in the fired glazed surface. The coating on the lenses can also crack or peel off if exposed to intense heat. Eyeglasses with ar coating will need to be cleaned with unique cleansers and should under no circumstances be cleaned with a dry fabric without wetting the lens first. Lens crazing can occur during the lens finishing process at the optical laboratory. A craze pattern can develop immediately after removal from the kiln or years later. Today, after enjoying a 30 minute lunch in a restaurant, i returned to my car removing my eyeglasses from the soft.
If i were a vampire this would be fine, but im not, and its really disappointing that neither crizal nor my eyecare professional will stand behind their product since i paid a hefty sum for these lenses and after 14 months they. Ar may get a bad rap from consumers who remember it being prone to degrading and developing cracks called crazing or spiderwebbing in its earlier days. How to remove antireflective coating from eyeglasses sciencing. What is crazing, why does it happen and how to prevent it. The lens and the iridium coating were most likely stressed either by force or heat and expanded or flexed. Rimless eyeglass frames have no frame at all around the lens.
The new coating will be built into the lens material so that the. It was explained to me that small scratches build up to the point that somehow moisture gets into the transitions coating and away they go. What you need to know about eyeglass lens coatings. Antireflective crazing usually happens because the coating itself cracks. Fortunately, recent technologies have developed a new type of lens, called the noline, or progressive lens. The lens ar coating should be stripped by the lens personnel and reapplied. If the coating on your lenses is peeling offif they seem chronically smudgedor if you notice crazing cracks, you need a new ar coating. There are four major types of eyeglass lens coatings. The uneven expansion under the ar stresses the ar coating, and causes it to crack craze. Feb 08, 2011 although ar coating is tough, it is more brittle than the underlying than the polycarbonate, so what does not harm the lens, can harm the layers of coating.