Busted! Myths About Removing Scratches from Glasses | Real Solutions for Real Peace of Mind
You’re out, enjoying your day at the speed of life when suddenly, it happens—a HUGE scratch appears on your glasses.
OOPS, I DID IT AGAIN… (Scratched Specs Saga, remix edition)
Can it be fixed? You grab your phone and scour the internet for a DIY fix: “How to get scratches out of glasses” or “How to remove scratches from glasses.” What pops up?
Webpages around DIY solutions like using toothpaste, baking soda, and isopropyl alcohol. It looks like some real MacGyver-type solutions with products you already have around the house. Phew! Easy.
CAUTION: Imminent Scratched Lenses DIY-disaster Pending!
You will likely completely alter your prescription, destroy the lens coating, damage the frame, or end up with some nightmare combo of all three.
Spoiler alert: there’s no secret hack to erase scratches magically, But it’s not all bad news. We can help. How?
Why Can’t I Rub The Scratch Out of My Glasses?
Firstly, we need to separate fact from fiction~you can’t just rub the scratch out. Why not? Whether you’re talking about a build-up of super-fine scratches or a single thick, jagged line, it’s about what the rubbing/friction action is doing as you try to repair the damage.
Ultimately, you run the risk of either (A) flattening the curve of your lens, thus wholly altering your prescription. Or (B) buffing away the lens coating or lens treatment (like the Anti-Reflective coating), thus making a series of fine scratches transform into an unsightly smudge of damage (then you’ll really get annoyed).
Preserving Your Prescription Glasses For Longer
So, what does work? It’s about simple and practical everyday care for your prescription glasses.
You know the drill, but let’s recap what to do and what to avoid doing:
- Rinse your spectacles well before wiping them clean. Most of the time, what scratches your lenses is whatever is on the lens surface that you then rub into the lens with a dry, forceful rubbing motion. A good rinse under the tap (not hot water), pat dry with tissue—don’t rub—and finish off with a light polish with your microfibre cloth, and you’re done!
- Stop wearing your sunglasses on top of your head. I know we all do it, but this is a big one. We can’t say what the incident rate is for dropped sunglasses and lens damage, but it’s likely to be huge. If it hasn’t happened to you, someone in your family likely has experienced some frame-drop drama! The added problem here is that the damaged lens will have a polarising film or be UV-tinted, and there’s no way you’re removing those chips, scratches, and nicks without damaging the tinted lens further.
- Your shirt or blouse may be cut from comfortable material, but your lenses will absolutely prefer something else. DID YOU KNOW? On a microscopic level, many fibres look like rows of tiny blades. Casually wiping your specs with the corner of your shirt will lead to a build-up of scratches. Over time, this results in what I call a “scratch cloud,” localised to the central part of the lenses and very obvious to recognise). Ensure you keep your microfibre cloth clean (yes, it’s washable. Just avoid fabric softener), and once your cleaning cloth starts to get filmy or stained, stop by The Optical Superstore and get a fresh one.
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A Super Lens Warranty for Greater Peace of Mind
Okay, so there’s no short-fire, true-blue solution for scratch repairs to your glasses. And we hope we haven’t come down too hard on the ‘be better’ reminders here.
But we’d like you to know that at The Optical Superstore, we genuinely do try to have your back when it comes to scratched lenses, incidental mistakes, and the events of living life that pop (or drop) out of nowhere—particularly when it comes to getting scratches out of glasses.
We want all our customers to have real peace of mind regarding their prescription glasses and sunglasses purchases. Underscoring our SUPER SERVICE | SUPER SAVINGS motto is our “No Quibble Warranty.”
How often are you made to feel like jumping through proverbial hoops when you return to the place of purchase to get help with eyewear defects, faults, and issues? We get it—no one benefits at all. And we don’t want our precious customers to feel that way.
Our “No Quibble Warranty” ensures that you have the peace of mind to seek and receive replacement and remade lenses in various situations:
- A 3-month prescription change warranty.
- A 12-month warranty on frame defects and standard lens coatings.
- A 2-year warranty on premium lens coatings.
We are here to help, after all! So, resist trying to ‘MacGyver it‘ with a DIY approach to getting scratches out of glasses. Contact The Optical Superstore today for reliable solutions to your prescription eyewear needs.
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