If you have damaged your eyeglasses, you may be looking for a home remedy for scratched eyeglasses. There are some helpful tips that may help you solve this problem yourself, quickly and simply.
Scratching Your Lenses
Having scratched eyeglass lenses can be frustrating, inconvenient and even dangerous. A scratched eyeglass lens can lead to obstruction of vision and, depending on how deep the scratch is, may even increase the chances that the lens will break, causing you to need a whole new pair. When a scratch occurs, many will pay for new frames, new lenses or pay a professional to alleviate the scratch.
However, some home remedies for this occurrence exist and using them can save any glasses wearer money, should their lenses become scratched. Attempting to repair scratches yourself may not always give you the results you desire, but it's worth an attempt if money is an issue.
Preventing Scratches
When it comes to lens scratches on your glasses, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Although accidents do happen, improper cleaning technique is one preventable common cause of eyeglass scratches.
Paper towels, for example, will leave light scratches on the surface of the lenses. Using other rough fabrics to clean glasses will also result in these scratches. Eyeglasses should always be cleaned with a soft, eyeglass cleaning cloth and a lens cleaner. Other methods may damage your glasses.
If you are active, play sports, or if the glasses are worn by a child, you may also want to consider purchasing scratch resistant or scratch proof lenses when you have your prescription filled. While these lenses can still occasionally scratch, they tend to be much more resistant to regular daily wear and tear. Although it may cost you a bit more up front to opt for this feature, it can be worth it in the long run in saved money and saved time.
Home Remedy for Scratched Eyeglasses
If a scratch does occur, you may wonder whether there is a home remedy for scratched eyeglasses. Unfortunately, there are relatively few true home remedies. Nothing in your kitchen cabinets or your medicine cabinet is going to take care of removing scratches from glass, but it is possible to buff scratches on eyeglasses made from plastic or polycarbonate lenses using a homemade glass scratch remover made from white vinegar and dry mustard.
You may be able to repair the damage to your glasses yourself by purchasing and using a polishing kit. Kits are normally available in eyeglass or sunglasses stores and you may even be able to purchase one at your local drugstore. Kits can be purchased online as well.
Using a kit to repair scratches in your lenses is appropriate for lighter scratches that are a result of everyday glasses use. Using the kit will clean the glasses and fill in the scratches so they're unnoticeable. The kit will typically come with some form of polish and buffing materials and is used by applying the polish to the lenses, then buffing the polish away. It should be noted that this method isn't suitable for lenses coated with anti-scratch material or sunglasses.
Other Options
If the kit doesn't work or you have a larger scratch, you may still be left wondering whether there is a home remedy for scratched eyeglasses. There aren't many other options, but if you can't find a cream or if the cream doesn't do the trick, you may also consider trying to use one of the creams sold to remove scratches in sports helmets. Metal polish or baby oil may also be options.
When using one of these items, make use of classic buffing remedies that are used in taking scratches out of other types of glass and plastic. Apply the cream, baby oil or metal polisher and use a soft cloth to rub the substance into the surface of the lens, buffing away at the scratch until it appears smooth. If you have purchased a cream, follow the directions on the package, working slowly and gently and checking to see if the buffing is having any effect.
This method should be approached carefully and with caution. If you attempt to repair your scratched glasses using a buffing method, keep in mind that over-buffing your glasses can actually change your prescription, further damaging the lenses and necessitating that you buy new glasses. However, if replacing the lenses or frames is the only other option, you usually have nothing to lose by trying out this method before you head to your optical shop store for a new pair.
