# Buffing out fine scratches in spectacles **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2006, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841 "2006-03-25T09:19:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841/1 "2006-03-25T09:19:45Z")
Due to an unfortunate accident, I find myself having to use my backup pair of glasses - but I haven’t worn these in a couple of years, and I’d forgotten just how badly they are scratched. It’s not unlike looking at the world through a faint fog, and it’s extraordinarily irritating. Is there any way I can buff out the really fine scratches that make up this mistiness? I’ve heard that toothpaste can work well as a buffing agent - true? Anyone else have any suggestions? The lenses are not glass, but some form of plastic. Not coated with any anti-scratch or any other coating. Yours opti-mist-ically, Anu ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841/2 "2006-03-25T13:26:25Z")
I’ve seen chocolate used as a polishing agent. I’m not sure how well it would work on a plastic lens. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@MC\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_E)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841/3 "2006-03-26T00:38:42Z")
A guy I work with brought his wife’s glasses in to clean up on the polisher. I’m not sure how long he polished them, but he ended up changing the perscription fairly drastically. He had to throw them out and buy her a new pair. So be careful if you try it. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841/4 "2006-03-26T00:50:39Z")
Anybody have any experience with [this stuff](https://www.asseenontvnetwork.com/vcc/advancedresultsmarketing/lensdoctor/147143/)? I have no idea if it works, or just ruins your glasses, so this is not an endorsement. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841/5 "2006-03-26T01:10:50Z")
> [@mks57](#): > > I’ve seen chocolate used as a polishing agent. I’m not sure how well it would work on a plastic lens. Pretty well, surprisingly. Also works on minor scratches on CDs (and to a lesser extent, DVDs). It takes a lot of elbow grease, but if the scratches aren’t too deep the results are generally pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841/6 "2006-03-26T02:52:30Z")
Bon Ami cleanser will work. Make a paste by adding a tiny bit of water and have patience.You can use your finger tip or a soft cloth pulled tight over your finger, similar to spit shining shoes. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841/7 "2006-03-26T02:53:31Z")
Toothpaste is a mild abrasive, all right. But I’m thinking that using it on your glasses would allow you to scratch a nice layer of fog into your lenses. I don’t think that’s what you want to do. I know there are a few lens guys on the bbs and I’d hang on until they weigh in here. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841/8 "2006-03-26T03:43:34Z")
It’s very difficult to effectively polish the scratches out of plastic eyeglass lenses without removing all the lens coatings or damaging the plastic further. Unless the scratches are very light you usually wind up making the problem worse. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841/9 "2006-03-26T20:04:38Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > Anybody have any experience with [this stuff](https://www.asseenontvnetwork.com/vcc/advancedresultsmarketing/lensdoctor/147143/)? I have no idea if it works, or just ruins your glasses, so this is not an endorsement. I don’t have the link any more, but a TV station tested it and their conclusion was, it was a waste of time and money. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841/10 "2006-03-26T20:57:34Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > Due to an unfortunate accident, I find myself having to use my backup pair of glasses - but > Is there any way I can buff out the really fine scratches that make up this mistiness? Applying the scratch remover fills in the scratches so they wont be AS noticeable as before. Bite the bullet, have and up to date eye exam and buy a new pair. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841/11 "2006-03-26T22:46:17Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > Applying the scratch remover fills in the scratches so they wont be AS noticeable as before. > > Bite the bullet, have and up to date eye exam and buy a new pair. Oh, I’m going to do that anyway. Eye exam is done, glasses need to be ordered now. This is just a stand-in pair until they deliver the new ones. I was just pondering possibilities, as it were. Thanks for the tips, everyone. I guess I’ll just live with it for a couple of days. I’m going to try the chocolate idea anyway, since this pair is soon destined for the bin, and what’s the use of throwing things away if you can’t use them to fight a little ignorance first? ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841/12 "2006-03-26T22:54:00Z")
An optometrist friend used to polish his glasses with wax. The sprayon type. Pledge? I used to clean my glasses that way all the time and what scratches there were would sort of disappear for a while. Currently, my glasses are made of transparent aluminum so I don’t have that much of a problem 😉 . Bob ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841/13 "2006-03-27T09:00:32Z")
> [@urban1z](#): > > An optometrist friend used to polish his glasses with wax. The sprayon type. Pledge? I used to clean my glasses that way all the time and what scratches there were would sort of disappear for a while. > > Currently, my glasses are made of\*\* transparent aluminum\*\* so I don’t have that much of a problem 😉 . > > Bob Would that be [transparent alumina?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparent_alumina) [Transparent aluminum](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparent_aluminum) is a rather more exotic material. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841/14 "2006-03-27T09:09:54Z")
> [@urban1z](#): > > An optometrist friend used to polish his glasses with wax. The sprayon type. Pledge? I used to clean my glasses that way all the time and what scratches there were would sort of disappear for a while. > > Currently, my glasses are made of\*\* transparent aluminum\*\* so I don’t have that much of a problem 😉 . > > Bob Would that be [transparent alumina?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparent_alumina) [Transparent aluminum](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparent_aluminum) is a rather more exotic material. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffing-out-fine-scratches-in-spectacles/349841/15 "2006-03-28T15:59:00Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > Eye exam is done, glasses need to be ordered now. This is just a stand-in pair until they deliver the new ones. Save your chocolate for Lynn & Tuba. Your answer is right there… when you you order your glasses, bring the old ones and ask them to polish them up. The have the equipment/expertise, and won’t charge you. (I’m assuming they don’t have any special coatings)