# Can small scratches be buffed out of eyeglasses? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 11, 2014, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-small-scratches-be-buffed-out-of-eyeglasses/685848 "2014-04-11T04:07:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-small-scratches-be-buffed-out-of-eyeglasses/685848/1 "2014-04-11T04:07:01Z")
Last year I graduated from cheap reading glasses to bona fide progressive lenses. Up until recently things have been great. I don’t need them for driving or watching TV, but definitely for reading or cooking and the like. Anyway, just in the last month small scratches have started to appear on the lenses. These are coated (presumably plastic) lenses and are supposed to be scratch-resistant. It’s not like I’ve been rough on them, but I do take them off often enough because I don’t need them unless I’m operating within say 15 feet or so. Long story short: can small abrasions be buffed out somehow? These were purchased at Costco 13 months ago. Can I get these reworked, or do I need to spring for new glasses or lenses? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-small-scratches-be-buffed-out-of-eyeglasses/685848/2 "2014-04-11T04:29:00Z")
Apparently, although I haven’t tried it: > **[How Can I Revive an Old, Beaten Up Pair of Glasses?](https://lifehacker.com/how-can-i-revive-an-old-beaten-up-pair-of-glasses-499894449)** > > Dear Lifehacker,I have a really old pair of beaten up glasses. While my prescription hasn't changed, the glasses are scratched, ill-fitting, and just plain ugly. I can't afford to go out and buy a new pair, so I'm wondering if it's possible to fix... ---
**Author:** ![thatguyjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6de8d8/32.png) [@thatguyjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thatguyjeff)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-small-scratches-be-buffed-out-of-eyeglasses/685848/3 "2014-04-11T16:53:41Z")
There may be some DIY methods - that may work or wreck your lenses. Attempt at your own risk. There is not any sort of factory or professional polishing available because once the lens is cut to fit in your frame, it no longer fits in the polishing machine. Lens blanks start out as a large circle - about 3 inches in diameter. The blanks are polished first, then ground down on the sides to fit the frames. The polishing machines can only polish the lens blanks before they are ground down to frame size. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-small-scratches-be-buffed-out-of-eyeglasses/685848/4 "2014-04-11T17:04:52Z")
> [@thatguyjeff](#): > > There may be some DIY methods - that may work or wreck your lenses. Attempt at your own risk. > > There is not any sort of factory or professional polishing available because once the lens is cut to fit in your frame, it no longer fits in the polishing machine. Lens blanks start out as a large circle - about 3 inches in diameter. The blanks are polished first, then ground down on the sides to fit the frames. The polishing machines can only polish the lens blanks before they are ground down to frame size. That’s good information. Thanks. I’ve read on-line that the scratches may just be on the coating. There’s lot of conflicting information on whether or not these can be reworked. The Costco optician seemed quite proficient; I’ll drop in and chat with one of them tomorrow I guess. ETA: I’m not going the DIY route, just in case. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-small-scratches-be-buffed-out-of-eyeglasses/685848/5 "2014-04-11T17:51:56Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > ETA: I’m not going the DIY route, just in case. If you’ll have to get new glasses because a professional won’t do it for you, you might as well try anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-small-scratches-be-buffed-out-of-eyeglasses/685848/6 "2014-04-11T18:10:56Z")
The answer and, if it is possible, the best method depends on what the lens is made of and what coating(s) were used. Talking to the optician is the best answer so far! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-small-scratches-be-buffed-out-of-eyeglasses/685848/7 "2014-04-11T18:47:33Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > If you’ll have to get new glasses because a professional won’t do it for you, you might as well try anyway. Sure, but they’re still perfectly serviceable, and completely ruining them at this point is kinda counterproductive. I can’t get another free pair till next March. ---
**Author:** ![Longshanks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Longshanks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Longshanks)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-small-scratches-be-buffed-out-of-eyeglasses/685848/8 "2014-04-12T05:40:12Z")
Rubbing some toothpaste on the screen of my watch has removed scratches many times and it would probably work well enough on glasses. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-small-scratches-be-buffed-out-of-eyeglasses/685848/9 "2014-04-12T15:04:32Z")
I tried it yesterday on my secondary pair, it worked well. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-small-scratches-be-buffed-out-of-eyeglasses/685848/10 "2014-04-12T15:51:35Z")
> [@Poysyn](#): > > I tried it yesterday on my secondary pair, it worked well. Toothpaste and cotton? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-small-scratches-be-buffed-out-of-eyeglasses/685848/11 "2014-04-12T20:01:54Z")
> [@Longshanks](#): > > Rubbing some toothpaste on the screen of my watch has removed scratches many times and it would probably work well enough on glasses. I’ve done this as well (on my watch crystal), and it works great. A fingernail buffer (not emery board!) also works pretty well. Haven’t tried either on eyeglasses, though. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-small-scratches-be-buffed-out-of-eyeglasses/685848/12 "2014-04-12T20:20:31Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Toothpaste and cotton? Yes. And then a final polish with a microfibre cloth. I am absolutely insane for having nothing on my glasses. Even small scratches drive me nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-small-scratches-be-buffed-out-of-eyeglasses/685848/13 "2014-04-13T09:41:08Z")
Do the glasses have an anti-reflective coating? This is applied on top of the scratch-resistant coating, and is relatively soft. It can be stripped off and reapplied. BTW, I once had glasses with an anti-reflective coating. I hated it - the coating would show any little bit of skin oil. Like **Poysyn** , I’m a fanatic about keeping my lenses clean, which meant I was constantly cleaning these glasses. This caused the coating to wear out prematurely. The optician who sold me the glasses told me this is a common problem, and stripped off the coating, leaving just the anti-scratch coating underneath. It’s a good idea to use only microfiber cloths or lens tissues when cleaning your glasses. Most other things you might use are abrasive. Facial tissues like Kleenex will scratch your lenses. Even using the hem of a T-shirt is a bad idea. BTW, have the people who are recommending polishing the lenses with toothpaste actually done it themselves on eyeglass lenses? I’d be afraid of fogging the lenses with a bunch of microscratches.