Anyone else wear glasses?

[ohiobbw]

I just got new glasses in August and they are completely scratched up already. I used the little handkerchief thingy they gave me and still they are scratched. It's so bad that I can't see out of my glasses! (Which is bad, because I have really terrible eyesight)

So does anyone know how to get scratches out of glasses? Or at least make them less noticable?

Please help me!!!

 

[YogiBare]

Ohio, I suggest that you bring them in to an optician (where you bought them?) and have them polish the scratches out of the lenses.

What's causing them to get so scratched?

 

[ohiobbw]

Ohio, I suggest that you bring them in to an optician (where you bought them?) and have them polish the scratches out of the lenses.

What's causing them to get so scratched?

I got them at Walmart and apparently their policy doesn't cover the lenses only frames. So I'm not sure how much it would cost (the glasses themselves cost almost $300, and my insurance didn't cover any of it).

I don't know why they keep getting scratched. I even got the scratch resistent lenses, because my glasses always get messed up, but usually not this much.

I am going to check it out at Wally World though, to see what I can get done.

 

[Shy Tall Guy]

I got my glasses (reading only) through an optometrist and she gave me lenses with scratch resistance. I wrap the soft cloth around the lenses before putting them in the hard case.

I don't use them that much (I have perfect eyesight, but they help with eyestrain and reading), but I have had them for a couple of years and no scratches yet.

I think your problem is either that the glasses are rubbing against something all the time, or you were given cheap lenses.

 

[freakygirl]

I got them at Walmart and apparently their policy doesn't cover the lenses only frames. So I'm not sure how much it would cost (the glasses themselves cost almost $300, and my insurance didn't cover any of it).

I don't know why they keep getting scratched. I even got the scratch resistent lenses, because my glasses always get messed up, but usually not this much.

I am going to check it out at Wally World though, to see what I can get done.

I bought mine at WalMart.. had them almost a year, and the lens chipped. I took them in there and they fixed them for free. Last week one of my lens had a huge scratch on them. I again took them back and they replaced the lens.. free. Are you sure they aren't covered? I don't have optical insurance, so I paid for the glasses myself.

Double check on the warranty, they should be covered.

Also, NEVER wipe dry glasses.. always use some sort of cleaner on them. I use regular old dish soap and hot water.. i let them either dry by themselves or if I'm in a hurry, I use a baby diaper (cloth kind ofcourse)

 

[bluntforcemama]

When I was younger I used to get my glasses scratched a lot (I was a kid, come on!), so I switched to glass lenses, not plastic. Does that help? Sometimes you specifically have to request glass.

 

[Guest]

I don't see how they could get scratched being all wrapped up in your fat face like that. Must be cheap glasses.

 

[Calamity Jane]

I wear glasses, and always buy two pair. I use one for working outdoors/camping/etc. and one for when i want to look nice. I've found that the scratch resistant coating is just extra crap they make you pay for. I've never noticed that it works all that well.

If your insurance doesn't cover glasses, could I recommend you find an America's Best or something similar in your area? They don't have the greatest selection, but you can often find nice frames at fairly low cost. I got glasses there last year, and paid about $250 for a pair of regular glasses and a pair of sunglasses.

 

[Mischka]

Ohiobbw, did you get the anti-reflective coating as well as the scratch resistent coating? Anti-reflective is a great coating for reducing the glare of computer screens and night time driving, but it softens the lenses and makes them more susceptible to scratches.

No matter if you have the a/r coating or not, you have a warranty on those lenses. Frames have a one year manufacturer's warranty, and lenses have at least a four month warranty. I worked in an optical for three years, and I know that there is no excuse for them not to replace those lenses. All the optical has to do is return the lenses to the manufacturer as defective and they will get credit for them.

When you go back to the optical, they will ask if you have you ever used anything besides the furnished cloth on your lenses? The worst scratching cases I recall were from people that used paper towels. Paper towels contain small wood fibers that would scratch the lenses in an instant. Also, when you are not wearing them, where do you store them? Only keep glasses in a hard shell case, with the cleaning cloth in there. A soft sided case has too many air pockets, and dirt and debri can get inside the case.

 

[cymbidia]

I don't see how they could get scratched being all wrapped up in your fat face like that. Must be cheap glasses.

Hey! This sounds like my troll!

Gods.
I feel so soiled, like was used and then cast off.

 

[GuyJD]

OHIO, when you return to the optomotrist explain to him/her that you would prefer the scratch proof lens. I just got a new pair, as well, and like your, mine gets smeary alot.

 

[Gilly Bean]

Short of either replacing the lenses, or geting them polished up, there is no way to remove scratches from lenses.

I have worn glasses since I was 9 or 10, so around 14 years now. When I was a kid, they were alwys getting scratched up. Number one way to get your lenses scratched all to hell? Lay em face down on a surface. Another good way is if you work around chemicals at all, and don't clean them off the lenses properly. This includes such things like hair spray. If you happen to get any chemicals on them, do not use water to clean them, take them into the place ou got them, and ask them to clean them. After a time or two, you will be able to do it yourself without having to worry about how to do it. Also, never clean glasses with any dry rough material, much like paper towel.

Use water or glass cleaner when possible, or breath on the lense to fog it up before cleaning. At night, store them in a glasses case (they give em away with the glasses, but you can also buy em if you misplaced em), and never ever set em lense down on any surface.

 

[SexyChele]

Something very similar happened to my mother - and she got her glasses from an optician, with the special scratch resistant coating. She only uses the spray cleaner they gave her, never wipes her glasses dry, and only uses the special cloth they gave her. She never lays her glasses down on any surface, and always stores them in protective cases. Yet, after 6 months her lenses were so scratched she couldn't see anything.

The cause?

She had never thought to wash the cloth she was cleaning the glasses with. The optician told her this is actually very, very common. People use that special cloth, never thinking that it gets really dirty. So they use it over and over and over without cleaning it - and the dirt that it accumulates is what scratches the lenses.

If you haven't ever cleaned the cloth you use to wipe your glasses (recommended at least once a week, depending on the air quality where you live), give it a try. You don't wash it in a washing machine. Simply run it under warm water - no soap - wring it out and let it air dry.

When my mom washed hers, she was amazed at how dirty the water was when she finished!

 

[Mischka]

I've found that the scratch resistant coating is just extra crap they make you pay for. I've never noticed that it works all that well.

It depends on the lense type. Scratch resistant coating does improve plastic lenses, but it has a negligible benefit for polycarbonate or hi index lenses (the two thinner type lenses). I always get anti-reflective coating on my lenses anyway - it makes the lenses "disappear" - and hence scratch coating is a moot point.

Also, Myst is right about glass. It is a far more resilient substance than any of the plastic lenses, though it is harder to find and not suited for most people. Higher prescriptions require much thicker frames to support glass lenses, which typically average about 1/3 to 1/2 time larger than the plastic counterpart. The current trend towards stainless steel and titantium frames also is incompatible with glass lenses - they will bend the frame out of its prescribed range. Further, though glass is hard to break, if it does break, it will shatter towards the eye. On the upside, glass lense wearers report better clarity of vision through the lenses, and they often last years longer than plastic lenses.

 

[ohiobbw]

I don't see how they could get scratched being all wrapped up in your fat face like that. Must be cheap glasses.

Yeah!!! I finally got my first troll. I feel like part of the family now!!

Ohiobbw, did you get the anti-reflective coating as well as the scratch resistent coating? Anti-reflective is a great coating for reducing the glare of computer screens and night time driving, but it softens the lenses and makes them more susceptible to scratches.

I did get the anti-relective coating, for the first time. They didn't tell me that it would make my glasses more likely to scratch. If they would've said that I wouldn't have taken the a/r coating.

Thanks for all the cleaning tips everyone. I never use paper towels to clean my glasses. I do sometimes use my shirt, if I don't have the lens thing they gave me.
And I don't lay the glasses lens down, but I don't use the case either. That might be the problem.

I am going out to Walmart tommorrow, so I will see what they can do.

SexyChele, I do wash my cloth, but not often enough. Thanks for reminding me!

 

[ohiobbw]

It depends on the lense type. Scratch resistant coating does improve plastic lenses, but it has a negligible benefit for polycarbonate or hi index lenses (the two thinner type lenses

The current trend towards stainless steel and titantium frames also is incompatible with glass lenses - they will bend the frame out of its prescribed range.

I have the polycarbonate lenses, because my prescription is strong. And I have stainless steel frames, I used to have titantium. I can't wear most metals because my they make my skin rash, so I go those frames. (I didn't get the plastic ones, because I think their ugly.) So these are bad for me??

Why don't they tell you this at the eye doctor??

 

[April]

I clean mine by running them under the faucet, then cleaning them with a towel I have set aside just for that purpose. Never clean them with a paper towel. Your shirt is not that good either. I rarely have a scratch problem, and I only use the case when I switch from my regular glasses to my sunglasses.

I got mine from that store in the mall. LOL Can't remember the name of it. Lens something. What I paid for two is less than what you paid for yours, Ohio. Sorry, I think Walmart is a big rip off.

 

[Mischka]

*banging head against wall*

I can't believe they didn't give you the run down on keeping A/R lenses clean when they sold them to you! Argh. OK, I have a fanatical devotion to this subject, so the next part will be some serious Mischy rambling.

Some A/R coatings are more scratch prone than others. I'm afraid that Wally Hell uses the cheapest one out there, so it's going to be that much harder to keep scratch free. Most likely, if they replace the lenses, it will be with another set of A/R coated lenses. Here's how to keep those clean and scratch free:

• Never ever clean them with anything besides the cloth provided. Ever.
• Clean the cloth once a week, as SexyChele said. Mild hand soap (unscented) and warm water are best. Never let the cloth come near fabric softener - it will ruin the coating on the cloth.
• Replace the cloth once a year.
• When the glasses are not on your face, keep them in a hard shell case. Ooh - that rhymes. Let's repeat: When the glasses are not on your face, keep them in a hard shell case.
• Never leave your glasses on a countertop, on top of your head, or anywhere where they will come into contact with another surface.
• Apply all sprays and aerosols - perfume, deodorant, etc. - before you put your glasses on. Keep them in the case until all such moisture is cleared from the air.

As you can see, A/R coating is for anally retentive people only. If you don't follow this strict regime, the lenses will scratch instantly. I adore my A/R coating, however, and could never go back to uncoated lenses. They reduce fatigue when in front of a computer screen, reduce the glare from around lights at night, and eliminate the shine on lenses so people can see my eyes.

One last point on the coating. Hold them up to the light - you should see either a green or a purple tint to the lense. I'm betting you have a purple tint. If you decide to get A/R lenses again (at a private optical, if at all possible), ask for the green tint. It's a different brand, and it's better.

On to your other concerns. Stainless steel frames are wonderful - they are lightweight, strong, hypoallergenic, and come in an array of attractive colors that do not bleed or fade over time. They are perfectly compatible with either polycarbonate or hi index lenses. In fact, I wouldn't put people with anything thicker than polys in stainless steel. I personally prefer hi index lenses because they do not have any distortion on the edges (which can somtimes occur with polys), but they are more expensive and not really worth it unless you are at least 20/100. An added feature of polycarbonate lenses - they're bullet proof. So if anyone is aiming at you, try to get them to shoot you in the eye. You'll be protected.

Both polys and hi index lenses already come with a scratch resistant coating built in to the material. There is no need to buy an extra coating, and anyone that is trying to sell you one (1) doesn't know what she is doing, or (2) is just ripping you off. Considering where the optical was, I'm betting on the former.

The only thing that may be bad for you is glass lenses. If you have to wear hypoallergenic frames, I'm afraid glass lenses are not an option. The weight of the lenses will bend the frames, and pinch down on your nose. It's uncomfortable, and you won't get the most accurate prescription if the frames bend.

OK, I've rambled enough. If you have any other questions, though, I'd be more than happy to answer them.

 

[ohiobbw]

Thank you so much Mischka, you are a fountain of knowledge!

 

[Bob Peale]

Can't help you - when I wore them, I always got the protective coating.

Don't wear 'em anymore. Got zapped a year and a half ago after Thing 1 and Thing 2 broke the 4th pair of glasses in as many months.

 

[Trinka]

My lenses don't get scratched hardy ever, but I am always walking around with a layer of slim on them. I think I am clean and clean them several times a day (not the with cloth you are talking about, I have to find one of those). I work in an office, not around anything that splashes, etc. What causes this? I feel like that kid in second grade who was always eating glue and doing yucky stuff.

 

[Armygirl]

I got them at Walmart and apparently their policy doesn't cover the lenses only frames. So I'm not sure how much it would cost (the glasses themselves cost almost $300, and my insurance didn't cover any of it).

I don't know why they keep getting scratched. I even got the scratch resistent lenses, because my glasses always get messed up, but usually not this much.

I am going to check it out at Wally World though, to see what I can get done.

on average it cost $35 for each lens to be replaced
Army

 

[Lt. Col. Slade]

Not any more! Hu-ah!

 

[batter]

scratches

i dont know what would cause you to scratch the lenses so badly so fast unless you are taking them off and setting them down on the lenses themselves and not upside down on the frames themselves.
i have had my glasses for 4 years now and they are only scratched from cleaning them. when you clean your lenses, you should be using a spray cleaner (even windex) on them as dust and grit will scratch lenses. mine are plastic and usually last me for 6 years until they need replacing or my eyes change too much.
scratch resistant lenses should never go that quickly.
i would definetly talk with the head manager and if that doesnt work, maybe a letter to the editor of the local paper would be in order.
what ever happened to customer satisfaction!
maybe even a complaint to the better business bureau.

good luck ohiobbw.

 

[The_old_man]

I have been wearing eye glasses since 1935. Have seldom scratched the lenses, but have broken several. The advice Mischka posted is as good as you will ever get from an optometrist. One thing- -if you have excess tears, they tend to splash onto the back surface of the lense. Just rince under cold water and wipe with CLEAN COTTON.