It’s almost inevitable that your glasses or sunglasses will get scratches on the surface. These scratches can interfere with your vision and lead to costly lens replacement. Before replacing the lenses, check to see if they are plastic — most modern glasses are — and if they have a protective polarizing or anti-reflective coating. If they do, there’s a good chance the scratches can be removed at home.
Instructions
things you’ll need:
Glass etching cream
Rubber gloves
Water
Microfiber cloth
Eyeglass cleaning spray
1 Hold the glasses up so that light reflects off the surface. Colored reflections mean the lens likely has a reflective coating. Look for markings on the frame that say “anti-reflective coating” or “polarized.”
2 Put on rubber gloves. Apply a thin coat of etching cream to the lens.
3 Rinse off the etching cream under warm running water. Wipe with a microfiber cloth. Dry, and clean lens with a lens cleaner.
Tips & Warnings
Unless they are vintage glasses, even high-quality lenses are probably not glass, but rather lightweight plastic with a protective coating.
If you suspect your lenses are glass or don’t have the anti-reflective coating, don’t use etching cream, as it will damage them. Use a furniture polish to minimize scratches instead.