How To Repair Scratched Sunglass Lenses

OK, so you've purchase a pair of sunglasses and really like them.

You wear them out to the beach and a whirlwind comes along and blasts your face (and sunglasses) with some gritty old sand.

There is nothing worse than putting on your sunglasses and realizing you can't see clearly because the lenses are covered in scratches.

You know that if you just wipe them with your hand or a piece of paper the  scratches will just get worse.

So you grab your handkerchief (if you're a guy) or some tissue (ladies) and get ready to clean those lenses up.

Whoops! Wrong choice!

What To Do?

First, make sure that the lens is glass and not plastic. 

The first thing you want to do is clean the surface of the lens with some soap and watter in order to figure out where exactly the scratches are.

Rinse them under water and carefully dry with a microfiber cloth.

But better yet, use a lens cleaner like Purity Lens Cleaner and a soft microfiber cloth like we offer in our Lens Cleaning Kit .

Apply Scratch Remover To Your Lenses

There are any number of products you can use to remove scratches on your lenses, many in your home.

For example, if you have a non-abrasive toothpaste it will work well on the lens.

Simply rub it on the scratch using a circular motion with a cotton ball. Then rinse it with cold water. If the scratch is deep you may need to repeat this process a couple of times.

If you don't have some non-abrasive toothpaste ask your wife for some baking soda. Put some baking soda in a bowl, add small amounts of water and mix until you have a thick paste.

Rub the paste the same way as non-abrasive toothpaste; use a cotton ball and circular motions until the scratch is gone.

When you are finished wipe off any excess, rinse with cool water and wipe dry with a non-abrasive rag.

Other Scratch Remover Options

If you don't have non-abrasive toothpaste or baking soda, use a brass or silver polish and a cottong ball. 

Again, use a circular motion until the scratches are gone, rinse with cool water and dry with a non-abrassive cloth.

The Scratches Won't Come Out

If the scratches are too deep you can use a wax to fill the scratches.

The best waxes are Turtle Wax or Lemon Pledge.

Simply rub the wax onto the lens using a micro-fiber cloth in a circular motion, then wipe the lens off with a clean are of the cloth.

How To Repair Plastic Lenses

Clean the surface of your plastic lenses using a cleaner made for eyeglasses like Purity Lens Cleaner and a clean micro-fiber cloth. 

Then purchase a glass etching abrasive designed for glass art projects. You can find this at any hobby or craft store.

Remember, glass etching compunds contain hydrofluoric acid that will eat through almost anything except plastic. Be sure and wear rubber gloves when using on your sunglasses.

The downside is that using these compounds will remove the anti-reflective and anti-scratch coatings on the lens.

Remove the lenses from the frame and place them in a small plastic container while they are covered in the abrasive. Be sure the container you use is never used for food after you finish this project.

Apply the glass etching abrasive to the lenses with a cloth or cotton ball. Then put them into the plastic container for a few minutes.

Then wipe all of the abrasive off with a soft cloth or cotton ball, rinse with cold water and replace in your frame.

Dispose of all the items that came into contact with the abrasive.

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