Have any of you had this problem with your glasses?

[SGW]

I wear glasses, as I suspect a lot of you do. For quite a while now I've been getting the lightweight plastic lenses with an anti-scratch coating. A couple of years ago the coating began to bubble and peel off the lenses. <insert bad words here> I assumed it was a defective batch of plastic in some way, the optician replaced the lenses, which were past the warranty period, for 25 bucks, and I thought all was well.

A few months ago the coating on the new lenses began to bubble and peel as well. <insert more bad words here> Since I needed an eye exam anyway, I went to a different doctor and optician. While I was there I explained what was going on. The optician asked me if I worked with any solvents, especially acetone. I immediately thought of spray painting, which puts a mist of paint and solvents into the air. Since even the fumes are supposed to be enough to cause a problem, spray painting seemed to be a very likely culprit.

I don't know for sure, of course, but I think I'll take precautions the next time I use a spray can.

Have any of you experienced anything similar?

[Optics Curmudgeon]

I used to clean my glasses with Windex, worked great until i got coated plastic lenses. Then I had the sort of problems you're having. Switched to straight alcohol wipes (I like the Flents brand) and no trouble since.

[fredf]

I used to clean my glasses with Windex, worked great until i got coated plastic lenses. Then I had the sort of problems you're having. Switched to straight alcohol wipes (I like the Flents brand) and no trouble since.

I think I read (maybe a post from Evan?) that isopropyl is a no no on polycarbonate (lexan) so if safety glasses you may be causing problems

[Astronowanabe]

99% isopropyl will remove the AR coatings from lenses, it may need a scratch or flake to get under the coating to begin with, but then it is all over.

[Optics Curmudgeon]

Ssssh! They'll hear you, and after putting up with it for 5 years the coating will disappear.

[jimsehr]

Check Zinni optical online . Their glasses are so cheap they are replaceable.

jims

[Black Forest]

I did the same thing to my plastic progressive lens glasses by cleaning with glass cleaner.

I went to my glasses store and showed them the glasses. I did not know at the time what had caused the problem. They asked how I cleaned my glasses and I told them I used a spray bottle of glass cleaner. Ahhh, they said! You shouldn't do that it will ruin the coatings on the lens. Me I ranted about if that is the case they should have informed me when I bought these 600 dollar lens. They actually replaced the lens for me at no charge and I think it was right of them to do so. After this episode I found out it is a very common problem. In my mind they should tell their customers about the faulty logic of using glass cleaner on glasses.

[Alan Smith]

Glass cleaner is for cleaning glass, just that. There are cleaning sprays for cleaning coated plastic lenses which would appear to be only a weak solution of detergent in water.

The other big no no with coated lenses is using tissue paper to polish them. Apparently tissue paper is very abrasive and will remove a lens coating in fairly short order. You should use a polishing cloth only.

[J Tiers]

Never had the solvent issue, but I HAVE had skin oil remove the coating. Started in the area which typically gets some skin oil on it, and progressed.

No, in case you were wondering, I am NOT one of those people who causes rust on steel.

[gwilson]

I had some plastic lenses by Zeiss years ago. The coating wore right off in a few weeks. I learned from the clown doctor who got the lenses for me not to use alcohol. So,I bought HIS brand of cleaner,and a few weeks later,same thing happened. I got to investigating,and discovered that I could SMELL the ALCOHOL in his own brand of cleaner.

I gave up on him,and got glasses from Costco. I wore them for years with no problem. I was spraying a fair amount of lacquer at that time,too.