How To Remove Scratches from Your Glasses

No matter how careful you are with your glasses, you are
probably going to deal with a scratch or two over their
lifetime. While some scratches may not bother you, as they
are out of your line of sight, others create problems with
your vision when they are directly where you need to look.
If you are suffering from scratched lenses, you may be able
to remove them with just items you have around your own
home.

Plastic Versus Glass

One variable to consider when looking for a scratch repair
option is whether your glasses are glass or plastic. Many of
today's lenses are made out of metal plastics, such as
polycarbonate, in order to reduce the risk of breaking.
These lenses also weigh far less than traditional glass
lenses. Many of the scratch repair options work only on
plastic lenses, so if you have glass ones you are going to
struggle to repair the scratch.

For instance, many solutions you can buy to repair scratched
glasses are polymer-based solutions. Polymers and plastics
are both made from carbon, so when you bring them together
they bond with one another, and this can effectively fill in
a crack. These do not work well on glass at all. In fact,
the only likely option you will find to repair a glass lens
that has been scratched is to have it professionally
restored, and the price of purchasing a new lens for your
frames is typically more affordable.

The Toothpaste Method

One way to remove scratches from plastic designer lenses is
to use toothpaste and a soft, non-abrasive cloth. Get a
regular toothpaste, not one with whitening and other fancy
aspects to it, and then rub it on the lens in small circles
using the soft cloth. Spend about 10 seconds rubbing the
toothpaste on the scratched lens. Then, use water and a new
soft cloth to remove the toothpaste.

This does not always work the first time. If you still
notice the scratch, repeat the process again. Keep in mind
that glasses that have a coating on them will be harder to
treat in this manner. You will have to use the toothpaste to
rub off all of the coating, so you may wish to bypass this
option on your next pair of glasses, as they also will
likely get scratched.

Using Jewelers Rouge

Jewelers rouge is another product you might be able to use
to remove scratches from your glasses. Choose a low abrasive
jewelers rouge. Then, make a mix using two ounces of ammonia
and two quarts of water. This is more of the mixture than
you will need, but these measurements ensure that you get
the right ratio. Use a polishing cloth to first apply the
jewelers rouge to the scratch in a circular motion. Buff the
glasses for a while until the scratch becomes less visible.
Then, don some protective glasses and rubber gloves, and use
the ammonia mixture to clean the glass using a soft sponge.
When you are done, dry the lens completely using a
lint-free, scratch-free cloth.

Final Considerations

While your designer glasses may have been expensive, part of
this expense goes towards the purchase of the frames and
having the glasses fitted. You may find that simply
replacing the scratched lens is more affordable than you
think.

If you attempt to use any of these methods to repair your
scratched lens, you need to know that they could end up
damaging your lens if you do them improperly, so do so at
your own risk. Often lenses are coated for various reasons,
including glare reduction and scratch protection, and
attempting to fix a scratch will almost always damage this
coating. However, if the cost of replacing your lens is out
of reach, you may wish to try to repair the scratch
yourself, but understand the risk if you do.

LASIK Eye Surgeries - A Few Important Facts

By Vincent Tanita

LASIK eye surgery is a procedure which uses a specialized
laser and treats refractive errors of the eye. After the
surgery, you can expect to have improved vision without the
need for spectacles and contact lenses. This is the
overwhelming reason for most people who think about having
the procedure, because their occupation or way of life is
compromised by wearing glasses. In some occupations, you are
disallowed if you need to wear glasses or contacts.

Some, but not all, can be helped with Lasik surgery.
"Refractive error" occurs when there is an incorrect
alignment of the two elements responsible for correct focus
- the cornea and the lens in the eye. The result for the
patient is blurred vision, either close up or at distances.
Spectacles are prescribed to correct the problem which
allows the person to see normally. Lasik surgery corrects
the refractive error permanently.

Wavefront Lasik treatment, which uses a Wavefront laser, is
the latest and most popular type of Lasik eye surgery. This
system uses calculations based on the eye prescription of
the patient and the thickness and curvature of the cornea.
Each procedure is finely calculated to the individual
patient. It is effective in reducing the side effects
previously common in conventional Lasik surgery, though they
can still occur.

The first question most people ask is about side effects.
Lasik eye surgery has been performed on thousands of
patients over the years, and has proven itself to be
effective, with most patients happy with their results. As
with any surgical procedure, however, there are risks
involved.

Some of these risks can include inaccurate results causing
over or under correction. Resulting effects of the surgery
may not be permanent. Vision problems can be caused like
double vision, halos, sensitivity to light and glare, hazy
vision. A dry eye condition is also possible, which can be
very uncomfortable. There is also the possibility that the
surgery could make the vision worse than before.

Specialist clinics have been established to offer the Lasik
procedure and are staffed by qualified doctors. Prices can
vary greatly between clinics so it is wise to shop around.
Find out what exactly is covered in the price quoted and if
there are any additional costs. You can expect Lasik eye
surgery to cost you between $1,600 and $2,400 per eye.

Research will help you find a doctor to perform your
surgery. Look for an eye clinic or doctor who is experienced
in Lasik procedures and has earned a good reputation. Make
an appointment with more than one clinic or surgeon and ask
all the questions you have and discuss the procedure fully.
A good doctor will have no problem with this strategy.