Glasses "smear" ?

[Jethro_uk]

Being mildly short sighted, I wear spectacles for driving & TV.

My current pair I bought for £14 online in 2012. Despite regular eye checks, my prescription varies so little, opticians have never suggested new glasses.

I have been meaning to buy a new pair for a while, just to have a second spare pair.

Anyway, as luck would have it, on Friday, I was out, and noticed a "smear" on my left lens. The glasses are actually plastic of some description.

However, no amount of washing/cleaning will shift this smear which actually looks like something has attached the plastic, or maybe one of the coatings ? It's definitely NOT a scratch.

Have tried washing up liquid) which is first line of cleaning. No good. Surgical spirit - no good. Isopropyl alcohol - no good.

Now have a spare pair on order, so it's not critical.

Just wondered if anyone had any ideas as to what it is ?

Weirdly a similar thing happened with my swimming goggles a few months ago. *Something* caused the reflective film to "smear" and could not be cleaned off.

Is it of note that I had an eye test 2 weeks ago, and the optician had to check my glasses/prescription ?

[rick]

Probably not related - I had a pair of distance glasses with tinted lenses - used them for driving in summer - left them on dash of car, and when I came back both lenses were like looking through wrinkled plastic. The coatings or lens had been knackered by the heat.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Other things that can definitely f*ck plastic lenses are fumes from things like superglue. IF the plastic is a good one, acetone (nail varnish remove) may remove the coating.

Or attack te plastic even more, if the plastic is NOT good.

[Jethro_uk]

Hmm ... probably best wait for my new ones before I try anything :)

(the spectacle equivalent of "you did do a backup, didn't you ?" :) )

[Jethro_uk]

Whilst I often leave my specs on the dashboard (since I can manage without when walking) it would have been a possibility if the weather on Friday had been that warm ....

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Chances are something has partially dissolved the plastic. You'd probably need very expensive coated lenses to minimise the chances of this happening.

[Jethro_uk]

Which begs the question "what" ? If I had changed my routine, or been in contact with something potentially corrosive to plastic - especially since Thursday - I'm sure I'd know.

Although, considering they cost £14 (and were a nice style) in 2012, I can't really complain.

What I *can* complain about is the fact that the prices have shot up - even online. With the added tweak that the style I ordered in 2012 is "discontinued" - although ones 4x the price are available.

A bit of a trawl and I found what seems a similar style for £34 all in, which should be here before next Friday ...

[harry]

Cleaning plastic lenses gives a "coating" of fine scratches that makes them useless for night driving orl ooking towards bright sunlight.