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Thread: Scratches...

  1. #1
    Rising Star
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    HI everybody...Steph (my fellow WM slave) and I have a question...

    Where do people get the idea that scratches can be "buffed" out? We thought maybe it was done YEARS ago to glass (but wouldn't that still chnage Rx?)...or is it just a very common misconception?

    Just one of those trivial lil questions that we knew you guys could answer...Andrea

  2. #2
    Master OptiBoarder Clive Noble's Avatar
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    Thumbs up

    I've heard many times from 'scratched' patients that there's a magic liquid that we (opticians) have which gets rid of scratches when rubbed over the lens surface.

    I've also been accused of deliberately not using this solution so we can supply a new pair of lenses.

    If anyone knows of this magic solution, please don't let us know........
    .
    .
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    .
    .
    .
    .
    ........... OK, I give in, do let us know!

  3. #3
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    Redhot Jumper

    Andrea,
    Of course, I am WAYYYYYY too young to remember this, but....

    I believe there was a time when people could buy eyewear from a jeweler or other general mercantile vendors. And since those folks could polish watch crystals and other household goods I'm sure they buffed a few eyeglasses as well. Of course, back then (probably in Jim Seebach's day)there wasn't OSHA, FDA, and a whole bunch of other government letters to tell them NO. Anyway, I guess they figured a little off power was probably better than looking through the scratches. Today, I think people just see a clear lens. To them it's no different than that watch crystal. They just don't realize all the technology that goes into each and every lens. Of course, when I get that kind of request, I use the opportunity to educate patients. I tell them how the lens is made and why it is so important for them to see a certified or state registered (Texas) Optician for their eyewear.

    Well, that's my story. I'm sure there are many more learned than I who will chime in on this subject.

    Carol

  4. #4
    Bad address email on file Darris Chambless's Avatar
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    Hello Andrea,

    It's windshields. They are to blame for people thinking that you can buff out scratches on lenses. They can fix a chip or buff out scratches on windshields so surely they can do this to lenses ;-)

    All joking aside, because of the introduction of new types of formable polymers and scratch movers for just about everything under the sun people believe that one of these products should be able to work on a plastic or glass lens. I had a patient bring in a pair of lenses that he tried to use GS-27 on and I made him a new pair of lenses to replace the badly scarred ones he brought into me :-) People crack me up sometimes. Most scratch removal products (even in the optical industry) are abrasive and will destroy a lens before it will clear up the scratches.

    Now with all that said I do have a little trick that seems to work for those people that are convinced there is a way to get scratches out of a lenses (this works for plastic only) Never tell the patient that you can't or won't do something. Do tell the patient that you will try but won't guarantee anything. Keep a bottle of clear furniture oil on hand and apply just a couple of drops to both sides of the lenses. Rub the oil on to the surfaces of the the lens for a few minutes and then polish the excess oil off with a clean rag. This doesn't make the scratches go away, but it will cover or in essence rehydrate the chalky look of the scratch. Tell the patient you couldn't get the scratches out but that you were able to clear them up a little. The patient will love you and think you are a miracle worker :-)

    Give it a try, I think you will be surprised.

    Talk to you later,

    Darris "It's simple but effective" Chambless

  5. #5
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    Andrea,
    We used to remove scratches from glass years ago. It was easy to do in a hand pan. If the scratch was to deep you had to be careful not to decrease the side of the seg. Or in the case of an Ambermatic not to remove the imbibed yellow on the lens front giving the person a photogrey lens. We didn't encounter power problems because of the stability of glass. Light scratches we used to do in the hand pan with a solid rubber ball from a toy store.
    When we first started Plastc we used to buff hairlines on a contact machine and used common silver polish. The problem with this was being careful not to abberate the lens. This was also before Factory Hard Coats.

    Jerry
    PS I brought up the Ambermatic because Steve mentioned it in an earlier post and it brought back memories.


    [This message has been edited by Jerry Thornhill (edited 07-08-2000).]

  6. #6
    Forever Liz's Dad Steve Machol's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Jerry Thornhill:

    PS I brought up the Ambermatic because Steve mentioned it in an earlier post and it brought back memories.
    Ambermatic was imbibed!? I didn't know that. I thought it part of the lens material, like PGX.



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    Steve,
    I didn't either until I found out the hard way. Both the Ambermatic and Autum Gold are imbibed. Imbibed may not be the correct word. The layer is approximately 2 microns.

    Jerry
    PS Tim if you are reading this I learned on a job for Mike and you can imagine how happy he was.

    [This message has been edited by Jerry Thornhill (edited 07-08-2000).]

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    Bad address email on file John R's Avatar
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    We used to remove scratches from glass years ago
    Hey in the UK we still remove some scraches from glass in this fashion, saves having to remake the lenses if its our fault .We use a small round rubber pad with a bit a green blaze stuck on top, smooth a bit of thick polish on and off you go

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  9. #9
    Master OptiBoarder Jeff Trail's Avatar
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    Redhot Jumper

    Well Darris' trick does work :) as well as few other tricks.. but I guess you probably are not equiped to do the others.. if the scratch is in a PAL theat has been coated a lot of the times I can just strip the coat and the majority of scratches go away..you'll have to have stripper though, AR stripper will do it.. if it's poly then you'll have to have a spin coater to recoat it afterward.. which (I don't think "many" retail places have) you can actually use a high gloss buffing wheel to get some of the "scratches" out but the same thing applies, if you buff it to hard in one plce you'll put a "shimmer" to the surface of the lens ...
    Being a lab I guess I have a few "toys" most of the retailers don't have .. so try the trick Darris uses.. I also have a coating (I'll check it for name when I get to the lab) that works pretty well for "hiding" scratches" it also has a built in anti-fog and it only takes a couple of drops per lens side and then you buff it off.. it works good in a pinch and if someone doesn't feel like paying for new lens.
    I think the BIGGEST mistake we ever made as a "optical" business is calling the coatings "scratch" coatings.. every one thinks that gave them some kind of coating where they could do ANYthing to a lens and it would not scratch..

    Jeff "I swear,I didn't do a thing,that big scratch was THERE when I got the lens" Trail

  10. #10
    Master OptiBoarder karen's Avatar
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    Now with all that said I do have a little trick that seems to work for those people that are convinced there is a way to get scratches out of a lenses (this works for plastic only) Never tell the patient that you can't or won't do something. Do tell the patient that you will try but won't guarantee anything. Keep a bottle of clear furniture oil on hand and apply just a couple of drops to both sides of the lenses. Rub the oil on to the surfaces of the the lens for a few minutes and then polish the excess oil off with a clean rag. This doesn't make the scratches go away, but it will cover or in essence rehydrate the chalky look of the scratch. Tell the patient you couldn't get the scratches out but that you were able to clear them up a little. The patient will love you and think you are a miracle worker


    Darris' idea is good-also if the lens is plastic w/ out AR a squirt of pledge furniture polish will work too. Just be sure when you use it to not get it on the floor where you are standing or you will fall and land on your booty-it makes carpet VERY slippery!!!


  11. #11
    Rising Star
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    Thanks for all the info. and "tricks"...I can finally have peace :)
    Jeff, I totally agree w/ you about the scratch coating thing...remember a few years ago when Lenscrafters was advertising the "super-duper scratch coat" and they rubbed steel wool on the lens and it was not scratched? Sure enough a lady came in to my shop w/ RUINED lenses cuz she thought you could clean lenses w/ steel wool....'course I live in SC so...
    Andrea

  12. #12
    Bad address email on file Jackie L's Avatar
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    "Thanks for all the info. and "tricks"...I can finally have peace Jeff, I totally agree w/ you about the scratch coating thing...remember a few years ago when Lenscrafters was advertising the "super-duper scratch coat"

    I remember the Super Guard Scratchcoat of the 1980's and although durable, to bring it back in to the 1990's was a nuisance. You could not tint it and it was was so slippery, AR in it's day would craze and separate from it. My point????????????? Why confuse the consumer with false hopes of removing their scratches for life? I prefer to show them how to care for their eyewear on a daily basis. Just my 2-cents worth.

    Jackie O

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  13. #13
    Manuf. Lens Surface Treatments
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    Redhot Jumper Scratches....................

    Quote Originally Posted by Andrea View Post
    Where do people get the idea that scratches can be "buffed" out? We thought maybe it was done YEARS ago to glass (but wouldn't that still chnage Rx?)...or is it just a very common misconception?

    Just one of those trivial lil questions that we knew you guys could answer...Andrea
    Are you all still buffing them out...........................?

  14. #14
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    Years ago before the FDA and ANSI protected us, it was common practice to re-surface lenses (which were usually glass). Now everything is supposedly made as minimum thickness and plastic lenses don't take well to being re-blocked and re-surfaced. Too much deformation after the lens is down to a thickness at which it can be worn for good solid non-deformed blocking.

    Chip

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    Master OptiBoarder Ginster's Avatar
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    I worked for a place a few years ago that used a wax pencil at final check out to hide any scratches taht were not deep but noticeable. I got let go because I refused to pass a damaged or off power lens. :finger:

  16. #16
    OptiBoard Professional RT's Avatar
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    Chris: You resurrected an 8 year old thread? Didn't you just rebuke somebody in 60 point font for doing that?
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