I found an old thread where a few of you said that you have stripped AR, then tinted the lens. Does that work fairly well? I have a patient that would like to tint her old (AR enhanced) lenses. I've stripped AR, but never tinted after, so I wasn't sure how that works out.
Any help would be much appreciated!
BTW, I did give her the "Fair Warning" speech...just in case!
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I wouldn't try it.
The only lens material I found it possible with is plastic and then only if they are not scratched.
Even then less than a 50% chance of success.
Originally Posted by Uncle Fester
Shame on you Fester ........................did not know your so chicken to advice against a method that has been around for nearly 30 years and is common in many places.
I have come up with the first AR stripper and advertised it in Vision Monday as early as in 1985. It has sold hundreds and thousands of bottles since then and becomes more popular by the month. AR stripping is nearly as common as AR selling.
The usual and simply easiest lens to strip is CR39. It takes 5- 10 seconds and the AR coating is gone. If there are scratches on the lens, or you want to tint the lens, remove the hard coat (which is a siloxane) in the same stripper which might take between 1-2 hours. Then rinse and clean the residues off with acetone or alcohol, and you are ready to tint. The scratches are mostly located on the hard coat and have also disapeared. The lens will look like brand new and also will tint as a new lens.
Polycarbonate and high index is harder to do as the regular stripper can damage the hard coat which wil turn milky white.
If you follow above advise it is 100% success against Festers 50% and you will turn lot of people into happy customers that appreciate your services against the ones that refuse to do it. And all the ones that do not want to do it .........just send them to your lab, they will do it for a charge.
Thanks, guys!
I failed to mention the lenses are CR39...best I can tell. She likes to have a backup pair, so she said she thinks she may have another pair...and if she does, then we can throw caution to the wind and give it a go with this pair. I hope she does, I'd like to give it a try....if not, I think I'll try on a "dud" lens I have back in the lab for those times when I just feel like playing "Professor Frankenstein" in the lab....bu-wah-haha!
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I have done it. BPI has a stripper. But sad to say not the kind I would really like. Works ok. As long as no scratches. Then it turns out Milky White.
The stripper I've used doesn't seem to strip Super Hivision or Crizal-type coatings. I left the lenses in the stripper for 30 seconds -- no effect. After several tries at that duration in the stripper, I left the lenses in for 10 minutes, then 30 minutes, then longer. Much of the AR was removed, but a lot of it remained.
Yeah, most of the lenses I strip are already "shredding" off anyway, so they are fairly easy to strip. I've gotten a handful that are a pain! I know when they are going to give me trouble, though...they get this gold mirror look to them...then I know I better roll up my sleeves....no more miss nice guy!Grrr!
Last edited by Now I See; 04-10-2012 at 02:04 PM. Reason: apparently said a word that was not allowed...gotta go wash my mouth out with soap! Anyone got an MSDS on dial soap?
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I did AR striping in the past. It works well with lab added AR. Not stocked AR lenses (i.e., AR from manufacture) regardless of what material there are. So, just try it on the inner corner for a small area and you will know in less than 10 seconds.I found an old thread where a few of you said that you have stripped AR, then tinted the lens. Does that work fairly well? I have a patient that would like to tint her old (AR enhanced) lenses. I've stripped AR, but never tinted after, so I wasn't sure how that works out.
Any help would be much appreciated!
BTW, I did give her the "Fair Warning" speech...just in case!
About removing hard coating, I'm not too sure it's a good idea.
There was once that we left a pair poly (or 1.67??) lenses in tint bath overnight with residual heat hoping it will tint darker. In the morning, we found a complete hard coating layer fall off from the lenses and it's so easy to scratch the lenses without hard coating.
Paul @ Silicon Valley California
Any hard coted lens on which the layer has a thickness of 2 microns, has a saturation point for tints as well as for heat. Leaving a hard coated lens in the hot dye overnight is asking for punishment. All this has nothing to do with AR stripping.
Furthermore you could have used MicroTints and you would have had a darker lens in 4 minutes.
I warn everyone it's a 50/50 shot at getting it done. There's no definite that it will work. Even if the AR is stripped without damaging the lenses, the hard coating may prevent from a good tint. It's always just safer to start from scratch then trying to rebuild what is already done
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
~ Mark Twain ~
Yes I would agree. I have seen them Milky White.
Talked with pt, she can't find another pair as a back up, she opted for a clip....she's happy and appreciated the help in making a decision. I appreciate all your help, too....I consider you guys (and gals) my colleagues...having O'Board and all of you here is a terrific asset to Opticianry!
PS...Your feedback will not go to waste, I'm going to do a little experimenting in the lab, gotta turn "the beast" on and tint another job anyway...might as well make the most of it!
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Yes, this does happen when you are not able to differentiate CR39 from Poly which should be basic knowdledge for an optician. The hard coat of poly goes white with contact of the acids contained in AR strippers. If you have any doubts dip the lens at a corner just for one millimeter and hold it there for a few second, remove and wash. If that mm has turned white remove it on the hand edger and no damage was done, and you know you can strip it.
If you do not strip, you are loosing the customer because he will go to your competition that will do the stripping and has gained a new client. Maybe these days we do not need to keep old or new customers because business is booming everywhere.
Maybe you will learn one day.........................
Right it is safer, specially for your pocket and sale volume. you did not even read above post where I said remove the hard coat and it will tint fine. You must be one of these opticians that do not want to learn and do not admit that helping pople who are short changed these days will create a lot of good will.
Maybe you didn't know that not all hard coats can be removed? If it is a pre-manufactured lens with a hard coat already applied, not all hard coat strippers can remove them. They do noting to the lenses..... Maybe you should think before making such a bold statement that you can do something when it's not always possible.
I could care less about loosing a new pair sale IF I can give the patient what they want. I tell everyone it's a 50/50 shot, and I'm glad to send it to the lab, let them attempt to do it. If they can't, I will NOT charge them (even though my lab charges me the stripping fee), and I will only charge them IF it can be done.
Seriously, don't jump to the gun before you know YOUR facts. I am an optician that loves to learn everything and have a hand in everything. It's why I actually make trips to my lab to learn hands on with the lab techs that ACTUALLY work it.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
~ Mark Twain ~
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