Why Scratches on Glasses Matter?
Jul 22, 2025
We’ve all worn a pair of scratched glasses before and assumed a few scratches wouldn’t have an impact on our vision, however, light scratches can compromise your vision and comfort. We’ll explore the real-life impact of scratched lenses on your vision below and why lens quality matters more than you think.
How Scratches Affect Your Daily Life
Distort Vision
Scratches can cause light to be spread unevenly among the lens surface since the scratches act as tiny prisms. This can cause visual clarity to drop, especially in bright conditions. Scattered light creates glare and haze making details hard to see and reducing contrast. Even minor scratches can blur fine details, especially when looking at screens or reading creating a ‘foggy’ effect.
Cause Eye Fatigue and Discomfort
Since your eyes have to work harder to focus through the blurred areas created by scratches, this can cause eye strain over time as your brain and eyes have to overcompensate for the lost clarity. The frequent squinting and refocusing also leads to muscle fatigue and tension in the eye muscles as your eyes work extra hard to see through the scratches. Over time prolonged usage may cause headaches and migraines, especially in tasks where a lot of visual focus is needed like reading off a screen.
Degrade Lens Features
Damage to anti-reflective coatings: Scratches can strip off the anti-reflective coatings on your glasses increasing glare and reflections, especially under artificial lighting.
Reduced blue light/UV protection: General surface damage can compromise the coatings on your lens which are designed to protect your eyes from harmful light, making your lenses less effective.
Interference with photochromic and polarized effects: If your photochromic lenses are meant to darken in sunlight or reduce glare from bright lights if they are polarized, an uneven scratched lens surface can interfere with this.
How Scratch Resistance Varies by Lens Price
Budget Lenses - Basic Protection & Shorter Lifespan
These tend to be made from low-hardness CR-39 resin (Mohs hardness 2-3) typically with a single-layer hard coating. Budget lenses are prone to micro scratches from sand, dirt, and rough cleaning cloths due to the material's softness. We recommend budget lenses for short-term use, backup pairs, or children's eyewear which needs to be replaced every 6-8 months.
Mid-Range Lenses - Enhanced Coatings & Durability
Constructed mostly from MR-8 resin and has 2-3 layers of composite hard coating. These withstand daily wear better than budget lenses but need proper care to keep their quality. Avoid solvents and use a quality microfiber cloth when cleaning to prevent scratching. These lenses are ideal for office use, commuting, and moderate outdoor activities.
Premium Lenses - Engineered For Longevity
Materials such as high-index lenses have multi-layer scratch-resistant coatings. These coatings are applied to the lenses via ion bombardment or plasma deposition meeting ISO 18369-5 Class 3 (haze <1.5%) with >98% light transmittance. These glasses are suited for 10+ hours of daily wear, frequent screen users, or harsh environments like dusty places or construction.
How To Get Scratches out of Glasses?
If you want to reduce the appearance of scratches on your glasses there are some common methods you can try such as applying non-abrasive toothpaste, using baking soda paste, and polishing the lenses with a microfiber cloth. These methods will not eliminate scratches but they can improve clarity for minor surface scratches. Always take proper care of your glasses to maintain them and prevent scratches in the first place. For more tips, check our full guide on how to remove scratches from your glasses here.
When Is It Time To Replace Your Lenses?
If you tried cleaning your lenses and still can’t see clearly then it’s likely from permanent damage and you should replace your glasses. The same goes for deep scratches and peeling coatings. If you have persistent headaches are squinting this also points to worn out or damaged lenses and should be replaced.
Protect Your Vision, Protect Your Lenses With GlassesShop
Scratched lenses aren’t just a small inconvenience, they can impact your vision, comfort, and safety. If your current lenses are damaged it is worth upgrading to better materials and coatings. GlassesShop has over 1800 frames and multiple different lenses to support your needs, with continuous offers to help you find durable and stylish glasses at a low price.
Use our 3D try-on tool to see how your glasses look on your face shape or our try-before-you-buy service, allowing you to try your glasses on at home before committing to a pair. Our 30-day exchange and 365-day guarantee is there for buyer's protection and enjoy free shipping over $69 for bulk orders.
