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Crazed Lenses

What are crazed lenses? | What causes it? | Can Transitions craze? Heat damage and crazing | How to spot it | How to prevent it | How to fix it

By Claire Capuano
Reviewed by Caitlyn Gibiault
Caitlyn Gibiault

Reviewed by

Caitlyn Gibiault
Aurora is a Digital Marketing Specialist for SmartBuyGlasses. She’s enthusiastic about supporting the marketing.
Find out what crazed lenses are and how to prevent them from getting in the way of clear vision.

If you notice tiny cracks on your glasses’ lenses, the anti-reflective coating (AR coating) has probably begun to craze. Crazing is a web of tiny cracks that can appear on the lenses of eyeglasses which have an anti-reflective coating. When crazing or lens cloudiness occurs, your glasses become less effective as your field of vision may appear blurry.

What is crazing on my eyeglasses lenses?

Lens crazing is the spider web of fine cracks that can occur when your glasses’ special lens coatings are damaged by improper care or exposure to extreme temperatures. Anti-reflective lenses and polarised lenses have a lot of benefits. These coated lenses block glare and reflections, ease eye strain and improve vision. It is important to note that while these lenses are an excellent option for many, the coatings are susceptible to crazing, requiring proper care to prevent it.

What causes crazing on lenses?

There are multiple factors that can cause lenses to craze. An unavoidable cause is the improper application of an anti-reflective coating in the lab. In addition, cleaning your eyeglasses with rubbing alcohol, window cleaner, or another harsh cleaner may lead to crazing. As with any pair of eyeglasses or sunglasses, it is essential to clean your glasses properly.

Extreme or quick temperature changes may cause the coated lenses to expand and contract leading to crazed lenses. Wearing your glasses while doing activities near high temperatures, such as grilling, tending a fire, or welding may have the same effect. Crazing or lens cloudiness may also appear with no apparent cause. In this situation, the crazing may be the result of a manufacturing defect.

DID YOU KNOW?
Lens crazing are fine cracks that can occur when your glasses' special lens coatings are damaged. It's easy to prevent if you take proper care of them and avoid exposure to extreme temperatures.

Is it possible for Transitions® lenses to craze?

Transitions® glasses and other brands of photochromic lenses can become crazed if they are coated with an anti-reflective coating. Crazing on Transitions® lenses is often caused by exposure to high heat. This doesn’t mean you should avoid wearing your glasses, but be mindful of how and where you wear them. Avoid leaving glasses sitting outside on a sunny day or wearing them around extreme heat.

How can heat damage eyeglass lenses?

High heat exposure can damage glasses and lenses in several ways. First, heat can cause the anti-glare coating and lenses to expand at different rates. These contractions create eyeglass crazing. Heat can also damage glasses by softening and warping plastic frames and lenses and damaging the film on polarised sunglasses.

Heat is not something we can always avoid. But to protect your glasses from heat damage, do not leave your glasses in a hot car and avoid wearing glasses near extreme heat. If your optician plans to use a frame warmer to adjust your glasses to better fit your face, speak to them about the possibility of crazing.

How to spot crazing

If you suddenly notice your vision is not as great in your relatively new glasses, crazing may be the cause. Check the lenses for hairline cracks, and contact the eye doctor or optical store where you purchased the glasses to find a solution and restore your vision.

How to prevent crazing on eyeglasses

It is important to take proper care of your glasses. By doing so, you can prevent crazing and surface scratching. When your glasses are dirty, do not use hot, heavily soapy water, but instead rinse them with lukewarm water to remove any dirt or debris. A microfiber or lint-free cotton towel and a lens spray designed specifically for cleaning eyeglasses are also good solutions. Remember to be careful and avoid high heat, as this creates crazing.

How can I fix crazed lenses?

Some eye care professionals and optical laboratories have access to stripping solutions that can be used to strip the anti-reflective coating from the lenses and remove crazing. SmartBuyGlasses does not offer this service and it is only sometimes an option, so speak to your optician to see if this is a solution for you. Results will vary based on the lens and coating used and it may not be possible for the AR coating to be stripped from polycarbonate lenses or high-index lenses.

Check to see if your lenses are still under warranty; some warranties cover crazing caused by a manufacturing defect. Your warranty will not cover crazing caused by mistake; for example, leaving glasses in a hot car. At SmartBuyGlasses, all eyewear comes with a 24-month warranty. If your crazing is caused by a manufacturer’s defect, it will likely appear within the first six months. Head to our FAQ to read more about what’s covered under warranty.

Some eye care professionals and optical laboratories have access to stripping solutions that can be used to strip the anti-reflective coating from the lenses and remove crazing.

SmartBuyGlasses does not offer this service and it is only sometimes an option, so speak to your optician to see if this is a solution for you. Results will vary based on the lens and coating used and it may not be possible for the AR coating to be stripped from polycarbonate lenses or high-index lenses.

Check to see if your lenses are still under warranty; some warranties cover crazing caused by a manufacturing defect. Your warranty will not cover crazing caused by mistake; for example, leaving glasses in a hot car.

At SmartBuyGlasses, all eyewear comes with a 24-month warranty. If your crazing is caused by a manufacturer’s defect, it will likely appear within the first six months. Head to our FAQ to read more about what’s covered under warranty.

Lens crazing

Don’t avoid an anti-reflective coating because of crazed lens potential. An anti-reflective coating has many benefits. To avoid crazing, keep your eyeglass lenses safe, avoid wearing your glasses near high heat, don’t leave glasses in a hot car and remove dirt and debris correctly.

While crazed lenses may result from a manufacturer error, more commonly, it is human error. Don’t let crazing happen; pay attention to your eyeglass lenses and always take special care of them. 

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