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In eyewear, crazing is a network of tiny cracks that develops on the surface of an eyeglass lens. It is important to know that this damage is not happening to the lens material itself, but to the anti-reflective (AR) coating that was applied to it. This can make your lenses look hazy or fractured and can interfere with your vision.
read more about eyeglass lens crazing ...The most common cause of crazing is a sudden and extreme change in temperature. For example, leaving your glasses in a very hot car or opening a hot oven door can cause this. The lens and the AR coating expand and contract at different rates, which puts stress on the coating and causes it to crack. Crazing can also be caused by cleaning your lenses with harsh chemicals like alcohol or window cleaner.
The web of cracks from crazing scatters light as it passes through your lenses. This can make your vision seem blurry, hazy, or cloudy. A crazed anti-reflective coating no longer works properly, which can also lead to an increase in glare and reflections. Trying to see through this distortion can cause eye strain and headaches.
The best way to prevent crazing is to protect your glasses from extreme heat. Never leave them on a car dashboard, and use caution around ovens or grills. You should also only clean your lenses with a cleaner that is made for AR coatings, and use lukewarm, never hot, water. Storing your glasses in their case when you are not wearing them also helps.
It is easy to confuse crazing with scratching, but they look different upon close inspection. A scratch is usually a distinct, linear groove where an object has scraped the lens. Crazing looks more like a fine web or a patch of dry, cracked earth. While a scratch might only affect a small area, crazing often covers the entire surface of the lens uniformly, creating a general haze that cannot be wiped away.
No, the damage from crazing is permanent and cannot be repaired or polished out. The only solution is to have the lenses replaced. In some rare cases, an optical lab may be able to strip the damaged coating off, but this also removes the anti-reflective benefits.
It can be hard to see at first. Hold your glasses up to a light source and look at the reflection on the surface of the lens. If you see a fine, web-like pattern of cracks, your lenses are crazed.
Sometimes. Many premium AR coatings come with a warranty that may cover crazing if it's from a manufacturing defect. However, damage caused by exposure to heat or improper care is usually not covered.
You should visit your optician if you think your lenses are crazed. They can inspect your glasses to confirm the damage and show you your options. When you buy new glasses, your optician can also recommend the most durable coatings and give you the best advice on how to care for them to prevent crazing in the future.
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