Can Scratched Glasses Cause Eye Strain?

It took you time, and money, to buy that perfect pair of glasses. They look great and keep your eyes healthy. But that pair won't stay that way forever.

There will come a time when you will need to update your glasses. Such as when you're having trouble focusing on something like words in a book or lost and broken glasses. Finding durable glasses is one way to solve these problems. 

What Constitutes Scratched Glasses?

An inconvenient time to replace glasses, and least expected, is when you knowingly or unknowingly have scratched glasses. How do you know if your glasses have scratches?

Scratches on glasses aren't just eyesores. While they start out looking like a smudge or smear, they can quickly turn into something bigger. If you're dropped or scraped your glasses and noticed a scratch, taking them to your eye doctor for inspection is the next logical step. 

They can advise you what to do, what not to do, helpful tips on caring for your glasses, and whether a replacement pair is needed. While scratched glasses do not harm the eye's optical system over the long term, they can cause other side effects.

Causes of Eye Strain

Eye strain is a group of symptoms related to the overuse of the eyes. It can be due to looking at a computer screen for extended periods, driving long distances, or reading. The discomfort caused by these concentrated activities results in eye strain and the accompanying symptoms.

No long-term damage is associated with eye strain. Resting the eyes can provide some relief to strained eyes. If, however, the symptoms persist, visit an eye doctor to rule out eye disease, incorrect prescription, or scratched glasses.

Scratched Glasses & Eye Strain

Eyeglasses are scratch-resistant but not scratch-proof. Normal wear and tear, exposure to the elements, or accidentally dropping your glasses can lead to scratched glasses.

The amount and degree of scratches determine whether they will affect your vision. Scratches can affect the clarity and function of glasses.

Constantly looking through a scratched lens gives the feeling of having something in the eye. The distraction with a blurred vision can lead to eye strain, fatigue, and headaches.

Eye conditions, such as nearsightedness and farsightedness, are caused at a deeper level of the eye, at the eyeball. Factors include the length of the eyeball and the shape of the cornea. Not on the level of light entering the eye.

Corrective eyeglasses allow light to enter the eye and directly focus it on the retina. Scratches on glasses can distort light rays entering the eye, but they can't cause visual impairment.

With the irregular bending of light on the retina, the images the brain receives are blurry or distorted. These unclear images could be from one eye or both eyes.

So the answer to the question Can Scratched Glasses Cause Eye Strain? is yes. The squinting of the eyes and attempting to focus on the blurry object results in fatigue of the eye leading to eye strain, discomfort, and eye-strain headaches, if left untreated or replacing glasses.

What to Do with Scratched Glasses

Scratches on glasses are a sign that the lens is damaged. While it's tempting to use DIY methods to fix scratches, such as baking soda or toothpaste, these will only cause permanent damage to the lens.

To reduce the risk of further damaging your glasses, you can try the following: 

• Rinse your eyeglasses with cool water and mild dish soap.
• Let air dry or wipe with a microfibre or lint-free cloth.

If the scratch is still there, the best solution is to get a replacement pair to prevent further eye discomfort and strain. Two-sided scratch-resistant glasses provide optimal protection.

Here are 4 tips to prevent future scratches on eyeglasses:

1. When putting your glasses down, place them with the lenses facing up.
2. Keep eyeglasses in a protective case when not wearing them or putting them in your bag with other items.
3. Use spray cleaners and cloths designed for glasses.
4. Have your eye doctor check your glasses at routine eye exams.

Your Solution to Eye Strain

Tried to fix that scratch on your glasses only to make the problem worse? Know that DIY attempts at repair are a myth. There is no way to remove deep scratches from eyeglasses except through a replacement.

Prolong your eyewear and eye health by contacting us with any questions about your current eyeglasses or learning more about our wide selection of readers.

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