Anti-Reflective Coating Problems

nova2

Senior member
Feb 3, 2006
982
1
0
I've read here, and elsewhere that some anti-reflective (AR) coatings for glasses are hard to clean.

Which AR coatings (their names) are easy to clean using a nice smooth shirt?

Which AR coatings would you suggest avoiding?

Is there anything else regarding AR coatings one should know about?

thanks.
 

acemcmac

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
13,712
1
0
I have never heard of a coating that could be added aftermarket. I swear by my radar detectors which I hardwire above the rearview mirror. They have serious problems with anti-reflective coating so I'll never buy a car with it.
 

patentman

Golden Member
Apr 8, 2005
1,035
1
0
Originally posted by: acemcmac
I have never heard of a coating that could be added aftermarket. I swear by my radar detectors which I hardwire above the rearview mirror. They have serious problems with anti-reflective coating so I'll never buy a car with it.

Interesting. What bands does your radar detector detect? Most AR films are conducitive, and depending on the coating and the frequency of the incoming radar they could have a thickness that approaches 1/4 of the wavelength of the incoming radar. When the thickness of a conductive film reachs 1/4 wavelength of the incomining radiation, the incoming radiation will either be substantially attenuated or reflect off the film and away from the detector.
 

dabuddha

Lifer
Apr 10, 2000
19,579
17
81
Originally posted by: nova2
I've read here, and elsewhere that some anti-reflective (AR) coatings for glasses are hard to clean.

Which AR coatings (their names) are easy to clean using a nice smooth shirt?

Which AR coatings would you suggest avoiding?

Is there anything else regarding AR coatings one should know about?

thanks.

I hate AR coating. I end up having to clean my glasses every few hours or so because they'd get dirty real easy and they attract dust particles like crazy!
 

yhelothar

Lifer
Dec 11, 2002
18,409
39
91
Originally posted by: dabuddha
Originally posted by: nova2
I've read here, and elsewhere that some anti-reflective (AR) coatings for glasses are hard to clean.

Which AR coatings (their names) are easy to clean using a nice smooth shirt?

Which AR coatings would you suggest avoiding?

Is there anything else regarding AR coatings one should know about?

thanks.

I hate AR coating. I end up having to clean my glasses every few hours or so because they'd get dirty real easy and they attract dust particles like crazy!
Um AR is MUCH BETTER if your glasses get dirty easily as less light will reflect off the dirty stuff on your glasses, thus greatly reducing glare and increasing light transmission.


 

dabuddha

Lifer
Apr 10, 2000
19,579
17
81
Originally posted by: virtualgames0
Originally posted by: dabuddha
Originally posted by: nova2
I've read here, and elsewhere that some anti-reflective (AR) coatings for glasses are hard to clean.

Which AR coatings (their names) are easy to clean using a nice smooth shirt?

Which AR coatings would you suggest avoiding?

Is there anything else regarding AR coatings one should know about?

thanks.

I hate AR coating. I end up having to clean my glasses every few hours or so because they'd get dirty real easy and they attract dust particles like crazy!
Um AR is MUCH BETTER if your glasses get dirty easily as less light will reflect off the dirty stuff on your glasses, thus greatly reducing glare and increasing light transmission.

That's their claim but from my experience with AR:

1) The glasses were freaking dirty all the time
2) I couldn't notice any visible benefit from the AR coating.

With my current pair, I decided to go without and I love it.
 

yhelothar

Lifer
Dec 11, 2002
18,409
39
91
Originally posted by: dabuddha
Originally posted by: virtualgames0
Originally posted by: dabuddha
Originally posted by: nova2
I've read here, and elsewhere that some anti-reflective (AR) coatings for glasses are hard to clean.

Which AR coatings (their names) are easy to clean using a nice smooth shirt?

Which AR coatings would you suggest avoiding?

Is there anything else regarding AR coatings one should know about?

thanks.

I hate AR coating. I end up having to clean my glasses every few hours or so because they'd get dirty real easy and they attract dust particles like crazy!
Um AR is MUCH BETTER if your glasses get dirty easily as less light will reflect off the dirty stuff on your glasses, thus greatly reducing glare and increasing light transmission.

That's their claim but from my experience with AR:

1) The glasses were freaking dirty all the time
2) I couldn't notice any visible benefit from the AR coating.

With my current pair, I decided to go without and I love it.

Your glasses are just as dirty now, except is dirty in the entire spectrum of visible light, rather than just one small narrow spectrum.
 

Kaieye

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
2,275
0
0
I heard that Crizal ARC coatings are very good but I am skeptical about their product. Some Optometrist tell me that they swear by this stuff while other optical lab owners tell me that Crizal has a extremely slick hydrophobic top layer coating that is very thin and slippery. Once this top layer wears off(normal wear and tear), all bets are off. ARC tends not to stick so well to polycarbonate lenses and mid- index lenses so be careful how you order but I am just telling you my experience.

ARC coatings are very popular around the world but here in the US, the market is still fairly small but growing. I have ARC on my lenses but if I had to pay for them, I probably would not have them applied.

If you have to use your t-shirt to clean your ARC lenses, you might reconsider NOT wearing ARC lenses...
 

dabuddha

Lifer
Apr 10, 2000
19,579
17
81
Originally posted by: virtualgames0
Originally posted by: dabuddha
Originally posted by: virtualgames0
Originally posted by: dabuddha
Originally posted by: nova2
I've read here, and elsewhere that some anti-reflective (AR) coatings for glasses are hard to clean.

Which AR coatings (their names) are easy to clean using a nice smooth shirt?

Which AR coatings would you suggest avoiding?

Is there anything else regarding AR coatings one should know about?

thanks.

I hate AR coating. I end up having to clean my glasses every few hours or so because they'd get dirty real easy and they attract dust particles like crazy!
Um AR is MUCH BETTER if your glasses get dirty easily as less light will reflect off the dirty stuff on your glasses, thus greatly reducing glare and increasing light transmission.

That's their claim but from my experience with AR:

1) The glasses were freaking dirty all the time
2) I couldn't notice any visible benefit from the AR coating.

With my current pair, I decided to go without and I love it.

Your glasses are just as dirty now, except is dirty in the entire spectrum of visible light, rather than just one small narrow spectrum.

That may be true (I don't know much about ARC technology) but with the coating, they're visibly dirty (aka affecting my vision)
 

yhelothar

Lifer
Dec 11, 2002
18,409
39
91
Originally posted by: dabuddha
Originally posted by: virtualgames0
Originally posted by: dabuddha
Originally posted by: virtualgames0
Originally posted by: dabuddha
Originally posted by: nova2
I've read here, and elsewhere that some anti-reflective (AR) coatings for glasses are hard to clean.

Which AR coatings (their names) are easy to clean using a nice smooth shirt?

Which AR coatings would you suggest avoiding?

Is there anything else regarding AR coatings one should know about?

thanks.

I hate AR coating. I end up having to clean my glasses every few hours or so because they'd get dirty real easy and they attract dust particles like crazy!
Um AR is MUCH BETTER if your glasses get dirty easily as less light will reflect off the dirty stuff on your glasses, thus greatly reducing glare and increasing light transmission.

That's their claim but from my experience with AR:

1) The glasses were freaking dirty all the time
2) I couldn't notice any visible benefit from the AR coating.

With my current pair, I decided to go without and I love it.

Your glasses are just as dirty now, except is dirty in the entire spectrum of visible light, rather than just one small narrow spectrum.

That may be true (I don't know much about ARC technology) but with the coating, they're visibly dirty (aka affecting my vision)

Well maybe the AR coating technology used for camera optics is different than the ones used on glasses. I personally don't wear glasses, so I can't really say what you're experiencing.
 

Brutuskend

Lifer
Apr 2, 2001
26,558
4
0
To clean mine I just use water and a soft cloth.

So far I've had no problems and I've had them for several years.

I DO need new ones though, not because the anti glare coating is wearing out, my eyes are.... :(

I have no idea what type of coating is on my glass's, whatever type Cost Co uses.
 

sao123

Lifer
May 27, 2002
12,653
205
106
Originally posted by: patentman
Originally posted by: acemcmac
I have never heard of a coating that could be added aftermarket. I swear by my radar detectors which I hardwire above the rearview mirror. They have serious problems with anti-reflective coating so I'll never buy a car with it.

Interesting. What bands does your radar detector detect? Most AR films are conducitive, and depending on the coating and the frequency of the incoming radar they could have a thickness that approaches 1/4 of the wavelength of the incoming radar. When the thickness of a conductive film reachs 1/4 wavelength of the incomining radiation, the incoming radiation will either be substantially attenuated or reflect off the film and away from the detector.

DOUBLE YEW TEE EFF ARR YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT???


The main problem with AR coating on your glasses is: if you sweat a lot, the acidity of your sweat can eat away the coating. I had that happen to mine.
 

unsped

Platinum Member
Mar 18, 2000
2,323
0
0
mine are impossible to clean with a tshirt. it just smears it around.

you have to have a special cleaning cloth, which i always seem to loose.