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Lens spontaneously delaminates

It’s sad we have to consider life expectancy of our pricy sunglasses to be so short.

Unfortunately, unless you're picking a glass lens, you don't get the option of a durable polycarbonate lens unless you want to compromise on optics. Those coatings help with hardness, clarity, and hydrophobic properties that come at the cost of durability. They'll take a heavy impact unlike glass, but it means they have a shelf life.
 
Unfortunately, unless you're picking a glass lens, you don't get the option of a durable polycarbonate lens unless you want to compromise on optics. Those coatings help with hardness, clarity, and hydrophobic properties that come at the cost of durability. They'll take a heavy impact unlike glass, but it means they have a shelf life.

I guess that’s true. My Randolph’s (Metal w/glass lenses) are 7 years old now going strong. When I got them they were going for not much more than Oakley prices but new ones now are pushing $300. Parts are easy to come by too which is nice. I’ve went through 3 sets of nose pieces and 3 ear socks, but those are cheap and easy service. Plastic frames with no layer to replace between the frame and skin just wear the frame and as you mention the lenses are a completely different animal. They’re a bit more disposable. Too bad more effort is needed for lens replacement on older models.
 
I started to read this thread after the latest episode; so far three lenses have been spoilt on the inside through spots and spider cracks over about 15 years of wearing Oakleys.

From my experience, I think that it is down to hairspray and gels.

First time it happened was about 8 years ago, I then stopped resting them on my head, which also helps to lengthen the life of the frame arms; however, it has happened twice more this year. Looking back, I now recall on these two occasions that I had been wearing them through a period of rain, which meant that some of the hair gel could have dripped onto the inside of the lenses, which could have been saved had I cleaned them shortly afterwards(?).

I generally tend to look after my Oakleys carefully, as they cost quite a bit and are sometimes also difficult to source (M Frames lenses), but can last for a reasonable number of years if looked after - I’d be happy with a five-year life, seeing as they can also be scratched or lost.

Have others experienced similar situations, and reached this conclusion, about the spots and spider cracks on the inside of the lenses?

mfr12
 
I had something similar happen to a set of OEM PB1 lenses overnight, but doesn't look like the same kind of delamination that the OP's lenses had. Recently got them with a PB1 Matte that I bought, they were wearable, not perfect, maybe 7/10, and totally clean when wearing. Last Thursday they were fine, and Friday morning, see pics below to what happened on the inside. What's weird is that when I put them on, I can't notice anything wrong.
Has anyone seen this happen? How or why does this happen?

View attachment 678365View attachment 678366View attachment 678368

This is AR coating delamination. Once it starts, any amount of moisture to the lens will cause the AR coating to continue to flake off. The lens looks like it's still useable - I would just remove the rest of the AR with some tape. This type of delamination only occurs with PBI and C6 OEM lenses (as they had backside AR coating).
 

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