How to Reduce the Tint on Prescription Glasses

Prescription lenses are available clear or with color. Some tints change and get darker in the sun and lighter indoors. Other tints are permanently dyed into the lens. If the permanent tint is in a plastic lens, it is usually possible to remove some or most of the tint.

Things You'll Need

• Neutralizing solution
• Thermal dye unit (lens tinting machine)

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Instructions

• 1

  Verify the type of lens material and coating. Certain types of lenses and coatings cannot be immersed into the tinting unit because high temperatures can ruin the coatings or lenses. Tints cannot be removed from glass lenses.

• 2

  Check the well (also called the "pan") of the thermal unit to make sure the neutralizing solution is full. If not, put in enough solution to fill the pan two-thirds full. Be careful not to fill it to the top because it could overflow when the lenses are inserted.

• 3

  Turn the thermal dye unit on and allow it to heat up to 190 to 200 degrees F. Most units require 15 to 30 minutes to become warm enough to remove tints.

• 4

  Insert the right lens into the bottom of the lens holder. Repeat with the left lens. Slide the top of the lens holder down firmly to hold both lenses in place.

• 5

  Immerse the lens holder with the lenses into the neutralizing solution. The amount of time you leave the lenses in depends on the age and darkness of the tint and how light you want to make your lenses. Older lenses may require longer bleaching.

• 6

  Check the lenses after a few minutes. Lighter tints will usually bleach out in five minutes or less. Darker tints can take much longer: up to an hour or in some cases, even overnight.