Ballistic si m frame 2.0 lens scratched???

[ben23]

Hi friends, please let me know this fact because I really don't understand: I've Ballistic si m frame 2.0 bought on EBay that is supposed have unbreakable, super resistant lenses. In fact it's possible to find on YouTube many videos proving how strong are that lenses (eg. Videos showing people shooting it and lens bruised/dented but not break)
and my lens are scratched?? I cared my sunglasses since I bought it and I had a normal, daily use (I'm not a soldier), regularly I cleaned lenses using appropriate special Oakley liquid so I really don't understand why now my lenses are scratched (OK small scratch, yes, but anyway scratched)!!
Some idea please? Just to understand!!
Ballistic and scratch are 2 different concepts?
Or my lenses aren't ballistic/scratch proof?

 

[thisguy]

No lenses are scratch proof.

 

[Oakley G]

Yes they are two different concepts. Lenses that are impact resistant and shatter resistant are inherently softer in nature to allow them to absorb impacts against it. So while Oakley lenses will not break on impact, these inherent soft properties will allow scratches like a sonovabitch. It's normal.

 

[ben23]

Ok thank you for your replies guys!! I didn't know it. Do you know if exist some really unsearchable lenses for sunglasses?
It's unbelievable for me. We using, ex. Gorilla glass 4 on smartphones that's unsearchable and not for glasses?

 

[Oakley G]

Glass and crystal lenses are the most scratch resistance material on the market right now. Many versions these days are tempered to avoid shattering upon minor impact and are tested using standard ball bearing impact tests, but It will shatter on super heavy impact and glass tends to be heavier than other materials, just like Gorilla glass. If you don't do anything high risk -like just using glasses in the car while driving or even other activities such as mowing the lawn- and just need the best optics with the best scratch resistance, then glass is great. But if you play sports it's not a good option.

Edit...but no, glass or crystal will never be available on Oakley glasses. Impact resistance and sports is what they are about so it would not fit for their needs.

 

[ben23]

Glass and crystal lenses are the most scratch resistance material on the market right now.

So it's really impossible to find on the market a real unbreakable lenses for sunglasses??
That surprise me considering a lot of new materials we discovering and using today (eg. Nanotechnology). I remember for example special film used in the past (years ago!!) to cover smartphone glasses that was tested using hammer, nails, drill without break and we can't use same kind of materials to create real unbreakable lenses??

 

[Oakley G]

They are working on it but there are a lot of complexities and moving parts when it comes to eyewear lenses. The requirements are much different than what you need on smartphones. You cannot just put the most unbreakable material in eyewear and expect it to function like you want it to, since some factors work against each other. In addition to impact resistance and scratchability factors, it needs to be as optically pure as the general public will accept, able to accommodate the curvature of frames’ bases with minimal distortion, 100% protection from UV light, be super lightweight, be thin enough for high index prescriptions, capable of providing progressive lenses, accept a variety of lens tints, and so on and so forth. Not all ‘unbreakable’ materials can meet these basic requirements.

IMHO the next generation of material that will replace polycarbonate is Trivex if they can get the price down much, much lower and can make it thinner. Trivex was developed for military helicopter and jet canopy windshields, so it know it’s suppose to be tough. It has the same level of impact resistance but much higher optical quality than polycarb. It also suffers from the same scratching issue but the coatings it can take decreases the scratching factor. So they’re getting there, but it’ll be many more years before they solve the mystery.