The chemical cyanoacrylate, better known as super glue, is made to bond objects together by chemically reacting with those objects and actually becoming part of them. So, if you happen to put super glue somewhere it's not supposed to be, like on lenses, it can be very difficult to remove. But don't despair. You can purchase some simple items to safely remove super glue, and the film it leaves behind, from glasses or camera lenses.
Acetone
Acetone is a popular choice for super glue removal. Simply purchase some fingernail polish remover with acetone as its main ingredient for this fix. Wet a cotton swab with the nail polish remover and gently rub your lens until the glue starts to come off. If there is a lot of glue on your lens, you may have to rub the acetone on for a bit. Then rinse the lens and continue rubbing on the acetone.
While acetone works to loosen super glue's bond in many situations, you should not use acetone on plastic lenses or lenses with special protective coatings, as the acetone will damage these surfaces.
Commercial Products
There are commercial super glue remover products on the market that claim to remove the adhesive's bond. However, you should carefully read the label to make sure the product is suitable for the type of lens from which you need to remove super glue.
Soaking
Sometimes, a good soak can be enough to loosen super glue from a lens. If your lens is water-safe, buy some dish soap and make a soapy water solution in your sink. Soaking tends to work best when the water is warm. During the soak, the super glue's bond should begin to loosen, and you can begin to peel off the glue. Be advised that you may be left with a slight film. However, soaking your lenses may be a good first step to removing the glue, and then you could use acetone or another commercial super glue remover to help you get rid of the film later.
Razor
Sometimes, super glue can be carefully pried off lenses with a straight razor. However, since a scratch in your lens may ruin it, you should be extremely cautious when removing the glue if you decide to buy a straight razor.
Tags: super glue, your lens, commercial super, commercial super glue, glue bond