How to keep polycarbonate lenses clean?

No matter how hard i try they get so dirty so quick. They weren't cheap lenses either they were 200$. I clean them with the cleaning cloth they give me i still can't get them clean 100%. I run them under water and clean them but then they get dirty immediately. And they take forever to clean. I used to have nikon glass lenses and they cleaned up like a charm, run them under hot water and wipe them off and they were good. Any ideas

Sounds like you got an anti reflection coating that is hard to clean… ( like Crizal)

There may be something wrong with the coating also… It doesn't sound normal to be that difficult to clean. You should go back where you got them and tell them the problems you have.

It doesn't really matter what material you have for your lenses since once the AR coat is put on, you are dealing with the AR coat and not the surface of the lens.

AR coatings have been found to have a different magnetic charge than dust in the air. If you remember science class, then, you'll remember when that happens, the two objects attract.So, your AR coating may be actually attracting dust in the air and that is why they get dirty so quick.AR manufacturers have noticed this and have come out with an Anti-static coating for their PREMIUM AR coats. This changes the magnetic charge of the AR to the same as the dust particles in the air and actually repels them.

I use only premium AR coatings for my patients and that coating (Crizal Avance' with UV) sells for $128 just by itself (and that's decently low as far as pricing goes). I would suggest using a lens cleaner you can buy at Wal Mart (or other stores) but make sure it says "For AR coated lenses" on the bottle. That, and a microfiber cloth should clean the AR pretty good. Never, I'll say again, Never wipe the lenses off while they are dry. You will scratch the lenses and ruin the AR coat.