How to neutralise a windscreen!

[CrippsCorner]

Hi guys... I suffer from a disorder called keratoconus which can make light reflections at night an absolute nightmare. I'm not going to go into too much detail about that side of things, but I need help with something.

I've had my Clio coming up for 3 years now, and I was diagnosed with keratoconus about 2 years ago, so it's the only car I've ever driven whilst having it. I recently had to drive mum's car and noticed that driving at night was vastly better, but I couldn't put my finger on why at the time. Today, for some reason, I looked through the part of the windscreen where the wipers don't reach... there was a difference! The reflections and general glare where much better.

I've drawn a diagram of what I'm seeing when looking at a single road light, first within the wiper section...

Then through the other section...

I bought some general window cleaner stuff from Halfords and went over the inside and outside of the windscreen and cleaned up the wipers.... there was a slight improvement but we're talking 5-10% so no where near good enough.

I got mum out at this point and asked her to look at the difference and compare it to her car, she confirms that although obviously not as bad as me, there was a definite difference.

tl;dr: I'm guessing the reflections I'm getting are from where I've previously used polish on the windscreen and the wipers have smeared it over? I know you shouldn't do this anyway but sometimes it was just easier. How do I get everything off for a fresh start and keep on top of this? Thanks for reading a long and probably boring thread!

 

[Jaff.]

its scratches on your screen from wipers.

new screen + no wipers
or
a properly polished screen + no wipers

will solve your problems

 

[Scrooge]

New screen is ideal fix. Scratches can be polished with proper glass polish and a rotary but it's a pain in the ass.

Once a new screen is in you need to get it properly sealed then you won't have to use the wipers as much.

Glass is very easily scratched and needs to be treated almost as carefully as you paint.

 

[Yellow Dave]

Have to agree with the above, not much can really be done with the existing screen so would suggest a replacement

Where abouts in Essex are you? I'm sure there'll be someone local to confirm

 

[DannyR]

For the sake of your windscreen excess, put a brick through it and get a replacement!

 

[Bluebeard]

New screen, new good quality wipers, and some rainX on it once a month. My passat had all this and the difference is tremendous.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Really, bugger, I was hoping it wouldn't come to that! Sounds an expensive way to go... and I'm only third party so no dodgy tings on the insurance!

Is there anything I can do to improve the one I have? I have a couple of weeks off coming up so have time to try polishing it up with a bit of G6 or something...

 

[Gus]

Only thing you can do is get a new windscreen - call insurance up and see if you can upgrade to windscreen cover - windscreens arent cheap!!. For now, get new wipers and keep them clean so it doesnt get worse. Apart from that unless you have a rotary polisher you could try and polish te marks out but it will take you hours and hours and might make it worse.

 

[loggyboy]

Would a pair of polarised glasses not do the trick?

 

[Goodj]

I never knew the symptom you describe is actually a medical 'thing'! I get exactly the same, have done since I can remember.
Never did anything about it, mind.

Polarised glasses wont help you though, as you'll be totally blind at night.

re: windscreen - Be a shame if a gritter shot stones all over the screen and it cracked.. nudge

 

[Rhino172]

I use small wipes that are made for cleaning glasses on the interior. Made a big difference for me. Can get a pack of wipes for £1 from poundshops and supermarkets.

Wrap it round a sponge to get better coverage and wipe away.

Gotta be worth a go for the sake of a quid to see if it helps. But as above, I should expect a majority of what you get is due to the screen being scratched/marked.

 

[CrippsCorner]

I never knew the symptom you describe is actually a medical 'thing'! I get exactly the same, have done since I can remember.
Never did anything about it, mind.

Polarised glasses wont help you though, as you'll be totally blind at night.

re: windscreen - Be a shame if a gritter shot stones all over the screen and it cracked.. nudge

It would be a shame as it's not covered on my insurance lol.

The light down the screen that I'm talking about is not strictly related to keratoconus, it just makes it worse. I think if you had it bad you'd be doing something about it lol, for instance this is how I see text unaided...

 

[Inequality Street]

Off topic, but for the sake of the 50p difference, should have gone fully comp ;-).

I'd upgrade to windscreen cover personally, if thats possible

 

[Goodj]

Are you sure you don't just need to wear 3D glasses?

 

[Gally]

New windscreen or pay a detailer to polish it properly and seal it up.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Off topic, but for the sake of the 50p difference, should have gone fully comp ;-).

I'd upgrade to windscreen cover personally, if thats possible

I just had a look actually as my renewal is up this coming Monday!

Third party: £485

Fully comp: £1,070

That's actually a much bigger difference than I would have thought

 

[sabian92]

For the sake of your windscreen excess, put a brick through it and get a replacement!

Not necessarily literally... Admiral will replace a screen whatever the condition for your excess :smile: I asked them as mine wants doing as well.

 

[JMR]

Carpro Ceriglass, glass polish.
Its cerium oxide based, so its particularly good at polishing scratches out of glass.
If you over polish it with a rotary, or dual action, you can get a lens effect if you distort the glass.But a bit of time and care taken would yield a vast improvement at very little cost. £12 for the kit

On a rayon machine polishing pad this would be even better.
Theres your cheap, if a little time consuming solution.
Then Gtechniq G1,or G5 sealant. Or Carpro Flyby30.

 

[Inequality Street]

I just had a look actually as my renewal is up this coming Monday!

Third party: £485

Fully comp: £1,070

That's actually a much bigger difference than I would have thought

Bloody hell. That's mental. When I did my old 172's insurance, it was worth £1000 or so, so I wanted it cheap. £700 fully comp or roughly £702 TPY.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Carpro Ceriglass, glass polish.
Its cerium oxide based, so its particularly good at polishing scratches out of glass.
If you over polish it with a rotary, or dual action, you can get a lens effect if you distort the glass.But a bit of time and care taken would yield a vast improvement at very little cost. £12 for the kit

On a rayon machine polishing pad this would be even better.
Theres your cheap, if a little time consuming solution.
Then Gtechniq G1,or G5 sealant. Or Carpro Flyby30.

Thanks mate! No money and lots of time atm lol so I'll definitely give this a go

 

[JMR]

Thanks mate! No money and lots of time atm lol so I'll definitely give this a go :smile:

The kit comes with hand polishing pads, but a small rayon pad for a dual action would be the nuts.