How to fix / repair lens scratches?

[BEM]

I just got an old Amphibico TR-5N housing which has a few marks and minor scratches on the lens.

Is there any way to re-condition the lens or minimize the marks, without going the professional repair shop way?

 

[jcclink]

Glass or acrylic? Inside or outside?

 

[BEM]

It is a 4 inch dome that has some scratches on it. I have cleaned it with my Olympus lens cleaner and lens cloth.

A photo shop said that they think it has a protective coating and that the glass is not scratched. If the glass was scratched it would feel rough, like running your finger on concrete.

Do underwater camera housing (figital, film and video) have protective coatings?

 

[jcclink]

If its glass it may be coated. Check directly with Amphibico if you can to find out for sure. Depending on lighting & where the scratches are located on the dome, it may be ok. But you might get visible light streaks if you shoot towards the sun. On acrylic domes its usually a non problem since water fills in the scratches & the index of refraction for water & plastic are about the same. If your dome IS coated & scratches are a problem, it probably has to be recoated, which means back to the shop.