Can lenses get oxidized from the inside?

[stemyx]

Sorry if this is a dumb or obvious question but can they get oxidized from the inside? Is this the reason why they don't get 99.9% clear after restoring them?

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[inDetail]

Yes they can get oxidized from the inside.

I was just going to post. I did the Wifey's lenses and they are crystal clear during the day at night with the headlights on they are clouded up. It's white cloudy not yellowed like the outside normally is. I have done dozen's of headlight jobs and I never had a customer come back and say they are clouded up at night.
Can this be damage from the inside?

[stemyx]

Yeah maybe we can have the experts chime in!

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[builthatch]

yes. when the UV protection is compromised it's apparent that some lights can experience failure throughout the depth of the material, including the inside.

and though i don't have science to back it up, i believe that the light optics (reflectors) can probably reflect UV energy that isn't blocked by the failed UV protection on the outside and help degrade the plastic faster that you'd think from the inside. factor the thermal expansion/contraction during repeated use and i think the material becomes even more brittle which certainly doesn't help things.