White powdery looking stuff on my glasses?!

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Presumably they are plastic frames, when they compound the plastic, they add various plasticizers to make it less brittle (usually they are esters of phthallic acid such as diisooctylphthallate and related compounds). Over time, these plasticizers can migrate to the surface and form a waxy white coating. (I have seen the same thing with old plastic screwdriver handles). The other answerer is correct, the plastic will start getting brittle when it loses the plasticizers. To get it off, you might try some mild solvents like, naphtha (Zippo lighter fuel), or maybe isopropyl alcohol (try a hidden spot first in case it messes up the finish of the plastic). I don't make any guarantees it will work. You might even try snipping a small piece off a Mr Clean Magic Eraser and try that (again, make sure you don't scrub on the lenses and try on a hidden surface first).

Do not use strong solvents like acetone, laquer thinner, methyl ethyl ketone, tetrahydrofuran, etc as they will almost certainly dissolve the plastic too.

That is the plastic drying out. It's like rust that comes from the inside, out.

That means the frame is becoming very brittle and can just snap at any time , coming in from the cold for instance.

There is no way to clean it that lasts either. It is coming from the inside.
That is a sure sign you are needing new glasses soon.

Optician