A method and apparatus thereof for providing improved abrasion resistance to optical lenses

The present disclosure relates an optical lens having improved abrasion resistance. In an embodiment, the present disclosure describes a method of improving abrasion resistance of a lens, comprising depositing an inorganic layer (415, preferably silica) of a predetermined thickness on a convex surface of a lens substrate (410) within a vacuum deposition chamber, and applying an antifouling material (425) as a top most layer of the lens to an exposed surface of the deposited inorganic layer. The lens substrate may include a hard coating (412) on a convex surface of a base substrate. In an embodiment, the method further comprises exposing the convex surface of the lens substrate to ion beam pre-cleaning for a predetermined time period.