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At some point or another you or your handyman will have to replace florescent tubes or a ballast in a light fixture, and that means removing and re-installing the plastic light diffuser. People also call these a lens, but regardless, I have learned the hard way, that they break...easily.
These are basically 2'x 4' pieces of very thin and brittle plastic. One side is smooth and the other has a texture to it to diffuse the light as it shines down into the living space. These large, thin pieces of plastic are very flimsy and are prone to breaking or cracking when they are handled. This leads to replacing them.
Very often these pieces don't exactly fit into the space which means they need to be cut. This is not easy to do since they are thin and brittle. If you try to cut them with scissors they will chip, although if you are lucky the chip will be small and may be hidden by the frame.
I have found the easiest way to cut them is with a straightedge and a sharp utility knife or razor. Place the plastic diffuser on a hard surface with the smooth side facing up. Place the straightedge on top of the sheet and press down firmly enough to hold it in place, but not so hard that you crack the panel. Use the utility knife or razor and make light passes along the straightedge to score the sheet. Press a little harder each time to score it deeper and deeper until the pieces separate.
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