The structure of glass surface differs considerably from the structure of its bulk. The nature of glass surface layers is characterised by their composition and structure, by the presence of micro- and macro-defects, by the inhomogeneous nature of chemical composition and structure, by roughness, porosity and others. In general, in order to be short and avoid terminological mess we shall call all these characteristics - the state of glass surface. Glassware composition and structure of surface layers change as a result of their physical and chemical properties impairment. In our opinion, to reveal changes in composition and structure of surface layers of industrial glasses it is effective to use the method of section etching with HF solution. The aim of the undertaken investigations was to study the possibilities of application of section etching method in order to reveal changes in the composition and structure of surface layers of illuminating glasses. The experimental procedure was carried out in accordance with the following requirements. Firstly, the thickness of the dissolved layer must be within 0,1 - 10 μm, layers beyond such thickness are not analyzed by spectroscopy methods. Secondly, the analysis should be held using a large number of samples. Thirdly, the analysis should be urgent. At is also desirable that the elaborated method should be fit to be used in plant conditions. Besides that, it is necessary to have the possibility to analyze samples of complex form. The subjects of investigations were made from transparent colorless and milk glass. The chemical composition of glasses is the following (weight %): transparent colorless – 71.31 SiO2, 4.38 Al2O3, 0.08 Fe2O3, 6.90 CaO, 16.77 Na2O, 0.34 SO3; milk glass – 66.68 SiO2, 8.88 Al2O3, 0.10 Fe2O3 3.63 CaO, 16.29 Na2O, 4.48 F-. The analyses of glass surface layers were done with the help of section etching by HF solution. Three glass samples were fixed in fluorocarbon polymer cassettes and then were joined to the polymer wheel and put into a weak HF solution (0.1 % weight). The samples were rotated in the solution with speed 100 rotations per minute. After etching the samples were washed with distilled water, dried and weighed. Duration of etching changed within 3 - 90 minutes. The temperature of the HF solution was (30±0.1) oC. Thickness of the dissolved layer and rate of dissolution in HF solution of glass surface layers were calculated on mass losses of the sample before and after etching. During one etching a layer of glass with thickness from 0.05 up to 1.5 μm is dissolved. The relative error of the experiment does not exceed ±4 %. Concentration of Na+, K+ and Ca2+ was measured in extracts after etching by the method of flame photometry. The rate of dissolution in HF solution of the illuminating glasses is not stable. The experiments showed that the illuminating glasses consist of layers without any determined orientation. A stratified structure of multicomponent glasses is revealed. The character of stratification depends on the chemical composition of the glass, on the method and the conditions of its manufacture. The increase of the glass homogeneity reduces its stratification.