The life expectancy of a disc is the period of time wherein the information that has been recorded in it can be retrieved without loss. Recordable optical disc media contains an organic dye layer that can be altered to absorb a laser beam or to allow the passage of beam through to a reflective layer. The dye being organic naturally breaks down over time. The process can be further escalated by humidity, high temperature and exposure to light.

The dye type is seen as a big factor in the overall stability of CDs and DVDs. The most stable CDs are the ones that contain phthalocyanine used with a gold-silver alloy reflective layer. Preferred DVDs are those that use a form of stabilized cyanine dye for their recording layer. Experts agree that with careful use, CDs should last 50 years while DVDs should last up to 25 years.