Here is the method used to polish automotive windshields that I use. To begin with if your windshield has rock chips or scratches that can be caught w/ your finger nail moving across the glass or deep scratches. This process won't work. Now the steps and processes if your glass passes inspection. First remove your wipers and cowl trim. Mask off trim and painted surfaces where they meet the glass. Cover the rest of the car w/ plastic film protestant. The Cerium Oxide is abrasive and will scratch paint if not covered. Mix in 2oz. increments. Add water sparingly as you mix to a gritty like water texture. Always have a spray bottle handy to keep the glass surface damp and as well as your buffing pad. Keep your pad and glass surface damp at all times while buffing. Buff at the slowest speed possible and don't apply pressure at all to glass. To much pressure will generate heat causing filmy, cloudy appearance, cloudy laminate between the layers of glass. Buffing should be in a alternating overlapping from top to bottom and side to side. If you have any questions PM me.I saw a post by @david hill on how he cleaned up his windshield using Cerium Oxide Polishing Powder. I called and spoke with him about the process and David mentioned with some patience, the scratches can and will come out as they did on his windshield.
No mention if the process caused any distortion though.
The pic on his post didn't show any distortion, and I'm sure if it didn't turn out nice for him, he would've advised against doing it.