My Bose wave radio/cd is approx 10 years old and

Try cleaning the lens using a cotton sdwab and alcohol. If that fails to resolve it, the optics are probably starting to fail. Depending upon which model, the optics may be Sony ones that are readily available and relatively cheap. Any service shop that works on audio gear should be able to help with this. Expect the optics to cost between $10-$40.

Dan