ya, wikipedia says they should TECHNICALLY be able to last a long time, but there's too many variables that can speed aging, especially writing on the disc with markers, which can reduce life to just a year or two
last i heard the common 'estimate' for cd-r/dvd-r lifespan was ~10 years, more if you don't write on it, and keep it indoors, in cool temperatures, and of course less if you don't take care of it, and let it get too hot/wet/etc.
the ink oxydizes, and disintegrates is why they become unreadable
store-bought discs are actually pressed pieces of metal inside, which wont break down over time (although early discs, including laserdiscs suffered from something called laser rot, which was basically oxidation on the pressed data layer)
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