Translucent != transparent, but you might be on to something.

Maybe it works better on slim drives with a lower ceiling. Larger drives with space above the disc might allow the laser to refract and generate garbage.

Edit: okay, nevermind, it really is completely transparent. Here’s a picture:

This is actually stupid. At no point during the manufacturing process did anyone mention how CDs work?

The vinyl being transparent is fine, vinyls work by a needle touching the surface, optical discs work by… optics!