The future is here, glasses are changing and this is only the beginning: http://gizmodo.com/5913927/adjustable-sliding-lens-glasses-let-you-tweak-your-prescription
Cost of Eyeglasses
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Originally Posted By: hr1940
I paid over $650.00 for a pair of regular glasses and a pair of sun glasses. I try to be conservative but I want to get a quality pair of glasses. I tried one of the chains once and had to go back 3 times for them to get the prescription right.
It's a roll of the dice.
About 10 years ago, I bought a pair of glasses from the local shop that advertises to have premium service. The cost was about $650 for a pair of glasses that have a single-strength prescription. (No bifocals) I guess the only reason I went there is that the insurance that I had paid for the majority of it. I do remember the lady saying how good the insurance was. Anyway, I had to go back once because the lenses were defective. You could actually look at them and the glass looked like antique windows. The next set of lenses was ground wrong. If you looked at the hardwood flooring in my house, it looked like it had bows in it. When they got that fixed, the screws kept coming out of the frames and the lenses would fall out. I was there so often, they knew me by name.
My next pair was $49 from a WalMart eyeglass shop. I've had them for five years, they still fit great and the glass is just starting to lose a little bit of the anti-scratch coating on the edges. I initially went there because a lady that I know works there and she suggested that I try them. I talked to her about my glasses a few weeks ago and she said (okay, maybe a biased claim) their product is really pretty good.
Besides, did anybody watch the 60 Minutes episode about a year ago where one company has a virtual monopoly on eye wear in the U.S.? The price of eye wear is so high because of this monopoly and our government wont' break them up. WalMart is not in their monopoly.
I paid over $650.00 for a pair of regular glasses and a pair of sun glasses. I try to be conservative but I want to get a quality pair of glasses. I tried one of the chains once and had to go back 3 times for them to get the prescription right.
It's a roll of the dice.
About 10 years ago, I bought a pair of glasses from the local shop that advertises to have premium service. The cost was about $650 for a pair of glasses that have a single-strength prescription. (No bifocals) I guess the only reason I went there is that the insurance that I had paid for the majority of it. I do remember the lady saying how good the insurance was. Anyway, I had to go back once because the lenses were defective. You could actually look at them and the glass looked like antique windows. The next set of lenses was ground wrong. If you looked at the hardwood flooring in my house, it looked like it had bows in it. When they got that fixed, the screws kept coming out of the frames and the lenses would fall out. I was there so often, they knew me by name.
My next pair was $49 from a WalMart eyeglass shop. I've had them for five years, they still fit great and the glass is just starting to lose a little bit of the anti-scratch coating on the edges. I initially went there because a lady that I know works there and she suggested that I try them. I talked to her about my glasses a few weeks ago and she said (okay, maybe a biased claim) their product is really pretty good.
Besides, did anybody watch the 60 Minutes episode about a year ago where one company has a virtual monopoly on eye wear in the U.S.? The price of eye wear is so high because of this monopoly and our government wont' break them up. WalMart is not in their monopoly.
Originally Posted By: gregoron
Why not buy a quality frame then just have the lenses changed every two years if prescription requires it? Do we really need new frames every 2 years?
+1. I do have, currently, two pairs of glasses that are made with relatively expensive quality frames. One pair dates to 2001 and the other around 2005. Both are still stylish as I tend to stick with the smallest frames possible.
I send them here when I need new lenses, thus the reason for having two pairs because it takes 2-3 weeks. The lenses are name brand and cost A LOT less than at an optical shop.
http://www.eyeglasslensdirect.com/
Since I still only need single vision lenses I paid $43 for the last pair of Essilor lenses I put into them. My preference is still CR-39 due to it's optical qualities and scratch resistance. My power is low and with small frames I do not need high index lenses to keep them thin and light.
Why not buy a quality frame then just have the lenses changed every two years if prescription requires it? Do we really need new frames every 2 years?
+1. I do have, currently, two pairs of glasses that are made with relatively expensive quality frames. One pair dates to 2001 and the other around 2005. Both are still stylish as I tend to stick with the smallest frames possible.
I send them here when I need new lenses, thus the reason for having two pairs because it takes 2-3 weeks. The lenses are name brand and cost A LOT less than at an optical shop.
http://www.eyeglasslensdirect.com/
Since I still only need single vision lenses I paid $43 for the last pair of Essilor lenses I put into them. My preference is still CR-39 due to it's optical qualities and scratch resistance. My power is low and with small frames I do not need high index lenses to keep them thin and light.
They are expensive, I just paid $600 for a new pair of Maui Jim prescription sunglasses before I went sailing in the islands last month.
Regular glasses run me $300-$600 a pair, but I'm easy on them so they last for years.
Regular glasses run me $300-$600 a pair, but I'm easy on them so they last for years.
Just got my new glasses from the VA today.
Perfect!
Perfect!
I posted this in the sunglass thread, but this industry consolidation has affected the costs of regular prescription glasses too if you go for designer frames...
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Just got my new glasses from the VA today.
Perfect!
Are they Randolph Engineering (RE)?
Just got my new glasses from the VA today.
Perfect!
Are they Randolph Engineering (RE)?
Originally Posted By: tom slick
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Just got my new glasses from the VA today.
Perfect!
Are they Randolph Engineering (RE)?
Man alive, I have no idea. They came thru the VA Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Just got my new glasses from the VA today.
Perfect!
Are they Randolph Engineering (RE)?
Man alive, I have no idea. They came thru the VA Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I posted this in the sunglass thread, but this industry consolidation has affected the costs of regular prescription glasses too if you go for designer frames...
Now I know why I either get my glasses from the VA or an on-line retailer for $29.00 with bifocal lenses included.
As the owner in the video says People like diversity, well this dude loves to save money.
I posted this in the sunglass thread, but this industry consolidation has affected the costs of regular prescription glasses too if you go for designer frames...
Now I know why I either get my glasses from the VA or an on-line retailer for $29.00 with bifocal lenses included.
As the owner in the video says People like diversity, well this dude loves to save money.
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Originally Posted By: tom slick
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Just got my new glasses from the VA today.
Perfect!
Are they Randolph Engineering (RE)?
Man alive, I have no idea. They came thru the VA Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Do they look like any of these?
http://www.randolphusa.com/product-categories/rx/
They supply the RX glasses for the military, I'm just curious if they also supply the VA.
Originally Posted By: tom slick
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Just got my new glasses from the VA today.
Perfect!
Are they Randolph Engineering (RE)?
Man alive, I have no idea. They came thru the VA Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Do they look like any of these?
http://www.randolphusa.com/product-categories/rx/
They supply the RX glasses for the military, I'm just curious if they also supply the VA.
Mine look like aviator style. However they are supplied by in independent eyewear company in Fort Wayne Indiana. L & S Optical is the name of the outfit.
Patient gets to choose from a selection of a few hundred frames.
Patient gets to choose from a selection of a few hundred frames.
Originally Posted By: gregoron
Why not buy a quality frame then just have the lenses changed every two years if prescription requires it? Do we really need new frames every 2 years?
I thought frames would last longer then they do, but if you wear glasses all day everyday, and especially if you wear them during any kind of physical activity that is done routinely where sweating causes the frames to slide down and you constantly push them back up, it will put a lot of stress on frames and eventually they loose their strength. I've also found hinge design to be of utmost importance; a thin designer frame that costs several hundred dollars will wear out quickly compared to a cheaper frame with thicker metal and more durable hinges.
Cost is all about the brand name attached to the frame.
Why not buy a quality frame then just have the lenses changed every two years if prescription requires it? Do we really need new frames every 2 years?
I thought frames would last longer then they do, but if you wear glasses all day everyday, and especially if you wear them during any kind of physical activity that is done routinely where sweating causes the frames to slide down and you constantly push them back up, it will put a lot of stress on frames and eventually they loose their strength. I've also found hinge design to be of utmost importance; a thin designer frame that costs several hundred dollars will wear out quickly compared to a cheaper frame with thicker metal and more durable hinges.
Cost is all about the brand name attached to the frame.
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I had lost my last set of glasses from 6 years ago. Then never bothered getting a new set (mild correction) but it's started to affect me more while driving, so I got a new pair.
I did get Guess frames, however they were cheaper than some of the other options. Got polycarb, anti glare, antiscratch, single vision, standard index. retail: $590, copay after insurance: $185, submitted the rest to my employer so it was free.
Since my Rx is for distance, I also wanted to get sunglasses. I was quoted $200, no insurance. I passed for the time being as I had heard about an online store from one of my customer's, www.zennioptical.com. Picked out a set of frames, polycarb, tinted, antiglare, antiscratch, $30 shipped to my door.
I expect the Guess frames to be more because they are brand name, however to get a complete set of Rx sunglasses for 20% of the frames alone for my daily pair is nuts.
I've since learned about about another site called Eye Buy Direct. They seem to have a little different selection but the same basic prices.
I did get Guess frames, however they were cheaper than some of the other options. Got polycarb, anti glare, antiscratch, single vision, standard index. retail: $590, copay after insurance: $185, submitted the rest to my employer so it was free.
Since my Rx is for distance, I also wanted to get sunglasses. I was quoted $200, no insurance. I passed for the time being as I had heard about an online store from one of my customer's, www.zennioptical.com. Picked out a set of frames, polycarb, tinted, antiglare, antiscratch, $30 shipped to my door.
I expect the Guess frames to be more because they are brand name, however to get a complete set of Rx sunglasses for 20% of the frames alone for my daily pair is nuts.
I've since learned about about another site called Eye Buy Direct. They seem to have a little different selection but the same basic prices.
Just got my first pair of glasses from Zenni. $40 for clear and sunglasses. Unsure how to rate: reasonable fast, certainly cheap; but I would not have bought these frames if I could do try before buy. Too small. Ok for spare pairs, though.
Not sure if I will hit BJ's next or attempt another pair from Zenni.
Not sure if I will hit BJ's next or attempt another pair from Zenni.
You might want to try goggles4u. I have one pair of regular glasses and one pair of sunglasses from them. The sunglasses in particular have a very flexible but firm hinge that would make them fit a variety of heads.
What is wrong with the fit for the ones you received?
What is wrong with the fit for the ones you received?
Originally Posted By: supton
Just got my first pair of glasses from Zenni. $40 for clear and sunglasses. Unsure how to rate: reasonable fast, certainly cheap; but I would not have bought these frames if I could do try before buy. Too small. Ok for spare pairs, though.
Not sure if I will hit BJ's next or attempt another pair from Zenni.
You could not have chosen the size of frames when you ordered?
Just got my first pair of glasses from Zenni. $40 for clear and sunglasses. Unsure how to rate: reasonable fast, certainly cheap; but I would not have bought these frames if I could do try before buy. Too small. Ok for spare pairs, though.
Not sure if I will hit BJ's next or attempt another pair from Zenni.
You could not have chosen the size of frames when you ordered?
Well, yes, that is the point. I picked out what I thought was right, but it was wrong.if it was a brick and mortar place I could have tried on prior to buying and realized the error very quickly. Not dying I got bad service, just that I got what what I paid for.
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I've never ordered from Zenni but I have used other on line sellers of prescription eyewear. One needs to carefully measure their current eyewear and compare sizing to what they wish to order, few problems if doing that.
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