Cheap Prescription Glasses Thread (as low as $19)

[Analog]

A number of places will deliver to you cheap prescription glasses - some of these have been posted in the archives. From the responses, it seems that some of these places manufacture the glasses outside the U.S., and then ship them. Reactions seem to be positive - please feel free to add anything you have experienced.

$19 prescription glasses

$29 prescription glasses

$39 prescription glasses

Another $29 site

New Addition!

Another new one..

 

[SimMike2]

It isn't a matter of "can't afford lasik," it is a matter of nobody knowing the long-term effects of Lasik. Also it is a matter of not wanting to gamble with something as precious as your eyesite. Then there is the fact that older people in their 40s are getting to the stage where they need reading glasses. Lasik won't help this and it could in fact make it mandatory to use reading glasses after lasik.

 

[lordbob99]

Looks like these sites can be a pretty good deal. For those that are intersted, shipping is listed as follows on the sites:
$19 site: $4.95 for whole order
$29 site: $8 for one pair, FREE for 2 or more pairs
$39 site: $5.95 for one pair, FREE for 2 or more pairs

 

[Analog]

Originally posted by: SimMike2
It isn't a matter of "can't afford lasik," it is a matter of nobody knowing the long-term effects of Lasik. Also it is a matter of not wanting to gamble with something as precious as your eyesite. Then there is the fact that older people in their 40s are getting to the stage where they need reading glasses. Lasik won't help this and it could in fact make it mandatory to use reading glasses after lasik.

hey! I resemble that remark! :shocked:

 

[rhacquer]

Sorry for being an ugly American, but I am an ugly American. Go with the $39 place and support American opticians!

 

[preslove]

Good idea for a thread. Anyone who has purchased from these places should give testimonials to help us bespectacled folk choose.

 

[DrPizza]

Hey, thanks! I have some money to burn in my flex account before the end of August (or middle of august.. I can never remember the exact date)
And, usually I just pick up an extra pair of glasses. This time, I may pick up 5 extra pairs of glasses

Oh, and I'll be the 2nd to say "I can afford lasik but have weighed the advantages and disadvantages and decided it's just not worth the risk"
Corrected, I have quite a bit better than 20-20 vision. Until Lasik can guarantee at least 20-20, forget it. I'd still want to wear glasses. Plus as stated above... the long term effects are unknown. Also, a fairly common problem seems to be a loss of night vision. I highly value my ability to see in the dark.

 

[woodscomp]

Can anybody testify to any of these shops?

 

[RideFree]

Whoa! Yellowf, have you ever managed to get a lot of posts...

Thanks, I needed about 4 of these. My last pair & the pair before were over $500, each.

Lasik is not for us second half-century challenged folk. It would force me to wear glasses all the time, not just for reading.

 

[thaita78]

Anyone who gets these glasses to double check the prescription by your doctor. My roomate got two glasses from the $39 site, one has an incorrect prescription. One quick email though, and another is on it's way.

 

[dcdomain]

Nice... I've been wearing the same model CK Titanium glasses for years. Both of them broke on me... titanium my butt...

 

[rockable]

I used http://optical4less.com (the $29 one) serval times and overall very satisfied with them .
So far they havn't prescripted me any wrong glasses . I m quite happy with all 5 pairs .
Their frames look expansive and lenses are nicely carfted . I recommanded them to many friends .
They are the best value online .

 

[The Stigenator]

sweet ... i need 2 get new glasses soon.

 

[huesmann]

LOL, I like on the Optical4less homepage:

Free:
Anti-Reflective coating
UV 400 protection
Anti-Scratch Hard Coating
Colorful , Stylish Eyeglasses Hard Case
Quality Cleaning Cloth
Nice and professional customer service
Free international shipping !
Beautiful used HongKong stamps

 

[alent1234]

it's not that hot. By the time you pick out a nice frame and the good lenses the cost can go to over $300. Plus the quality is questionable. My wife bought glasses for $500 from a place on Madison Ave in NYC. She bought the same glasses that Liv Tyler wears. She also has another set for $500 that will last for years. Using Flexible Spending Account money for this combined with a vision plan is the hottest deal you can get on a good set of sunglasses.

 

[cmed]

I've ordered four times from 39dollarglasses. a total of six pair. I have 2 pair at home, a pair at woek, and sunglasses in the car. I broke one pair and lost another.

I took the glasses to the optician each time, and the prescriptiona are always right.

 

[Optical]

Any of these fine places carry transition lenses.? The lenses then go from transparent to dark depending on the sunlight.

 

[huesmann]

^^^^

Very appropriate username for this deal!

 

[alent1234]

Originally posted by: Optical
Any of these fine places carry transition lenses.? The lenses then go from transparent to dark depending on the sunlight.

i saw them on the $39 glasses place, but they are extra. I priced a pair of titanium frames and with all the extras it was $316.

 

[Warder45]

Originally posted by: alent1234
it's not that hot. By the time you pick out a nice frame and the good lenses the cost can go to over $300. Plus the quality is questionable. My wife bought glasses for $500 from a place on Madison Ave in NYC. She bought the same glasses that Liv Tyler wears. She also has another set for $500 that will last for years. Using Flexible Spending Account money for this combined with a vision plan is the hottest deal you can get on a good set of sunglasses.

wait so this is $39 for the frames only? There is another charge for the lenses? I think i'm confused now.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: Warder45

wait so this is $39 for the frames only? There is another charge for the lenses? I think i'm confused now.

The $39 is for a complete pair, but some frames and lenses are more. They still seem much cheaper than Lenscrafters, etc, though I have no idea about quality. The Transitions lenses are quite costly regardless of where you get them.

 

[OMG1Penguin]

FYI on lasik... they cut open your eye, and the flap never 100% heals.
For military personnel in chem gear, or possibly other pressurized face mask situations (scuba maybe?), this can cause the flap of the eye to pop off.

They didn't tell me if this would be painful or not, but on a scale of 1 through 10, 5 being death, I think it would rate 7-8.

 

[mikeford]

LIke a lot of places the basic lenses in a basic set of frames is cheap, but for what I like (high prescription, transition lenses, nice frame) I prefer a local place.

Lense crafters are NOT cheap, maybe not the most expensive, but just one step below them.

I use http://www.foreyes.com/ and just watch the site for specials etc. Prices for transitions in different frames have been about $130 to $185. Included in that is a large selection of moderate quality frames (frame quality and basic price vary all over the place, mostly by where they are made, Korea, japan, Italy, etc.) which I can see, touch, and try on, plus carefull measurement of pupil position, and when the glasses are ready a final fitting plus any later adjustments. How do you do without those services?

 

[Semper Fi]

Thanks for the info yellowfiero. Just ordered a pair of glasses for my wife.
I'll post back when she gets them and inspects them in case anyone is interested.

 

[alent1234]

Originally posted by: OMG1Penguin
FYI on lasik... they cut open your eye, and the flap never 100% heals.
For military personnel in chem gear, or possibly other pressurized face mask situations (scuba maybe?), this can cause the flap of the eye to pop off.

They didn't tell me if this would be painful or not, but on a scale of 1 through 10, 5 being death, I think it would rate 7-8.

i don't know what the current policy is, but i remember in the late 1990's it was strictly forbidden to get lasik by military members. I remember reading of people getting in trouble for it.