Cheap Prescription Glasses Thread (as low as $19)

[tapjlb]

I bought a pair of glasses from Zenni Optical(the $19 link) last October. They offer two upgrades, stainless for $23 and titanium for $28. I chose the stainless model. This was my first pair of bifocals. I finally got tired of taking my glasses off to read. The glasses came in about 3 wks (I live in Alaska and am used to slow shipping). The price was $46 including shipping. The quality was OK but one lense was noticably thicker than the other side even though they were the same perscription. I reasoned that thats what you get when you order cheap glasses and didn't complain. About 4 months later they broke at the hinge. I called Zenni optical and they agreed to replace them with another pair and give me new lenses since one was thicker than the other. This time I upgraded to the memory titanium model (I had to pay the $4.95 difference). After a month I had to call to ask where my shippment was. They had apparently misplaced it. After another 3 weeks they finally came. I like these frames much better than the first ones. I am going to order another pair soon just for a backup. They are well worth the $50 I have in them.

 

[NFS4]

I went to get my pupillary distance checked at WalMart.

They measured 36R, 36L. Do I just add them together for my PD?

 

[Biggerhammer]

Originally posted by: NFS4
I went to get my pupillary distance checked at WalMart.

They measured 36R, 36L. Do I just add them together for my PD?

I hadn't noticed, but my local Pearlcrafters or whatever gave me my measurements and the two numbers added together is indeed the PD.

 

[Wheatmaster]

how do i go about to get in on this deal? can i just go to walmart or lenscrafters, get an eye check up and type the info in to order?

 

[SimMike2]

I ordered a pair and got after about two weeks, maybe 2 1/2. I don't think the frame is the exact one I chose, but close enough. The prescription, including lineless bifocals, is good. People that don't order some kind of bifocal will probably have more chance of success, because adding bifocals, especially lineless, adds to the possible problems. I got rimless glasses and I love the featherweight and smallness of the lenses.

I'll give a thumbs up, but would probably recommend people with simpler prescriptions (not-bifocal) have better chance for perfect orders. One thing I didn't like about the order was it arrived without invoice and, while they had the glasses protected by a heavy glasses hardshell case, the cloth wrapped around the lenses had this terrible rubber smell you get with off-brand tennis shoes. I threw the cloth out immediately as it was really stinky. This was just a minor annoyance.

 

[geoffct]

Here is another idea for anyone who does not like the risks and issues of lasik, but still has saved a bit of money around here. =-)

There is a newer procedure called ACR Active Cornea Reshaping. It basically work that you wear custom hard contacts at night. These contacts will reshape your eyes until you focus perfectly. In the mean time you get a special set of disposible soft contacts which step down to match your eyes as they progress over the ~6months you wear the ACR at night.

When all is done you have perfect vision, expected to last 15-20 years, with no scarring or surgery. The cost is similar to lasik at about $700-$1000 for lenses and visits.

Haven't done it yet, as I am still a broke student, but I am talking to the insurance to see what they will cover of this.

Btw thanks for the link to cheap glasses, I like having a pair as contact backups

Geoff

 

[huesmann]

Originally posted by: JAGedlion
I don't know about most of the army, but the airforce doesn't allow lasik because when pulling too many g's the flap comes undone but PRK is good enough for flying tankers and stuff, IIRC fighter pilots can't even have prk. (They told my brother was in the AROTC who wears glasses)

I know that the Army does it, because a guy I know in Intel had it done on the Army's dime. In fact, I think they suggested he get it done.

 

[DrPizza]

Bump for the hot deal!

(oddly, I was flamed by a coworker for this deal - "who's going to fit the glasses for you". That coworker also paid over $300 for her last pair of glasses :roll

 

[dealeo]

I can appreciate your sentiment and patriotism, but nowhere on the $19 site did I see that they represent themselves as Opticians. Or even Optometrists. I did not see any qualifications represented.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: dealeo
I can appreciate your sentiment and patriotism, but nowhere on the $19 site did I see that they represent themselves as Opticians. Or even Optometrists. I did not see any qualifications represented.

they're not the ones examining your eyes... they're just filling the prescription. That means: they open the box with 100 lenses of a particular prescription... pull out a lens, cut it in the shape to fit the frame, grab a lens of the proper prescription for the other eye, cut it to fit the frame... put the glasses together... send it on its way. It only takes a lab technician to handle this aspect.

 

[Biggerhammer]

I'm wearing $29 glasses right now, from the middle page. Pretty good stuff. I'd love to be able to afford to pay an American company for glasses but without insurance I just can't afford to play that game. It cost me about $700 for the pair before this one!

 

[Mday]

Where do you think those american places get their supplies and inventory? Most are made OUT of the country. Those "1 hour" places buy their lenses, and then customize them (shape) for prescriptions. THey get their lenses from overseas (Asian, south pacific, etc). The frames are MADE in the same regions as well.

Anyway, I get my glasses from an actual B&M. I like them fitted to my head.

 

[dcdomain]

I just received two pairs from Optical4less ($29 site) and they are much better than the $39dollarglasses.com ($39) pair I bought prior to it.

 

[user1234]

Ain't you now don't forget you can pay from your HCRA account, thus saving an additional 40% because you're paying with pre tax dollars

 

[asylinfo]

Originally posted by: user1234
Ain't you now don't forget you can pay from your HCRA account, thus saving an additional 40% because you're paying with pre tax dollars

You must earn big buck to be in 40% tax blasket, in that case, why buying cheap glasses

 

[popeye44]

Originally posted by: iamme
sadly, i have a hard time finding glasses that look good on my face. therefore, i need to try them on before buying....<BR><BR>good prices, though.

Would a cheap plastic surgery thread be needed?

 

[MSCoder610]

Since this is back at the top, I got my glasses today from Zenni Optical ("$19 Glasses")... mine were 32.80 with AR coating and shipping and clipon sunglasses. I mainly wanted a backup, but I think these are my main pair now :thumbsup:

 

[user1234]

Originally posted by: asylinfo

Originally posted by: user1234
Ain't you now don't forget you can pay from your HCRA account, thus saving an additional 40% because you're paying with pre tax dollars

You must earn big buck to be in 40% tax blasket, in that case, why buying cheap glasses

in CA it's at least 25% (fed) + 9% (state) = 34% for everyone, so I assume 30-40% is the normal savings range for most anyone in the country.

 

[rile0161]

I ordered a pair through optical4less and couldn't be happier with them. Even paying the full price it's less than I would pay at a store here after my insurance copayment.

 

[Anami]

I also used Optical4Less, but I bought two pairs at different times: one was hingeless titanium with rimless hi-index lenses ($94 including shipping), and the local hoighty-toighty optical store told me it would be $600 if I wanted them to make me a second pair. At that point (chuckle!), I told them I guess I could just go get another $94 pair. The second pair was ordered after I had such a great experience with the first. I got the hinged but super-flexible titanium frames, semi-rimless (monofilament bottom), with hi-index and gradient color (purple, lowest tint range). Man, they turned out great, just a little color to them, very hip (for the 40-year-old guy), and about $139. Finally, I had the first pair break (one of the studs or posts to which one lens was mounted at the bridge), and since they were outside the 30-day warranty, I expected to pay heavily. They charged me $40 and actually just made me a new pair. So, I'd say that they are great at customer service.

 

[user1234]

Someone once told me the most insane profit margins exist in two retail trades - eyeglasses and speakers

 

[Muse]

Will any of these shops supply glass lenses? I have a new pair of plastic lens "glasses", with scratch resistant coating and have treated them as gingerly as I can. When I say "new" I mean I haven't worn them more than around 100 hours, I figure! They are already showing scratches! I'd gladly trade the extra few grams for serious scratch resistance = glass!

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: Biggerhammer
I'm wearing $29 glasses right now, from the middle page. Pretty good stuff. I'd love to be able to afford to pay an American company for glasses but without insurance I just can't afford to play that game. It cost me about $700 for the pair before this one!

$700? WTF? I used to get 2 for $100 deal at For Eyes. They're padding the receipt with a lot of stuff these days, so it's up to $150 maybe. Gonna go online next time, though. I found that even when I had insurance, I paid the same. The cheapest guy I could find in-plan was pretty expensive. Add to that the fact that his eye exam was absolutely cursory compared to the local university's eye clinic's and I've written him off. I still have the glasses from him, though. Decent distance glasses.

 

[Squalish2357]

I have persistant dry eye, I do not want to gamble with my eyesite or weaken my corneas, and I value my night vision - Lasik - not an option. I also tend not to look good in most glasses - I need to try them on first.

I bought some Pearl Vision flex-metal glasses w/ their best thin plastic lenses, anti-scratch coating, the works. It cost around $300, IIRC, about half of which was paid by insurance. They seem to last through about four years of abuse (I replaced lenses every 18 months w/ new prescriptions) that would kill any of these glasses in a day (My mother has decided to go the cheapo reading glasses route - I've seen plenty of them killed). I finally managed to crack one of hte screws out and lost the other half of the glasses - I go in, great customer service, they charge me $50 for the other arm, and give me a whole new frame (cheaper for them to just give me a new one than rescrew in a new side piece). Another $100 gets me new ultralight lenses that still don't show major scratching after 8 months.

I HIGHLY recommend getting flexible frames, whatever you buy.

I look forward, though, to glass that you cannot scratch with steel wool: http://science.slashdot.org/ar...02/0011220&amp;tid=198

 

[DrPizza]

just a monthly bump so my subscription to this thread doesn't vanish... gotta get my butt to wallyworld and get my prescription so I can order some of these.