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IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

Need a good place to buy eyeglasses

I would like to know where is a good place to buy glasses without getting hosed financially. I bought the last pair at Walmart and I didn't wear them much but now have to wear them all the time because my driver's license has a corrective lens restriction and I barely passed the eye test at the RMV with the Walmart glasses. It's my right eye that is the bad eye.

I'm wondering if it's I'm having trouble with the machine at the RMV. I did pass the eye chart test at the DOT physical though.

I do have an updated prescription that I haven't filled yet because I could see fine without them but I'm near sighted badly (can't see far away) especially in the right eye.

I've been noticing more and more I've been holding the iPhone close to my face.

As for insurance coverage, I have an allowance where I pay up front and get reimbursed but there is a maximum and the difference is out of pocket.

dandelion
MVM
join:2003-04-29
Germantown, TN

dandelion

MVM

I like Walmart.. they send theirs to a place that handles the prescription well on the glasses IMO.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

LensCrafters is up there on price. Probably the quality at any place depends on the individual optician taking the measurements.

beck
MVM
join:2002-01-29
On The Road

beck to IowaCowboy

MVM

to IowaCowboy
EyeMart.

Otherwise, watch in the paper for a sale that suits what you want and need.

Cabal
Premium Member
join:2007-01-21

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Highly recommend Warby Parker. They don't accept insurance, but the prices are low enough that it's not really relevant. Great products, and you can find non-hipsters glasses if you look closely.
nonymous (banned)
join:2003-09-08
Glendale, AZ

nonymous (banned) to IowaCowboy

Member

to IowaCowboy
Way less than you paid cor emergency pet medical. Decent eye exam around 70 and glasses whatever you want to pay for style. I usually use Costco. But I dont mind their selection.
It is the price of the frames that will kill you.
If you cam.get whatever the measurement is called between the pupils along with the exam there are online sources others will knkw of.
Ole Juul
join:2013-04-27
Princeton, BC

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Not knowing your actual prescription it's hard to know what you might need. I'm very near sighted, but am fortunate that the astigmatism is minimal and both eyes are the same. I've been adjusting my own prescription to suit my actual life and found I get much better results. Regardless, if you have a professional prescription it is likely for the best choice for driving, and no matter where you get the glasses the lenses are going to be ground to the same spec. Of course there are some desirable choices in glass/plastic which are very nice and sometimes very expensive. I recently got 3 pairs of glasses from a cheap on-line place and it cost me $80 with shipping included. $18 of that was for tinting two of the pairs. Dirt cheap from optical4less. Some of the designs are pretty conservative, but the quality is adequate. Maybe not for you, but I thought I'd mention it.
Mango
Use DMZ and you get a kick in the dick.
Premium Member
join:2008-12-25
www.toao.net

1 edit

Mango

Premium Member

OP, you may be interested in reading this:
Want affordable but good glasses?

Duramax08
To The Moon
Premium Member
join:2008-08-03
San Antonio, TX

2 recommendations

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Ive heard some good things about this place »www.zennioptical.com/
Ole Juul
join:2013-04-27
Princeton, BC

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said by Mango:

OP, you may be interested in reading this.

I didn't quite get what that was about. I know that the PD (papillary distance) is one of those things that they hold back in order to keep you from going elsewhere - even though they're not supposed to do that. However, with a millimeter rule in front of the mirror you can measure it very accurately yourself.
wth
Premium Member
join:2002-02-20
Iowa City,IA

1 recommendation

wth to IowaCowboy

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to IowaCowboy
Costco. $220.00 for my frames ($50) & progressive & transition lenses ($170) in 1/14.
drslash (banned)
Goya Asma
join:2002-02-18
Marion, IA

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to Duramax08
said by Duramax08:

Ive heard some good things about this place »www.zennioptical.com/

It has been a while since I bought from Zenni Optical. The glasses were super cheap and are acceptable quality. If you have your prescription and the pupilary distance you can order online.

I don't recall but I think I spent less than $70 for two pairs of glasses.
bbear2
Premium Member
join:2003-10-06
dot.earth

1 recommendation

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+1 for Costco. Check out the Consumer Reports ratings too.

Boooost
@24.190.186.x

Boooost to IowaCowboy

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I use a local optician, because I don't want the polycarbonate crap sold by the mass market retailers. Polycarbonate is the worst optical material you can possibly get. Having said that, polycarbonate is good for impact resistance, so it may still be appropriate.

Since you want cheap, remember you don't need new frames. You can simply have them put new lenses in your old frames.

Nice thing about Lenscrafters is you can return the glasses for any reason and get a full refund.

Does your eye doctor say you need reading glasses? Get progressive lenses.
Boooost

Boooost to Ole Juul

Anon

to Ole Juul
said by Ole Juul:

I know that the PD (papillary distance) is one of those things that they hold back in order to keep you from going elsewhere - even though they're not supposed to do that. However, with a millimeter rule in front of the mirror you can measure it very accurately yourself.

The proper way to do it is to "pre-fit" the frames. That involves putting the actual frames you're going to get on your face, adjusting them properly, then measuring where in the frames your pupils are. That's what your optician should be doing, and something that can't be done if you order online.

If you don't do that, the lenses' optical center will be off and you may not be able to see properly. Even the tilt of the frames affects this, so it's not something you can do yourself or without proper training.
Ole Juul
join:2013-04-27
Princeton, BC

1 recommendation

Ole Juul

Member

We all have different skills. I've gotten 5 pairs of new glasses in the last couple of years, and they have better prescriptions than I've ever gotten in the 50 previous years from opticians.

By the way, the on-line places have good lenses too. It can be deceiving though, as those $20 glasses easily turn into $200 glasses. If you don't know what you're doing, it might not be such a fantastic deal in the end.

Anyway, I'm with you on getting good service from a real business. The higher price offers some real value which one won't get from the on-line places. I'm just suggesting that the on-line purchase can be a good thing if one knows what one is doing. It's not for everybody.

Jim Gurd
Premium Member
join:2000-07-08
Livonia, MI

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to Duramax08
said by Duramax08:

Ive heard some good things about this place »www.zennioptical.com/

Yes, I have ordered from them as well as »www.goggles4u.com and been happy with both. I do think Zenni has better choices of frames, however.
Jim Gurd

Jim Gurd

Premium Member

Oh, and by the way, you can print out a millimeter ruler online for measuring your PD, hold it up to your face and have someone read it for you. Be sure to measure each eye separately because they may not be the same. My right eye is 31.5mm and my left is 30.5mm. Added together you get 62mm, which is how some opticians will list your measurement, but it's less accurate that way.

OutThere
@184.224.202.x

OutThere to IowaCowboy

Anon

to IowaCowboy
I like Coastal Contacts for Internet buys. Own a few pairs over the years. Quick shipping in US. Can return for full refund w/free shipping (I just did because didn't like the way frames fit (by design)), so you can try it for nothing. Wish they did have more "glass" types for my heavy prescription. Take your time and learn what the frame measurements are about, etc..

If you are using a mirror to measure PD, be careful you are not getting a "cross-eye" measurement. Go from eye center to center while looking straight forward for each eye. I've found local store measurements are a little too narrow.
Mango
Use DMZ and you get a kick in the dick.
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join:2008-12-25
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1 edit

Mango

Premium Member

said by Boooost :

because I don't want the polycarbonate crap sold by the mass market retailers. Polycarbonate is the worst optical material you can possibly get.

I'm wearing Zenni's polycarbonate composite right now and I absolutely love it. The only downside I've ever heard of for polycarbonate is chromatic aberration. However, I almost never notice this - maybe a couple of times a year when I'm looking at a specific type of light in my peripheral vision. Have you had different experiences?
said by Boooost :

That involves putting the actual frames you're going to get on your face, adjusting them properly, then measuring where in the frames your pupils are.

Very interesting. Maybe it's a regional thing, but no optician in Western Canada (that I've been a customer of) does this. Everyone uses the pupillometer.
said by OutThere :

If you are using a mirror to measure PD, be careful you are not getting a "cross-eye" measurement.

That happened to me every time. I was never able to correctly measure my own PD in a mirror. But my wife used a ruler and correctly measured it, down to the half-millimetre.
MaynardKrebs
We did it. We heaved Steve. Yipee.
Premium Member
join:2009-06-17

MaynardKrebs to IowaCowboy

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See an Ophthalmologis first - not an optician - and get a proper eye examination - you may have some underlying condition.

Also, once you hit 40 all bets are off. I've known people who had 60/20 vision in the morning suddenly need glasses by the afternoon (no shit - they couldn't read a lunch menu).

Once you've had the full eye exam, then look for eyewear - and don't wait months to do it.

Costco/Walmart both outsource to decent labs to make the lenses. Warby Parker doesn't do progressive lenses (at least the last time I looked).
Mango
Use DMZ and you get a kick in the dick.
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join:2008-12-25
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Mango

Premium Member

said by MaynardKrebs:

See an Ophthalmologis first

I believe you're referring to an optometrist. You need a referral to see an ophthalmologist (surgeon) - either from an optometrist or a GP.

Edit: Outside Canada, I stand corrected - see below.
PX Eliezer1
Premium Member
join:2013-03-10
Zubrowka USA

PX Eliezer1

Premium Member

said by Mango:

I believe you're referring to an optometrist. You need a referral to see an ophthalmologist (surgeon) - either from an optometrist or a GP.

In Canada.

-----

In the US, eye care can be directly obtained either from an optometrist (OD degree from a 4-year optometry school) or an ophthalmologist (physician and surgeon specializing in this area who has either an MD or DO medical degree followed by several years of additional training).

Both have pros and cons.

One might make an analogy to a clinical psychologist with a PhD or PsyD degree, compared to a psychiatrist with an MD/DO degree.

Optometrists (and clinical psychologists for that matter) have fought hard in many states to get additional privileges such as prescribing drugs.

-----

A cute joke is that the optometry degree is OD which is also oculus dexter (right eye). So the optometrists call themselves the "right eye doctors".

-----

For affordable basic eye exam and disease screening, a good optometrist is fine. But the ones who work for eyeglass/contact chains often are under heavy time pressure. An optometrist in private practice can better.

For more serious eye problems, and if surgery is ever involved, an ophthalmologist is needed.

Many facilities in the US now simply employ both under the same group.

-----

Opticians of course deal with the actual provision of the glasses or contact lenses.
Mango
Use DMZ and you get a kick in the dick.
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join:2008-12-25
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Mango

Premium Member

said by PX Eliezer1:

In Canada.

Noted; thanks.

MoebiusGrip
@74.89.77.x

MoebiusGrip to MaynardKrebs

Anon

to MaynardKrebs
said by MaynardKrebs:

... once you hit 40 all bets are off. I've known people who had 60/20 vision in the morning suddenly need glasses by the afternoon...

A mini-stroke aka "silent stroke" will do that! It's cause for an ER visit without delay.
PX Eliezer1
Premium Member
join:2013-03-10
Zubrowka USA

PX Eliezer1

Premium Member

said by MoebiusGrip :

said by MaynardKrebs:

... once you hit 40 all bets are off. I've known people who had 60/20 vision in the morning suddenly need glasses by the afternoon...

A mini-stroke aka "silent stroke" will do that! It's cause for an ER visit without delay.

Excellent point.

Both neurological issues and diabetes should be checked for.
MaynardKrebs
We did it. We heaved Steve. Yipee.
Premium Member
join:2009-06-17

MaynardKrebs

Premium Member

said by PX Eliezer1:

said by MoebiusGrip :

said by MaynardKrebs:

... once you hit 40 all bets are off. I've known people who had 60/20 vision in the morning suddenly need glasses by the afternoon...

A mini-stroke aka "silent stroke" will do that! It's cause for an ER visit without delay.

Excellent point.

Both neurological issues and diabetes should be checked for.

I personally know 3 people whom this has happened. No strokes or diabetes involved (all three were extensively examined by multiple doctors, CT scans etc....). Apparently it's about 1:50,000 happen this way even in the absence of other conditions. The eyes just decide that the warranty period is up and presto - you need glasses.

Gbcue
Premium Member
join:2001-09-30
Santa Rosa, CA

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Costco!
Gbcue

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Tried them and hated them. Their frames are too cheaply made and the lenses scratch easily.

I ended up returning mine and getting a refund. Also helps the refund process if you only live 30 minutes away from them.
XXXXXXXXXXX1
Premium Member
join:2006-01-11
Beverly Hills, CA

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Consider Sears Optical for your frames and lenses. I have a number of relatives who have bought glasses from them for years with great success. And if you catch a sale, they can be very competitive on price (if not unbeatable).