Anybody order kids eyeglasses online?

[starshine514]

My DD6's pediatrician recommended we get her eyes examined. I'm pretty sure she'll need glasses and have an appointment setup for Wednesday. I wear glasses and am taking her the same place I got mine examined last time. However, I didn't buy glasses there; I ordered them online from zennioptical (which is much cheaper. Glasses start at $8 and included polycarbonate lenses and UV coating). However, I was looking at their kids' frames and not finding a whole lot that I like that would fit her tiny little face. I know there are other websites that sell discount mail-order eyeglasses - has anybody tried any of them (other than Zenni)?

Also, do you think I should get one pair now locally, rather than waiting 3 weeks for them to arrive by mail-order? I know I can probably get some in a week or less, but I probably won't spring the extra $$ for stuff like UV protection if I'm going to order online... It's her first pair of glasses, so she can't just wear the old ones while she waits or anything...

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I have never gotten eyeglasses online. I would never even think to do that. That is interesting.

How much do you pay for your glasses?

 

[krcit]

I just had to take my ds(9) to a pediatric opthamologist on Friday because his teacher noticed him struggling to see. He is very nearsighted. Anyway, the girl at the Drs office told me to go to BJ's for glasses. I got him a pair for $60. I though that was a great price...not quite Zenni prices, lol, but pretty reasonable. He is eligible for a pair under DH's optical plan so I will use that for his second pair. Good Luck.

 

[starshine514]

I have never gotten eyeglasses online. I would never even think to do that. That is interesting.

How much do you pay for your glasses?

They're usually pretty cheap from Zenni. I have a simple prescription (just single-lens) and I usually find frames I like for between $8 - $13 a pair at Zenni + $5 shipping for my entire order. Sometimes I add tint or anti-reflective coating for $5 each. Polycarbonite lenses USED to be included in the frame price, but I see now they are $9 extra. So, usually less than $20 a pair + the $5 shipping for the order. If I had a stronger prescription, I'd probably opt for the $9 extra for polycarbonite for mine and will probably do that for my DD's glasses b/c I hear those are better for kids.

So, I'm probably looking at about $30 for a pair for her from them, if I can find something we like.

The big thing you need to know about ordering them online is that you have to know the pupil distance. It's not the easiest thing to figure out by yourself, but if you ask when you have your eyes examined, they'll provide that information for you (it's not usually included with your prescription).

 

[RitaE]

I have but my kids are older and primarily wear their contact lenses. The glasses are just a before bed/back-up thing. We all have Zenni Optical glasses and they are okay in a pinch.

If they were wearing them all day at school then I'd want them to have higher quality frames and lenses and their PD measured by somebody who has a clue (which is NOT me).

 

[Pigeon]

I just got my dd13 a couple of pairs from Zenni. They're great, and for two pairs it was about $40. I don't notice any difference in quality between the Zenni $8-26 frames and the opticians' $100-300 frames. It depends on the styles you pick--some are sturdier than others.

Zenni now includes a ruler for measuring PD in their orders so you will be good to go the next time around. I"ve also just asked the opticians to write it down on the prescription and I'll use that to order sunglasses from Zenni.

 

[PaulaSB12]

My DD6's pediatrician recommended we get her eyes examined. I'm pretty sure she'll need glasses and have an appointment setup for Wednesday. I wear glasses and am taking her the same place I got mine examined last time. However, I didn't buy glasses there; I ordered them online from zennioptical (which is much cheaper. Glasses start at $8 and included polycarbonate lenses and UV coating). However, I was looking at their kids' frames and not finding a whole lot that I like that would fit her tiny little face. I know there are other websites that sell discount mail-order eyeglasses - has anybody tried any of them (other than Zenni)?

Also, do you think I should get one pair now locally, rather than waiting 3 weeks for them to arrive by mail-order? I know I can probably get some in a week or less, but I probably won't spring the extra $$ for stuff like UV protection if I'm going to order online... It's her first pair of glasses, so she can't just wear the old ones while she waits or anything...

I don't have kids but the last 2 lots of glasses I have brought I brought online. There have been no problems with them.

 

[belle&beast]

My 9 yo just got glasses in November and our insurance covered the first pair at the doctor's office. We went into Walmart to look at cases and they have kids glasses complete at $38. I didn't think that was bad at all. I would worry about getting the measurements right in a child- unless your optometrist would give them to you....

 

[golfgal]

I don't know that I would do online glasses for a child's first pair of glasses. First, you said yourself it is difficult to check pupil distance and second, a child that age isn't really going to be able to tell you if there are problems with the glasses beyond "they look funny" or "feel funny". It is also going to be an adjustment for the child to SEE and everything might look funny for a while when there is nothing really wrong with the glasses.

 

[cglaura]

My 9 yo just got glasses in November and our insurance covered the first pair at the doctor's office. We went into Walmart to look at cases and they have kids glasses complete of $38. I didn't think that was bad at all. I would worry about getting the measurements right in a child- unless your optpmetrist would give them to you....

I just bought a pair from Walmart. It was $60 for the exam and $38 for the frames with lenses.

I wasn't sure how the quality would be, but they turned out very nice.

Granted the selection is limited at that price point, and they aren't designer, but they aren't horrible either.

 

[Lanshark]

Both of my kids wore glasses from a very young age. I went to someone locally because I wanted to make sure the glasses were fitted correctly and measured correctly. My local optician made more adjustments, fixes and replacements than I can count. My son started wearing them at 14 months and my daughter at 3 and a half. It was well worth developing a relationship locally.

 

[EdiePA]

Not to hijack the OP's thread, but if you order glasses online, how do you get them adjusted? I always have a problem with the frames hurting the top of my ears and needing the fit to be changed.

Thanks,
Edie

 

[clori]

I know Lens Crafters used to advertise that they clean/adjust glasses from anywhere.

 

[starshine514]

So, here's what we ended up doing. Bought 1 pair locally ($90 for the frames and special Trivex lenses they recommended and her high prescription fee - yes, I'm feeling really bad about not having her eyes checked sooner since her vision is so bad), and ordered 2 pairs from Zenni for her (1 pair of sunglasses and a backup pair of glasses) for about $85 total. I still upgraded her Zenni glasses to polycarbonate (which added to the cost, but made me feel better about them), and added anti-glare.

I got the place that did her script to measure her pupil distance for me, so I didn't have to worry about guessing about it. Zenni let us upload her photo and somehow by entering the pupil distance, they were able to show how the frames would look on. I'll let you know after I get them how accurate that was, as I was really relying on that to help me find the right size frames for her little face.

My sister has worn glasses for years and feels comfortable adjusting the glasses for us, though I would think that most places would do it for you for free if they weren't too busy.

 

[starshine514]

She got her Zenni glasses a couple of weeks ago. I was very impressed by them. They actually fit her face better than the ones we bought locally and did not require any adjustments. I wouldn't hesitate to order her glasses online again, though I do recommend uploading the photo (it is difficult just to guess at how a certain size frame will look on them, especially when we didn't have a frame of reference to start with. The pair I originally liked so much for her turned out to be too big for her face once we uploaded her picture).

 

[OceanAnnie]

I bought two pair of kids glasses for $60 including shipping and clip on sunglasses. Love them! I'm looking for the measurements now cause I need to order some more. Prescription changed.

It's a good deal and they last just as long as any other. We get compliments on the glasses all the time!

 

[luvmy3]

The only time I would order online is if my dd13 tried on the exact pair in a store and the looked and felt good on her. We just found out she needed glasses and it was such an ordeal for her to find frames she loved. I was not happy about having to pay designer frame prices but after insurance the cost wasn't too bad, and if they are going to be worn everyday then they are worth it to me. If she was 6, I wouldn't hesitate to buy them from Zenni.