Bifocals, the sequel aka Is it all Lenscrafters, or just mine?

[ExPirateShopGirl]

That's funny. I use our vision insurance to get the eye exam and avoid using it for eyewear. I like my progressive lenses and even with the insurance they can cost $300 and up. I typically order from Zenni about 5 or 6 pair a year for under $250.

Yeah, I have to admit: our vision insurance is a great benefit. All four of us wear glasses, and at only $20/month for the coverage it pays off in spades.

We rarely use the "annual eye exam" part of the coverage because of the limits on the doctors in the plan. Our regular medical insurance allows one vision exam per year in network and the copay is only $5 more than the vision insurance copay with a much bigger network of providers.

The only hitch with the vision insurance is contacts vs. glasses. The policy will pay for only one or the other, and only for new glasses every two years. Basically what we do is use the vision insurance only for glasses. Our eye doctor, covered through our regular medical, offers a GREAT discount on contacts so my daughter and I get our contacts through the them and we all get our glasses from Lens Crafters.

Last year, three of the four of us needed new glasses. As I said mine retailed for over $600, my husband's for $450 and my son's $285. We paid less than $400 for all three.

 

[iggbees]

lenscrafters was a different place back when i was in high school and needed glasses. now i hate going there. i have had nothing but problems the last 3 times that i went to ours.

i bought $250 prescription sunglasses only to have them not measure my eyes correctly and tell me that it was my fault that i was having a problem seeing out of the glasses. the glasses seriously made me physically sick and i couldn't wear them. the salesperson told me that i just wasn't used to polarized lenses and she warped the heck out of the glasses and then told me to come back if they didn't look right again. i walked outside of the mall and walked right back in. luckily the second time i got someone competent who had to do a complete lens change.

i will never return to lenscrafters for plastic frames after that incident. unfortunately, the only places that have nice frames in our area is lenscrafters. i feel like a masochist going back there each time i get a new prescription.