Eye Glasses - Costco, Walmart or LensCrafters

[roadtripper]

My friend is an eye surgeon/opthalmologist, and I had him check out my zenni glasses and he assured me that they were fine. We have 4 prescriptions here, including a son who throws and breaks his glasses regularly. I just ordered him 2 new pairs and one pair of progressives for me for 78 dollars (it was the buy 2 get one free sale). I would suggest going to one of the stores mentioned to try on glasses to see what looks best on you, then order a trial pair from zenni. At worse, you'll have a backup pair in case something breaks. We have had a great experience using zennioptical.

 

[luvdisney00]

My daughter and I recently brought our prescriptions to Walmart and were very pleased with our glasses. She only needed reading glasses and I wear contacts and needed a pair of glasses for just at night when I take my contacts out. We didn't want to spend a fortune and we got really nice glasses for a very reasonable price.

 

[SUSIEQ]

Another vote for Costco!

 

[averysmom]

Costco, hands down. They are so well priced, and I love their service!!! Dh and I have taken our classes back because they have broke, and both times, no problem, new glasses. I have a pretty easy prescription , but dh's lenses are expensive. Before we got out Costco membership he was paying over $500 for glasses (and that was over 10 years ago!). This last pair? $279... And again, that's with at least 10 years worth if inflation! And their lenses are top-of-the-line!

Yep- go to costco!

 

[disneychrista]

I would suggest going to one of the stores mentioned to try on glasses to see what looks best on you, then order a trial pair from zenni. At worse, you'll have a backup pair in case something breaks. We have had a great experience using zennioptical.

This is not a bad idea. But I think I will get the glasses from Costco and then order a back-up pair from Zenni or maybe Sun Glasses.

 

[Handbag Lady]

Why not try a regular eye doctor? I've been going to my eye doctor now for close to 20 years. They do the exam and the glasses right there, no need for guesswork. Mine fits glasses to me, has such a huge selection, and the opticians are all so skilled at helping to pick out the right frames.

They are all small business owners, so I prefer to give them my business. As for cost, they are SO good at applying insurance and we feel they give us individual service. They know our budget and can direct us away from the $1000 glasses.

 

[disneychrista]

Why not try a regular eye doctor?
They are all small business owners, so I prefer to give them my business. As for cost, they are SO good at applying insurance and we feel they give us individual service. They know our budget and can direct us away from the $1000 glasses.

Cost mainly. Can't really afford $500+ for a pair of glasses.

How much do you pay for the glasses (other then <$1000)?

 

[tina.tina]

ALL of the eye doctors in my area sell glasses & contacts in their office but they are much more expensive. As an adult, I've always asked for my prescription and bought my contacts elsewhere.

Sam's contacts are cheaper than Walmart. DH just got a box of contacts there Friday. They have a sign posted that Plus Members can get $40 off a pair of glasses if you buy a year's supply of contacts. Many of the frames were less than $50. DH looked at one pair for $23. The tech said the lenses could run up to $120 for single rx. We're going back next month to order glasses!

 

[Lilliputian]

Regular eye doctor glasses aren't always very expensive. It depends on the office and how much they talk you into adding. I just got my son glasses at an eye doctor for around $450. That sounds high, but it's a good price for his needs ($120 unbreakable frames since he's 2, extra charge for very high +14 script, another extra charge for bifocals, in a shape that the cheaper places can't even do).

That said, if he wore a normal, low script, I'd probably get his glasses at Costco. They have good prices on good products. You don't need something super special if you're an adult who's just now getting glasses. In fact, my husband gets cheaper glasses from Coastal.com, even though it's a pretty high script. (He's legally blind without them, but other than the fact that the script is high, he's pretty straight forward with nothing special.) I think it's probably easier to order online after you've worn glasses for a while and tried a lot on, though.

 

[aprilchem]

I get my glasses from Warby Parker; they send you 6 pairs to try on for free and are very reasonably priced. Both my boys wear glasses and I get theirs from Wal-Mart; they break their glasses so frequently that I need it to be convenient to use the warranty.

 

[greentea]

I get my glasses from my local eye doctor, but if I didn't, I'd probably try Costco. Have heard Lenscrafters is fine but expensive.

Had bad experiences at America's Best -- the frames were cheaper quality and started deteriorating less than two years after I got them and the lens coating began peeling off around the edges. The people out front were really bad at fitting glasses. They were so crooked at one point another employee noticed from across the room and came over to fix them -- I had to tell them what to do to make them fit, whereas my eye doctor's office fits them perfectly and quickly.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

.......I wouldn't trust my vision to the expertise and knowledge of store associates who are cross-trained to start checking salad dressing and toilet paper on Lane 6 when it is slow at the "Optical Center" in big box stores.

......

You are mistaken. The employees of Costco optical don't work in other departments. Several of the ones at my local Costco have been there for years.

LensCrafters is fine, but their glasses are overpriced (yes, I have purchased glasses there). I prefer Costco.

 

[ErikaLovesDisney]

ABO certified optician here, without seeing your actual prescription there is not much advice anyone can actually give you. Feel free to pm me your RX or take it over to a local eye doctor's office - they can tell you what you should be looking for as far as frame and lens type/material (you might even be surprised at some of their prices!) - from the sound of it, because you haven't had to wear glasses for years, you don't have a major prescription so you'll likely be fine with anything you order online or from a chain store. Don't feel bad about coming in just for advice, I work for a small privately owned office and I realize not everyone can afford to buy with us, but we want to make sure that everyone gets something that will work for them and all of us are fine telling people with a basic prescription that they will likely have success with what they order elsewhere and even offer to check it for them if they're having any issues.

 

[pandamom]

Zenni!!! Able to get fantastic glasses at a fraction of what we were paying in copays at Lenscrafters. Carbonate lenses for dd16, transitions for dd14, progressive for me. I didn't think my insurance (Eyemed) would cover anything since they were out of network but they did the standard reimbursement. They have great sales also -- last week was buy 2 get 1 free.

 

[DaretoDis]

I buy my glasses from http://goggles4u.com for around $10/pair. Right now they are having a 2 for $20 sale. Glasses fit fine...just have to tweak the nose pads a little...and the price is right. I don't get any coatings and such, and they last just as long as the $$$ ones.

 

[Fire14]

I personally have had best luck at Costco. Walmart wanted triple for what I wanted/needed and my Hubs frames glasses from there never seemed to last a year without problems. Lens crafters was ok but I was happier with what I found at Costco and I got for better price.

 

[disneychrista]

I am going to Costco tomorrow to order my glasses hoping that they will be ready the weekend before Christmas, but know that might be pushing it, since that is only 10 days.

 

[sticker231]

we use Costco and have never had a problem

 

[busy mom]

Lenscrafters is way overpriced. Even with my insurance, they quoted $250 more for comparable glasses.

 

[drtigger]

Walmart was the worst pair I ever bought. Had to use my LensCrafters. Next pair who knows, no insurance makes it rough.