My Son Needs Glasses - need info.!

[Jillpie]

I have three sons. All three of them have been in glasses since the 5th grade, and they are now in high school. I can't say enough about Costco!! Seriously, if you are not a member, and have one near you, it is worth the price of membership alone for glasses to join. They are fantastic. I just ordered my son's pair of transition glasses and paid 130.00 for the lenses and frames together. Fantastic. They do follow up adjustments whenever you walk in, and they provide free lens cleaning solution when you buy one of their containers, for a lifetime!! LOVE this place.

 

[wowsmom]

My son started wearing glasses just over a year ago, at age 12½. (I've been wearing glasses since I was 6½.) I went ahead and bought his at the eye doctor's because I wanted to be sure his first pair was fitted properly, etc. A few months later, I got a copy of his prescription and went to LensCrafters and got him sunglasses. I've used LensCrafters for years without any problems.

My big suggestion would be to get a copy of his prescription to keep - that way if you travel somewhere, you can take it along in case his glasses get lost/broken.

By the way, my son adjusted to his glasses rather easily...the first few days, he would take them off for a bit when he got home from school, but he never complained about having to wear them - I think he was happy to be able to see the board!

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

Thank you all soooooooo much for all the great info.
It has really put my mind at ease. I did go by Costco already, and talked to them, and will probably get a second pair there! I am still just in shock - and I need to get over it. I am just anticipating problems/complications, and I just need to chill!

I will look into the Sport googles perhaps - as he is currently freaked out by the idea of contacts.

Keep the great info. coming.

 

[NotUrsula]

I'm a cheapie, and my own doc, though he's good, takes a massive markup on glasses. I take my own doc's scrip to one of the chains for DS; America's Contacts and Eyeglasses. We get 2 prs. for just around $200 with transitions lenses and a replacement warranty.

We NEED that warranty and that second spare pr. DS' eyes are continually changing, so he has had 3 different scrips in 3 yrs, but he has had 10 prs. of glasses in that period. He trashed the 1st 4 prs by chewing the earpieces off - watch for that, new glasses wearers will sometimes take them off and chew them when they haven't gotten used to wearing them all the time. He went through those first 4 prs. in a MONTH! Another time a child pulled them off his face while on the playground and stomped on them. The disasters have been endless

The only serious sport that DS does is swimming. I got him corrective goggles online -- these are done like the OTC "cheaters" that people wear. They sell them in pre-set strengths and you can pop the lenses into the frame yourself. I just ordered the same powers as what is in his eyeglasses. These are a really great option for kids for swimming b/c they are much cheaper than real prescription swim goggles, but work very nearly as well, because no human sees perfectly underwater anyway.

 

[jen0610]

ok, i work for an optical lab. he kinda ripped you off. anti-glare is the exact same thing as teflon AR (anti-reflective). and i don't even want to tell you what those frames actually cost them.
all poly lenses already have scratch coat on them. xgames frames are really good at staying on during sports. poly lenses do not break as easily as plastic or hi-index (what i wear cause i'm blind).

if you do choose to get your son sports goggles, go with the ones made by liberty. mx-20 and the like, they are very very good.

i agree with getting a second cheap pair. though i have 4 spare pairs

My brother has been working in the optical field for over 15 years. And the mark up pricing of the frames is a major, MAJOR rip off. But unfortunitly for the majority of the general public, there is nothing that they can do about it. We don't get his discount benefit any more, unless we squeeze in a eyeglass run when we go to FL.

Here's what we paid for my sons glasses last year, didn't change at his appointment 2 weeks ago, so he has the same glasses. He has a sensitivity to light, has to do with the pigmintation in his eyes, so we get him glasses with a fitted sun clip. The cost for last years glasses were:

Frames $129.95 w/50% off - $64.97
Featerwate Plus (poly, so they had anti-glare and scratch coating on them) $210.00 w/50% off - $105.00
Total of $169.97.

We got these at LensCrafters. The 50% off was a special they were running for buying a complete pair of kid glasses. Now, when Dh and I bought ours, our insurance discounts were a better deal then what LensCrafters was running.

Before I got my glasses I had looked at frames at Pearl Vision, Eye World, and Eyeglass Express. Pearl Vision didn't have very many looks that I liked. The other two, even though they had "great deals", 2 for $99.00, the frames that were apart of this deal, were VERY CHEAPLY made. And we didn't really see any frames that would hold up.

 

[Disney Doll]

I have worn glasses since age 7. I played sports in elementary & high school. I never really had a problem with my glasses. I did get a strap for them that I wore during practice and games, to keep them from falling off. It was one of those kinds that you slip over the arm of the glasses, it goes around the back of your head...it went under my hair, so it wasn't that noticeable. I still wear it when I go to water parks and such so my glasses don't go flying off. I really cannot see a thing without my glasses.

I did take a foray into contact lenses when I was about 16, but when I started working in the hospital when I was 21, something about the air flow or air quality or something there dried my eyes out terribly with the contacts in, so I had to go back to glasses.

The price you paid doesn't sound terrible to me, especially with all the add-ons you did. I usually pay between $250-$350 for glasses.

As far as glasses for a kid...the most important thing is a sturdy frame. Obviously a kid's glasses are going to take a lot of abuse, so the sturdier the frame, the better.

If you think that the ones you bought are not sturdy enough to withstand the rigors of sports, then I would probably go back and get him another pair to wear for his athletic endeavors, and keep this pair for his regular life. I always have 2 pairs of glasses anyway...as I said, I literally cannot see more than 10 feet in front of me without them, so I cannot be without glasses. If one pair breaks, I MUST have another pair to wear, or I can't function, drive the car etc. I actually keep my spare glasses in my car.

 

[linda0706]

Thanks for the tip about Costco. My DD7 has worn glasses since she was 1-1/2. The first couple years we had to replace them every 6 months or so. Last several years we just had to replace them once a year.

(I suppose we could just get new lenses in the old frames, but she gets SO thrilled about picking out new ones. She's such a trooper about wearing them that I won't deny her this little pleasure.)

We've done Lenscrafters, Vision Works, and the doctor's private optical dept. Lenscrafters is my favorite so far but they're more expensive than VW. This summer I'll try Costco.

Plus DH & myself also need new ones. I *think* I may need to go to (gasp) bifocals!!!

 

[LynnTH]

Boy, this was a timely post. My DD6 got her first pair of glasses in September. At the time we went to Sears and they had 2 pairs of glasses for $99. Thought that was a good deal as I know my DD and having an extra pair is a good idea.

So, anyway. We recently find out that she is having trouble seeing again. Took her to Pearle Vision last night (they accept our new Health Insurance for eye exams). Come to find out her prescription has doubled since September. So, now we need to get new glasses again. We went to Walmart as I knew they had Hannah Montana Glasses and we picked out 2 pair (got one with the transitions in them) and they came to $300. That is a lot of money especially if her eyes are going to change again as quickly as they did this time. I did see that Vision World has the 2 for $99 going on there, so I am going to see what they have there. (Walmart said I can return the ones I just ordered).

We don't have a Costco yet - has anyone gotten kids glasses from Sam's Club?? How are they for prices?

 

[My2Cinderellas]

Plus DH & myself also need new ones. I *think* I may need to go to (gasp) bifocals!!!

Be prepared for sticker shock with bifocals!!!!!!! If you think regular glasses are expensive, wait until you hear the prices for bifocals It's another $150-200 for the no line bifocal lenses. The lenses with the lines are cheaper, but I'm vain.

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

Thanks again to everyone for the great help/support!

He needs a second pair for sports/safety type, so I spent all weekend pricing out "Rec Specs" by Liberty after researching them on-line. I was amazed at the price difference out there! My own HMO wanted $125 for the frames. Pearl Vision $139 (but half off with a complete package) and Dr. Visionworks came in about the same. Target was $99, and then I went to Wal-Mart. $45 I wrote down every number and notation on the inside of the frame convinced they had to be some type of cheap look alike, but they were the exact same frame. With the polycarbonate lenses it was $125 total. I was amazed.

I am a bit worried that they won't get the perscription right (from our Dr.) but she said they check them at the lab before shipping, and again when they get back in their shop. Since they won't be his primary glasses, I am trying not to beat myself up to trusting his vision to Wal-Mart but I couldn't believe the difference.

I also wonder what some of the folks who work in these optical stores/dept's have to do for training, because in less than a week of panic education for me, there were some basic questions they couldn't answer. Thank God for Dis'ers and the internet!

 

[nephthys43]

I also wonder what some of the folks who work in these optical stores/dept's have to do for training, because in less than a week of panic education for me, there were some basic questions they couldn't answer. Thank God for Dis'ers and the internet!

basically none. unless they're the optician. feel free to pm me if you have any other questions. and $45 for rec specs is a great price!

 

[manning]

I have a niece who works for a chain.

You would be surprised at the markup. BIG!!!

 

[WhenUwishUponAstar]

my ds is 9 and has needed glasses since he was in kindergarten, they were foreign to me as well. we noticed they bothered him when he played sports so in 2nd grade we moved him to contacts. It was the best thing we ever did even his teacher said she noticed he was more focused in class. We buy a cheaper pair of glasses for when he isn't wearing the contacts but he does wear the extended wear kinda that he can wear for several weeks at a time.

If you have an active child i'd consider the contacts, just my .02

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

basically none. unless they're the optician. feel free to pm me if you have any other questions. and $45 for rec specs is a great price!

Thanks! I think it was you who originally suggested the Rec Specs. They're perfect for what I was looking for.

 

[ColoradoMom!!]

my ds is 9 and has needed glasses since he was in kindergarten, they were foreign to me as well. we noticed they bothered him when he played sports so in 2nd grade we moved him to contacts. It was the best thing we ever did even his teacher said she noticed he was more focused in class. We buy a cheaper pair of glasses for when he isn't wearing the contacts but he does wear the extended wear kinda that he can wear for several weeks at a time.

If you have an active child i'd consider the contacts, just my .02

I really hope he will do that someday. The funny thing was when we got to the Dr.'s office, before the exam, he said, "The only thing I don't want is a throat culture or contacts." Hopefully he will warm up to the idea. Did you son have trouble with them at all - getting them on himself? The concept just seems to freak out my DS.

 

[Mkrop]

We went to the optmterist yesterday for DS10 and she said absolutely NO for contacts until he is13. So we are getting sports glass as his sports are becoming more competitive.

 

[taximomfor4]

My 4 kids all have glasses now...three of them had glasses by age 3. We have stressed good glasses care ("On your face or in the case!"), and we have been lucky enough to keep frames and just replace lenses. None of them have broken any glasses, or lost them (3 of them have to wear them all the time).

Funny thing is, neither DH nor myself needed glasses as kids at ALL! My 14yo dd is freaked out by contacts, but she only needs to wear them to see the board, tv, etc. The other 3 have various other problems that began very young, and require constant glasses-wearing.

My ds8 plays baseball. He just wears his glasses, which we bought at Walmart.

MY dd9 Irish Dances and plays softball. She wears her glasses, and hasn't had an issue, although she is praying the eye dr. will let her get contacts soon.

dd5 just started Irish Dance. We just had to order new lenses for her, because her prescription changed.

BTW, the younger 3 of my kids see a pediatric opthalmologist, not an optician. This is because they have complicated vision issues (Funny thing is, they all have DIFFERENT complex issues!)

 

[mjkacmom]

We go to a pediatric optomologist who doesn't have glasses in his office - he suggested Costco to us (and he's considered one of the top pediatric optomologist in our state). It cost less than $100. Ds and his friends are very into sports, and his bf has glasses just for sports, in addition to his regular ones.

 

[WhenUwishUponAstar]

I really hope he will do that someday. The funny thing was when we got to the Dr.'s office, before the exam, he said, "The only thing I don't want is a throat culture or contacts." Hopefully he will warm up to the idea. Did you son have trouble with them at all - getting them on himself? The concept just seems to freak out my DS.

We went to the optometrist yesterday for DS10 and she said absolutely NO for contacts until he is13. So we are getting sports glass as his sports are becoming more competitive.

the only rule my my optometrist had was that he needed to be able to take them out himself. For the 1st year or so my DH and I put them in but remember he was 7 and they are extended wear so it's not like we ha to put them in everyday. Now he's not considered young(9) in fact most of the kids that wear glasses in his class wear contacts. He plays football, basketball, baseball & Golf and glasses don't fit under his helmet and just on the inch off the eye can change depth perception. Plus, as I mentioned before just the sliding around or being dirty distracted him in class. His teacher wasn't thrilled when we did it cuz she thought he'd use them to get attention in class needing saline and needing them out ect. She didn't like eating crow but she did and said she was sorry for giving me grief about it.

My nephew who is 4 mo older than DS didn't want contacts either until the dr put them in then he was hooked, it is scary at first but so much more freeing my DS even swims in his.

He caries a small bottle and an extra case in his backpack if he needs it but so far it's just been insurance.

 

[elgerber]

We've been using glasses for years. With kids we found the best thing to do is go with a national chain that is open 7 days a week. Last year we bought glasses from Vision World when they had the 2 for 99 sale. They have so far been great. We've taken them in many times to straighten my 10 year old sons glasses and to get the nose pad replaced. Only once we have run into an idiot.

Get your son prescription goggles for baseball.

We've also gotten all my sons glasses, and eye exams at Vision World. They seem to have the best prices and we've always gotten great service.