Purchasing new glasses..

[C.Ann]

Bifocals.. It's been 4 years now and I can't find my receipt so I'll ask here - if anyone has purchased bifocals recently..

Which is more expensive - the lenses (I need very, very strong ones - can't see anything at all without them) - or the frames?

The reason I ask is that the place I am considering going to has several special offers right now.. One is 50% off of the lenses.. Another is 50% off the frames.. And a third is "buy one-get one free".. They can't answer my question without knowing the strength of my new prescription, so I'm trying to figure out what would be the best route to go - or if I should go elsewhere.. (I would also like to get the new lenses put into the frames I currently have, but can't do that until I have a new pair to wear..)

I looked at their frames on-line and I saw quite a few that I would be satisfied within the $129 to $149 range..

Any experiences you can share?
Thanks!

 

[tonilea]

We priced DH's glasses at a couple of places locally. $400 plus at both places for no line bifocal w/ transition lenses. His scrip is pretty simple. We ended up going through Zenni and it was $94.00. He was very happy with them.

 

[C.Ann]

We priced DH's glasses at a couple of places locally. $400 plus at both places for no line bifocal w/ transition lenses. His scrip is pretty simple. We ended up going through Zenni and it was $94.00. He was very happy with them.

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Awhile back I asked about Zenni on the BB and this is what I don't understand.. First of all, I have "lined" bifocals - so they have to make the correct measurements so the "bifocal" portion is where it should be.. The also have to get the correct measurements for the "frames" so they fit on my face as they should.. Then when I go back to get the actual glasses, there are always adjustments that have to be made to the "arms", sometimes the "nose piece", etc..

How do you handle all of that if you go through Zenni? I love the price you quoted - LOL - just not sure how I could get that to work in my situation..

 

[Fridye]

The lenses are more expensive. But read the fine print to see if no-line bifocals or transitions are 50% off.

 

[tink_n_pooh]

My lenses were by far more expensive than the frames... as in the frame were about $80 and the glasses all together ended up costing me over $600

I do have no line (those weird gradual ones) tri-focals so that made the price jump and I got that no glare stuff too

 

[daughtersrus]

I would check the fine print on the sales that you're talking about. I also have a VERY strong prescription so I have to pay extra for the thinner material for the lenses. Generally, the fine print on the sales says that the discount if off of the base price of the lenses and not the extras including thinner material, coatings...

My DD's have ordered from Zenni but they were regular lenses. They picked frames that were similar in measurements to their old frames. They have been very happy with all of the glasses that they gotten (I think that between two of them, they've ordered 5 pairs).

I know what you're talking about though with regard to the bifocal being set correctly because my youngest DD had cataract surgery and has lined bifocals. I'm not sure how you would do that with Zenni. I don't think that I would order hers from there because they are a thick lens and they're lined bifocals. I know that you can return them if you're unhappy but I think that you only get 50% back. Depending on the cost difference, it could be worth the try if you wouldn't be out too much money. For DD, she isn't able to communicate verbally, so I would have no idea if she was seeing correctly or not. I've never gotten her glasses anywhere besides at her Ped Neuro-Ophthalmologist office and they are expensive.

 

[C.Ann]

Thanks all! Looks like I'll just bite the bullet and go with the place where I bought my last glasses - since I've been happy with them since day one..

Hate to think about the price - but - gotta be able to see..LOL

 

[cteddiesgirl]

Depends on the type of frames you want. There are frames as low as $100. those are usually the ugly, bulky ones. Others will go up to $300+. Because of the size and shape of my face, my frames are always about $200 or more. But my lenses are more than that.

 

[SandrA9810]

My suggestion would be to get your prescription, then start shopping around. Dr's won't allow you to use a prescription older than 6 months, even for quoting.

It was years before I got new glasses. And now I have insurance which helps out a lot. Of course I still spent 200$ on a pair of oakley sunglasses. Oakley frames, store lenses. The insurance covered a portion of the frames and certain percentage of some coatings. But I got mine blue mirrored polarized.

Be careful of the discount on lenses or free lenses, because most the time that's only on plastic lenses. And you're talking huge lenses for bad vision. Of course we tried to go to wal-mart first and wanted to charge me and arm and a leg for the thin lenses even with insurance. So we found out that DOC (now pearle vision) accepted our insurance and it wasn't a bad price for all the little extra coatings and the thinner lenses. Much better price than what wal-mart was going to charge me.

It's wierd now getting new glasses every year (i'm on my third pair). My old ones never seem that bad off. I'm thinking of getting contacts next. for the occasional time I would like to wear them.

Any one know if contacts are ok for water parks??? I'd love to be able to wear goggles and I have a good pair, but I can't see two feet in front of my face without glasses. And I've never had my glasses fall off, not in a pool or even on manta.

 

[SandrA9810]

Our insurance plan only allows for 169$ for frames.... and Kari still gets oakley frames with her glasses. I'd still expect to pay over 125$ for a good frame, but not more than 200$.

 

[C.Ann]

My suggestion would be to get your prescription, then start shopping around. Dr's won't allow you to use a prescription older than 6 months, even for quoting.

It was years before I got new glasses. And now I have insurance which helps out a lot. Of course I still spent 200$ on a pair of oakley sunglasses. Oakley frames, store lenses. The insurance covered a portion of the frames and certain percentage of some coatings. But I got mine blue mirrored polarized.

Be careful of the discount on lenses or free lenses, because most the time that's only on plastic lenses. And you're talking huge lenses for bad vision. Of course we tried to go to wal-mart first and wanted to charge me and arm and a leg for the thin lenses even with insurance. So we found out that DOC (now pearle vision) accepted our insurance and it wasn't a bad price for all the little extra coatings and the thinner lenses. Much better price than what wal-mart was going to charge me.

It's wierd now getting new glasses every year (i'm on my third pair). My old ones never seem that bad off. I'm thinking of getting contacts next. for the occasional time I would like to wear them.

Any one know if contacts are ok for water parks??? I'd love to be able to wear goggles and I have a good pair, but I can't see two feet in front of my face without glasses. And I've never had my glasses fall off, not in a pool or even on manta.

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Having no vision coverage, this will all be "out-of-pocket" - so getting the prescription and shopping around (although we don't have a ton of places to choose from) might not be a bad idea..

Now if I call various places to see how much their eye exams are, can I trust them to give me the correct price - or are they going to slap me with a bunch of "additional" charges once I get there?

 

[1stluvispooh]

Speaking as a former Optician, I quite to be a mom, I will give you the line that my old boss would say. How much is a bag of groceries? It depends on whats in it. As for glasses it depends on:
Frames cost
Rx it self (High prescriptions cost more, bifocal vs no-line )
What coatings you put on it like scratch coat, tint Anti reflective

So there really isn't an answer to your question. My suggestion to you would be find a frame that you like and then price it out at several stores. Sometimes the sales don't help you when you go to bifocals.

 

[SandrA9810]

no, vision exams should be a straight forward pricing.

I had my exam done at wal-mart, then took it to DOC. Kari had her's done there too, but they made the prescription too strong in one eye, which was correct, but because she'd worn her old glasses for so long it gave her headaches. She developed astigmatizm, and she wasn't used it. So the DOC doc gave her an exam at the price of what she'd pay with insurance (since insurance wouldn't cover a new exam).

I grew up without any insurance. So everything I did was few and far between. Now I go to the eye doctor yearly, and dentist every six months. I've still yet to go to a med doctor. I haven't worked up the courage for that.... a little more personal than I want to deal with.

 

[monkey68]

I don't have bifocals, just really bad vision, and my lenses cost much more than the frames. Although the frames aren't cheap either, I've gotten the lenses changed on a pair of glasses before when my vision changed noticeably, but under the insurance I had, I couldn't get new glasses yet, so I paid out of pocket. It was still around $300. Insane, if you ask me.

I've also found the prices to be cheaper, and the frames to be nicer, at the non-chain stores. The place by me, I've been going there since I was 8, and since they know us so well by now, she usually gives a little off the price as well, and the frames she has are great, original and she will have you try on every frame in the place if that's what it takes to find you glasses.

 

[LindaG4458]

I just got new glasses last week. My prescription hadn't changed for four years so I wore the same glasses for that time.

My new frames were about $200. The lenses were just over $400. These are a new lens material only available since January that is second only to glass for image quality. In addition they have progressive bifocals and light sensitive lenses (automatically darkening).

I had a several problems with lenses from Pearle Vision and only get glasses from two small optical labs. The quality has been far superior to any I had before.

 

[tar heel]

Unless you're choosing frames that are a lot more than $149, your lenses will almost for certain be more than the frames. My experience, however, is that the 1/2 price offers don't cover much -- just the cost of standard plastic lens, for example. Lined bifocals are cheaper than transitions, though, so there's one place you can save.

The eye exam charges you get on the phone should be the real thing. I priced them for my son a couple years ago. A local optometrist was cheaper than Target or Walmart, too. I've also priced contacts that way and the lowest cost was less than half of the highest.

 

[tonilea]

---------------------

Having no vision coverage, this will all be "out-of-pocket" - so getting the prescription and shopping around (although we don't have a ton of places to choose from) might not be a bad idea..

Now if I call various places to see how much their eye exams are, can I trust them to give me the correct price - or are they going to slap me with a bunch of "additional" charges once I get there?

You might consider asking for a cash discount.

 

[tonilea]

-------------

Awhile back I asked about Zenni on the BB and this is what I don't understand.. First of all, I have "lined" bifocals - so they have to make the correct measurements so the "bifocal" portion is where it should be.. The also have to get the correct measurements for the "frames" so they fit on my face as they should.. Then when I go back to get the actual glasses, there are always adjustments that have to be made to the "arms", sometimes the "nose piece", etc..

How do you handle all of that if you go through Zenni? I love the price you quoted - LOL - just not sure how I could get that to work in my situation..

http://zennioptical.com/cart/pages.php?pageid=16

ETA: It also talks about ordering just frames, which might be an option for you.
That is a link to Zenni's info about your 'script. HTHs.

 

[4nana]

I feel your pain C.Ann, as I had put off getting new glasses much too long until just last month. It sounds like you have a great offer, but it doesn't hurt to check around to be sure you're comparing apples to apples. If you're a member of BJ's they currently have a promo for bifoclas $139'ish complete.

I also wear bifocals, with one eye requiring much stronger lense. I shopped our entire mall and area of a dozen places and was shocked most of my bids being $700/800 !! I ended up with the best deal at 'For Eyes' - $350 total, they gave me a $100 AARP discount for the works: progressive/transitions/scratch resistance/anti-reflective/high index thin lenses w/semi rimless metal frames. First time I've used 'For Eyes', but I'm totally happy with my glasses and their service! My optometrist exams runs $75., which includes digital images, but typical places like Pearls run $55'ish w/AARP discount $40'ish for exam.

Another alternative I just thought of, is perhaps you could save money by getting new lenses in your old frames? I do wish you good luck, as it can be pricey, but IMO well worth it, as having good eyesight is a necessity, not a luxury.

 

[mrsv98]

I have an extremely strong prescription and need bifocals to boot. I have to get the composite lenses or the glasses would be crazy thick. My lenses alone with scratch guard were about $350.... Total glasses were about $700. I do keep my glasses for a long time, generally replacing the lenses and not the frames (I have a spare pair)

One thing to try, Lenscrafters gives a %30 discount to AAA members, better than our VSP insurance. In the past, I have joined just for the discount and saved a bunch.