Small rant about glasses

[Nayan]

It's that time of year again to go have my eyes checked. Insurance pays for the exam and standard lenses, which is fine, but the frames just kill my budget! I can get cheap Clark Kent frames but trust me they are hardly flattering . The problem is when I was a kid I had my nose broken. How, or why it even happened remains a mystery and I didn't find out until I had to have surgery that it was ever broken. I just thought it was natural that my nose is a bit crooked. So as a result, when I started wearing glasses I have a hard time finding frames that fit both my nose and my face. The last pair cost me dearly and I am dreading it this year. I wish you could reuse frames!

 

[phred52]

I've had my new lens prescription put into my 'old' frames many times through the years

 

[tlbwriter]

Why can't you reuse frames? I've done it before.

 

[Nayan]

All of the eyeglass places I've gone to around here refuse to let you use you're old frames. I don't know if it has to do with insurance or not, but they said if I used the old frames and they broke it's likely I couldn't get a replacement and have to buy new ones. Most of the ones I have are almost in brand-new condition and that's why it frustrates me to have to buy new ones.

 

[thebeesknees]

Huh, that's strange that they won't let you use your old frames. I've done it at Wal-Mart and Sam's with no problem. They charged $20 for using the old frames, but it was a bargain over spending $150 for new ones! We had purchased a couple pair of the pricey titanium, practically kid-indestructible ones for DS, so I have them put new lenses in one pair at a time so he has a backup pair while they are being processed, and then a spare pair when they are done. He needs to get checked every 6 months, so it really adds up after awhile. BTW, we are sticking with Sam's Club from here on out because they carry the same frames as Wal-Mart, but are a lot cheaper, even for eye exams.

 

[Madison'smommy]

It's that time of year again to go have my eyes checked. Insurance pays for the exam and standard lenses, which is fine, but the frames just kill my budget! I can get cheap Clark Kent frames but trust me they are hardly flattering . The problem is when I was a kid I had my nose broken. How, or why it even happened remains a mystery and I didn't find out until I had to have surgery that it was ever broken. I just thought it was natural that my nose is a bit crooked. So as a result, when I started wearing glasses I have a hard time finding frames that fit both my nose and my face. The last pair cost me dearly and I am dreading it this year. I wish you could reuse frames!

I have ordered a few times from zennioptical.com. I go to the eye dr, get my rx.. use my insurance to buy contacts and them go here and buy several pairs of glasses. It is great for me!

 

[Spacepest]

HUH?! What do you mean you can't reuse frames? All the eyeglass places around here do: Walmart, Sams Club, Lens Express, Lenscrafters, etc.

The biggest problem I've had with some of the places is with featherweight eye glass frames--not all stores have the lens stocked in store to replace them immediately. But even then, they still offer to ship my frames to another store off site to have the work done. Yeah, I won't get that set of glasses back immediately (takes about 2 to 3 weeks) but at least they'll still replace the lenses.

 

[tink2dw]

Sounds like you are being sold a load of crap!! Thats why I love plastc frames!

 

[pezheadmeg]

I feel you, but I look at mine as a fashion change. Plus my FSA can be used to pay for the new frames--that is what my insurance doesn't pick up.

My vision can't be trusted to BJ's or Costco to do the lenses. The lenses just have to be cut to almost the thickest of the thick. So I suck it up and get the glasses from Pearl. That advice actually came from the MD--one with a practice that doesn't even have an optometrist in the office.

Bad vision can suck.

 

[woodkins]

My bff has serious eye problems, she is diabetic and has to have laser eye surgery on an almost monthly basis & her glasses prescription is pretty major. After trying the most expensive from the optometrists office to Costco and lenscrafters she tried zennioptical.com after I read about it on here & she said they are the best glasses she has ever had. They even contacted her to verify that the prescription was correct as it was such an extreme and odd combination!

 

[mrodgers]

I wear my glasses 15 minutes in the morning and maybe 15 minutes at night. I bought them in 2004 along with trying contacts. That is 6 years on this pair of frames which at 30 minutes per day, counts down to a grand total of 45 days worth of wear. There's no way they aren't going to let me use the same frames when I only wear them a combined total of 45 full days in 6 years. They are still like brand spankin new.

 

[Pigeon]

I've gotten great glasses for dd and myself from Zenni optical.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

I got my frames from my eye dr. that were close-outs or discontinued. They were as nice as the current frames for a fraction of the cost. I wear contacts mostly but needed a pair of glasses to use as well.

 

[SandrA9810]

The only problem with reusing frames, is to get the cut exactly, it's best to send the frames in. So you'd be without your glasses for a week or so.

I hate getting new frames, but I do cause I can't go without my glasses for any reason, and the insurance covers it. I was highly disappointed to see they discontinued my hush puppy frames last year. I thought about getting new lenses for them after getting my new glasses, but it seems like a waste of money to not get the free frames (160$ allowance).

 

[figment52]

Why can't you reuse frames? I've done it before.

me too. I use mine two or three different Rx before I change them.

 

[bumbershoot]

I used to use the chain places, then went to a more local place...bought a pair of awesome frames. Then decided to do Lasik. Went 7+ years, my vision changed (a tiny bit, went to 20/30, but the problem was that the astigmatism came roaring back and I felt like I was looking through a badly done fish tank), and I went to an independent optometrist, handed over my 8 year old frames, and in 3 weeks had my new glasses.

It sounds like the places you're going to are telling you they don't WANT you to do it, but that you could. I mean, what do they care if the frames break and you have to buy new ones? They just want the money.

Find someone new.

Also ask how much it would be to just pay for your lenses...then you could possibly get new frames and lenses through insurance, then PAY for lenses to be put in your old frames, and that way you'd have two pair. You could get the immediate, insurance-covered, pair from a quick place, and find a more independent place to do your old frames...that way you have *something* quickly, and then you'll get your preferred frames later.

The lenses for my current prescription would be $70 total, for instance, paying out of pocket.

 

[dyna]

I usually buy the cheap frames can not tell dif in cheap an expensive designer frames sometimes get a plastic saddle out on the nose piece rather than using the nose pads. I have very small nose can sometimes even get buy with a kids frame.

Our insurance pays NOTHING on glasses or the exam DH an I both now need bifocals (more money) anti glare (more money) tansition lenses (more money) No wonder I pick cheap frames often was designer the year before but been replaced by newer frame etc. Usually the frames are showing signs of wear discoloring etc or I'd use same frames.

 

[Green Tea]

I wish you could reuse frames!

You can.

 

[Green Tea]

For the folks praising zenni, I posted a comparison between them and another online place last week. In short, Zenni kind of sucked in comparison to the other one. I was surprised because I ordered a pair from them based on praises such as this written here.

 

[ancestry]

You can reuse frames. The only reason the place wouldn't want you to is that they make most of their money from the frames and when you reuse frames they don't make as much money on the sale. I usually get my glasses from the same place (my eye doctor's office) and we always reuse the frames until I decide to get a new pair.