Where do you get glasses?

[bjscheel]

DD13 is going to be the first of us to get glasses, so we have no experience. She tried on some frames at the eye doctor's today. It's small town, I know it's going to cost more than some other places.

I would like her to try on more frames if we get to the city this weekend. What places give same-day service? Does Walmart? I've looked at some websites but they don't all say how long it takes. I did find that Eyeglass World does.

The problem is I didn't find out how much they would be locally, so I don't know if it would be worth two trips to Des Moines or not if we don't get them same day. It probably would still be cheaper.

Where do you like to get glasses?

 

[Marionnette]

DD13 is going to be the first of us to get glasses, so we have no experience. She tried on some frames at the eye doctor's today. It's small town, I know it's going to cost more than some other places.

I would like her to try on more frames if we get to the city this weekend. What places give same-day service? Does Walmart? I've looked at some websites but they don't all say how long it takes. I did find that Eyeglass World does.

The problem is I didn't find out how much they would be locally, so I don't know if it would be worth two trips to Des Moines or not if we don't get them same day. It probably would still be cheaper.

Where do you like to get glasses?

You will pay a premium price for same-day glasses.

You might be better off getting them from your local eye doctor. Because if your daughter needs to have her glasses adjusted because she fell asleep in them or if she lost a screw and needs a repair, your local doctor is more likely to do it for free if he sold you those glasses in the first place.

 

[bjscheel]

You will pay a premium price for same-day glasses.

You might be better off getting them from your local eye doctor. Because if your daughter needs to have her glasses adjusted because she fell asleep in them or if she lost a screw and needs a repair, your local doctor is more likely to do it for free if he sold you those glasses in the first place.

I have thought about that too, which is another reason I am unsure which way to go.


But Eyeglass World is 2 for $78 with same-day. I didn't think that sounded bad. Since she is 13, she can get the polycarbonate lenses for free.

 

[drinkme]

I've been wearing glasses for years and I prefer to go to the regular optometrist office. I have my favorite one I've been going to for years. Several years ago I tried to save a buck and I went to Pearl Vision. I should have just throw $200 down the toilet. I had a bad experience there and will never go anywhere else but my optometrist office.

Anyway, my ds11 just picked up his new glasses on Wed. We paid $270 for his vision test and his glasses (he got a pair of Converse glasses). We didn't get any extras on his glasses since he doesn't need to wear them all of the time. So no anti-glare, no tinting, etc. It took 4 days to get his glasses.

So, that should give you an idea of prices. I know it's more expensive to get glasses at a private optometrist office, but I just prefer to go there because I get the best results for me.

HTH

 

[Marionnette]

I have thought about that too, which is another reason I am unsure which way to go.


But Eyeglass World is 2 for $78 with same-day. I didn't think that sounded bad. Since she is 13, she can get the polycarbonate lenses for free.

Polycarbonate lenses are required for children's eyewear. All kids' glasses have to have them.

I doubt that your local doctor will be able to match that price for two pairs of glasses. But I can pretty much guarantee that you will be met with a limited selection of frames at Eyeglass World and a lot of upsell pressure. The frames that you will be able to choose from with be of a poorer quality than what you would get from your eye doctor. You will get the exact quality that you pay for, but your daughter will have the benefit of a back up pair. Chances are good that she will need them.

 

[walkdmc]

I go to an optician I trust and have been using for years. He sells me glasses at cost since he's a family friend and we pay about $200/pair of very good frames (Kate Spade, Marc Jacobs, Fossil, Nike, etc), anti-glare coating and transition lenses, polycarb (lightest/thinnest lenses available -I think). Ordinarily all of that would be about $400-450/pair. Even with all those bells and whistles, our glasses are done in 1 week.

We tried Walmart for my son's glasses but I didn't like the quality of the frames. However, if your daughter is not rough on her clothes and jewelry, she might do fine with WM's glasses. They were cheap, about $45 for the frames. And, at 13, she'll need new frames every year for the next few years, until her face stops growing/changing. Plus, WM does free adjustments for 1 year and they guarantee their frames against breakage.

I recommend WM because this is a budget board but the truth is, I would never go anywhere but a good optician's office any more. There is an art to selecting the right frames and too many of those quick-service places employ poorly/untrained people to help patients select frames. Kids will dive into their pillows head first WITH glasses on, they fall asleep and roll onto glasses and a good optician knows that. When I visited cheap shops, I would ask the employees opinion on frames and they were "yes" people ...."they look good" is all I heard over and over, no help or advice. When you get a good optician you'll know it.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We have been with the same optometrist since DS was 6 mo old. He is almost 20. He did see a pediatric ophthalmologist for most of those year but the office was an hour away and they suggested working with a local office for glasses. Yes, they cost a little more but it has been sooooo worth it. Our doctor would always check the glasses each visit and ours were always right, a rare find in most of the chain type places. We have had WONDERFUL support during growing years and lots of breaks. We have good insurance so that helps so much but we would still go with these guys. They are like family to us now!!!

 

[Pikezh638]

My doctor where I am from I always get my glasses same day, I don't think I pay anything extra, but I have vision insurance.

 

[amandaC]

I've heard very good things about Costco Optical...

 

[vek239]

This is probably not a good place to start for OP, but we love zennioptical.com. Low prices and DH get several pairs each to have on hand.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I've heard very good things about Costco Optical...

I always get my glasses from Costco. They have a pretty good selection and at my local Costco, they have very helpful staff. You cannot beat the prices. They will adjust your glasses anytime for free. You do have to wait a week or two to get your glasses.

 

[AllesonWonderland]

This is probably not a good place to start for OP, but we love zennioptical.com. Low prices and DH get several pairs each to have on hand.

I was going to mention that site too! I haven't ordered from there (yet), but my SIL loves it.

We just got glasses for DS10. Went ahead and got them from the eye doctor. He found a pair there he liked (which at this age is probably the most important thing, right?) so we bought them. We do have insurance that covered a decent amount, so that helps. I figured we'd get the first pair there, then get some of the inexpensive ones off of zennioptical to have as extras, or for when he's playing sports, etc.

Good luck with whatever you decide OP!

 

[bjscheel]

Well, we did go to Des Moines Saturday for another reason, so we decided to at least look at frames. We stopped at Sears where she found one frame she liked that was $100. Then we went across the street to Vision 4 Less (I think this is just an Iowa chain). Here she found 2 frames she liked and the total cost with the lenses for two pair was $158. We decided to just go for it. We went down the street to eat and before we were finished we got the text the glasses were ready. The lady sat down with her and adjusted them and we got two free hardshell cases. We felt we had a positive experience there.

Her vision wasn't that bad, but as we went out the door (and a few other times this weekend) we got that Wow reaction from her when she could see something better than before! She looks cute in them, and she thinks she does too, which is good, so for now we are set.

 

[walkdmc]

That sounds like a great deal, esp. if she's happy with them. I love the reaction my kids had when they put glasses on for the first time. To go from blurry-but-I-don't-know-better to clear vision is such a beautiful moment for a parent to witness, IMO. I'm not usually mushy but it's one of those things for me.

 

[bjscheel]

That sounds like a great deal, esp. if she's happy with them. I love the reaction my kids had when they put glasses on for the first time. To go from blurry-but-I-don't-know-better to clear vision is such a beautiful moment for a parent to witness, IMO. I'm not usually mushy but it's one of those things for me.

I know what you mean. My mom was remembering when my sister got her glasses and she walked out and said "Those trees have actual leaves on them!" Before, trees were just green blobs to her. It was fun to see what DD13 would comment on.

We'll see how the first day of school went. She wanted to tell one teacher he could move her back to the back row again Her BFF who was born the same day as her just got glasses last month, so they are doing this together too.

 

[puffkin]

This is probably not a good place to start for OP, but we love zennioptical.com. Low prices and DH get several pairs each to have on hand.

Zenni Optical all the way! DH usually spends about $20/pair for glasses. Who cares about adjusting them and this and that. He can get at least 5 pairs for the price of 1 pair at the eye doctor. Plus, if you aren't rough on them, they shouldn't even need adjusting.

They are the same frames as anywhere else....they just don't have that designer name stamped on them

We have used them for years and know tons and tons of people who have as well and have never heard of any problems. It is one of the best kept "budget" secrets out there!

 

[Marionnette]

Zenni Optical all the way! DH usually spends about $20/pair for glasses. Who cares about adjusting them and this and that. He can get at least 5 pairs for the price of 1 pair at the eye doctor. Plus, if you aren't rough on them, they shouldn't even need adjusting.

They are the same frames as anywhere else....they just don't have that designer name stamped on them

We have used them for years and know tons and tons of people who have as well and have never heard of any problems. It is one of the best kept "budget" secrets out there!

Frames need to be adjusted even before the patient leaves the office with them. Nobody's ears are even. The stems are a standard length and need to be bent to fit the patient.

You can buy your glasses wherever you want. If you purchase $20 eyeglasses, don't fool yourself into thinking that you're getting the same thing that you would have gotten in the doctor's office just because there isn't a designer name on the earpiece. The mark up is not that big.

 

[Riverhill]

DS15 got his at Walmart. So did DH and I. We have limited vision insurance and they were great about explaining exactly what was and wasn't covered by insurance.

 

[Planogirl]

It's funny that someone mentioned a bad experience at Pearle Vision. We went to a local Pearle Vision for a long time due to insurance coverage. We no longer have coverage for them and they are expensive! I'm searching for somewhere else reasonable and trustworthy. I might just check out CostCo.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I always get mine at Costco, and I've been very happy with them. My grandson gets his there too, and when we were travelling in the US (we're Canadian), he fell and bent his out of shape and lost the screw to one of the arms. We just went into the next Costco we saw and they fixed them up for us! So that was handy!

Teresa