Where do you get glasses?

[lost*in*cyberspace]

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.

You are exactly right. All frames are not the same and glasses do need occasional adjustment. However, if super cheap frames work for someone, that's great. Just don't fool yourself that you are getting the same quality as a more expensive fare.

 

[puffkin]

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.

You are exactly right. All frames are not the same and glasses do need occasional adjustment. However, if super cheap frames work for someone, that's great. Just don't fool yourself that you are getting the same quality as a more expensive fare.

I love this argument. It just doesn't hold true. A simple google search turns up tons and tons of articles disputing these claims. The mark up on frames and lenses is HUGE! Here is a good article (albeit a little old it is easy to read and provides good info):
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/05/technology/05money.html?pagewanted=all

And most places like Lenscrafters/Walmart etc will adjust frames for you...they usually don't even look at them and just do it if you really need it done. My DH isn't hard on glasses so he RARELY needs that done.

A little education/research goes a long way. Just providing the OP with another (and very popular according to other threads on this board) option.

 

[Marionnette]

I love this argument. It just doesn't hold true. A simple google search turns up tons and tons of articles disputing these claims. The mark up on frames and lenses is HUGE! Here is a good article (albeit a little old it is easy to read and provides good info):
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/05/technology/05money.html?pagewanted=all

And most places like Lenscrafters/Walmart etc will adjust frames for you...they usually don't even look at them and just do it if you really need it done. My DH isn't hard on glasses so he RARELY needs that done.

A little education/research goes a long way. Just providing the OP with another (and very popular according to other threads on this board) option.

Like I said, you can get your glasses anywhere you want. But one outdated article by a NYT consumer reporter is not exactly what I consider to be absolute proof that the cheap frames you purchase at Zenni are the same quality as the Banana Republic frames that you see at the eye doctor. I'm certainly not going to convince you otherwise, so I'm not going to even try. Enjoy your cheap glasses.

 

[kirstenb1]

I stick with the optician at the eye doctor. Our eye doctor is in a very expensive area of Richmond, and I'm sure he sells a lot of $700 glasses. However, they put me in a gorgeous pair for $150, which included scratch resistant and anti glare (said it would help with night time driving). I use my contacts most of the time, and just use these for back up. My optician has also done routine things whenever I come in, like checking the glasses, tightening the hinges etc.

My point is, if you're honest with your budget, even a high end place will work with you. I've gone to this practice for years, and love them.

 

[Fabinva]

I get mine at Costco, mostly wear contacts. I remember looking for my son's first pair there and selection was limited for his age (he was 6 then) and found good selection at Sears for about same price. He is now 11 and just got new glasses from Costco, he wears mostly contacts and only glasses at home in evenings.

 

[ceecee]

DD got glasses to use when not wearing contacts and our insurance maxed out for the contacts so I went to EyeMart to get the 2 for $78.00, the cheap frames were very limited and then they charged extra for scratch protection so the two pairs ended up being $120.00 and the broke monthly at least, luckily the place was close and fixed them for free, but never again would I go there. The ones we got at the eye Dr. she is still wearing after 3 years since her RX didn't change.

 

[roadtripper]

Now that your daughter knows what eyeglass shapes look good on her, I REALLY recommend zennioptical.com. I got my DD (now 17) to get her first pair through them when the ones she wanted at the eye doctors were 300--for the FRAMES! Now she has Hawaiian frames that were a whopping 6.95, and different colored frames for her outfits at 10 dollars a pop. All 4 of us wear glasses and get them from zenni--DH has rimless for 24, I have bifocals for about the same price, DS uses a w/c and rolls over and breaks his glasses, so I order five pairs at a time for 10 dollars each!

I have shown the zenni glasses to my eyedoctor and a friend who is a pediatric opthamologist. Both said they were fine. My eye doctor did recommend that I get the bifocals instead of progressives since they were easier to make, which I did. So have at it--for a 4.95 shipping fee--it's worth it!

 

[Disney*Dreamer]

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.

this! my daughter has only had her glasses for a little under a year now, and we have been back to the eye dr 3 times. Once to have the adjusted, once because the nose piece broke, and once because a screw fell out and was lost. We were not cahrged any of those times since we bought the glasses there. They didn't have the best selection out on the shelves, but we found, after talking to the lady who works in the eyeglasses, that many of the one's out were available in many different colors.

 

[IUTBAM]

We have excellent vision insurance, but still end up spending $200+ out of pocket for our glasses (for each pair). We always get designer frames, clip on's, polarization if sunglasse, transition lenses, UV coating, and my DH has bifocals. We buy them at our eye doctor's office. Yes, they are expensive, but they back them up with an amazing warranty. If your lenses get scratched, they are replaced, free of charge. If your frames break (no matter why), replacement free of charge. Free adjustments, and the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. They know us all by name, and take good care of us. I will say my DH and DS are hard on their glasses, so for us, this is worth it. We just make sure to allocate enough $$$ in our flex spending account, and it's not painful at all. lol