Where to buy eye glasses ?

[lovin'fl]

I just took my twin DDs-13 to eye DR yesterday. They need glasses. I posted a thread about a week or so ago about getting a letter from school saying one of my DDs had 20/200 and 20/100 vision, which we weren't aware of any vision problems. Turns out she is 20/80 and other DD is 20/50. They picked out glasses. We have good insurance but it still cost me $400 for both pair (we added some special lens that is clearer and scratch resistant). I thought the $400 wasn't too bad, but I guess I can get them cheaper elsewhere. One pair was Candie's brand.

 

[Fire14]

I've gotten my glasses from Costco, cheapest prices, held up well. I have used walmart in past and wasn't happy with nickel and diming and in DH's case glasses didn't hold up as well as Costco ones. I used pearl vision in past and was happy with glasses there but I'm sure I could have done better.

Contacts I order from whomever has best price for amount I want at that time. In my case Cosco has been close but never best in price, I would have to order in no matter where I get from, so I just price shop.

I'm thinking about looking into american eyewear or something like that, saw shop in strp mall and would love to check out someday.

As for getting Rx my doctor hands right over to everyone. At walmart It was like pulling teeth to get it and last time I went to actual eye doc office I never did get copy.

 

[megveg]

http://www.zennioptical.com/

A consumer budget radio guy here recommended them, and they are super cheap! I get prescription sunglasses for about $20 with shipping. They take about two weeks.

I just got 6 pairs of glasses (buy one get one deal) for 70$ including shipping. All I had to do was ask my eye doctor for my prescription and make sure it includes your pupillary distance. So many options and I got all my glasses in less than 2 weeks.

 

[IUTBAM]

Just went to the eye doctor yest. I have officially ordered my first pair of glasses. I went and ordered the glasses right in the doctor's office. Wow. I could not believe how expensive they were. When I got my reading glasses there 1 1/2 years ago I did have different insurance but I remember them being very cheap - maybe because they were just reading glasses? Anyway, I wound up paying close to $400 yesterday

So my dd has an appt. next week at the same office. She already wears glasses so I know already she will need a new pair plus she is thinking of maybe getting contacts too (she is 13). I guess my question is can I take the prescription and go to a cheaper store to buy the glasses and contacts? I have a Visionworks and a Pearle vision in my local mall.

When I was at the doctor's yest. they just automatically brought me over to the section of their office where they sell the glasses. If I knew they were so expensive I would have asked this question there yesterday.

Do you all usually buy at the doctor's office or take your prescription to a cheaper place?

sorry this was so long

Our eye doctor (we do have vision insurance) has her own optical shop, and yes, it's expensive, even with the insurance paying a portion of it (I make sure to set aside extra in the HCRA to pay for our out of pocket expenses). BUT, the service we get there makes the extra $$$ worth it. Everything they sell has a one year warranty. We also buy the scratch guard, which also comes with a warranty. My son had his lenses completely redone (new lenses)TWICE in the last year for no additional charge due to scratches. My husband got a new pair of frames AND lenses, because his lenses were having issues, and he eventually scractched his glasses up when he dropped them...and he waited almost a year to have this done. Adjustments and minor repairs are also done quickly, no cost and with a smile...the two opticians in the office are awesome. They know my family, they keep track of everything for me, and again, the warranty we get with glasses and frames make the extra cost worth it for me. It's one less thing *I* have to worry about!

 

[Styx Fan]

JC Penney ran a great back to school deal on kids glasses. Exam was $25 and complete pair of glasses was also $25. So DD9 got 2 pairs with exam for $75 !

The exam seemed very thorough, and the help in picking was just fine. The glasses have a warranty. They are great about making adjustments just by walking in.

I'll be watching for that sale next year!

 

[Snoopymom]

I just got 6 pairs of glasses (buy one get one deal) for 70$ including shipping. All I had to do was ask my eye doctor for my prescription and make sure it includes your pupillary distance. So many options and I got all my glasses in less than 2 weeks.

That's awesome! I'm so glad someone else likes them too...I mean the prices are almost too good to be true. I only ordered 1 pair at first just in case they were terrible, but they are great!

 

[tvguy]

$400 sounds about right with insurance.

 

[ellenct]

I just ordered a pair from warbyparker.com for $125. I was quoted at Lenscrafters from $350-400.

 

[Kathi OD]

Another vote for zenni.com.

I wear trifocals, with progressive lenses, so a more complicated lens than most people wear. The last pair I bought from a brick and mortar eyewear store cost me over $400.

Then I read about zenni on the budget board and figured I would try them out. I got two pair, one of them sunglasses, for $101. If you have a single-vision lens, you can get a pair of glasses for as little as $7/pair.

 

[kirstenb1]

Our eye doctor (we do have vision insurance) has her own optical shop, and yes, it's expensive, even with the insurance paying a portion of it (I make sure to set aside extra in the HCRA to pay for our out of pocket expenses). BUT, the service we get there makes the extra $$$ worth it. Everything they sell has a one year warranty. We also buy the scratch guard, which also comes with a warranty. My son had his lenses completely redone (new lenses)TWICE in the last year for no additional charge due to scratches. My husband got a new pair of frames AND lenses, because his lenses were having issues, and he eventually scractched his glasses up when he dropped them...and he waited almost a year to have this done. Adjustments and minor repairs are also done quickly, no cost and with a smile...the two opticians in the office are awesome. They know my family, they keep track of everything for me, and again, the warranty we get with glasses and frames make the extra cost worth it for me. It's one less thing *I* have to worry about!

Totally agree with the above!! I love my eye doctor. He's in an expensive area of town, so he carries a lot of $$$ frames. However, I'm just honest with him about my wearing contacts most of the time, so I just need an inexpensive pair of glasses for back up. His staff is great about still spending a lot of time with me to find a flattering shape/color frame. If I ever have an issue, I just come back and they resolve it with no hassle.

 

[DebbieB]

Watch for specials. I got glasses at Lenscrafters earlier this year when they had a 1/2 off lens sale. I got progressives with all the extras for $300. My doctor tried to get me to buy them at her shop, they were over $400, I said I'll compare at Lenscrafters with their sale. She told me no way Lenscrafters would give me 1/2 off on progressives. They did.

 

[Sadie22]

Maybe you can get away with having a simple prescription filled at one of the discount places. The ophthalmologist I used to see (he has passed away) advised me never to go to one of the chain stores. I wear progressive lenses and each eye is very different. I would have one very thick and one a little less thick, mismatched lenses if I did not get the thin lenses. Antiglare is so important that my optometrist provides it free, as well as antiscratch coating. I do have insurance which covers about half the cost of my glasses. It covered all for the kids when they were on our insurance, but their prescriptions were simpler.

We always went with an independent shop which gave outstanding service and replaced many broken children's frames for us at no cost. Anytime I need an adjustment or replacement, I can see the same person. I wear glasses every minute I'm awake. I'm going to go with the best care, which is not necessarily the cheapest care.

 

[snowwhite84]

Not sure if someone already posted this, but: Coastal.com

I just used them this month and I could not be happier!

They have a deal right now, use code FBDEAL and get a free pair of glasses. I think it expires Oct 31. The code is not eligible on pairs that have a banner under them indicating so, but I would say at least half qualify as free.

I just paid s/h, about $17, and I got them in four days. They are super, super cute. Honestly, I'm thrilled with the experience.

 

[MM27]

I got two pairs of Coach glasses at Costco and 6 pairs of contacts for about $400. My eye doctor wanted that much for one pair of glasses.

 

[Miss Peach]

When I got my new perscription filled two months ago I compared Costco and Target. Ultimately I went with Target, they were about the same price, but much more helpful, their clerks were more skillful and the frame choices were better.

I have a very tricky prescription, and they were perfect.

 

[tvguy]

Maybe you can get away with having a simple prescription filled at one of the discount places. The ophthalmologist I used to see (he has passed away) advised me never to go to one of the chain stores. I wear progressive lenses and each eye is very different. I would have one very thick and one a little less thick, mismatched lenses if I did not get the thin lenses. Antiglare is so important that my optometrist provides it free, as well as antiscratch coating. I do have insurance which covers about half the cost of my glasses. It covered all for the kids when they were on our insurance, but their prescriptions were simpler.

We always went with an independent shop which gave outstanding service and replaced many broken children's frames for us at no cost. Anytime I need an adjustment or replacement, I can see the same person. I wear glasses every minute I'm awake. I'm going to go with the best care, which is not necessarily the cheapest care.

Last 2 ophthalmologists I went to had dispensing places in their offices, but they are actually independetly owned and operated. Problem is, my insurance only covers glasses purchased there, not at the stand alone stores. The big advantage to using the one in the Doctor's office is if there is an issue with the glasses, you can get them checked by the Doctor right there. That happened last time with my wife, she put her new glasses on, and not only couldn't see, they made her sick to her stomach. Snotty guy insisted they were made exactly to her prescription..........Doctor put my wife's prescription in the machine thing in the office, she could see fine, looked at the glasses, walked out of the exam room, handed them to snotty guy and said "these aren't even close to the prescription I wrote"......Snotty guy was not happy, I'm guessing he wrote the prescription wrong on the order form.....later learned he was the owner!

 

[Cristina123c]

Also vote for Zenni Optical. I missed their Buy One Get One Free promotion, but two pairs of sunglasses only cost me $40 and they are surprisingly good quality. Will try some more expensive glasses next time, maybe transitions.

 

[ahutton]

I have a "hard to fill" prescription and shopped around. Costco was by far the best price, had the best options and while their selection wasn't huge, I found 4 pairs I like and DH liked 2 of the 4 - so I found what I needed. Plus - the people were very nice, and I got GREAT cases!

 

[AmericangirlinFrance]

I think if you have a fairly normal prescription, you can probably save some money by using one of the online sites mentioned in this thread, Costco, etc.

I am very nearsighted (-12 diopter in glasses), and that makes my glasses (lenses) INCREDIBLY expensive no matter where I get them made... I have compared prices.

So I usually just get them at my doctor's office - that way I'm supporting a local small business. And I only get new glasses every 5 or 6 years! I wear contacts almost all the time anyway.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

For DS11 I went to Walmart. They have a great program for replacing glasses if they break. DS is hard on glasses and we replaced one pair 3 times from there.
Keep in mind I hate Walmast with a passion, refuse to set foot in their stores with the exception of the glasses dept.

For DS16 he gets contacts which I buy right from the eye Dr because they usually have $100 rebate.
And glasses for DS16, me and DH, we usually go to Lenscrafters when they have their sales. It's just easy and I don't have to wait like you do at Target or Walmart.

Which reminds me, I need to make appts for everyone this coming month.