It was time that I got my eyes checked. I’d been squinting more and more when reading or at the computer screen. I went to an eye doctor who wrote a prescription and said it was for bi-focals. In other words, my vision was less than perfect both for reading and for long distance. So I asked if I just wanted single vision, would the glass store be able to fill it either way, for two different pairs of glasses? Sure. So I walk in with my wife and we pick a pair she thought looked good. I asked that it be filled as single vision, reading. After insurance, my co-pay managed to be about $180. I was a bit shocked that glasses cost so much. I asked around and friends and relatives all said they had glasses cost as much as $500. Wow. I picked them up two weeks later, and, viola! It seemed that reading was great, never realized the letters were so sharp on the page. But I sit about two feet from my dual computer monitors and the glasses didn’t work at that distance, still blurry.
I put the issue aside, but was convinced that there must be a source of lower cost glasses out there. A few weeks back, a fellow blogger tweeted about EyeBuyDirect, and as you can see, they sell glasses starting at under $10. I looked at the site, saw that you just enter the prescription details on line, and indicate reading, computer or long distance, the distance between your pupils, and you are all set. I bought a pair of glasses and with the discount from the blogger’s tweet, the glasses cost me $22 with shipping. They work great. In the evening when my eyes start to go and I feel myself squinting, I have them right at my computer. Now, my wife thinks glasses are a fashion statement and she doesn’t care for what I bought. “Joe, they are so big, they cover your eyebrows.” Ah, but that means I can look around, and see my monitors without getting whiplash. And since they are just for when I am at the computer, you will never see me wear them, unless you enter my domain. They gave me the code IFXX123D92 which you can use to get 15% off your first purchase. And the FCC wants me to tell you that I get a credit of $5 towards y next purchase if you use the code. I’m thinking that at $20 (or less in some cases) this is a great way to get an extra pair to keep in the suitcase when traveling or in the car in case you run out of the house. It’s certainly a different approach when spending $20 than $500 a pop for these things. By the way, if you look at their site, I bought Baymak MT3470, and yes, the lenses are big.
How much did you spend on your last pair of glasses?
Great article.
I bought prescription eyeglasses on the internet for the first time late last year. I paid $59.81 for a pair of single vision, rimless eyeglasses. I employed an online coupon that I found at another’s suggestion. The coupon saved me $5. It took a bit of online searching.
I looked at several sites that some folks elsewhere on the internet recommended. Which site I ended up using came down to what frames I wanted rather than the price the online sites wanted. This is because nearly all the sites had prices under $100. At the same time, I was shopping locally and was not impressed with what paying under $100 would get me. I am vain about my looks, so I was willing to pay more. 🙂
Nearly all the online eyeglass sites have a try-on feature. One can upload one’s photo and put the prospective eyeglasses for purchase on the photo. Often models’ photos are included at the site for try-on purchases, too. Using these online try-on features has its limits, though. The actual frame size will not be represented in the try-on photos.
I studied the frame dimensions of my old eyeglasses. Rims seem to come in only one size, not multiple sizes. So even if I liked the look of one set of rims, often the online site would not have them in my size.
I paid about $250 for a pair of prescription sunglasses last year. My mistake for not checking the internet, first.
I think local eyeglass stores may go away.
P. S. I bought online from bestpriceglasses.com and am happy with my new, rimless eyeglasses. They are lightweight at 13 grams, and hence very comfortable for wearing for long periods. My old wire-rim eyeglasses weigh 20 grams. (Can you tell I am an engineer?)
Thanks, Elle! As a guy, I often struggle with looks vs function, and the one glasses situation where function rules is at my home computer.
I saw the same issue of sizes. The site offered a filter to first limit what was available in the big-headed guy size, which helped me find what fit fine. As with anything, everyone will have their own experience, but this site had far more good reviews than bad.
When Jane has an issue with her glasses, it’s 45 minutes to where she bought her glasses, wait to be seen, wait for them to be adjusted. In my ideal situation, if I’m going to wear glasses regularly, I’d rather they be a disposal item, if they get bent or twisted by the dog grabbing them, I’ll just grab another pair. At $20-$30 I can do that. For the $180 out of pocket glasses, I need to treat them differently.