Re-lensing glasses

[G8tr]

Anyone here use an online company to put new lenses in old frames and paid a reasonable cost? I have a big difference between each eye, so I was hoping to find a decently price on higher quality lenses.


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[MichaelB]

I'm pretty sure Zenni Optical will use your frames, though it's a long turnaround. 39dollarglasses might as well. For sure the brick and mortar optical stores will gouge you on this.

Edit: zenni doesn't but 39dollar does, link here http://www.39dollarglasses.com/help/Product-Questions/Ordering-lenses%2donly-for-my-own-frame.html

 

[kramer]

I did research on this, for brick and mortar at least, and almost everyone said Costco. I then had a good experience with them. But it was about $90 for a pretty easy near-sighted prescription (no bi-focal, etc., just near-sighted lenses)

 

[pjm-7]

You might want to check out Replace A Lens. Eyeglass Lens - Replace Prescription Lenses - ReplaceALens
I have used them a couple of times for glasses prescriptions. I wear contacts most of the time, but always have glasses for when I need them. Their service is good and they are helpful in answering questions.

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

Certainly cheaper to buy lenses than an entirely new pair of glasses. The markup on quality frames (both online and brick-and-mortar) is ridiculous. Based on the responses here, seems like the going rate for decent lenses is around $90 if you have your own frames. Not bad if you assume a quality frame is also around $100 (probably more if you want titanium or some kid-resistant material).

 

[Chuckanut]

I think you can re-lens glasses, though they might charge a bit extra. So make certain it is a good quality frame and not one of the cheaper ones you can get for 'free' from the online lens company.

I recently purchased a pair of prescription reading glasses from an online company for less than the cost of ordinary reading glasses bought at my local drugstore. This Rx glasses included a fix for my astigmatism. Very nice!

 

[Hermit]

You might want to check out Replace A Lens. Eyeglass Lens - Replace Prescription Lenses - ReplaceALens
I have used them a couple of times for glasses prescriptions. I wear contacts most of the time, but always have glasses for when I need them. Their service is good and they are helpful in answering questions.

I like this site. I went through their lens selection process and it gave me the cost of each item and a running total. I have an item-by-item cost that I can compare to Costco. They are also located in Denver so I have the option of stopping by when I am in Denver. I have two identical titanium frames so I can send in the oldest and get new lenses.

 

[38Chevy454]

Not quite the same as the OP question, but I had an old pair of regular glasses re-lens to be prescription sunglasses. I did it through the place I got the new regular glasses, but it was still pretty reasonable.

I tried the transistions type that change, I hated them. So having a dedicated pair of sunglasses is a good option for me, when I wear them.........

 

[SumDay]

Costco charges $18 to use your old frames.

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

Costco charges $18 to use your old frames.

That's cheap!

 

[Hermit]

That's cheap!

I've had new lenses put in old frames and I don't recall there ever being a charge for using my old frames.

 

[audreyh1]

Anyone here use an online company to put new lenses in old frames and paid a reasonable cost? I have a big difference between each eye, so I was hoping to find a decently price on higher quality lenses.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

I reused a pair of frames for my new glasses prescription at Costco. They did a good job. I think there was a charge of $18 on top of the charge for the new lenses.

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

I've had new lenses put in old frames and I don't recall there ever being a charge for using my old frames.

Ah, sorry. I misunderstood that there was a service charge of $18, thinking that was the baseline cost of new lenses facepalm.

 

[38Chevy454]

Costco charges $18 to use your old frames.

Not to try and defend the charge, but maybe that is extra to cover removal of your old lenses?

 

[audreyh1]

Not to try and defend the charge, but maybe that is extra to cover removal of your old lenses?

And clean up the frames or whatever. That $9 per lens didn't bother me.

 

[RonBoyd]

Last month, DW went into Walmart and had them install new lenses in an old frame. The cost was (Bifocal) - 2-SV Plastic Lenses $14.50 each and a "Lens Processing Fee" of $10.00 for a total of $39.00.

Interestingly, this was less than the Co-pay required by our Medicare Advantage plan so we paid "full price."

EDIT: It took less than a week for them to deliver the "new" glasses.

 

[Hermit]

Not to try and defend the charge, but maybe that is extra to cover removal of your old lenses?

I called Costco to try to compare prices. It's hard to nail down just what you are getting over the phone, but I think the total price is maybe a little less than the price on a comparable on-line lens at replace-a-lens. It would be nice if Costco also had their prices on-line.

 

[Walt34]

For completely new glasses does Costco also fit the frames if you go into the store? The cost difference for Costco glasses might make the membership fee worthwhile for us.

 

[Hermit]

For completely new glasses does Costco also fit the frames if you go into the store? The cost difference for Costco glasses might make the membership fee worthwhile for us.

I have never gotten glasses there, but it looks like a full service optical center to me. You can probably find out on line or you can go to Costco and tell them you want to check out the store.

I buy tires there and the service has always been very good at a good price.

 

[ERD50]

Costco charges $18 to use your old frames.

Is this done 'while you wait', or do they send them out? Turnaround time in that case?

-ERD50

 

[kramer]

Is this done 'while you wait', or do they send them out? Turnaround time in that case?

-ERD50

For me, it was several days for a simple near-sighted prescription. But I don't remember exactly how long.

 

[38Chevy454]

Is this done 'while you wait', or do they send them out? Turnaround time in that case?

-ERD50

The Costco here sends the frames out to get lenses fitted. The frame fitting and adjustments are done in-store.

 

[CRLLS]

I haven't re-lensed glasses. I have purchased outright from Zenni Optical and have been very happy. Downside is the time to receive the glasses and having to fit the frames myself. That latter was no issues at all.

 

[braumeister]

This thread reminded me of a good deal I had forgotten about.

DW needed a new pair of glasses in a hurry earlier this year, so she went to the local Lenscrafters. Before going, we scoured the house and came up with ten pairs of old glasses that she gave them as a donation. They were all progressive bifocals in various old prescriptions, and all in pretty good frames.

Much to our surprise, they gave her a receipt for tax purposes that valued them at a total of $600.

 

[audreyh1]

This thread reminded me of a good deal I had forgotten about.

DW needed a new pair of glasses in a hurry earlier this year, so she went to the local Lenscrafters. Before going, we scoured the house and came up with ten pairs of old glasses that she gave them as a donation. They were all progressive bifocals in various old prescriptions, and all in pretty good frames.

Much to our surprise, they gave her a receipt for tax purposes that valued them at a total of $600.

Wow - great tip!