$471 two new pairs of glasses .. I’m sick of being ripped of

[rayinpenn]

It actually was 1 new pair $69.00 for frames and one old pair getting new lens. Free Eye exam its been a year...

Full disclosure: bifocals (invisible) line and they get dark in the sun. What annoys me most is I doubt the glasses cost more than $5 to make. There’s got to be a better way.

Just sick of being ripped off...

 

[pjigar]

I use zennioptical which is less than $100 for all bell and whistle. Basic pair can be as low as $20-$25.

 

[Dawg52]

It actually was 1 new pair $69.00 for frames and one old pair getting new lens. Free Eye exam its been a year...

Full disclosure: bifocals (invisible) line and they get dark in the sun. What annoys me most is I doubt the glasses cost more than $5 to make. There’s got to be a better way.

Just sick of being ripped off...

Just got a new pair as you described for $80 from Zenni online. Fit great and look as good as any imo.

 

[97guns]

It actually was 1 new pair $69.00 for frames and one old pair getting new lens. Free Eye exam its been a year...

Full disclosure: bifocals (invisible) line and they get dark in the sun. What annoys me most is I doubt the glasses cost more than $5 to make. There’s got to be a better way.

Just sick of being ripped off...

Bought my last 3 sets of glasses from zenni also, just cheapies, 2 pairs for around $24. They do bifocals and darkness changing lens too with added cost.

 

[street]

I have read threads on this before and I can say when I need a new pair of glasses I will be using this company. I'm sick of paying the cost of glasses any more.

 

[lucky penny]

If you buy glasses online, how do you get them adjusted if they don't fit comfortably (too loose or too snug)?

 

[street]

So I went to their site (Zenni) so where do I enter my prescription for my glasses at? I would just ask for my prescription from my optometrist and enter those numbers online at their site Right?

 

[brett]

Spouse bought glasses at Costco. The gentlemen who served her had just sold his optical store and retired. He was working part time at Costco.

His comment.....'if you had bought these at my store six weeks ago you would have paid twice the price'.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

We use Costco too. Still not cheap, but they do replace them if they get scratched.

 

[davebarnes]

I see 2 choices:
1. Costco - about $170 USD for me
2. Zenni - about $130 for me https://www.zennioptical.com

The problem is that Luxottica and https://www.essilor.com/en/ are a duopoly controlling 90+% of the USA market and they are (or have) merged.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I see 2 choices:
1. Costco - about $170 USD for me
2. Zenni - about $150 for me https://www.zennioptical.com

The problem is that Luxottica and https://www.essilor.com/en/ are a duopoly controlling 90+% of the USA market.

For the $20 difference, Costco wins.

 

[fh2000]

We use Costco too. Still not cheap, but they do replace them if they get scratched.

I use Costco for years. They get scratched after a year or two. I simply get new ones every 2 years and get some reimbursement from insurance.

I wonder what is their policy for replacement when scratched?

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I use Costco for years. They get scratched after a year or two. I simply get new ones every 2 years and get some reimbursement from insurance.

I wonder what is their policy for replacement when scratched?

I purchased 2 pairs, one for DW and one for me. Mine scratched (Crazed) after 3 months in one lens, and they replaced them no questions asked.

 

[ransil]

Another zenni fan here, my glasses cost around $60.

 

[Rustic23]

Zenni here. basic bifocal $35

 

[Chuckanut]

I use goggles4u.com and just got two pair of Rx reading glasses for less than $24. Cheap frames and nothing else added to the order. I also ordered a pair of Rx reading glasses that darken when outside, since I often read out on my porch and the light is much brighter there - $34 but with a somewhat more stylish frame.

In both cases above I used discount coupons - one for 30% off, the other for 40% off.


I also bought two pair of glasses from Costco optical a while back - $440. But, one pair was the new amber driving glasses that darken in bright light even when in the car. Very nice. The other pair had every feature but the kitchen sink included.

 

[OldShooter]

So I went to their site (Zenni) so where do I enter my prescription for my glasses at? I would just ask for my prescription from my optometrist and enter those numbers online at their site Right?

Almost. You also need your "pupillary distance." This is basically your eye spacing, which is needed to decide how to space the optical centers of the lenses. Sometimes this is given as two numbers, one for distance, and one for close work. Normally this info is not part of the prescription, but you can ask them to measure it or look on the ever-reliable internet for ways to measure it yourself.

Fortunately, the Chinese are destroying the Luxottica monopoly and also destroying margins for opticians' shops. In addition to frames and lenses prices going down, they can no longer charge for add-ons like $100 for AR coating that costs them $5.

I have been buying my lenses from US shops that advertise "re-lensing" because I like my frames. I use US for speed and (hopefully) better quality control.

Once I have a new prescription, though, I go into high gear on the internet glasses shopping. Typically I can find single-vision glasses with frames on sale at two for $25. (!) I buy enough close-prescription glasses that I can leave one by every chair where I typically read, plus one to carry when I travel. I buy enough mid-distance (half the close distance correction) glasses to have one at every computer screen I use. I have zero interest in the fashion-worthiness of the frames, which is why I can buy on sale, but I have standardized on predominantly black for the close distance glasses frames and predominantly brown or gold for the mid-distance glasses. This keeps me from accidentally mixing them up. The prescriptions are close enough that sometimes I don't notice the difference.

I'm sure I have been doing this for ten years, maybe longer. Vendors I have used:
JEMOptical
Optical4Less
EyeBuyDirect
Goggles4U
LensesRX
replacementlensexpress

I am not necessarily recommending any of these but from my email file these are the ones I have used. I don't recall ever having a problem with any of them.

Here is a web site that is no longer maintained but still has worthwhile information and links: GlassyEyes | Find Your Next Affordable Eyeglasses Online

 

[Chuckanut]

One thing I hate about local optical dealers is they always try to sell you a new frame. A few years ago I spent extra to get a fancy titanium frame that was guaranteed unbreakable.

Sure enough, the next year they recommended I get a new frame and not simply have the new lenses put into the existing frame. After all if it broke, I would then need to buy new lenses and new frames!! And, they could not guarantee that the frame would stand up to getting new lenses put into it!!! That was the last straw. I found the online guys and Costco, and never looked back.

 

[Dawg52]

BTW for anyone that might give Zenni a try, be sure to google 'Zenni Optical Coupons' for an extra discount not automatically given on their site. When I ordered my last pair a month ago I got an extra 20% off. Just apply the code before placing the order.

https://www.groupon.com/coupons/stores/zennioptical.com

 

[Teacher Terry]

I only need reading glasses and have 2 prescription pairs. One set of frames is 20 years old and one is 5. My glasses never got scratched. I also have dollar store ones all over the house for reading labels, etc. Mu optician just replaces the lenses for me when I need it.

 

[Scuba]

We switched from our optometrist to Costco. I like being able to try them on for fit/adjustment in person.

 

[RobbieB]

Two to three hundred a pair is what I pay.

 

[kimcdougc]

Costco WOULD NOT just put my new lenses in my old frames. They said they were too "brittle" and the lab would not do it. I think this was just an excuse to have to buy a new pair of glasses with new lenses.

 

[street]

Almost. You also need your "pupillary distance." This is basically your eye spacing, which is needed to decide how to space the optical centers of the lenses. Sometimes this is given as two numbers, one for distance, and one for close work. Normally this info is not part of the prescription, but you can ask them to measure it or look on the ever-reliable internet for ways to measure it yourself.

Fortunately, the Chinese are destroying the Luxottica monopoly and also destroying margins for opticians' shops. In addition to frames and lenses prices going down, they can no longer charge for add-ons like $100 for AR coating that costs them $5.

I have been buying my lenses from US shops that advertise "re-lensing" because I like my frames. I use US for speed and (hopefully) better quality control.

Once I have a new prescription, though, I go into high gear on the internet glasses shopping. Typically I can find single-vision glasses with frames on sale at two for $25. (!) I buy enough close-prescription glasses that I can leave one by every chair where I typically read, plus one to carry when I travel. I buy enough mid-distance (half the close distance correction) glasses to have one at every computer screen I use. I have zero interest in the fashion-worthiness of the frames, which is why I can buy on sale, but I have standardized on predominantly black for the close distance glasses frames and predominantly brown or gold for the mid-distance glasses. This keeps me from accidentally mixing them up. The prescriptions are close enough that sometimes I don't notice the difference.

I'm sure I have been doing this for ten years, maybe longer. Vendors I have used:
JEMOptical
Optical4Less
EyeBuyDirect
Goggles4U
LensesRX
replacementlensexpress

I am not necessarily recommending any of these but from my email file these are the ones I have used. I don't recall ever having a problem with any of them.

Here is a web site that is no longer maintained but still has worthwhile information and links: GlassyEyes | Find Your Next Affordable Eyeglasses Online

Thank you for the detailed information.

 

[bingybear]

I usually pay about 130. no name transitions like, higher index lens, no line bifocal. Never an issue. To make it better, my pupils have different offsets.