prescription eyeglasses

[Out of Steam]

I've done very well with glasses from Costco, cost has been under $200 for variable bifocals. Some years ago, their optometrist got my daughter fitted with and using contact lenses when two private optometry practices couldn't.

 

[explanade]

Apparently the cost of ex glasses has been the source of widespread complaints.

Once I came across a forum for optometrists and opticians.

There's a lot of grousing about Costco, Warby Parker and especially all the online businesses.

Then recently one political party talked about improving consumer protections like airfares and FX glasses.

 

[travelover]

But will they tell you what it is?

Yea, if I bought glasses there. Oddly the tech just marked the eye centers on a frame sample with clear lenses using a felt tipped pen, then measured with a ruler.

 

[happ]

I use the method down the page in this article. Several methods are discussed and evaluated.

the Optician: Measuring Your Own Pupillary Distance

I find it difficult to be very accurate dotting my glasses with a pen as per the optician. It would seem that looking through pin holes in a card would get the same results provided the card was placed at the same distance from the eyes. When I look at an object 200 feet away I see one circle for 57, 58, and 60 mm so that's not very conclusive, either. When I focus close I get 57mm. So my guess would be 60 for distance and 57 for near if using the standard 3mm difference.

 

[happ]

Warby Parkers gets good reviews but for their prices I could go to COSTCO or wally at least if they can't get them right I can return them for full refund.

 

[JoeWras]

It is too bad that Zenni gave me better service than my local $500 per glasses shop. I was more satisfied working with someone in China than my own local shop.

My doc wrote a script, I asked for it and told them, "sorry, I'm going on-line because I want 4 pair." These are long distance readers computer monitor distance. I wanted a bunch of them to throw around.

Doc wrote the script right, but the incompetent office, which is associated with the opticians, transposed some numbers. I entered on Zenni's site. About 1 hour later I get an email from them saying the prescription was "likely to be incorrect, could I please double check." Sure enough, I look at an older prescription and see the mistake. I corrected it over email. She responded with an affirmation of my change. All very professional and with good English. Pretty sure these communications were from China.

I now have the 4 pairs, total $60, and am beyond pleased.

Look, I want to buy local, but I also want flawless service.

 

[explanade]

I measured myself, on a mirror and with a ruler.

Even if not on the exact mm, I think you have plus or minus 1 or 2 mm.

 

[happ]

Of the one's I kept my past lens orders all have the pd's on them. Problem is they are all different. So much for accuracy when being measured by the optician. One taken by COSTCO was with a pupilometer and is in the middle of the hand taken ones.

 

[braumeister]

PD is really important. It can be the difference between satisfaction with your glasses and annoyance with them. While most of the time they go with the distance between pupils, some use separate right and left measurements, starting at the center line of your nose. Makes a difference with some people, not with others.

I've had mine measured dozens of times through my life, and the range of variance has been stunning. Some opticians are simply better at it than others.

Now I generally like to use the little ruler that Zenni sends, but I like the way Costco includes their measurement on your invoice. No other optician has ever been willing to give the measurement to me, so I've always just insisted on looking at their input (paper or computer screen) "just to be sure the prescription is right."

 

[Dash man]

I get my prescription from an ophthalmologist and buy the frames and lenses at Costco. They are progressives and correcting an astigmatism. They're perfect for me.

 

[omni550]

I get my prescription from an ophthalmologist and buy the frames and lenses at Costco. They are progressives and correcting an astigmatism. They're perfect for me.

I'm not a Costco member (as a retired single I don't buy enough to justify a membership). I recall hearing that some products can be purchased at Costco by non-members.

Does anyone know if glasses/optical services fall into the "able to be purchased by non-members" category?

omni

 

[braumeister]

Does anyone know if glasses/optical services fall into the "able to be purchased by non-members" category?

omni

Yes. Also the pharmacy.

 

[explanade]

Not my local ones.

They'll let you go in and get an eye exam but when you need to pay for glasses, you need to present your Costco card.

 

[Focus]

In my opinion, Zinni does a better job and is a bit cheaper based on what I bought over the years. Zinni's website is feature packed and easier to navigate.

Both places supply quality glasses for a great price.

I ordered from both Zenni and 39dollarglasses recently. It was my first time ordering glasses online. They each had specials going on (my sense is these are continuous).

I had to return the 39dollarglasses pair because the frame was too wide for me. The highly reflective lenses were very distracting around my peripheral vision. 39dollarglasses made it easy to get a replacement (a new, narrower frame). Those new glasses are now the ones I favor because of the good fit. I'm still trying to adjust the Zenni ones; the frame doesn't settle quite right on the bridge of my nose.

Each pair cost around $35, but with Zenni that included the anti-reflective coating. That's a big plus.

 

[Amethyst]

I don't know about Zenni emails, but I spoke to one of their opticians on the phone about my husband's Rx, and the voice I was hearing was pure New York (I should know, I'm from NJ). Of course, he might have moved to Beijing, you never know....

Amethyst

It is too bad that Zenni gave me better service than my local $500 per glasses shop. I was more satisfied working with someone in China than my own local shop.

My doc wrote a script, I asked for it and told them, "sorry, I'm going on-line because I want 4 pair." These are long distance readers computer monitor distance. I wanted a bunch of them to throw around.

Doc wrote the script right, but the incompetent office, which is associated with the opticians, transposed some numbers. I entered on Zenni's site. About 1 hour later I get an email from them saying the prescription was "likely to be incorrect, could I please double check." Sure enough, I look at an older prescription and see the mistake. I corrected it over email. She responded with an affirmation of my change. All very professional and with good English. Pretty sure these communications were from China.

I now have the 4 pairs, total $60, and am beyond pleased.

Look, I want to buy local, but I also want flawless service.

 

[JoeWras]

I don't know about Zenni emails, but I spoke to one of their opticians on the phone about my husband's Rx, and the voice I was hearing was pure New York (I should know, I'm from NJ). Of course, he might have moved to Beijing, you never know....

Amethyst

Maybe it is phone vs. email.

"Lily" emailed me at 11PM on Sunday. That was strange. I happened to be on and responded, and she responded right away. Then again Lily may work graveyard in NY.

They do make them in China and ship them here. At least that was true with mine. They are marked as such, and the shipping delay pretty much proved it.

 

[MissMolly]

Zenni Optical Customer Care Service

Zenni Optical, Inc.

448 Ignacio Blvd, #332
Novato
California
United States - 94949
Customer Support Phone Numbers

Phone: +1 800 211 2105 7 2
Fax: +1 415 883 7020 0 0
Web: www.zennioptical.com

Work days:Mon6:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tue6:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wed6:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thu6:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Fri6:00 AM - 5:00 PM
SatClosed
SunClosed

 

[HappyMinimalist]

Wait a darn minute! How is it that folks here pay under $200 for their bifocals? I just did my progressive glasses, collecting them today, and they cost me a whopping $1250! These don't even give me X-ray vision!

 

[aja8888]

Wait a darn minute! How is it that folks here pay under $200 for their bifocals? I just did my progressive glasses, collecting them today, and they cost me a whopping $1250! These don't even give me X-ray vision!

What!!! They didn't tell you how to turn on the X-ray vision feature?

 

[happ]

Wait a darn minute! How is it that folks here pay under $200 for their bifocals? I just did my progressive glasses, collecting them today, and they cost me a whopping $1250! These don't even give me X-ray vision!

Did they come with a happy massage?

 

[Dawg52]

Did they come with a happy massage?

I wouldn't pay $1250 even if it did. Well.....let me rethink that.

 

[braumeister]

Wait a darn minute! How is it that folks here pay under $200 for their bifocals? I just did my progressive glasses, collecting them today, and they cost me a whopping $1250! These don't even give me X-ray vision!

But they make you look like a movie star, dahling! Fabulous, simply fabulous!

 

[Amethyst]

Before learning about Zenni on this forum, we were paying the mall places $600 apiece for progressive bifocals with anti-glare coatings and such. We never picked the most expensive frames, and we don't have unusual Rx. There are probably much more expensive options we could have chosen, or possibly needed/been prescribed.

Wait a darn minute! How is it that folks here pay under $200 for their bifocals? I just did my progressive glasses, collecting them today, and they cost me a whopping $1250! These don't even give me X-ray vision!

 

[JoeWras]

Zenni Optical Customer Care Service - Novato,
California

I could see a late shift in CA working to get the order to China. Must have been a NYer who moved to California.

When they deliver, they come from this address. But they are first shipped from China to CA. Hence the 2 week delay.

I'm a huge fan of Zenni. Just want to be clear they don't do everything 100% in America, if that is a problem for someone.

And my bifocals cost $25 from them with anti-reflective coating. My single vision I tried (no coatings) for $7 is surprisingly good for indoor work! My total order, with shipping for 4 pair was $60.75. The bifocals were the most expensive of the 4. My prescription is not crazy. It does have astigmatic correction though.

 

[AutumnElf]

There is another online glasses place worth checking out. It's Firmoo. [emoji165] I got several pair of glasses there recently: a progressive lens, a pair of prescription readers, and medium vision.

I had a problem with the medium vision one. They tried to redo it but I think the frames were not good for me/didn't fit properly. They refunded me on those.

I have no problems with the other two. To the OP, you could write to the support and see if they will do two different pupil heights. The customer support is friendly and communicative, even though it sometimes takes a day or two to get back to you.

I think I paid total $90 for those two pair. I'd paid $500 for my progressive pair in a shop seven years prior. I knew then it didn't cost that much to make lenses and they got the frames overseas. I decided not to do that again!