Cheap glasses

[lavagirl]

Looks like we need glasses. I’ve heard of ordering glasses online that are way cheaper than ordering from an optometrist.  Does anyone know which website this is???

[maizefolk]

There are a bunch of them.

I've had good luck so far are both Zenni (tends to be the cheapest of the sites I check) and EyeBuyDirect (a few more customization options, and frame styles I prefer, but not quite as affordable).

Zenni glasses might be $10-40 pair depending on the options you select. EBD I think the most expensive pair I ordered was ~$110, but usually they end up in the $40-60 range with the options I pick.

Lots of other sites out there too.

Edit: the one obnoxious part is that in order to make the lenses they will need to know both your prescription and your interpupillary distance (PD). Usually your PD won't be marked on your prescription. If you live with someone, they can measure it quite easily with a ruler. If you live alone you can try to do the same looking in a mirror, but it's a lot harder and you tend to end up worried you measured wrong (ask me how I know. :-/)

[I'm a red panda]

I have not had luck with fit from Zenni optical or eye buy direct, though those are often recommended.

Walmart has great optical prices, and an amazing warranty for breakage.  I highly recommend them. They have very cheap and mid range kids options

[mountain mustache]

I have had a lot of eye problems, so I regularly still go for an eye check up, but when I got off my parents eye insurance at 21 I started going to Costco for everything. They have great eye doctors, I think an exam is $70, and they have a range of glasses from really cheap to designer frames. I really like trying stuff on in person, so I don't think I'd ever go for the online stores personally. I think my last pair of glasses from Costco was $130 for the frame/prescription lens (and that was one of the more expensive options), which is about 1/3 of what any of my other glasses have cost at a "boutique" type eye doctor. I also get contacts there, and they are decently cheap...I'm sure cheaper online, but again, I like to go once a year and have everything checked out, and it's just convenient to order them at the same time.

[Khaetra]

Do you have options like 20/20 Eyeglass Superstore, Eyeglass World, etc?  They always have BOGO specials (and with kids, having an extra pair might not be a bad idea).

[OurFirstFire]

America's Best works great for our family.  $59-$139 for the eye exam and two pairs of glasses.  For kids they include upgraded lenses for the base price.  It is nice to try on the glasses and have fitting assistance, and the exam and frames are quality!

[tennisray]

Goggles4u.com but their selection is not always great. Slickdeals.net has coupon codes to get their cheapest for less than $15. I’d suggest trying some on, taking measurements in mm and then filtering online choices by size on any online site.

[Cranky]

WalMart had great prices for kids glasses when my kids were little.

[garion]

Warby Parker is somewhat more expensive than the online stores, but they have physical locations for try-on and flitting, which takes that guesswork out of it. Glasses start at $95 (lenses and frames), and I pay $125 for mine (pretty blind).

[kanga1622]

My vision insurance gets us a pair of kids glasses for $25 each year. However, my oldest has broken his glasses 4 times since August and my youngest broke his 5 weeks after getting them. We ordered backup pairs from Zenni Optical but they haven't yet arrived. We decided the $40 (so $20 each pair) was worth it when we have little boys that are accident prone.

Both my boys have pretty mild scripts yet as they are new to wearing glasses this year. I have priced out my adult lenses and they are quite expensive (progressive bifocals, thinner lenses, extra reflective coating, etc.)

[BDWW]

I've ordered from both EyeBuyDirect and Zenni. The EBD ones seem to me to be a decent step up for a little more expense. The Zenni ones (frames) were just too flimsy and chincy. Generally the ones I like have been around $40-50. 

The add-ons are where they try to get you. The only one that you(I) can't live without is Anti-reflective(AR) coating. There's too much glare and light-ghosting if you skip it.

And just a reminder you can, of course, use your HSA for prescription glasses.

[mm1970]

I've had luck with 39dollarglasses.com

But now that I need progressives?  Costco

[mavendrill]

Generally not true with kids, but for extreme prescriptions Zenni is a massive savings (I save 200+vs beat competitors).  Zenni is probably the lowest quality glasses I've ever owned, but they are cheap.

[I'm a red panda]

The add-ons are where they try to get you. The only one that you(I) can't live without is Anti-reflective(AR) coating. There's too much glare and light-ghosting if you skip it.

I've found a blue light coating to also be very important. Especially with all the screen time both children and adults are exposed to.

[Blueberries]

I have yet to need them for children, but I've had great luck with Zenni.  I'm tougher than my children on things and I've had to purchase them every 2-3 years, but I only wear them at night and early morning before putting in contacts. 

[A Fella from Stella]

For non-prescription, I go with party favor sunglasses. Got my current pair from a wedding 2 years ago. They have good lenses, and have lasted longer than I thought they would.

[Wolfpack Mustachian]

Zenni works great. The quality is fine. I get 2-3 at a time when my child's prescription changes, and spend around 50-60 if I remember correctly.

[Cannot Wait!]

Are you anywhere near the Mexican border?  $50 gets you the eye exam as well as glasses.

[HerselftheElf]

I just got my first pair of Zenni's and they are the lightest, most comfortable glasses I've ever owned (and cheapest at $36 including single vision lenses, anti-reflective and anti-blue light).  We'll be ordering my step-son some tonight and he has a crazy strong prescription and it'll be about $100 vs the $300 we normally spend on kids glasses! 

Just a note on anti-reflective coatings...they don't actually reduce glare (that's polarized lenses) more they reduce the reflection on the glass itself.  My ophthalmologist recently gave me a lecture on this :-)  But still nice to be able to see someone's eyes more clearly!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-reflective_coating

[nereo]

I've had very good experiences with Zenni (know that other's have not).  FWIW I have a very strong Rx, so I need the high refractive lenses and generally go with metal frames. Typically it's ~$60 for me at Zenni, whereas I've never found a pair at Costco or any optometrist that was below $150 (often >$200) with high refractive lenses + frames + antiglare.  Never tried Walmart.

YMMV