The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Do it Yourself Discussion! => Topic started by: igthebold on July 27, 2012, 07:02:50 AM
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Any of you know a resource for fitting eyeglasses oneself?
I just bought some from Zenni Optical, and the optics are great, but the glasses give me a headache.
Also, the frames are larger than I was expecting. My son tells me I look like an owl. I'm telling myself he'll get used to it, as will I. We'll see. :)
They were $38 including high-index lenses, so if you have a strong prescription, expect to either have coke-bottles, or to pay around that much.
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If you have an older set of glasses you like, just take all the measurements that Zenni has with a ruler. This way, you'll know what kind of lens width, bridge width, temple length, etc. you like. The interpupillary distance is the hardest- I just had a friend use a ruler with millimeters as I stared straight ahead. I had a headache for the first two days (I'm guessing the interpupillary distance was a little different than my old glasses), but that resolved and these $16 glasses have been great for 4 years now. My prescription hasn't changed (so no, the glasses aren't somehow hurting my eyes).
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Most glasses should have their lens, bridge and temple measurements marked either on the inside of one of the temple arms or micro-engraved around the lens portion of the frame. If you've got a good pair of glasses already that fit well, just steal those numbers from that pair.
As for interpupillary distance, it's actually really easy to do if you have a second person. I picked this trick up a few weeks ago when I got my eyes examined. Sit eye level from one another about three feet apart while wearing your glasses, and look forward into the eyes of the person "doing the measurement". Have them take a dry erase marker and dot the center of your eyes on each lens. Then you can just take your glasses off and measure it with a millimeter ruler. The number should be symmetrical unless you've got birth defects or a wicked broken face from an accident. (Not my words, by the way, words of the woman who did the measurement on me when I asked about symmetry measurements with this technique.) In those cases, measure horizontally from the dot to the center of the bridge.
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There's a free app from measuring pupillary distance at
http://www.justeyewear.com/pupilmeter
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I didn't have any headaches with any of my Zenni glasses so I can't really comment on ideas there--my prescription isn't that bad though, maybe the high index has something to do with it. As far as pupillary distance goes, I got that with my prescription. It was a bit of a battle--when I got the written prescription I asked the eye doctor for the pupillary distance since that field had been left blank. The eye doctor said the glasses fitting people do that, and the glasses fitting people initially refused to do it unless I was buying glasses. I complained to the eye doctor, and with just a bit of hemming and hawing, the eye doctor had the glasses people do it. For any full grown adult it's a one-time problem since it's not going to change, unless you're a boxer or something...
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I just bought some from Zenni Optical, and the optics are great, but the glasses give me a headache.
The wife has glasses from there, and her prescription is -9 and -9.5 (same as mine). No headaches.
I don't know what your prescription is, but I'm doubting it's that much worse, no?
Make sure the prescription and pupillary distance is correct. As Shavin mentions, it should be included free with an eye exam.
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Ah, I see I didn't indicate my problem clearly enough. The optics are actually quite excellent. It's the physical fitting of these particular frames that hurts—the work that the optician normally does after they come in from having the lenses put in. Bending the frames and whatnot until they actually fit my face.
As of now, I've isolated the pain to chafing at my left ear, and as with my previous glasses, I'll likely just live with it until I adapt. :P
So far, I'm actually satisfied, especially as I have conversations with people and am reminded how much glasses normally cost. Everything from $150-$400! And more, I'm sure.
As for pupillary distance, I had my optometrist do that during the exam. He did it quite cheerfully and assumed I was buying glasses online. Nice guy. He also even measured my existing glasses for sizing reference.
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If you live near a Sunglass Hut or similar chain, they will usually do the frame alterations you're talking about for free, and they don't care if you bought your glasses there or not.
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I'm pretty sure a Walmart Optical would do it for free as well. They've adjusted the arms (or whatever they're called) as well as reconnecting a broken nose piece for my wife for free, and she didn't get her glasses there.