Author Topic: Get glasses online  (Read 6769 times)

daverobev

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Get glasses online
« on: August 27, 2015, 06:02:38 AM »
Seriously. I don't even know the going rate at an optician these days, but the last pair I bought there was probably north of £200.

Yes, it can be tricky the first time ordering online, but your current glasses will have most dimensions on them, you can measure your PD easily, and you should have the prescription from your last eye test.

I'm fairly short sighted (-6ish) and I've stopped bothering with the ultra thin lenses, too; actually the lowest polycarbonate lenses are fine.

Some sites:

Clearly Contacts
Zenni Optical
EyeBuyDirect

And apparently clearly.ca is having an "upgrade your lenses for free" deal with promocode LENSUP

I just bought a new pair of glasses from EyeBuyDirect. Total cost was $45, far from the cheapest.

Shinplaster

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Re: Get glasses online
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2015, 08:52:01 AM »
I haven't tried Clearly Contacts yet, because I never find frames I like.  But we tried Zenni for the first time last summer, and have had great success.   After I got my first pair, DH decided he wanted a new pair, got a pair for my Mom, and my first prescription sunglasses ever.  I usually get the transition lenses, but they don't darken enough in the car.   Lenscrafters price for my glasses?  $600.   Zenni's price for my glasses, with bifocals, anti-reflective, and transition?  $80.   Sunglasses were $40.   So the 5 pairs we have ordered so far don't even come up to one pair at Lenscrafters yet.   Our optometrist has checked them, and confirmed the prescription is spot on.

Our daughter-in-law just ordered a pair too, after hearing what ours cost.  She was quoted $700 from her optometrist, and got them for $70 from Zenni.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Get glasses online
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2015, 08:55:35 AM »
I got a pair from Zenni. I could see fine out of them, but I just didn't like the way they fit my face at all.  It was a disappointment.

Now I use Walmart. Fabulous prices, extremely happy with the glasses. And they have a great guarantee- so when I bought 2 pairs and decided I didn't like one, they took them back for a full refund no questions asked.

Jeremy E.

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Re: Get glasses online
« Reply #3 on: August 27, 2015, 09:10:48 AM »
Can you use insurance with purchases from Zenni or other online sellers?

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Re: Get glasses online
« Reply #4 on: August 27, 2015, 09:29:24 AM »
I'll cast a vote for Zenni Optial.

I purchased my glasses on Oct 2013 and with two boys grabbing them and twisting, then still hold up.   At the time I had an HSA account and used that as a qualified purchase.  I didn't have vision insurance as the monthly cost was way too much.

You will need a script from an eye doctor for filling out the information on their site.  As you can see from my order details, all of this is used in your order for setup.  Depending on the strength required of the script, your pricing will change.

Here are my order details.

Order Items:
Frame   767312 Pure Titanium Half-Rim Frame with Plastic Temples   $35.95
Color   Black, Grey    
Polarized Clip-On Sunglasses - Gray   1    $3.95
Polarized Clip-On Sunglasses - Amber   1    $3.95
Gradient Clip On Sunshade - Gray   1    $5.95
Prescription Type   Single Vision    
PD-Pupillary Distance   64    
Lens   1.61 High-Index Single Vision   $19.95
AR Anti-Reflection Coating   Oleophobic (oil and fingerprint resistant) premium anti-reflective coating    $14.95
OD SPH   -4.25    
OD CYL   -0.25    
OD AXIS   90    
OD Prism Value       
OD Base Direction       
OD NVADD       
OS SPH   -3.25    
OS CYL   -0.75    
OS AXIS   85    
OS Prism Value       
OS Base Direction       
OS NVADD       
Extra Strength Charge       
Unit Price       $84.70
Quantity       1
Sub Total       $84.70
Subtotal   $84.70
Shipping & Handling   $4.95
Grand Total   $89.65

Rural

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Re: Get glasses online
« Reply #5 on: August 28, 2015, 04:55:00 AM »
I've used Zenni for five or six years now, and I'm very happy with them.

dcheesi

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Re: Get glasses online
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2015, 07:00:59 AM »
Zenni FTW! Just be sure to measure the frames you currently have, and look for frames that match those numbers as closely as possible.

bagap

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Re: Get glasses online
« Reply #7 on: August 31, 2015, 03:04:39 PM »
BIG fan of buying glasses online.  Just had this conversation with my sister over the weekend.  She has a ton of credit card debt, little income, and a bunch of other financial concerns...yet she buys hers at the local optician.  After insurance her share was about $475. WTF???!!!  I have told her so many times that local opticians are a scam but she just won't listen to me.

I've been using http://www.39dollarglasses.com for almost a decade and have bought over a dozen pairs for less than one pair of hers.  As a regular user, you build up credits and they also have discounts at least every other month.  Yes, the glasses kinda feel cheap but they work and look stylish (believe it or not, I get compliments on my $39 glasses lol).  Plus, I don't feel bad when I drop them, which inevitably happens almost every day.

hyla

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Re: Get glasses online
« Reply #8 on: September 16, 2015, 11:46:22 AM »
I got glasses from polette.com for $40.  I like mine a lot and they had tons of stylish frames to choose from. 

Mine were pretty simple cause my prescription is only -3.00 - antiscratch/antireflective coating but nothing else, but they also have options for progressives, thin lenses etc. for a little more money. 

Shinplaster

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Re: Get glasses online
« Reply #9 on: September 17, 2015, 08:32:57 AM »
I got glasses from polette.com for $40.  I like mine a lot and they had tons of stylish frames to choose from. 

Mine were pretty simple cause my prescription is only -3.00 - antiscratch/antireflective coating but nothing else, but they also have options for progressives, thin lenses etc. for a little more money.

I took a look at their website, since I'm having trouble finding glasses my Mom likes.  Wow, that is a bad site!   If you managed to hang in there and order glasses, you have way more patience than I do.  Trying to just get the fit dimensions takes forever.  And the glasses come from China, not Europe as I expected.

Spork

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Re: Get glasses online
« Reply #10 on: September 17, 2015, 08:46:07 AM »
I've gotten 2 pairs from Zenni.

* regular bifocals -- with the reasonably high index lenses.  (My prescription is similar to OP's but with a boatload of astigmatism thrown in on top.)  This came out to be about $70.  Very comfortable, though in retrospect I wish I had gotten no line bifocals just to get some mid range focus in there.  The frames lasted about 2 years and then broke.  I ordered the same frame for another $10 and they were back in business.

* no line bifocal sunglassers -- same reasonably high index lens.  I think This was in the $80-$90 range.  I wear these, but ... the color of the tint is just wrong.   I got what appeared to be the color I normally get, but these seriously change colors (where a RayBan/Serengetti in the same color family would not.)

I'm mostly happy with them... but not sure I'd get sunglasses from them again.

I also have a pair from Sams Club.  (I am blind enough and hard enough on glasses that I really want a backup pair.)  I think they ran about $200 for no line bifocal, high index.  They don't fit as nicely as the Zennis, but I really prefer the mid range focus.

Side note:  I absolutely DO NOT LIKE the anti glare coating.  In my experience, that coating appears to get scratched up long before the lenses do.  In a year or two, mine are totally unusable.  I am super careful about only cleaning them with approved soft cloth/cleaning solution.

EvenKeeled

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Re: Get glasses online
« Reply #11 on: September 25, 2015, 11:40:25 PM »
I was afraid my progressive (no-line bifocals) might not be done just right, so I chickened out and bought them locally. Over $600!!

Has anyone bought progressive lens glasses online? Were you happy with them?

Spork

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Re: Get glasses online
« Reply #12 on: September 26, 2015, 07:46:44 AM »
I was afraid my progressive (no-line bifocals) might not be done just right, so I chickened out and bought them locally. Over $600!!

Has anyone bought progressive lens glasses online? Were you happy with them?

See post above yours.  My sunglasses were progressive.  Other than the odd tint color, the progressive portion was fine.

EvenKeeled

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Re: Get glasses online
« Reply #13 on: September 26, 2015, 02:36:09 PM »
I was afraid my progressive (no-line bifocals) might not be done just right, so I chickened out and bought them locally. Over $600!!

Has anyone bought progressive lens glasses online? Were you happy with them?

See post above yours.  My sunglasses were progressive.  Other than the odd tint color, the progressive portion was fine.

Next time I'll definitely look for a good online company and go that route. Saving $500 is worth a little nervousness, especially if/when they have a refund policy.

eostache

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Re: Get glasses online
« Reply #14 on: September 26, 2015, 08:00:04 PM »
I have several pairs of Zenni glasses. Some of them I like better than others, but I like having a stock on hand. Some of mine are tinted as rx sunglasses. The ones I got 4 years ago seem to be a little better made than the ones I got last year.

My bf didn't like any of the frames at Zenni. He ended up finding frames he liked on 39dollarglasses. He has several pairs including rx sunglasses from there. Look for $15 off coupons for this place.