Best place for eyeglasses?

[Jesda]

Went to Lens Crafters today. $150 and $380 for the two frames I like, and $300+ for polycarbonate anti-glare scratch-resistant lenses. Sounds like a lot, but the frames felt like very high quality. The sales girl seemed attentive and knowledgeable.

Compare to Wal-Mart, $200-$250 out the door for everything, but the scratch-resistant lenses I bought five years ago are covered in several scratches and the lenses are currently held in the frame with glue.

Then there's Costco, never checked there before. Suggestions? Is it really worth paying more than double? I figure eyeglasses are like hair, eyes, and teeth, your primary interface to the outside world, but $700 still seems like a lot.

[Captain Slow]

I have to say $700 does sound like a lot. I personally go to Lens Crafters, as they have always been helpful and willing to go the extra mile. The glasses I am wearing now, the frame was $58 on sale, and the lenses I have had for 2-3 years. It's about time for me to get some new ones, and they priced out a nice frame and lenses for approximately $300. ( And that is for the UV activated lenses.)
I would not get glasses from Wal-Mart or similar. I have always stuck with either Lens Crafters, or smaller owned places. The smaller places usually have some good deals, but you usually sacrifice the quantity of choices.

[BusyBadger]

...I bought five years ago...

There's your answer.

It wouldn't matter how much you paid, after five years whereever you picked up your specs from they would be showing some wear. But, there have been a lot of developements in scratch resistant coatings and the newer coatings don't craze nearly as much as stuff from four or five years ago did/does.

Have you ever considered going the contact lens route with a pair of lower end (ie: less durable) glasses for wear around the house when you don't have contacts in?

[Jesda]

I like how glasses look. Lets me commit crimes.

[nissangirl74]

i have bought all of my glasses, and Katrina's, at Wal-Mart for the past several years. Never had an issue.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Then there's Costco, never checked there before. Suggestions? Is it really worth paying more than double? I figure eyeglasses are like hair, eyes, and teeth, your primary interface to the outside world, but $700 still seems like a lot.

I got my most recent pair of glasses from Costco. Got them with polycarbonate lenses in some nice thin Converse frames. I honestly don't remember the cost, but it seems like it wasn't more than $250. My glasses are really only for backup, though--I wear contacts most of the time.

[nissangirl74]

anti-glare scratch-resistant lenses

Typically a waste of money, especially the scratch guard. Had them on one pair and didn't notice enough positive effects to justify the extra cost.

[numbnuts240]

Typically a waste of money, especially the scratch guard. Had them on one pair and didn't notice enough positive effects to justify the extra cost.

i stopped opting for that coating a while ago.

jesda, i visit a local optometrist and get my frames and lenses through him. same s*** that lenscrafters has, without the over inflated price. but i also get a new pair with my yearly exam, so i tend to be a bit harder on my glasses than most people.

[Rex]

Jesda you know my 2 cents. Let me know if I can be of any help.

[Jesda]

Jesda you know my 2 cents. Let me know if I can be of any help.

Put in a good word for me with the sales girl.

[Rex]

For you I can do more than that.

Shoot me an email with your mailing address.

[Jesda]

E-mail addy wasn't in your NICO 3.0 profile.


You know you're the man right? In case that wasn't clear, you rock.

Jesda Gulati
PO BOX 116
Chesterfield MO 63006

Huge thanks! I owe you several beers at the next meet.

[sentrastace]

America's Best has really cheap eyeglasses and contacts (still name brand) and they often have two-for price deals on glasses. Before them, I used wal-mart.
But I just got LASIK so no more contacts/glasses

[Rex]

It's in the mail.

[OriginalWheelman]

I go to America's Best. I have bought Glasses from lots of places as I have been wearing them as long as I can remember. I've bought them from Wal*Mart, Sterling, Lenscrafters, i think even Sears at one point IIRC. TBH, I have never noticed much difference in quality, though the Wal*Mart frames were particularly weak. To be fair however, I did buy the cheapest pair they had. I get new glasses ever 2-3 years and I always go to America's Best now. I get a new eye exam included, which is really a formality as my Script has not changed in 8 years. I always get a pair of regular frames, and a pair of sunglasses that I keep in the car. Usually costs me about $250 for both.

[flohtingPoint]

I know my size so I usually use optics online or whatever. Basically search for optics and glasses and it's the first site that pops up.

[Kompresshun]

I've heard Sams Club is great for glasses too.

I went to a local optometrist as well and got a really good deal I think. I got a nice pair of Oakleys with the poly lenses, scratch resistant coating, and anti glare for $220 with the exam included.

[Rex]

All - Not all eyeglasses (frames nor lenses) are the same quality.

Some of the price differences is due to the service provided/expected. Not everyone needs their new glasses today, but not everyone is willing to wait until next month either. One key question to ask is what will they do if something's wrong? I'm not just talking about a mistake they might make (some independents won't even fix their own errors for free).

Like any "important purchase" due your research and more importantly ask your family/friends what good and bad experiences they have.

[skydragoness]

Get eye exam. Ask for pupil distance on prescription they give you. Go online and buy frames/lenses. It's so cheap you'll poop yourself.
For $80 or less... it's worth a shot. I'm waiting to see what his looks like and if he's happy with them/etc.

http://3mew.wordpress.com/2006/11/10/ey ... r-suckers/
http://www.zennioptical.com/home.php
http://www.goggles4u.com

[Jesda]

I have a huge skull. I mean, really, its basically a big brown watermelon. My ears are also uneven, so one is higher than the other and one is also further back from my face. Unfortunately, I pretty much have to try frames on in person. Sometimes, narrower ones actually fit better because of the way the "ears" are shaped or how the bridge bows out.

I had the same problem with shoes last month. I drove around town shopping for 6 hours trying to buy sandals, and in the end I was forced to go with the most expensive brand because they were the only pair that fit my elephant feet.

[skydragoness]

Well, my co-worker has a big skull too, he found a frame on goggles4u (you can measure and such) that supposedly will fit. He said most of the frames on the website did not fit when he plugged in the numbers.
Apparently LC deletes customer's records after a year, you could roll in there and get a free adjustment probably too

[nissangirl74]

But I just got LASIK so no more contacts/glasses

How did this go? I have seriously considered it but the thought of someone screwing up makes me nervous as hell.

Sorry for the thread jack.

[Rex]

Apparently LC deletes customer's records after a year, you could roll in there and get a free adjustment probably too

I can tell you that's not allowed by state law in any state. And does not happen.

And if you've seen the recent commercials, Free adjustments is something they do.

[skydragoness]

Why is that not allowed? A friend went in there after more than a year and they couldn't find their old info on the computer. Why should a retail eyeglass store be able to keep name/address (not talking about eye exam info, just info on their glasses). Just wondering.

[RobPaulson]

Then there's Costco, never checked there before. Suggestions? Is it really worth paying more than double? I figure eyeglasses are like hair, eyes, and teeth, your primary interface to the outside world, but $700 still seems like a lot.

i've always gotten my glasses at costco, the one here in milford is great, the sales people are knowledgeable, attentive, and eager to help if anything ever goes wrong. they will repair your glasses just for showing you membership card in most cases, no charge.

i am actually due for another pair, i've had these for about 4 years now, one of the the hinges finally gave way, but trust me, i've been anything but careful with them lol

right now, they actually have a pair (this may just be local to milford, but who knows) that are extremely thin and flexible. I had a pair like this before (about 6-7 years ago now) and LOVED them, had them for years. you can literally twist them and they snap right back into form. super light. super comfy. loved em. goin on saturday for my second pair.

you can get a second set of frames with polarized lenses too for sun glasses, very convenient and cheap for prescription polarized lenses. i may be wrong but i believe they have specials for getting 2 sets of frames.

EDIT: saw how you have trouble with fitting, they will spend time fitting them for you, and if they ever bend or get out of whack, just go back, show ur member card, and they will work with you until they are comfy again. EXCELLENT customer support. Some of the best i've encountered.

[LongBeachCoupe]

Ive actually got some great glasses off ebay!

Now im rocking a pair of Puma glasses I bought in a store ($250 total without insurance with a stigmatism and the glare guard) (these are my fancy daytime ones)

The "workhorse" of my glasses is my "flex" pair, the ones you can wrap around your finger and they hold their shape. A $30 frame I got on ebay, 4 yrs ago!
They actually fell off my shirt while i was at a club, and i waited till it was closing time, walked around and found them with beer and junk all over them, stepped on the floor... Rinsed em off, put em right back on!

[RobPaulson]

ha LBC thats awesome, i may have to look into that! any more specific details on what the 'flex' pair was called?

[Jesda]

Flex titanium is the coolest thing ever. That's what I have now. Unfortunately, the screw holes are worn so the lenses are held in by glue.

[Rex]

Why is that not allowed?

There are Record Retention Requirements in every state. The shortest I ever heard of was 3 years. Some states require the records be kept for the "recipients lifetime". In short, the eye glasses delivered are "filling" a Dr's written prescription and fall into a lot of the same regulations that drug prescription/pharmacies do.

There's a real good chance they couldn't find her records, because the wrong number was used (typo, unwilling to give, used a bogus one, etc) or similar situation.

I'll almost guarantee, there was a simple name/address/phone # mismatch between the purchase entry and the return "search". As they say GIGO.

And I'm not saying you "can't" get good eye wear from a low price location or even online, you just need to realize the eye glass industry is like all others. There's corners that can be cut and different levels of quality. My biggest "warning" would be how many inspection points are the eye wear going through and what's their service after the sale policies?

[Rex]

The most common "flex frame" brand is Marchon Flexon. Others have made similar, but they've the biggest for as long as I've been in the eye glass game ~25 years.