Looking for info and deals on eye glasses?

[ninna]

I learned today that I need reading glasses and received a prescription for them but I am a total newbie when it comes to buying these things.

DH suggested I should just go to the dollar store but the problem is both eyes are vastly different in terms of what they need. The right eye is basically fine while the left one is totally not. lol. So a standard pair from the dollar store would offer the same strength in both eyes and that's not what I need. More than that though, if I am stuck wearing these things I want them to look good. MIL buys dollar store ones and I'm not a fan.

The optometrist was trying to sell me some in the office (of course!) and I was cynical about purchasing them on the spot in part because I want to have DH with me to tell me what looks good and in part because I don't know what a good deal is. I don't have benefits to cover this purchase so I want to be smart about what I do buy and get the best deal possible.

The optometrist was offering 2 pairs of them with frames, lenses for my prescription and 2 year guarantee for $300. I have no idea if this is a good deal or not.

What's a good price for glasses?

Where's a good place to buy them?

Does anyone know of any deals on right now or coupon codes etc?

[Dan in Canada]

Clearly Contacts.ca usually has some cheap prices (way cheaper than any optometrist) and occasionally they come out with deals and sales. When I bought my first pair of glasses there for 60% less than the doctors office was selling them for, I also got a gift card to use on a second pair - completely free except for shipping.

I'd recommend Clearly Contacts as I don't think it gets any cheaper as far as glasses go

[SassyAshley]

I have heard great things about Costco but never actually tried them myself as I have not needed new glasses recently (had the same pair for over 10 years). Not sure because I have not compared myself but I was told Costco is cheaper than Wal-Mart which is regularly recommend around here.

[lecale]

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[idiotcanuck]

If you want to keep the cost down to a reasonable level look at the three ultra cheap US based online eyeglass sellers. Eyebuydirect, Zenni Optical and Goggles4U. I had a good experience with EBD recently, and got two pair of decent single prescription distance glasses for under $40 cdn. At Goggles4U you can get a pair delivered for $11, if you can find inexpensive frames that you like. They do seem to have a higher incidence of complaints though. Here's a link to my thread for coupons/discounts if you are considering these options.
http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/389368-...gles4u-canada/

[idiotcanuck]

Goggles4U also has their buy one get one offer going until 6:00am, code GOBOGO. This would be of use if someone wanted two pairs of more expensive glasses. Otherwise for inexpensive pairs their code GLASSES990 gives you glasses for $11 cdn shipped.

[Mulveyteach]

I was so skeptical about buying online but went with zenni last year. Bought 4 of them for the price of what one pair would cost at usual Costco. I love love zenni. If you create an acct they send you email offers regularly.


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[idiotcanuck]

I was so skeptical about buying online but went with zenni last year. Bought 4 of them for the price of what one pair would cost at usual Costco. I love love zenni. If you create an acct they send you email offers regularly.


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I have to admit I was really skeptical about it too, but it went so well that I can't understand why anyone would prefer to spend 10X more in an optical store for essentially the same glasses. OK maybe you might get slightly better fames, and maybe some personal help getting the frames adjusted, but is that really worth $200-$250 more? I am going to use the rest of my insurance coverage and get a pair of progressive glasses, with photochromic lenses and better frames, online. They will still cost under $100.

[bmaven]

I got mine at Costco. If your prescription is complicated I think it might be best to go to a physical location rather than shipping back and forth.
The lenses I got were great but my prescription isn't complex so I'm not sure how much your bill could creep up to. Mine was under 200


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[super807]

I have not bought online, always in person. I've bought from the optician at the optometrist's office, and this summer bought at RCSS. RCSS was having (and might still be offering) a 2 for 1 event. If this is your first pair of reading glasses, you might not realize the convenience of having 2 pairs. I wish I had gotten two pairs the first time. Now that I have two, I leave one at the office, and keep one at home. When I only had one pair, I always kept them in my work bag, because forgetting them at home made my work day very difficult. So I often didn't have them with me at the grocery store, which made reading labels really, really difficult (dh has a nut allergy, so reading ingredients important). It also made really the label on OTC medication impossible.

One advantage to buying in person rather than online is that they can shape/size the frame to your face. The glasses I just got really needed some adjustment to fit comfortably. A comfortable fit is really important given how much I wear them. It was quick and easy for her to heat and shape my frames while I waited. I have plastic frames because I can't bear the pressure the nose pads from wire frames. Gives me bad headaches.

If you do decide to buy online, you might want to browse in person to try on different frames to better understand what you like for yourself, not just from looks, but also how they feel to wear.

The $300 for two pairs you were quoted is a decent price from an optometrist's office. Frames are usually around $75 to $125, then your prescription and the materials used for the lenses will affect price. Some of the thinner, lighter materials are higher priced, and there is also a cost for the coatings and such that go on the glasses. In the end, it depends on what you want. You don't need to go with the standard package they sell to everyone. You can question each item, ask them to describe it, the pros and cons of that material/coating, etc., and decide what you truly need/want.

[lecale]

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[ninna]

I think I am going to buy my first pair in a store somewhere first so I can see what they look like on my face first. If I knew exactly what I wanted, I wouldn't mind buying them online but I don't know what I want or what will look good.

Great advice everyone! Thank you! I feel well equipped to shop for my glasses now!!