I need glasses! - Page 2

Re: I need glasses!

Re: I need glasses!

Re: I need glasses!

Re: I need glasses!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted Todorov Just got my first glasses (reading glasses) yesterday. My wife seems to think they are a veritable chick magnate. I guess I'm not permitted to read in public

Re: I need glasses!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted Todorov Just got my first glasses (reading glasses) yesterday. My wife seems to think they are a veritable chick magnate. I guess I'm not permitted to read in public

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Frezon Sounds like Ted just hit paydirt!

Re: I need glasses!

Ressurecting a dead thread here to get some advice. Growing up, I always got glasses cheap through my dad's vision plan, which expired when he retired around the same time I graduated from college. I've hung on with the last pair of glasses I got under his plan for many years now, but they're scratched and the prescription is out of date so I've decided enough is enough: it's time to get new glasses.

Thanks to being "lucky" enough to be born with an eye syndrome the requires visits to an opthamologist every few years, I was able to get an eye exam during an appointment covered by my regular health insurance. So I have the prescription and just need to worry about the frames and lenses. Ideally, I'd like to get a pair for under $200 with scratch resistent coating on the lenses that look fairly contemporary. For such an important purchase, I don't really want to buy online.

What brick and mortar chains have you guys had good luck with? What prices should I expect paying completely out of pocket?

Thanks!

Adam:

I've had decent experiences at the LensCrafters at Crossgates Mall. I went to them with pretty specific requirements my last time out and ended up with more expensive lenses, etc.

As it is with everything in life, YMMV depending upon who you get that takes care of you. 

If I were you I would walk in and tell them exactly what you would like to get out of the experience...be up front and tell them you don't have insurance, etc. and give them your pricepoint and then leave it up to them to see the best that they can do.  If you don't like the available frames or lenses they are offering, say "thanks, but no thanks" and try a different place.  Also be sure to have them spell out any "hidden costs" such as scratch coating as part of their work-up. 

I've been into the LensCrafters at Colonie Center too...but only for adjustments to my frames and to buy cleaner, et al.  But I would suspect the service is about the same. 

Good luck.

If you're OK with Walmart, I had a good experience with their Vision Center when I was in college back in 2006. Scratch−resistant coating is included at no additional charge. As far as costs go, it depends on what you want in terms of the style of the frame and the type of lenses that you want, as well as the strength of your prescription. At my local eye doctor, most of their frames range from $80-150, so Walmart should be the same or cheaper. The lenses will likely range from $80-150 as well.

Thanks for the recommendations. The LensCrafters at Crossgates was my where I got my current pair oh so many years ago. They're the kind that uses a fragile wire to hold the lenses in place rather than a traditional frame. The wire has broken half a dozen times, and they've always been great about fixing them for free right away, no paperwork no questions asked. The only reason I didn't leap to going there right away is the price point. Their frame prices aren't that much above average, but they seem to charge way more for lenses than anybody else. I do have a 50 percent off coupon for lenses good through the end of the month, so I still might decide to pay a little extra to continue getting service that has been dependable so far.

Walmart is a place I wouldn't have thought of, but it's definitely on my radar now. Do you still have that pair now, Thomas? If not, did you switch because of a new prescription or because there was an issue with the glasses themselves?

My problem is finding frames I like.  The current trend are those wide, thin frames but I hate those.  Round-ish frames look best on my face - John Lennon / Harry Potter-y style.  Can't find frames like that anywhere.  I found one online retailer that sells them but I'm leery of that.  It's one thing to order something off Amazon, something else to order just because a web search brought up a page.  I've asked various eye places and they won't order specific frames.  You get what's in stock.

I do wonder, tho, where people get their unique frames.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Lenhardt 

Thanks for the recommendations. The LensCrafters at Crossgates was my where I got my current pair oh so many years ago. They're the kind that uses a fragile wire to hold the lenses in place rather than a traditional frame. The wire has broken half a dozen times, and they've always been great about fixing them for free right away, no paperwork no questions asked. The only reason I didn't leap to going there right away is the price point. Their frame prices aren't that much above average, but they seem to charge way more for lenses than anybody else. I do have a 50 percent off coupon for lenses good through the end of the month, so I still might decide to pay a little extra to continue getting service that has been dependable so far.

 

Walmart is a place I wouldn't have thought of, but it's definitely on my radar now. Do you still have that pair now, Thomas? If not, did you switch because of a new prescription or because there was an issue with the glasses themselves?

Now that I think about it a little more, I don't think I got a frame or lenses at Walmart; I only got a new prescription for contact lenses. I believe the prescription for the glasses was still good enough since I wore contacts most of the time.