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Why are glasses so expensive? The eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry

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Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry

#221

Post by evarady »

CarriersSuck wrote: post #129
CompelTechnic wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which brings up another benefit of using an online eyewear vendor: they let you type your own prescription in. If you are personally fine with using a two-year-old prescription, do it. When I ordered glasses a year ago, I also played around with the idea of eliminating astigmatism from my prescription by adjusting the cylinder value to 0 (it was only .25 in one eye and .50 in the other) and offsetting the sphere valu…

That's awesome. Anything more than about a half diopter and you'll probably not get away with that in glasses. Contacts can go a little higher. I'm personally astigmatism sensitive, so I have to be spot on for degree and diopter.

To be legally above board, an online provide must attempt to confirm the Rx you enter is correct AND still valid. But few if any do because its a race to the bottom on quality and price. At Topology Eyewear, we spare no expense to ensure you get the best custom frames (like a custom suit) AND the best optics money can buy. We take 100% compensated Rx very seriously!

Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry

#222

Post by kd0amg »

CarriersSuck wrote: post #106
Aunche wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Needing a prescription for glasses is a bit absurd to begin with. The worst case of wearing the wrong prescription is that you'll get a headache. I suppose it could be a bit dangerous if some drivers were slightly disoriented, but I can't imagine glasses being more dangerous than something like Tylenol.

You don't technically need an Rx. You can go to Zenni and just start plugging in numbers if you want. I'm not sure what that gains you, though.

It gains you the ability to replace a broken pair of glasses for just the cost of the glasses, rather than also having to pay for another eye exam.

Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry

#223

Post by michaelscott »

wsc981 wrote: post #68
blackbrokkoli wrote: post #40

Title correction: Why are glasses so expensive in the US? The American eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry. Please stop using the US as the "that's how it is"-standard. In Germany, you pay a very reasonable (from my layman perspective) price for the lenses, maybe about 40$ plus another 30$ if you want to have non-reflective glasses or product from big name producers and stuff like that. Like every fashion pr…

I believe in The Netherlands glasses are also very expensive (unless prices have changed in the last 5 years or so, which I very much doubt). Usually my glasses and frames had costs a total of around ~400 EUR in The Netherlands. Recently I bought new glasses in Thailand and there (to my surprise) they weren't much differently prices compared to The Netherlands, which didn't make sense to me, because that would make g…

Got mine in South Africa (albeit with blue light filters) for roughly the same price. Possibly an almost universal thing for normal optometrists (ie not start ups).

Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry

#224

Post by beering »

wsc981 wrote: post #68
blackbrokkoli wrote: post #40

Title correction: Why are glasses so expensive in the US? The American eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry. Please stop using the US as the "that's how it is"-standard. In Germany, you pay a very reasonable (from my layman perspective) price for the lenses, maybe about 40$ plus another 30$ if you want to have non-reflective glasses or product from big name producers and stuff like that. Like every fashion pr…

I believe in The Netherlands glasses are also very expensive (unless prices have changed in the last 5 years or so, which I very much doubt). Usually my glasses and frames had costs a total of around ~400 EUR in The Netherlands. Recently I bought new glasses in Thailand and there (to my surprise) they weren't much differently prices compared to The Netherlands, which didn't make sense to me, because that would make g…

You could probably order glasses from Zenni and have them shipped internationally. Even if you had to go through a reshipper, it should be a fraction of what you're paying.

Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry

#225

Post by evarady »

pkaye wrote: post #205
blackbrokkoli wrote: post #40

Title correction: Why are glasses so expensive in the US? The American eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry. Please stop using the US as the "that's how it is"-standard. In Germany, you pay a very reasonable (from my layman perspective) price for the lenses, maybe about 40$ plus another 30$ if you want to have non-reflective glasses or product from big name producers and stuff like that. Like every fashion pr…

Does that include the high-index material? Anti-scratch coating? Frames that don't look pathetic? Progressive lenses? Those are the things that really bring up the costs in the US.

At Topology Eyewear, we DON'T charge extra for super-high index (1.74) lenses, and all lenses come equipped with the best anti-reflective AND superhydrophobic coating. Because one shouldn't be forced to cut corners to deliver the best and most comfortable vision possible. Happy to answer any questions. Check it out at http://www.topologyeyewear.com

Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry

#226

Post by brewmarche »

pkaye wrote: post #205
blackbrokkoli wrote: post #40

Title correction: Why are glasses so expensive in the US? The American eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry. Please stop using the US as the "that's how it is"-standard. In Germany, you pay a very reasonable (from my layman perspective) price for the lenses, maybe about 40$ plus another 30$ if you want to have non-reflective glasses or product from big name producers and stuff like that. Like every fashion pr…

Does that include the high-index material? Anti-scratch coating? Frames that don't look pathetic? Progressive lenses? Those are the things that really bring up the costs in the US.

No it does not. I bought high-index glasses (I am 5 diopter myopic + 1 diopter of astigmatism and I chose the highest index they had, 1.6 or 1.7) and a classic frame (round) and paid a bit less than 500 Euro. This was 2 years ago in Bavaria.

E: it has all the coatings too

Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry

#227

Post by RickS »

joering2 wrote: post #173
rootusrootus wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The original article too long for you to get through? ;-) The company that basically owns the entire eyewear industry top-to-bottom is Italian. Just merged with a French company. I know it's popular on HN to talk about how crappy the US is, but in this case you jumped to the wrong conclusion.

Serious question: how can one "own" the whole industry? What stops me from opening my own eye glass store and sell my own made-at-the-back of the store glasses ??

They own the distribution channels, top to bottom[1]. Lenscrafters, sunglass hut, target optical, etc. If you don't play ball, they'll kill your distro. They did this to oakley in a hostile takeover[2] – luxottica cut them off and took almost 40% off their stock price. Oakley was then bought by lux.

What's stopping you from selling mom and pop? Mostly nothing. Warby Parker – and to a lesser degree, coastal – are doing this. But it's a weird middle-market place to live. Similar to things like Daniel Wellington in the watch game – you're selling $5 chinese products for $100 because you have a marketing and brand engine that fashionable but unlearned people don't question. In reality, the same products can be had for far less. EyeBuyDirect is the best place for cheap glasses. First pairs are often free but for shipping, about $7, and later pairs are about #30.

[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxottica [2]https://www.thestreet.com/story/1509351/1/oakley-suffers-as-...

Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry

#228

Post by evarady »

Fins wrote: post #201
interlocutor wrote: post #107

The reason glasses cost so much is because one company owns: (1) nearly all brand name frames including Ray-Ban, Oakley, Prada eyewear, Armani eyewear and so on, (2) nearly all retail stores such as LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical and Target Optical and (3) EyeMed, one of the largest vision insurance companies. See this eye-opening 60 Minutes story on Luxottica: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDdq2rIqAlM…

Aren't they now EssilorLuxottica and also control a good chunk of lenses market as well?

Fun fact: Costco and Walmart surface their lenses on equipment made by Essilor (Satisloh subsidiary). Also if you're buying "transitions" branded photochromatic lenses - that's Essilor too.

Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry

#229

Post by sf_rob »

nomel wrote: post #196
wuliwong wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been wearing glasses for over 25 years, the last 5 or so years I've been buying them from Zenni and it has been great. The best pair of glasses I've ever owned were about $25 from Zenni. I used to wear contacts a lot more until I got that one pair from Zenni. Now I wear contacts a few times a month. I had to get a new prescription, so I went to a Walmart. After, they said that they could replace the lenses in my…

> Why aren't people using them? I've converted several people, but not being able to touch them and try them on first appears to be a significant problem.

I'd pay a fee to "borrow" the empty frames of 3-5 selections from Zenni and then return them prior to ordering. I've had mixed success on fitment from Zenni.

Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The eyewear industry prefers to keep that blurry

#230

Post by ddingus »

kazinator wrote: post #110
ddingus wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's maybe Fair given the potential rate of change.

You can go decades without a change, or a significant change (more than half a diopter).

Yeah, and others may go months, or years too.
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