My go-to is Payneglasses.com. They're easy to work with and have incredible deals. Most of the frames I buy are $5.95 and then I add on the blue blocking protection and antiglare.
Why are glasses so expensive? The industry prefers to keep that blurry (2019)
261–270 of 326 posts
Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The industry prefers to keep that blurry (2019)
#262Uh, they aren't. You go to Zenni Optical and it's a solved problem. You basically choose what you want to pay. Their $7 glasses work great. My every days were $25, until I decided to try out their UV blocking lenses, which bumped them to $50. My prescription sunglasses and prescription safety goggles were each $80. If you've got a stronger prescription or need more than single vision lenses you'll pay a bit more. But…
Try Payneglasses.com. They're cheaper than zenni. Also, they're way easier to deal with if you need to exchange/return.
Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The industry prefers to keep that blurry (2019)
#263Great suggestions for cheaper alternatives in this thread! Does anyone knows if it's possible to get cycling sunglasses of similar quality as Oakley/100%? By cycling sunglasses I mean: -shape (those need to be big and go over forehead so you see clearly from hunched position) -lenses (tint, increased color contrast, preferably not polarized), anti fog -safe in case of a crash I tried shopping around but couldn't find…
try payneglasses.com. I got some sports sunglasses from there. They're wraparound and have polarized lenses. They were around $25.
Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The industry prefers to keep that blurry (2019)
#264It's expensive because Luxottica keeps quiet. It's a monopoly and needs to be broken up.
Reading through this thread though, it seems like they have a lot of competition at a wide range of price points, from ten bucks to a couple hundred.
Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The industry prefers to keep that blurry (2019)
#265Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've asked for my pupillary distance in the past and got a talking to about how evil online ordering is and how it'll ruin my eyes before they would give it to me. All BS, and when I asked if they'd fill a prescription for lenses for my VR unit instead of ordering them online, they stared at me like I had grown a third arm.
My understanding is that they are legally required to give it to you, at least in some places.
Correct! By law, they're required to give it to you. If they refuse, just use an app on your smartphone. (eyemeasure is the one i used)
Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The industry prefers to keep that blurry (2019)
#266Earlier quoted context omitted.
Presuming that they have multiple different lenses in stock you can compare them side by side visually? You can wet them, shine a flashlight, put them under the sun for transition lenses, etc... Not foolproof, but it would make it harder to substitute the lower end lenses, 3 coatings vs 2 coating would likely be noticeable. 8 coatings vs 7 coatings might not be. So for the mid range and above it probably doesn't make…
So we can't trust the store to give us the glasses we ordered, we need to test them. To get a control to test against, we're then going to...trust the store and have them provide the control? How do you know those glasses on the counter touting 8 layers actually has those 8 layers? It kind of sounds like all you can really do is see if the glasses have the features you requested. Do they transition? Does it seem like…
What a weird argument. Obviously a company can go n-layers deep when it comes to misdirection, but I'd say going to a store to physically inspect what you're getting is a much better option than blindly trusting everything they tell you.
In a store you can compare things side by side. If you order something, you get what you get and have no frame of reference.
Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The industry prefers to keep that blurry (2019)
#267Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've been seeing the same ophthalmologist for years, but last time, they told me I needed to get the COVID booster for next visit. So there was no next visit. I have other doctors and a dentist, and none of them push that. He's also absolutely dogmatic and dismissive about how LASIK is safe (although he didn't push it for me). He did give me my PD, though.
Pretty messed up they wouldn't let you endanger them at their own workplace
It’s clear at this point that vax/boosts don’t keep you from contracting or passing on the virus.
What matters to others is you showing up at the dentist exhibiting symptoms.
Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The industry prefers to keep that blurry (2019)
#268Earlier quoted context omitted.
Indeed. I buy 5 pairs of glasses at a time (cheapest ones I can manage which look OK). 5 at a time is still cheaper than 1/3rd the price of low cost normal glasses. And each of those 5 pairs is half as durable. It is a similarly wild situation where eye exams at Walmart can be cheaper than at a regular eye doctor covered by my insurance.
I bought my lone pair of glasses in 2009 and I've replaced the lenses once since then. I wear them every day. Now I'm wondering what everyone else is doing.
well lots of peoples prescription changes frequently. and other people care about fashion.
Your style of glasses can say a lot about you as a person.
Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The industry prefers to keep that blurry (2019)
#269Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Why can't a new company simply undercut the competition? They can and they do [1]. They just don't have the same marketing budget, so you don't hear as much about them. [1] https://www.zennioptical.com/
Not to mention the pupillary distance is not commonly included on optical prescriptions which creates a significant hurdle, even though it can be measured yourself or usually given when asked.
my family won't even ask for the pd... so I can't buy them cheaper lenses... and I'm not going to have a giant fight with my spouse even tho for what I'm paying in vision coverage we could get 4-10x the glasses they get now.
Re: Why are glasses so expensive? The industry prefers to keep that blurry (2019)
#270Earlier quoted context omitted.
You know, my family member bought a pair of cheap glasses for 2 $ in India. Granted it was probably not very powerful or may last long. But I am shocked at the definition of what is cheap. I am now skeptical if the glasses he bought actually work well enough for him.
You can buy "reading glasses" from a supermarket in Britain for $4. They might be OK, but custom lenses will almost certainly be better. (Also, glasses ordered online in Britain start at less than $10 a pair. Once something purchased that infrequently costs less than a McDonald's meal, there's not much pressure to further reduce the price. It's one hour work at the legal minimum wage.)
Here in the US I could buy reading glasses in a pharmacy for less than $10 (several variations). They come in a range like -2.0 to +2.0 in increments of 0.25.
I don't wear glasses, but I suppose I did I could get something that roughly works for me for a price of a coffee and a couple of doughnuts. These glasses don't look cool, but don't look ugly either, they are just extremely basic. Likely fine for reading at home.