Savings
Save money on your eyeglasses
By Shopping Writer
Mar 31, 2012 - 11:01:25 PM

I recently purchases a nice pair of glasses from a major eyeglass chain. I like the glasses, but I still cannot get over the cost. Yes they do make them in 1 to 2 hours and they do have to pay for their staff, but I still cannot believe I paid almost $400 for them. I have heard others paying much more than me for their glasses from other places as well.

Anyways, after I purchased my glasses which I did need the following week for an important meeting, I went online and started to look at online eyeglass retailers. I have never purchased or looked for glasses online.

I eventually came upon Zenni Optical. I found glasses as cheap as $6.95. Unbelievable. I need progressive which adds to the cost, but not that much. The also offer antireflective coating for about $5. Compared to the chain retailers, these online prices were amazing.

In the end I bought a pair which cost me about $50 with progressive lenses and their premium AR coating. $50. As I said, I am wearing these ones versus the ones I paid almost $400 for. I like them because they are light and subtle. The other glasses I got are nice, but the $50 pair are nice as well.

I have read different comments on the online retailer, but I did not have an issue. I think the glasses are made in China. They came in a simple hard case with a cleaning cloth.

With my expensive pair, I bought the insurance which I usually do not do. I regret buying the insurance. With my $50 glasses, I don't need insurance. If i break these ones, I'll just buy another pair.

They did take longer to get them so for me I guess the expensive glasses served their purpose, but next time with better planning, I am going the lower cost route. I, however, will not skimp on my eye exam.

I had a great experience with my online eyeglass purchase. You need to know your prescription, pupil width and also some other measures like frame width. You can look at your current glasses for some of this.

Remember as well that the brick and mortar stores can adjust your glasses as needed whereas when you buy them online you may have to adjust them yourself or got to an optician. Also, you can try on glasses in a store. Zenni optical lets you upload your photo. I just used the person's face whose pupil width matched mine.

Online purchasing may not be for eyeryone. All I can say is I had a great experience and will be buying my glasses online in the future.

Another website I considered purchasing from was 39dollarglasses.  They also have a good selection of glasses.  I particularly liked the Pompano.  This site lets you download a PDF version of the glasses which is helpful.