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Buying Glasses Online – Part 1

Posted on 2009-08-21 By John No Comments on Buying Glasses Online – Part 1

Glasses are expensive.

Even with insurance, glasses are expensive; thankfully, the internet is home to a host of other options that your local optometrist might not have at his or her disposal. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with buying from your local optometrist, far from it (got my moto glasses and SCUBA mask from a local optometrist), just that you may want to look into alternate vendors if you need to save some cash.

First up: Zenni Optical

I found this place in February 2007 and bought a couple of prescription sunglasses from them (Total: $50.65 = $12.95×2 Frame + $4.95×2 Anti-Reflective Coating + $4.95×2 Tinting + $4.95 S&H), again when my expensive glasses broke around the hinge (Total: $21.85 = $8 Frame + $4.95 Anti-Reflective Coating + $3.95 Clip-on Sunshade + $4.95 S&H), and most recently this week after getting my yearly eye exam (Total: $67.60 = $19 Frame + $12.95 Frame + $15.95 Frame + $4.95×3 Anti-Reflective Coating + $4.95 S&H).

Pros:
* $4.95 Flat Rate Shipping
* Plenty of options:
* Photochromic lenses for $39
* Anti-reflective Coating (basically required for anyone who works with computers) for $4.95
* Tinting (at 10, 50, or 80%) available in Gray, Green, Amber, Blue, Purple, Pink, or Yellow for $4.95
* Clip-on Sunshade for $3.95

* Offering Bifocals for $17 more and Progressive lenses for $29 more

Cons:
* The site has no option to remember your prescription, so you have to reenter it on each page.
* No option for Prisms (which Jon’s vision requires)
* Can’t send them your frames to have them put in new lenses

Before we get to the other sites, I must point out another blog, Glassy Eyes, which alerted me to these other sites.

Additionally, for those of you confused about your prescription, 39DollarGlasses has the nicest article on reading your prescription (though it doesn’t cover Prisms); it even has pretty pictures for you.

39DollarGlasses.com

Pros:
* The site remembers your prescription after you enter it once, you still have to go through the entering step, but it is pre-filled.
* Lots of customization options offering both CR-39 and Polycarbonate
* Tint starts at $9.95 for CR-39, $19.95 for Polycarbonate, or $39.90 for Seiko 1.67 Super High-Index Sun Lenses (these are thin and light lenses)
* Tinted and Polarized starts at $49.90 for CR-39, $89.90 for Polycarbonate, or $89 for Drivewear Transitions Polarized (these are multi-tinting lenses green/yellow in low light; copper in the car; dark reddish/brown outside)
* Photochromic (Clear Inside/Dark Outside) lenses for $49.90 more for CR-39 or $88.90 more for Polycarbonate

* Preview of glasses on standard face types
* Preview of glasses with tints
* Offers lens replacement
* Free hard clamshell case with 6 case “upgrades” available for $4.95
* Offers options for shipping; starting at $4.95 for one pair less than $100, becoming free if you spend more than $100 or buy more than one set of glasses
* Offers Bifocals for about $40 more, and Progressive (aka no line bifocals) for about $50 more

Cons:
* No option for Prisms (which Jon’s vision requires)
* $24.95 for Anti-Reflective Coating

And that’s all for today’s entry, tune in next Friday for Part 2, where I cover such retailers as EyeBuyDirect.com, Goggles4U.com, and/or CoastalContacts.com!

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