Eyeglasses -- a rackett or what?
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TV ClubHouse: archives: Eyeglasses -- a rackett or what?

Jkm

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:12 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Have you ever tried to really shop around for eyeglasses? You know, actually compare prices and product? The eyeglass retailers have made it near impossible to do so without visiting each store in person.

They do not put prices on the internet. They have such a myriad of "discounts" you can never be sure if your getting a good deal or not.

Reminds me of the way some places sell tires (the valve stem is extra)

I just want to compare frame costs /lenses cost/ features and option costs -- warranties.

I just wanted to do some research a head of time so as not to drive from one end town to the other - in the mall and out -- you know not waste time. I feel by the time I visit the second store -- I'll buy whatever they have because I'll be worn out ---

By the way -- these are for my 13yr old picky daughter.....

And since when do glasses prescription expire every year -- I could have sworn it was every two years.......

Oh and if you company doesn't have a plan set up anywhere -- good luck getting a decent price.

I remember a few years ago --at a former employer's we had signed up with a local place -- employees had the cost deducted from payroll checks -- only cost to the company was the float of paying the eyeglass place vs recovering the cost from the employee -- we got a huge discount this way -- but as I had my glasses broken and needed to replace them myself - they would not let me just pay the discount price -- no the exact same glasses where more than twice as much for me on my own to buy......

What kind of a markup are on eyewear anyway? 75% 100%??

Ugh!!!

Fluff

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:17 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
That's why I take my butt to America's Best. Bad service, but cheap. Now that I think about it, I'm overdue for some new specks myself.

Kstme

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:43 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
JKM, I worked for an optometrist years ago. Actually, the markup on frames is sometimes over 300%. It's a rip, no doubt about it!!

Djgirl5235

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 12:48 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks for the reminder that I needed to get my eyes checked. I've been squinting for awhile, and walk past an optical dispensing place, but by the time I get back to my desk, can never remember to set up an appointment - now I have one!

Thanks!

Ophiliasgrandma

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 04:05 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Just did the 'eye' bit day before yesterday. The total package is costing me a bit over $300, no insurance either. But, I'll be able to read all of your immensly interesting tidbits now withoug squinting. It'd been over 7 years since new glasses...think I needed them?

Juju2bigdog

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 04:52 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Jmm, I went through that last year. Costco and Walmart seemed to have about the best prices, until I found out that Sears had an AARP deal, which turned out to be better for me. You just have to be firm in telling them you don't want all the add-ons, which is somewhat difficult.

Not1worry

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 05:33 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Uggghhh...I feel your pain. I wear a very strong prescription and I need sophisticated contacts for the astigmatism. Plus, my son wears glasses. Our health plan does cover one eyeglasses (not contacts) exam a year. So we go somewhere good for the exams then someplace cheap for the glasses. Usually Walmart. I haven't found a better deal. At least Walmart warranties them for a year. Sheesh, glasses break so easy now! My glasses when I was a kid may have been ugly as sin, but they lasted.

Cathie

Wednesday, August 06, 2003 - 05:44 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Ditto on the markup being outrageous!

I run a pediatric vision center and several days a month we give free exams and glasses to kids from low income families. We contract with a local optician for the glasses and pay a flat $50 a pair for spring-hinged (a MUST for kids) frames and polycarb lenses, no matter what strength the Rx is. These are the same frames they sell in their shop for everyone else, so if they can afford to give them to us for $50 I know they make a huge profit on their normal sales.

Jkm

Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 05:07 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Well - for my oldest we've done the eye exams at Walmart - younger daughter and dr have a personality conflict (I think he doesn't do well with younger ones). He's ok. We had a great dr -- but everyone in town loves her with their kids - so impossible to get an appointment without 6 months notice and then it'll be during the day - missing work and taking kids out of school.......

She's had the walmart glasses for a couple of years now -- but she's hard on them and they don't hold up -- only a 30 day warranty on the lenses and 1 year on the frames -- they change personel so many times in there -- this spring they refused to replace her frames (under warranty and just kept messing with them with the plyers -- they said her prescription is up in a month just wait until then---- I said but she's in school now!. So we decided this time to forgo the convience of adjustments / cleanings when ever we were in there and headed for the large town north of us.

Yesterday, we had her eye exam at Walmart - she went from a 2.0 to a 3.5 in one of her eyes - meant thicker lenses. We went to the mall up north - three stores Pearle Vison, Eyemart Express and Lens Crafters -- goal being to walk out with a pair last night -- school pictures today (yes -before school starts, weird, eh?)

The Sears and Penney's at the mall may have had glasses places as well - but I was sure it wouldn't be a walk out today kind of thing -- oh - and our Walmart was going to be 7 - 10 days to get her glasses - they stopped same day, next day service...

Pearle had a great selection - somewhat friendly staff - and I had a discount card for them - express_scripts 50%frames 40% lenses. After an hour long search $177 + tax (with my discount) (but they tried really hard to get us to do the buy one get another free for any family member) - and they didn't have one of the lenses in stock --- so we took all the info - glass frames# etc and walked on down the mall.

Eyemart Express - They are all about the two for price special -- this is a no frills place- but staff friendly -- glasses not sorted at all - had to dig through bins, etc -- finally found two pairs - not on the top of the list but acceptable. Lenses in stock 1 pair around the $175 or the two pair $218 frame, lenses, tax -- one year warranty on frames and lenses both pairs... But thought we should check the last place

LensCrafters had the best staff - helping find and explain items. Had a $100 off complete pair of glasses/lenses special.. Had lenses in stock ($169 for the lenses!!) was going to be $265 after the $100 off!!! for one pair - no warranty --

We went back to the second place - now she has a pair we both like, and a spare pair she likes and know we can get them fixed anytime in the year!!

Whew!!!

Not1worry

Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 05:36 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Yep, my experience with LensCrafters has left me gasping after they've told me the price - after discounts! Same with VisionWorks.

One Walmart in town will not honor other Walmarts warranties. They are independent contractors. I made them mistake of getting my son's glasses last year at a Walmart in my mom's town. Foolishly thought one Walmart was just like the next. Not in eyewear.

Wish we had an Eyemart express around here.

My son is far-sighted and it's improving. His latest prescription is only 1.0. I feel like a bad mom for thinking that's hardly worth paying big bucks for glasses for a 1.0. Just squint! I'm kidding, I'll get him the glasses.

Jkm

Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 06:22 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I don't want any regulation or anything - but wish as a group they would come out with uniform ways to compare one store to the next -- Yes, I know that would blow their holding marketing, catch and release, hard sales ways.....

Eyeglasses, cell phones plans, tires, and I'm sure others --- I think it is plan to confuse the cosumer as much as possible -- get them to give up and just give in.......

If I want to buy a chair -- I can look various kinds, styles, features & options - on line or go visit a store room -- but I will be able for the most part to compare apples to apples -- you can't do that with the above list -- although cell plans are better than they were...

Katlady53

Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 09:47 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I bought my daughter's last pair at Lenscrafters after paying almost twice as much at a place where I allegedly get insurance discounts. In my past experience, I usually end up paying more when I use my insurance!

Wargod

Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 10:29 am EditMoveDeleteIP
We did better at Lenscrafters too, and found their customer service excellent. After taking my sons glasses in in a ziplock bag (broken in three places with a lens popped out) and watching the woman spend 45 minutes fixing them for free, they are my heroes! I think so far Costco has been the cheapest place, but for any repairs they have to send them out to be fixed.

My question is when do kids start being easier on their glasses? Caleb got his first pair just as he was starting kindergarten, and we are now starting 2nd grade and on our fifth pair. We just found out that three months after buying his latest pair that his vision is as bad with the current prescription as it is without glasses. SO now, we're waiting on an eye dr. appointment and will be soon getting the sixth pair, lol. Our insurance doesn't cover glasses, so we're looking at close to 600 bucks already. I'm not complaining about the need to buy them, just that it cost so dang much on top of what we pay for insurance, its ridiculous. Does it ever get easier?

Djgirl5235

Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 11:23 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Wargod - One word: NOPE!

I don't have kids, but I'm hard on my glasses, and don't have vision coverage on either mine or my bf's insurance plan. I rarely wear my glasses, but am due for a new pair after my dr's appointment tomorrow night. I already know that I'm due for new ones since I'm squinting a lot, that means, that I'm now -3.25 in my left eye and -3.75 in my right. The sad thing is that they told me that my eyes should start regulating around my 25th birthday - well that was 3 years ago, and so far since that day, I've had to go to the dr once each year because my eyes keep on deteriorating.

Anyway, I spend $75 every 12 weeks for contact lenses and I'll probably be spending about $200 on my next pair of glasses - even by going to Costco!

Sia

Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 10:32 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Both my husband and I have gotten glasses at chain-store optical centers (Lens Crafters, Pearl Vision, and Sears), but have never been satisfied with them.

We have a wonderful optometrist (not an optician) who has treated our whole family for 10 or 12 years and we wouldn't go anywhere but to him now! The man is very thorough and takes as detailed a medical history as any M.D.!! He asks what prescriptions you're taking and he is very attentive to the smallest health changes that can have implications for our eyesight.

The optometrist was the one who noticed my husband's high blood pressure (by observing the blood vessels in the back of the eye)--and who, by the way, had an assistant take DH's bp in the office--and who alerted him to the fact that he needed treatment for his bp.

This doctor came to his office at 9:00 p.m. from his home (I called him at home!!) to treat my DH's eye injury that had happened at work. He gives me free sample contact lenses to try to see if there is a brand that I can wear without irritation. (Haven't found any yet since the semi-soft ones were discontinued years ago.) He is fabulous with my kids and tolerates their being in the exam while I'm getting MY eyes tested. How many doctors allow that these days?

I can't say enough good things about our wonderful eye doctor. We buy our glasses from him and they've never had to be sent back to the lab for correction; whichever lab he uses does a good job. Once my DH took a pair of JC Penney glasses in to our eye doctor's office to have them inspected, and there were several things wrong with them, all of which the doctor noted. I'm just impressed with the guy and plan to stick with him until he retires!

Cathie

Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 11:34 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Optometrists (ODs) and ophthalmologists (MDs & DOs) are doctors who perform exams and prescribe treatment for eye conditions. Opticians are professionals who fit frames, grind lenses and prepares them in the frames (basically make and sell glasses.)

IMHO, optometrists are great at treating vision problems that can be corrected with lenses, i.e. myopia, hyperopia, & astigmatism. Ophthalmologists also treat those conditions, but specialize in eye medical diseases. Most optometrists refer patients with eye disease to ophthalmologists for more substantial treatment.

I go to an optometrist for my glasses and contact lens exams, and like Sia, I have found a fabulous one that I hope stays in business a long time because I am so impressed with his quality of service and his genuine caring (he once sent roses to me when he found out from a neighbor that I had surgery) and I don't want to think about him ever retiring--he's two years younger then me so I am keeping my fingers crossed that he will work until I'm too senile to miss him, lol!

For my diabetis eye checkups I go to an ophthalmologist, who does a more specialized exam. He's very skilled, but boring as heck (i.e., no roses, lol!)

Cathie

Friday, August 08, 2003 - 06:42 am EditMoveDeleteIP
oops...I really do know how to spell diabetes. Can I blame it on the late hour and proofing without wearing my contacts???

Jagger

Friday, August 08, 2003 - 07:26 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I hate to have to get new glasses, they are extremely expensive, and than I usally need to buy a second pair of sunglasses. I have been thinking about getting the lazic surgery. Several people I work with have had it done and say it worked great.

Calgaryperson

Friday, August 08, 2003 - 04:44 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I shopped around, and I got my Oakleys. I love them. I wear 'em everywhere!

Lostintheglades

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 05:49 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Jagger - I'm sure many have thought about Lasik and I thought I'd share this...mainly because I now don't have to worry about the cost of glasses for the first time in 42 years.(I've worn glasses or contacts since I was 4)

When RK first came out I wanted that but thought I would wait and see how others did. Then came Lasik and I had several relative and friends who had the procedure done and were so happy. It still took me several years to get it done. After all, these are your eyes you're messing with.

I did lots of research and found several scary articles on many of the franchize Lasik centers so I made some calls to my family and friends. I spoke with an old boss of mine who's wife had her eyes done. When he went to her doctor to see about getting Lasik done on him he was told he was not a candidate. The fact that this doctor told him no was enough for me to make an appointment.

It was absolutely the best thing I have ever done for myself. I was -800 in one eye and -750 in the other with a stigmatism of -2.75 in both eyes.
I am now 20/15 in both eyes and for the first time in my life I can actually drive at night without trying to figure out which lights are headlights and which are reflections of those headlights.

Do your research and if you can find a doctor who does not work for a franchize. 20/20 did a bit on Lasik Plus centers a while back as did our local station here in Tampa. Get several opinions from different doctors to be sure that you are a candidate.

Yes, it's expensive, but when I think back on all the money I spent on contacts and glasses and still did not get the results that I have now it was well worth it. I'm still paying for it on a nice little loan I took out. The cost varies on how bad your eyesight is.