Ottakee Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I have seen ads for ordering prescription eye glasses online for $49 complete or less. Are they good quality? Are the lenses the correct prescription? Any pros or cons? I am thinking of this for my kids. Glasses are very expensive and we don't have coverage for them and with 3 kids needing glasses it adds up fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Everybody I know who has bought glasses through ZenniOptical has raved about them. Even cheaper than $49 too. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiffaninichole Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I bought my daughter's glasses from Zenni. Two pairs for $60-something, and they are really cute. She always gets compliments on them, and they were delivered in like a week and a half. You can try them on digitally after getting your measurements from your optometrist. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
displace Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I'm considering ordering online just for selection. DS wants red but most are black with some red or for girls. Better selections than when I was a kid but not much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I have some glasses from Zenni optical that cost less than $15 including shipping and everything. I am going to order a nicer pair after I go to the optometrist at the end of the month. This was a "I stepped on my glasses!" emergency pair. They are fine though, I like them and everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Three of my children buy them on Zenni, usually for under $25. For one of my children, two of three pairs were great; the third pair felt so cheap he returned them. Another child has bought about three pair from them, and all have been great. Another bought two pair from them and they both broke after a few months. So, kind of hit and miss, but the majority has been good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy the Valiant Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I've personally had great experiences with Zenni. Much less than $49, too. We're basic, no-frills, simple prescription people who are generally not too fussy; the glasses work, and look cute, and are correct and SUPER cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Everybody I know who has bought glasses through ZenniOptical has raved about them. Even cheaper than $49 too. :) Depends on your prescription. Mine would be $60-something for the lens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Dh replaced some very old, but very expensive glasses with a pair from Zenni. He wears his glasses from the moment he wakes up to the moment he goes to bed, so they need to hold up to a lot. He is happy with his Zenni glasses. They aren't as sturdy as the really expensive ones, but he has had them for three years and they are just fine. He hasn't noticed anything lacking. I admit I was expecting them to be crap, or break in a few months, but they have been fine. And after three years, if they broke I would be fine with getting a new pair, even if they were more expensive. My friends with kids who need glasses rave about Zenni. They have a big selection of fun glasses that kids seem to like and if they break or lose them it isn't a crisis. So much easier on families! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in IN Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I have two pairs from Zenni, love them both. They are just as sturdy as the previous pair I paid $100+ for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Zenni is totally worth it! I wear contacts most of the time, but my insurance would either cover glasses or contacts, but not both. I need regular glasses when I get cluster headaches. I opted for contacts from insurance, so I've gotten several pairs of the $7 glasses from Zenni over the last 5 years. I liked the style so much I got the same ones. It was cheaper to replace them entirely when my prescription changed than it was to replace just the lenses. I learned it's NOT worth it to opt for the thinner lenses, the free ones are so thin you nearly can't tell the difference. I'm legally blind without correction, so if anyone typically needs thinner lenses it's me. I also learned if you get prescription sunglasses, DO NOT get the darkest shade available. They're great if you have a headache and are sensitive to light, but they are too dim to drive with, even at high noon. Just go for a medium darkness. Of the four pairs I've ordered only one had a slight problem- the tip of one piece over the ear was a little sharp, like it came out of the mold wrong. It didn't hurt me, but it did feel like it scratched my skin when putting them on a few times. It didn't bother me, I just heated some water, dipped the tip in, and pressed on the sharp part with a spoon and that fixed it. I'm positive that if I'd complained Zenni would have sent me a new pair, they have great customer service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I've been pleased with all of my Zenni glasses. Get the no reflective coating. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertBlossom Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 My boy breaks the $140 pair of glasses just as quickly as he breaks the $60 pair. So yeah, it's worth it to go with cheap online glasses. (His prescription is so high that the cheapest I can get on Zenni is still over $60... sigh) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 My boy breaks the $140 pair of glasses just as quickly as he breaks the $60 pair. So yeah, it's worth it to go with cheap online glasses. (His prescription is so high that the cheapest I can get on Zenni is still over $60... sigh) Can you just replace frames and not lenses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertBlossom Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Zenni is totally worth it! I wear contacts most of the time, but my insurance would either cover glasses or contacts, but not both. I need regular glasses when I get cluster headaches. I opted for contacts from insurance, so I've gotten several pairs of the $7 glasses from Zenni over the last 5 years. I liked the style so much I got the same ones. It was cheaper to replace them entirely when my prescription changed than it was to replace just the lenses. I learned it's NOT worth it to opt for the thinner lenses, the free ones are so thin you nearly can't tell the difference. I'm legally blind without correction, so if anyone typically needs thinner lenses it's me. I also learned if you get prescription sunglasses, DO NOT get the darkest shade available. They're great if you have a headache and are sensitive to light, but they are too dim to drive with, even at high noon. Just go for a medium darkness. Of the four pairs I've ordered only one had a slight problem- the tip of one piece over the ear was a little sharp, like it came out of the mold wrong. It didn't hurt me, but it did feel like it scratched my skin when putting them on a few times. It didn't bother me, I just heated some water, dipped the tip in, and pressed on the sharp part with a spoon and that fixed it. I'm positive that if I'd complained Zenni would have sent me a new pair, they have great customer service. Once upon a time DS had a "backup" pair of glasses that were not the thinner lenses. His prescription is +7 and +7.5. The difference was very noticeable, and it also made his glasses heavier. It's worth it to me to pay the extra to get thinner lenses. Costco puts the thin lenses in kids' glasses "for free" but they still end up being twice the price of Zenni. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertBlossom Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Can you just replace frames and not lenses? I have and I do when I can. Once he broke the Zenni glasses right after I bought them and they sent us replacement frames free. His last pair of Costco glasses that he broke I paid $60 for another pair of frames, which is about what I can get glasses at Zenni for. DS is in need of new glasses now primarily because they are so scratched up so he needs more than just new frames. I have spent so much money on glasses for this boy, it's unreal. *sigh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Everybody I know who has bought glasses through ZenniOptical has raved about them. Even cheaper than $49 too. :) My BIL has a pretty extreme prescription - has to get special lenses plus bifocals - and he paid about $130 for a pair of glasses plus magnetized sunglasses that would have otherwise cost well over $600 (that was with eye insurance). We bought ds a pair of glasses/sunglasses through them (mild prescription) and it cost $34 including shipping. Ds likes them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I learned it's NOT worth it to opt for the thinner lenses, the free ones are so thin you nearly can't tell the difference. I'm legally blind without correction, so if anyone typically needs thinner lenses it's me. With your prescription, does Zenni not give you dire warnings about getting a thicker glass lens than optimal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixstar Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I have purchased several pairs from Zenni and have been happy with the all. DH has a high prescription and we paid over $100 with zenni for glasses that would normally be more than $500. He wasn't as happy because they need extra fitting and he wasn't comfortable having a local shop do that since he didn't buy from them. So they didn't get fitted as well as they should. I personally felt that offering to pay out optometrist for a fitting was a reasonable solution but he did not pursue it. I don't know that he will buy another pair from them but I will buy several more. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 My dd needed new glasses and ordered, I think, four pairs from Zennioptical for about $100. She loves them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 With your prescription, does Zenni not give you dire warnings about getting a thicker glass lens than optimal? Yes, I think they did, and I ignored it the first time because it wasn't in the budget that month. I did get the rectangular plastic rimmed ones, and I guess it's possible that the lenses they gave me were the ultra-thin ones by some sort of error or supply issue. But they are visibly almost exactly the same as the pairs I got two years later where I did opt for the ultra thin lenses. After that I was so confused I spent some time googling lens thickness, and this was about a year and a half ago, but some website I found said that the standard ones Zenni offered at the time were already considered ultra thin by the industry, and the ones they sold as ultra thin were considered state of the art. Now, you should be aware that I haven't ordered from them in probably a year and a half. I see they don't even offer the $7 frames I used to buy anymore when I check their site. So it's possible things have changed I suppose. But I've literally never heard anything bad about Zenni, and I've referred several friends there. Try them. They are so cheap you can get two pair- one with standard lenses and one with ultra thin and compare yourself and STILL spend less than half what you would in most places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixstar Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Dangerous lenses? Not sure how that is evaluated, I never had a lens break and had my glasses prescription checked for accuracy. I do agree that the quality isn't the best but I expect that for the cost. I had a pair of sunglasses frames that broke the 3rd time I wore then. They replaced them and have had no problems in 3 years with those, worn occasionally. I had one pair of plastic frame invisible rim glasses break while driving a little over a year after purchasing. Luckily I keep spare glasses in the car. And DH broke the nose brim of his about a year after buying - his solution was to buy 2 more frames because it was still cheaper than a local shop. We also saw several reviews indicating the same breakage point for those frames too. For the price we are still content. I have other glasses that have lasted more than a year , btw. Before it sounds like all of them die in a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I'm wearing Zenni glasses right now and have ordered several pairs through them for my kids and myself. I had one pair where the scrip was made incorrectly. I have astigmatism with cylinders in the scrip, just enough astigmatism and correction that I'm not legal to drive without them but enough that I can still get by around the house without them if I have to, read the computer in the morning without them (I always keep the font big, haha), etc. My Zenni glasses are thicker than the high quality glasses I had made at a local, very shi-shi optometrist. The dirt coating from Zenni adds no benefit, at least not in our experience. The reflective coating is adequate and worth getting, but again it's not as good as the coatings on my more expensive US glasses. But my glasses with those better lenses and coatings would cost me $250 just to replace the lenses. And for $70 I can get a completely new pair from Zenni. Sigh. So the US glasses are better, but at 2-3X the money it's all about which you need more, the fashion and slight improvement in quality or to save the money. Walmart will adjust your glasses. Yes, they swear and curse when I bring in Zenni glasses, because they're oddly made and a pain to adjust for certain things. On the other hand, it's hard to get more finicky than I am for fit (like I'm OCD extreme about it because of my sensory sensitivities and headaches), and my Zenni glasses, once adjusted, are FINE and hold. Yes, there's some discussion about what lenses Zenni uses in kid glasses and whether they're the right material for kids. A US optometrist will only fill with polycarbonate for kids so it breaks safely if they get hit in the face. Last time I filled glasses, I thought my understanding was the material Zenni was using at the lowest levels was NOT that. By the time you upgrade, there wasn't a lot of cost savings compared to just taking my 5 yo to walmart. That way I could fit him, make sure it fit him right, have service, and have a faster turnaround if he breaks them. Besides, Walmart has ADORABLE little kid glasses, with fisher price, teenage mutant ninja turtles, etc.! :D So to me, for an adult or a grown child who has a known, consistent size, Zenni makes sense. Added bonus for me, and actually the main reason I'm sticking with them now, is the ability to choose your lens shape. I get INSANE headaches when the curve of my lens changes dramatically. Like 2 weeks of being decommissioned while my brain figures it out! I can't handle that, and when I can assemble the glasses myself with Zenni and pick the lens size, I can control that. And they have my hard to find nose bridge. Last pair I bought locally, I had to go to *9* stores to find glasses I liked that fit me and my requirements for weight, etc. With Zenni it's pretty easy. But you definitely have to get them checked to make sure the scrip was filled correctly. Other than that, have fun. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Zenni has been very hit or miss for us. I think as a back-up pair or for your kids, you may do fine with Zenni. My Zenni glasses don't seem durable and don't seem to fit correctly no matter what I do. If you just happen to get a pair that fits your face correctly, then I can see it being worth it. But, it's definitely a crapshoot for many of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I'm a bit vain about my glasses and I didn't see anything on Zenni I wanted. So I went with Warby Parker. I've now had three pairs and loved them all. A little more was worth it for me and it was still a lot cheaper than the ones I bought from the fancy places here. And just as good quality. Plus, they run a nice charity (buy a pair and they give a pair to someone in need). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I'm a bit vain about my glasses and I didn't see anything on Zenni I wanted. So I went with Warby Parker. I've now had three pairs and loved them all. A little more was worth it for me and it was still a lot cheaper than the ones I bought from the fancy places here. And just as good quality. Plus, they run a nice charity (buy a pair and they give a pair to someone in need). Cool, I've never heard of Warby Parker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 DH has been very pleased with his regular glasses and his prescription sunglasses from 39dollarglasses.com. He just recently replaced a pair after three years, and I forget why, but maybe it was because the baby messed them up or something? But three years is pretty good for forty bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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