Buying glasses online

[TrixieB]

If you have bought glasses online, where do you recommend to buy from?

I want to get prescription sunglasses but I don't want to pay optical shop prices.

I have my current prescription and I know my PD.

[itsheresomewhere]

39dollarglasses and zenni are great.  We use both and haven’t had a problem.

  

[Lizzie in Ma]

I love eyebuydirect.com

I have 3 pairs including prescription sunglasses and I love them.  They often have BOGO sales too!

[umsami]

I got Rx sunglasses at Zenni and love them.  

[Lanny]

We have placed 3 orders with ZenniOptical.com The first was during October 2016, the 3rd was on 04 July 2018.  I am wearing a pair of prescription eyeglasses made for use with this 14" Laptop. I had another pair made, Prescription Sunglasses, 80% Gray Tint (That's what they suggest for general use) for Distance.  Both originated with $6.95 eyeglasses (frame and basic lenses for $6.95) Same frame for both pairs.  We always have the Anti-Reflective added ($4.95 for each pair).  The latest order was for 6 pairs of eyeglasses. 3 of them have Progressive Lenses.  We pay I think $2.50 extra for the Priority shipping to a U.S. Shipping Address.  The Optometrist had put the PD for my sunglasses (distance glasses) 2 mm more than the Laptop glasses. Stupidly, I changed that to the PD of the Laptop glasses.  ZenniOptical Quality Control caught my mistake, and they put our order on "Hold" and sent me an email, explaining that normally the distance glasses would have a PD of 3 mm more than the Laptop glasses.  I thanked them for catching that and explained that, yes, the Optometrist had put the PD for the sunglasses at 2 mm more, and to please make them with a PD of 2 mm more. The "Hold" probably delayed our order 3 or 4 days.  The frame I bought is Metal. Metal frames are stronger and if you need to adjust them, that's easy to do.  Plastic Frames are less durable, but prettier, but if you need to adjust them, you need to heat them up with a hair dryer.    Double check your PD before you submit your order!  Basically, the Prescription Sunglasses were $6.95 + $4.95 for Anti Reflective + $4.95 for the Tint to make them sunglasses.  The Laptop glasses were $6.96 + $4.95 for Anti Reflective. The Shipping charge to the USA is the same for one pair or for multiple pairs. We have no complaints and high praise based on our experiences. The last order, I had a 20% discount code. I think after the discount it was about $153 USD total for 6 pairs of glasses, including 3 with Progressive Lenses, plus $7.45 for Priority Shipping which is $2.50 extra.  My DD is apparently near their limit for Free Lenses in the basic price. In May (?) 2018, 2 pairs of eyeglasses were for her and one was for my wife (Bifocals).  In her prescription, DD has one eye that was -5.50.  I think their limit is -6 for free lenses, so the next time she has a new prescription, if she is at or above -6, I suspect we will need to pay a little extra for the higher correction.  My wife is happy with her Bifocals. Based on our 3 orders from Zenni Optical we are extremely happy with them.  I can only imagine what the 6 pairs of eyeglasses we ordered from them on 04 July 2018 would have cost somewhere in the USA.  5 or 10 times more?

Edited August 10, 2018 by Lanny
change 1 word

[TrixieB]

1 hour ago, Lanny said:

Based on our 3 orders from Zenni Optical we are extremely happy with them.  I can only imagine what the 6 pairs of eyeglasses we ordered from them on 04 July 2018 would have cost somewhere in the USA.  5 or 10 times more?

Based on my local in-network optical shop pricing, with insurance discount, for one pair of everyday glasses with high-index progressive lenses, antireflective coating, etc -- Zenni's price for comparable sunglasses is about 1/5 of the local price.  Actually it's probably even better than 1/5, because sunglasses have an extra charge for lens tinting.  Unfortunately Zenni says I can't get the thinnest option of lenses for the sunglasses, but I figure given the amount I would wear them compared to regular glasses, it's not a big deal.

I didn't know Zenni offers free lenses.  Based on what you said, my prescription is too strong to qualify.

[vonfirmath]

57 minutes ago, TrixieB said:

Based on my local in-network optical shop pricing, with insurance discount, for one pair of everyday glasses with high-index progressive lenses, antireflective coating, etc -- Zenni's price for comparable sunglasses is about 1/5 of the local price.  Actually it's probably even better than 1/5, because sunglasses have an extra charge for lens tinting.  Unfortunately Zenni says I can't get the thinnest option of lenses for the sunglasses, but I figure given the amount I would wear them compared to regular glasses, it's not a big deal.

I didn't know Zenni offers free lenses.  Based on what you said, my prescription is too strong to qualify.

 

My prescription is too strong to qualify for free lens at ZEnni, but they are definitely a cost savings for me.

Unfortunately, I have not found a online place that can do bifocals for my prescription :( Luckily, they are not strictly NECESSARY yet -- When my bifocals were stolen I have been able to get by with a pair of computer prescription glasses and a separate one for reading (Only necessary for books. On Kindle I can adjust the font and make do that way)

[lavender's green]

What a timely thread for me. My eye doctor is great, but the place goes through staff like used tissues, so they're incapable of simple things like booking an appointment or charging the correct amount (don't even get me started on insurance...). I decided to go the Costco + online route this year. Now that I'm looking around online, I'm stunned at what I've been paying the eye doctor all along.

[Lanny]

51 minutes ago, vonfirmath said:

 

My prescription is too strong to qualify for free lens at ZEnni, but they are definitely a cost savings for me.

Unfortunately, I have not found a online place that can do bifocals for my prescription ? Luckily, they are not strictly NECESSARY yet -- When my bifocals were stolen I have been able to get by with a pair of computer prescription glasses and a separate one for reading (Only necessary for books. On Kindle I can adjust the font and make do that way)

 

My wife has her 2nd pair of Bifocals from Zenni Optical now. the standard Bifocal is as I recall 28 mm wide.  The first frame she ordered was a Rimless frame and although it said it could handle Bifocal and Progressive lenses, I suspect that a larger lens is helpful.  The 2nd pair she ordered has a Plastic Frame and larger lenses and she is happier.  I have noticed, as we have looked at different Zenni Frames, that many of them indicate they are not suitable for Bifocal or Progressive lenses, although if you look at them, as a lay person, it is impossible to know why that is.  I do not have Bifocal lenses, but the Frame I selected can handle them and I suspect (but am not sure if this is true) that makes them better.

Before my LASIK surgeries (almost 21 years ago) I had High Myopia and I had Bifocal lenses and my experience over the years was that it is much harder for the Optical Labs to get strong prescriptions correct.  That's something I believe a company like Zenni, with their Technology and Quality Control, is more likely to get correct.  I had at least one pair of eyeglasses made in Texas (Texas State Optical) that were off.  After I got them, I called the office of my Ophthalmologist in Dallas. They said that I should try them for a week or so. I did and then I called them for an appointment.  When I went in, in about 2 seconds, they discovered the Optical Centers were off.  So, I went back to Texas State Optical, told them about this and they remade the lenses.   I believe that after I moved here, and before my LASIK surgeries, I also had a problem with lenses made in Colombia.  High index lenses are more difficult to get correct and IMO the PD must be dead accurate, along with everything else.

From what I have read, the Progressive Lenses are hard for some people to adapt to. My BIL was dizzy and had nausea with them at first, but I think he is fine with them, now that he has had them for a few weeks.  The Bifocal part of a Progressive lens is far smaller than a normal 28 mm Bifocal like my wife has in her eyeglasses.

[vonfirmath]

Oh I tried choosing on Zennia the glasses meant for Bifocals (They have a choice for that) But when I attach it to my prescription, suddenly they can't do that.

 

In trying to figure out why, I found this FAQ:

https://www.zennioptical.com/c/faq#prescriptions-faq?top=undefined

Bifocal Rx:

Up to -9.00 or +6.00 on the SPH.

Up to + or - 6.00 on the CYL.

Up to +3.50 on the NV-ADD.

 

Mine is a -9.5

 

[Lecka]

I got my older son glasses from Warby Parker.  I downloaded the app and it was easy to use.

I think prices and selection are better on other sites I looked at, but I just could not figure them out.  

With Warby Parker also, we had a box come with try-ons.  

I got adult-sized glasses for a teen and wanted to be sure they would fit, and he would like them, so that was very helpful.  

I just wanted it done, but at the same time, waiting for the try-on box to come did add time, but it wasn’t time I had to spend on-line.  

Edited August 10, 2018 by Lecka

[*****]

So how does one choose frames online so that they look good?  I know I will be needing corrective lenses, and I have a tough time finding frames that looks decent on me!  Timely topic, thanks!

[vonfirmath]

1 minute ago, ***** said:

So how does one choose frames online so that they look good?  I know I will be needing corrective lenses, and I have a tough time finding frames that looks decent on me!  Timely topic, thanks!

 

Some sites have a place you can upload a picture and then "try on the glasseS"

 

I tend to have had glasses with numbers printed on them -- then look for glasses online where the numbers are similar so I know they will fit similar to a known pair.

And mostly I'm not picky.  I'm very willing to be not picky for multiple hundreds of dollars in savings.

[Lanny]

3 hours ago, vonfirmath said:

Oh I tried choosing on Zennia the glasses meant for Bifocals (They have a choice for that) But when I attach it to my prescription, suddenly they can't do that.

 

In trying to figure out why, I found this FAQ:

https://www.zennioptical.com/c/faq#prescriptions-faq?top=undefined

Bifocal Rx:

Up to -9.00 or +6.00 on the SPH.

Up to + or - 6.00 on the CYL.

Up to +3.50 on the NV-ADD.

 

Mine is a -9.5

 

 

This is not a perfect solution to your issue,  by any definition of the word perfect, but would your Distance vision be acceptable to you, if they made Bifocals with a -9 for  you, so you could also have them with the Bifocal lenses?  IOW I wonder how much of a difference there is between -9.5 and -9 and whether or not that would cause you issues, such as headaches.  Not at all ideal, but possibly something to consider? Just an idea for possible consideration.

You can send Zenni an email at service@zennioptical.com and they will reply.  They are in China, so from our time zone (E.S.T. which is UTC-5) there is a 13 hour time difference. For example, it is 219 P.M. E.S.T. on Friday here in Colombia. It is 319 A.M. on Saturday morning where they are in China.  I believe they are there on Saturdays so if you send them an email now (Friday afternoon in USA) you will probably have a reply in your Inbox Saturday morning your time.  If not, you will have your reply on Monday your time. I think we are on the same time at the moment if you are on CDT. E.S.T. is the same as CDT. UTC-5

Possibly, hopefully, if you send them your prescription in an email, they might tell you that they can make them for you at -9.5 as your prescription reads. I hope so.

 

 

[Lanny]

Follow-on:

Before placing an order with Zenni, check for the best Discount Code you can get.  I think if you sign up for their Mailing List they will send you a  code for 10% off on your first order.

Also, you can probably find a code for 10% (more if you are lucky) on RetailMeNot or some other web site. 10% discount is usually easy to find.

I found a 20% off code for July and we saved approximately $38 USD on our order with that.

You might also Google for something like "ZenniOptical 20% discount code+August 2018" (without the quote marks)

Zenni has the thing where you can Upload a photo and then "try on" various Frames and if they are Tinted I think you can change the Tint too.

They have approximately 2500 different Frames?   They ship approximately 15000 pairs of prescription eyeglasses daily.

 

[vonfirmath]

I've got off the shelf prescription goggles that are -9 instead of -9.5 and its good enough for keeping track of kids/time when swimming, but I've often thought it would not work for driving at all because its still blurry.  But I'll keep them in mind for emailing if necessary in the future.

 

[Lanny]

6 minutes ago, vonfirmath said:

I've got off the shelf prescription goggles that are -9 instead of -9.5 and its good enough for keeping track of kids/time when swimming, but I've often thought it would not work for driving at all because its still blurry.  But I'll keep them in mind for emailing if necessary in the future.

 

 

For driving during the day I would want Prescription Sunglasses to the exact prescription.  Without the Bifocal Lens. I believe Zenni can make those for you.  That's critical.  My worst eye is now (i think -2.25) and  the 2 very different prescriptions (one for this Laptop and one for the Sunglasses for Distance) have really brought things into focus for me.

Blurry will not hack it when you are driving

This might be another option:  To purchase the Distance glasses (with or without the Bifocal part) that comes with a Clip On for Sunglasses.  On their first order from Zenni Optical (October 2016) my wife and DD both ordered eyeglasses with that.  In my case, I would probably lose or destroy the clip on thing, and I am accustomed to wearing Sunglasses when I am outside during the day so I wanted Prescription Sunglasses. In fact, I did not order the same prescription for here in the house, because I probably would not use it.

 

[vonfirmath]

I've got my old prescription in sunglasses and those are good enough when I use them.  (though I think the lens have melted a little so I'll eventually replace them)

[KungFuPanda]

On 8/10/2018 at 1:18 PM, Lecka said:

I got my older son glasses from Warby Parker.  I downloaded the app and it was easy to use.

I think prices and selection are better on other sites I looked at, but I just could not figure them out.  

With Warby Parker also, we had a box come with try-ons.  

I got adult-sized glasses for a teen and wanted to be sure they would fit, and he would like them, so that was very helpful.  

I just wanted it done, but at the same time, waiting for the try-on box to come did add time, but it wasn’t time I had to spend on-line.  

My daughter also gets hers from Warby Parker. They send the box of frames to try on. They even have stores local to us so she can get her frames adjusted. 

Ds and I use Costco. 

[Kassia]

Does anyone know if it would be less expensive to purchase glasses online or at the optometrist's office with vision insurance?  I've never purchased glasses before - do the online places take insurance?

[vonfirmath]

28 minutes ago, Kassia said:

Does anyone know if it would be less expensive to purchase glasses online or at the optometrist's office with vision insurance?  I've never purchased glasses before - do the online places take insurance?

 

I have never used insurance online. (most of the time we have not had vision insurance)

But whether a particular place takes a particular insurance is probably something you need to ask your vision insurance provider about.

 

Edited April 10, 2019 by vonfirmath

[Kassia]

23 minutes ago, vonfirmath said:

 

I have never used insurance online. (most of the time we have not had vision insurance)

But whether a particular place takes a particular insurance is probably something you need to ask your vision insurance provider about.

 

 

Thanks.  They said they only work with Eyeconic.

[LadyR]

I recently purchased glasses for distance from EyeBuyDirect.  I can see crystal clear if I look straight ahead, but for some reason if I look towards the top or bottom of the lens it's a bit wonky.  I seem to remember that there may have been an option to choose a better quality lens for a bit more money and if I were to order online again and that was an option, I would definitely choose the best quality.  Also, I might try Zenni next time.

[RootAnn]

5 hours ago, Kassia said:

Does anyone know if it would be less expensive to purchase glasses online or at the optometrist's office with vision insurance?  I've never purchased glasses before - do the online places take insurance?

Well, that depends on your insurance. Even with vision insurance, at our local eye doc office, new (progressive) lenses for one of my kids are three times what Zenni charges and that is with reusing her current pair of frames at the local place.

I just ordered two pairs of glasses from Zenni. I couldn't find a discount code that worked, but got prescription sunglasses (no bifocal) and then bifocals for around the house. I couldn't have gotten even one pair of frames (not including lenses) for what both pairs of glasses cost from Zenni. Each year, I can get one pair of lenses (no extras, not including the bifocals upcharge) for free with our vision insurance or about 9 months worth of contacts for free. I go with the contacts because even if I reuse my old frames & get the lenses "free", there are always enough extra charges added on that it costs $100. 

The local place is exorbitant. Crazy high.

[J-rap]

I've bought a couple pair from Warby Parker.  They're more expensive then Zenni, but still a lot less than other places.  Plus, they have regular brick and mortar stores where you can go in and actually try them on if you want, or have them adjust ones that you got online.   Some of my kids have bought from Zenni and have had good luck.  I will say, though, that none of those cheaper glasses have ever felt as sturdy and solid as the higher priced ones I've gotten.  I still get the cheaper ones most of the time, but I do notice a difference.

[Farrar]

I got lower quality from EyeBuy and Zenni. My Zenni ones were downright wrong. So I stick with Warby Parker and... what’s the other $100 one? I had a good pair from them. I still have an ancient pair of WP’s that have held up better than any glasses I’ve owned.

[Moonhawk]

[I know this thread was started for adults, but for anyone reading this for kid info]

For kid glasses, we used Jonas Paul. First time getting them glasses ever, just arrived on Monday. They were a bit more expensive than some online places but sent a box of samples to try on and we are really happy with the service and end product. Kids love how they look, and the glasses are much better quality than what was available in-store for my insurance. (Did not use my insurance with JP though.)

Re: insurance:  It will depend on your insurance and what stores they are accepted at. For us, buying online without using my insurance was cheaper than buying the instore glasses that we liked with polycarbonate lenses upgrade (kinda necessary for at least one of the prescriptions). The only frames fully covered by insurance were... very low quality and easy to break. 

[LisaKinVA]

I have purchased 3 sets of glasses for my kids through Zenni (glasses and prescription sunglasses), and one pair for my dh.  I did buy the less expensive ones, but they work fine.  Zenni didn't have any frames that would fit my prescription (or just didn't do my prescription).  I just placed an order with 39dollarglasses for both a regular pair and a prescription sunglasses.  They were buy one pair, get the 2nd at 50%.  I suppose I'll see!  (My regular pair was about $300, the sunglasses came through around $50.

[Carrie12345]

Does anything get weird when you ask for your prescription details?  I’ve never had that info volunteered to me on any of my paperwork.  Not that it *really* matters if someone gets huffy with me, I just want to brace myself.

Now that I have 4, about to be 5, kids in glasses, I want cheap backup options!

[LisaKinVA]

9 minutes ago, Carrie12345 said:

Does anything get weird when you ask for your prescription details?  I’ve never had that info volunteered to me on any of my paperwork.  Not that it *really* matters if someone gets huffy with me, I just want to brace myself.

Now that I have 4, about to be 5, kids in glasses, I want cheap backup options!

I've never had a problem doing this.

[Kakids]

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0116-prescription-glasses-and-contact-lenses

You have the right to a copy of your prescription. Link to FTC regarding rights to your prescription.

[Lanny]

This is an old thread, but I would like to add some suggestions:

(1) When selecting Frames, Metal frames are normally much more durable than Plastic frames. That's a general rule, although there are probably some exceptions to that rule. If someone needs Fashion, go for Plastic frames. If Durability is the goal, consider a Metal frame.

(2) Buy the most popular thing, whether it has to do with Frames from Zenni Optical or a Printer or something else you are looking at. Things with the most popular reviews seem to be better buys.

The Zenni glasses I had made for use with this Laptop began at $6.95. I added the anti-glare to them, which I think was $4.95 extra. When I am here in the house, using the Laptop, I take them off and put them on, countless times in a day.  They are in a Metal Frame that had more than 700 Reviews when I ordered them, early in July 2018.  The Prescription Sunglasses I ordered then have the same Frame.

Some Frames are shown as not being suitable for Bifocal or Progressive lenses. I suspect that has to do with the size or shape of the lenses that go into those frames. Even if you are like me, not ordering Bifocal or Progressive lenses, I suspect it is better to order Frames that can accommodate Bifocal or Progressive lenses, to get a better lens size or shape. 

 

[vonfirmath]

3 hours ago, Carrie12345 said:

Does anything get weird when you ask for your prescription details?  I’ve never had that info volunteered to me on any of my paperwork.  Not that it *really* matters if someone gets huffy with me, I just want to brace myself.

Now that I have 4, about to be 5, kids in glasses, I want cheap backup options!

 

I've never had a problem getting my prescription. I even asked for a copy when my prescription was in my purse that got stolen and had it sent to me, no problem

 

[Lady Florida.]

I have some questions for those of you who buy your glasses from Zenni or any other online provider. Do you wear glasses all the time? Do you stick with the same frame style each time?  Have you ever gone to a local store and tried on different frames before coming home and ordering online? Frame styles change and while I will keep the same frames through a few prescription changes, at some point I want new frames. I wear my glasses almost all the time (I wear them more than I wear my contacts) so frame styles are something I care about. My glasses are a part of me and I want them to look as good as they can for my budget and insurance coverage, plus keep up with changing frame styles. Do they have a photo thingie where you can "add" glasses to yourself? Even then I don't think it would be the same as actually putting on frames to see and feel them. I have a hard time imagining how frames would look and feel without trying them on.

[vonfirmath]

15 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

I have some questions for those of you who buy your glasses from Zenni or any other online provider. Do you wear glasses all the time? Do you stick with the same frame style each time?  Have you ever gone to a local store and tried on different frames before coming home and ordering online? Frame styles change and while I will keep the same frames through a few prescription changes, at some point I want new frames. I wear my glasses almost all the time (I wear them more than I wear my contacts) so frame styles are something I care about. My glasses are a part of me and I want them to look as good as they can for my budget and insurance coverage, plus keep up with changing frame styles. Do they have a photo thingie where you can "add" glasses to yourself? Even then I don't think it would be the same as actually putting on frames to see and feel them. I have a hard time imagining how frames would look and feel without trying them on.

 

I wear glasses all the time.  I mostly stick to the same frame style. But I buy glasses often enough in other venues that I get to try out different things.  I do not try out at a local store just to buy online. But I might buy one from the local store then get extras/sunglasses/etc online.

I have no idea about frame styles. I wear what I like and feels comfortable.

[Lanny]

@Lady Florida    Zenni Optical has a thing on their web site where you can Upload a photo and then you can "try on" any Frame you want to try on. I think if the lenses are Tinted that you can change the color of the tint, but I haven't tried that.  My wife and my DD seem to order different frames each time. I ordered for the first time, last July and I got the same Frame for both pairs One for this Laptop and one for the Prescription sunglasses.   

With regard to trying on Frames in an Optical store. BTDT for most of my life.   That has drawbacks, because after 5 or 6 Frames, you and the sales clerk are both bored and exhausted. With Zenni Optical, or another Online Seller, you can "try them on" as your time permits.   I was with DD, 2 or 3 years ago, when she went to the optometrist for a new prescription. While DD was being examined, I watched one of the sales people help another customer. I think she showed him 5 or 6 Frames.   Zenni Optical has approximately 2500 different Frames?

For most of my life, I did wear my eyeglasses all the time, but I had LASIK surgeries in 1997.  Now, I do have a minor correction. I wear the Prescription Sunglasses when I'm on the street and I try to remember to wear these Laptop glasses, when using my Laptop. My wife uses her eyeglasses some of the time. My DD is the most nearsighted of the 3 and she wears her glasses almost all of the time. When she is older, I assume she will have LASIK surgeries, but she is too young for that now.

You are interested in Fashion so I think if  you spend time on the web site of Zenni and search the different styles of Frames, you will end up happier than if you go into an Optical store and they show you 5 or 6 pairs and you select in a hurry.

I do believe that if someone gets a Frame they like, that it is good to order that same Frame from a company like Zenni the next time. If they have the $$$, they can have a local optical store make new lenses to put into the old frame if the frame is in good condition.

[Farrar]

On 4/10/2019 at 8:55 AM, Kassia said:

Does anyone know if it would be less expensive to purchase glasses online or at the optometrist's office with vision insurance?  I've never purchased glasses before - do the online places take insurance?

At one point, I had a really good, top of the line glasses benefit on my insurance. So I tried to shop somewhere where I could use it. Despite hundreds of dollars off, they were still going to be substantially more than online.

Warby Parker takes insurance. Some others may too. But even if they don’t take yours... still a better deal most of the time.

[lavender's green]

On 4/10/2019 at 11:55 AM, Kassia said:

Does anyone know if it would be less expensive to purchase glasses online or at the optometrist's office with vision insurance?  I've never purchased glasses before - do the online places take insurance?

Just speaking for myself...the vision insurance offered through my DH's work is good if you want expensive glasses and cheap contacts. But I want the expensive sensitive eye daily contacts and a pair of cheap backup glasses (but nice ones! Not the bargain bin at the office!). I came out far ahead last fall when I ordered glasses online for the first time, thanks to this thread. It was also nice to not have a salesperson breathing down my neck - I can only think of one in recent memory who was actually helpful. I could take my time and really think through the shape and color, and I'm a lot happier with this pair than I was with most of the ones I got at the optometrist's office.

I used eyebuydirect and their FAQ says:

Do you accept insurance?

Unfortunately we are not currently affiliated with any insurance companies. However we can provide you with a detailed copy of your invoice along with our tax ID number so you may request for reimbursement from your insurance company.

We accept flexible spending accounts (FSA) or health savings accounts (HSA) for purchasing prescription eyewear or sunglasses. However, the FSA and HSA cards need to be affiliated with a major credit card

[RootAnn]

14 hours ago, Carrie12345 said:

Does anything get weird when you ask for your prescription details?  I’ve never had that info volunteered to me on any of my paperwork.  Not that it *really* matters if someone gets huffy with me, I just want to brace myself.

Now that I have 4, about to be 5, kids in glasses, I want cheap backup options!

If you think they will look at you funny, tell them you want copies of their prescriptions (with the PDs noted) for your home copy of their medical records. (This is not hard for them to believe about me since I take notes during appointments.) Give them a big smile, too.

[elfridaauston87]

I would recommend you to buy from Zenni

[LisaKinVA]

Thus far, I can't really recommend 39dollarglasses.  I placed my order a week ago, realized as soon as I hit submit that my reading script was wrong, emailed/contacted immediately, received an email back a day or two later asking if my distance prescription was correct (I had sent in my actual prescription), I replied, and again asked about my READING prescription (again telling them what was input incorrectly and telling them the correct distance, a few days later they contact me and say they see my reading prescription should be +1.5 (NO -- that's my husband's prescription), so I email back again, call (sit on hold for nearly 10 minutes, before leaving a message), then get on live chat (sat waiting there for over 20 minutes), went through the whole issue and 20 minutes later got an order confirmation with the WRONG prescription again (although it was corrected in their system).  I got back on live chat -- and have been assured that the script will be processed correctly.  The customer service end has been really slow, it's been over 2 weeks and my glasses haven't been processed or shipped. Our Zenni order, on the other hand, shipped within 3 days of placing the order.  My glasses are a bit more complicated -- so maybe that has something to do with the long time frame in processing -- but if you order from them, email reply times (and telephone) seem to be pretty horrible response times.  

[Lucy the Valiant]

Happy repeat & long-time Zenni customer here. 

As to finding out how they look on my face . . . I just order 3 different pairs. At $12-15 / each, I can have 3 pairs of prescription glasses (usually a "silly" one, a serious one, and sunglasses) and still come out WAY ahead of anything local. A couple of years ago I used my insurance to purchase a pair through the eye doctor's attached shop, and while they cost me a whole lot more, they were not functionally significantly better than my Zennis. YMMV, of course. 😉

[Lanny]

3 hours ago, LisaK in VA is in IT said:

Thus far, I can't really recommend 39dollarglasses.  I placed my order a week ago, realized as soon as I hit submit that my reading script was wrong, emailed/contacted immediately, received an email back a day or two later asking if my distance prescription was correct (I had sent in my actual prescription), I replied, and again asked about my READING prescription (again telling them what was input incorrectly and telling them the correct distance, a few days later they contact me and say they see my reading prescription should be +1.5 (NO -- that's my husband's prescription), so I email back again, call (sit on hold for nearly 10 minutes, before leaving a message), then get on live chat (sat waiting there for over 20 minutes), went through the whole issue and 20 minutes later got an order confirmation with the WRONG prescription again (although it was corrected in their system).  I got back on live chat -- and have been assured that the script will be processed correctly.  The customer service end has been really slow, it's been over 2 weeks and my glasses haven't been processed or shipped. Our Zenni order, on the other hand, shipped within 3 days of placing the order.  My glasses are a bit more complicated -- so maybe that has something to do with the long time frame in processing -- but if you order from them, email reply times (and telephone) seem to be pretty horrible response times.  

 

+1 for Zenni Optical Customer Service.  Here's my experience. At the end of June 2018 I went to an Optometrist and asked her for 2 prescriptions. One for Distance (Prescription Sunglasses) and the others for when I use this Laptop.  Well, she wrote them with the PDs correct. The PD for Reading is usually 3 mm (less?) than the PD for Distance.   Dumb me, I thought she had made a mistake and I changed the PD for the Laptop glasses to the same as the PD for the Distance glasses.   Both prescriptions were in the same style frame ($6.95 base price, Metal frame).  I named one "Lanny Laptop" and the other one "Lanny Distance".

A couple of days after submitting our order for 6 pairs of eyeglasses, I received an email from their Lab.  they had put my eyeglasses on hold, because they caught the error with the PD for the Laptop glasses.

I got the prescription out, saw that the Optometrist had written the prescription with a 2 mm difference, gave them that information and they put our order back into the system.   

My mistake delayed that order, several days, but I am grateful to them for catching my mistake.  

[shawthorne44]

One thing I like about Zenni is that they are cheap enough that it is easy to order a spare or two.  I am blind enough that I can't find my glasses without my glasses.  My family is pretty good about finding them for me.  But, sometimes they aren't there.  I keep a pair in a particular shelf in the medicine cabinet.  They have the cheap lens but since I only wear them for 10 minutes, that doesn't matter. 

Also, I have a wide face.  I have had trouble finding glasses in stores that are wide enough for my face without obviously being Men's glasses.  I don't have the problem online.  When you load the photo, you enter the distance between your pupils.   That allows the photo to be sized properly. 

[RootAnn]

I received two pairs  (one bifocals, one distance sunglasses) from Zenni recently and have been wearing them quite a bit since they came. I'm happy with their quality.

My dd#1 is going to college in the fall, so she requested an extra pair of glasses in case her main pair breaks. (The uber expensive eye doc in town warranties their frames for two years, but she would have to mail all the parts here & then they would have to send her replacement frames -- meaning a month without glasses. She would need a spare pair to make that work.)

She went in to get her eyes checked today & due to a changed prescription  (quite a bit different in one eye, a little in the other), she ordered new lenses. Because her current frames are out of warranty, they suggested new frames as well. Without our "great" eye insurance, the total would have been over $900 (not including the eye exam- including the exam, it was over $1100). With insurance, they were over $550 ($572 w/exam). She has progressive, hi index, Transitions lenses.

We came home & ordered a pair of Zennis that were also progressive, hi index, Transitions with some sort of extra grease/sweat resistant coating for just a tad over $200 (including shipping).

We'll see how they compare in two weeks when she goes to pick up the eye doctor ones. I'm assuming the Zennis will beat the local doctor's delivery of two weeks.