EK, I would still check Zennni-of course the lenses are not handmade but I know they sell progressive lenses, have many different color coatings and have the high index lenses. It really could save you money.
I have stuck with Costco all these years. Generally, I get a pair of Rx glasses and Rc sunglasses for under $300, free adjustments, satisfaction guarantee or replacement dir 12 months. I like the personal service and haven’t had problems at our local Costco, 5 minutes from our house. We bought one pair from Lenscrafters forbS when we needed glasses in a hurry. I think it was >$300 and they broke just after a year was up.
Have been tempted to try online but so far haven’t dine so.
I returned contacts to Coastal contacts, and they still havent credited me.
Their prices arent bad if I waa keeping them, but my Dr changed my prescription, so I returned 4 unopened boxes of extended wear contacts.
They havent responded to email, so next I guess is snail mail.
I was looking at Warby Parker, because they let you try on frames. I havent had frames that have fit me really well for years. My current glasses are replacements for some I had in a handbag, that was stolen, although they dont fit my face that well, everything slides down my nose & falls off if I bend over.
fMy favorite was made by Prodesign, a company out of Denmark, but they dont make that style anymore. They also were small & light enough ( titanium) that they didnt leave gouges on my nose.
Unfortunately, my current rx is not one that Costcos lab can make, although I have bought glasses there in the past.
The buyers seem to be different for each store, and they only come in the size on the shelf, so buy it if you find one you like.
If you know your prescription and pupillary distance, buying glasses online is a breeze. I’ve bought 4 pairs of glasses online over the years. Optical4less is excellent - no designer frames but if you are looking for inexpensive with an excellent job on the lenses, it’s all good. I just bought a pair of aviator frames with photochromic transition lenses from Zenni for $35. Also very good. Might go back for regular sunglasses.
My son wants to get his first pair of prescription sunglasses just for driving purpose. He is going for eye exam in a couple of weeks. Light prescription and has gotten his last couple of pair of glasses from Sears with promotion discounts. Will definitely check out online places mentioned in this thread.
What do you think of clip on sunglasses? Are they a pain to use? Will they scratch up the regular glasses? They come in a wide range of prices.
Costco is quite reasonable and has been our place for glasses for decades. If you get two pairs of glasses with same Rx, there is a $20-30 discount on the 2nd and all others ordered at the same time. I bought a regular Rx and sunglasses Rx pair for under $200 total. I have also used the clipons that are $20. They also have some frames that are sold with clipons, which we have bought in prior years.
Polarized clip-on sunglasses from Zenni were $4.95. I’d rather have progressive sunglasses,though.
First time I ordered from Zenni, in order to keep financial risk to a minimum, I ordered bare bones no frills basic glasse with no add-ons, no lens coatings, tinting etc, ordered their cheapest frame. I paid $6.95 for a pair of glasses and they quickly became my favorite pair! Since then I have ordered many pairs of all types and tints, ranging from $6.95 to maybe $35. The only problem is you end up with too many pairs of glasses. Some I like more than others. Overall i love the company. My wife has a bad astigmatism and still feels the need to pay $400 at Lens Crafters. Go figure!
I use gaffos.com; they have a very large range of designer and non-designer, glasses and sunglasses and are very quick order to delivery.
My daughter just ordered some frames to try on from Warby Parker . She needs prescription sunglasses. I was just in one of their shops and although the variety is limited, I really liked the styles. I have progressive lenses , which I never thought worked for me. I went to a new doctor and he really worked with me , more so then the chain stores I have gone to in the past. Now I can finally wear them and love them !
I have a favorite pair of frames that I bought from SEE Eyewear. I love that store !
An update: After looking at a number of sites, I finally ordered a pair of glasses from Zenni. Rimless frames, progressive lenses, upgraded protective coating, plus 2 clip-on polarized sunglass things. The total bill was about $90. The glasses arrived, and they are great! I can see again. And they fit really well.
@consolation, how did you learn your PD and your frame size?
Consolation, I LOVE Zenni! Glad you are happy with them. VeryHappy-Zenni’s website explains in detail how to measure your PD. It’s pretty easy. Frame size is subjective-all the lens heights are listed for each frame, and you can measure your own and compare. I prefer wider/taller lenses than the tiny, narrow ones favored by hipsters. So using and old, outdated pair of glasses I had, I created a window of lens size I could live with. The total frame width is also listed, and all you need to do is measure a pair you now wear. That’s not part of the prescription. I like mine snug but not tight, while my H prefers his too loose, imo. He also won’t buy online, but that’s his issue.
I will never buy glasses in a brick and mortar store again. Zenni has been a dream to work with.
@VeryHappy, I have a large head and often have had a problem getting glasses that fit. Often the arms actually push on the sides of my face, and they aren’t long enough to go over my ears. My last pair, however, fit. So, given that I wear rimless glasses where the lens width is critical to the width of the glasses, I measured the width and height of my lenses, plus the width of the nose piece and the length of the arms, and selected a frame and lens combo that was within 2 mm of my old ones. As a bonus, the arms were actually slight longer, which is great.
Generally speaking, the frame size is actually printed on your glasses. I think it would be tough to order online if you didn’t already have a pair of glasses with a decent fit.
I found measuring the PD a real PITA, possibly because of the way my eyes don’t work together. Every time I measured, it was a little different. Finally I got my H to do it.