My office has a good selection of attractive frames at competitive prices. Of course, vastly outnumbered by those frames with designer initials or names. But I won’t wear someone else’s name, lol.
I deliberately choose to have my vision checked by an optometrist. My ophthalmologist BIL believes that optometrists are better at assessing prescriptions and while that’s likely an individual thing, I’ve found that to be the case for me. (BIL performs surgery and treats medical conditions far more than he does routine exams. MY OD performs exams all day long.) I wear contacts most of the time and my OD worked with me to find progressives and dailies that worked best. I am completely satisfied with the exam he does to screen for various eye conditions.
That said, glaucoma runs in my family and I have had a baseline eval done by an MD. While I trust my optometrist to do the screenings, if my pressure tested high, I’d be going directly to an ophthalmologist with a specialization in glaucoma.
I always ask for a written script at the end of the visit but I also order a small number of contact lenses that are covered by my vision insurance. I buy glasses elsewhere.
I have horrible eyes and get the best vision from contact lenses, which I get custom made through my optometrist. For glasses, I’ve had the best experience with Costco or through one of my former optometrists (alas now retired). There are some ODs who charge a fee for printing off your prescription, or get really testy about it. They are usually upfront and unapologetic about it, so you can actually just ask them if that’s their practice before you make an appointment with them.
There are good optometrists and bad optometrists, and I absolutely agree wth several commenters that for the average vision conditions, optometrists are more than qualified to diagnose and treat (and also know when to refer more complex problems). You’ll see ophthalmology schools hire ODs as clinical professors to teach ophthalmology to MD students and residents because they are very good at using the in-office tools and refracting - which are the services most people are looking for in an annual check up. Free up the ophthalmologists to treat patients for conditions they’re exclusively trained to do.
But you need to find a good optometrist who knows their stuff and doesn’t just ‘specialize’ in fitting soft contact lenses (one of the easiest things to do nowadays). I wear RGP lenses and have other eye problems from childhood, and can tell the skill of an optometrist within 1 visit - I’ve experienced a huge range in skill. And bedside manner and skill are very poorly correlated. When I call to make a first appointment, I let them know the range of eye problems I have, that I expect an optometrist who can confidently design topographically customized lenses, and can get a good feel for whether I should follow through with that appointment or not. I do the same survey of skill and confidence when I’m looking for a hair dresser.
I see my ophthalmologist once a year and he doesn’t sell glasses so I shop around. His staff check the glasses after I get them. I have over 10 pairs sad to say. They are my fashion compromise for having to wear glasses. I have never had an appointment with an optometrist so can’t speak to the pros and cons.
This is NOT a reflection on all Costco optometrists, but DH went for his annual exam there and was told his vision couldn’t be fully corrected any longer. When he asked why, she just shrugged and said as we age, we just can’t always achieve the same acuity we had when we were younger. He went to the ophthalmologist and found out he had glaucoma with beginning damage to his optic nerve. He also had cataract surgery and his vision is once again correctable to 20/20.
When getting glasses and vision prescriptions, optometrists will be better than ophthalmologists, who are trained more in medical diseases and surgery, and not so much in vision correction. A competent optometrist should be doing regular screening for problems, including dilated exams when indicated, checking for glaucoma, and evaluating with slit lamps. If they aren’t doing those things, then you would want to find a different optometrist. Ideally, the optometrist would detect a problem (like glaucoma or cataracts) and refer you to an ophthalmologist for medical management or surgery.
You do have to be strong when you go to these doctors. The optometrist will try to sell you their frames and lenses and contacts as that is where they make huge profits. The prescription is yours to get filled where you want, though, just like a prescription for medication from a regular doctor. You should not feel bad about asking for a copy of your prescription. Just tell them you want to shop around and reassure them you may be back if it turns out their prices are competitive. Similarly, once you are referred to an ophthalmologist, they will often try to keep you coming back. If you are being treated for a serious medical condition like glaucoma or retinal detachments, that follow up is necessary. But if you simply had cataracts fixed or got LASIC surgery, then there’s no reason an optometrist can’t continue to do your exams and screenings.
I’ve gotten my last pairs of glasses from Zenni, online. I wear progressives. The glasses are fine, and cost a quarter of what they would at a shop. We don’t have CostCo here, but I’ve looked at glasses at one, and they would have cost 2 1/2 times as much as Zenni. Like circa $250 as opposed to $90-100.
I get my eyes examined by an ophthalmologist ever since an optometrist decided that the way to treat my watering eyes was to prescribe trifocals. My office writes a prescription and says goodbye, even though they have an eyeglass shop, there is no pressure to buy there. The first time I needed glasses, two years ago, I went to eight different places until I found the frames that were right for my face width and bridge size. I am very hard to fit. I have received so many compliments on my frames, and would be super unhappy if pressured to buy somewhere that couldn’t give me a good fit.
Our family has been getting our glasses from Target Optical for the last several years. They are part of the Luxottica eyewear company who makes many brands and sells through several optical chains they own including LensCrafters. The prices are very reasonable and they have a terrific manager at our local store.
I get my prescription from the eye doctor, then purchase my glasses from the online store Warby Parker.
I like WP because I can try up to five frames at home and take my time choosing. It’s easy and reasonably priced.
I also asked the doctor to write a prescription for progressives – the reading part. I ordered a pair of sunglasses from WP with readers. Love them.
Our insurance covers the full eye exam every 2 years (every year for children under age 21) and we have had success with the Target Optical for 10 years or so, then we just get a written script.
Before this, we went to a small local optometrist’s shop, but after he sold his practice to another optometrist who wore a very bad toupee, I was not convinced that I trusted his own eyesight to recommend glasses for me.
Target optical also allows you to exchange your glasses in 30 days if you don’t like the frames. My indecisive DS has exercised this option a few times.
My 2 glasses are from Costco. I just wear them for reading. If I wore them all the time, I’d go back to the store where my former optometrist is. The shop moved further away, but they had great glasses and were really good choosing frames.
My internist encouraged me to see an Opthamologist. They did two exams. With Medicare, almost all was covered. The MD said my Costco glasses were fine and no reason to get new glasses.
I don’t know if Medicare will cover an optometrist, as my prior insurance didn’t.
I ended up going to Costco. But the doctor was an independent optometrist even though located on the premises. But the price for glasses, wow!!! I am super happy so far. Now hope that the glasses and sunglasses are perfect.
If they aren’t perfect, Costco is good with no questions refund or do-over for glasses and sunglasses. I have had personal experience. A few times in the decades we’ve ordered glasses from Costco, there was a defect—paint perked, lens cracked. Costco repaired of replaced promptly and cheerfully—no hassles! They will also adjust every time you ask, and replace nose pads and clean.
What HIMom said. Costco takes good care of Mr.'s glasses.
Optometrists and audiologists who operate in Costco stores are not employed by Costco.
I use an optometrist for exams about every other year. There were only a few local places listed on our insurance, and none were ophthalmologists. They just “assume” I’ll be purchasing glasses as well, and lead me directly to the retail division after the exam. I always have to politely say I have another source for my glasses. They are always courteous, but it is still awkward. Then Costco for the glasses. Happy so far.
My mom has astigmatism and needs prism lenses. I am nearly blind without corrective lenses. Both of us love our zennis. YMMV of course.
I have an opthamologist and still go to an optometrist for just my basic prescription visits. At least at the eyeglass world near me, the optometrist and eyeglass sellers are completely separate. They give you a script and you can just walk out without talking to anyone in the selling side.
The optometrist I see is part of a ophthalmology department of a multi-specialty medical group. They do not dispense glasses so no incentive to sell frames. He provides the prescriptions that you can take wherever you chose, same as above.
I never knew that we were entitled to receive a copy of our rx by law. Thank you to the person who posted that. When our optometrist was reluctant to give me a copy (years ago), I looked for a new one and called ahead of time to confirm that I could get a copy. Now it doesn’t seem to be a problem but I guess that may be because it’s the law, lol.
I have had great success with zenni and coastal but my rx is not complicated. I would try one of the in store options people have recommended if I needed progressives or had something that was more intricate.