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I need new glasses. The only insurance-approved place I can shop online will cost $250 with my needs. I went to a "cheap" glasses website that doesn't accept insurance: $250. Yay, America.

The optometrist recommended seamless bifocals. I have a very painful nerve condition in my face (atypical trigeminal neuralgia), so this is what I need with glasses: the lightest weight frames possible- known as ultra light- with the lightest weight lenses possible and automatically darkening lenses so I don’t need the weight of sunglasses. The cheapest frames brought the total to $250 on the site the insurance worked with.

The frames are $20 on the cheap site. Everything else in the cost is the lenses.

As for why I have to buy them online- I don’t want anyone touching my face unless it’s absolutely necessary. The exam was painful enough.

American for-profit healthcare is fucking awesome.

Kolanaki ,
@Kolanaki@yiffit.net avatar

Fucking Stanton and Warby Parker advertised $45 for 2 pairs… But you can only actually get that price if you don’t actually need lenses. These two (and probably all others advertising similar prices) are just fucking scams.

SadSadSatellite ,

I’m an ABOA advanced optician, I’ve helped with lens designs, I’ve made my own line of frames, worked with every insurance company, and know the technical details of virtually every product on the market.

If it’s going to cost the same either way, do not get the online glasses. The 250 in store is discounted from probably 1200$, and the difference is immediately noticable.

The online glasses will not be measured to fit you properly, the focal point will be a best guess, which makes progressives have a ton of distortion, the frame won’t be adjusted and have no standards of material and shitty spring hinges, the transitions will be an old off brand composited lens that will delaminate after some time, the antireflective will be the cheapest, smudging crap possible, and the lenses will be thicker and heavier.

Go to a local optical, not any chain you’ve ever heard of. No corporate execs to pay means actual paid professionals helping you see better, as opposed to collision salesman trying to rip you off.

Online glasses are for single vision rx’s for children, not anybody who really needs glasses.

DarkSirrush ,

Man, I wish this was always true.

Here in BC/Canada, our healthcare doesn’t cover glasses, and our 3rd party providers only cover $2-300 every 2 years for glasses.

My last job had a $500 yearly flex-spend coverage, which I used to buy $600 glasses (mainly lenses cost-wise) with all the options/coatings/transitions/blue light filter/etc from the local eye clinic, and honestly the lenses are not great, and after less than 3 years the coating is bubbling in horizontal lines across the entire lens.

Honestly though, been regretting getting glasses with the blue light filter for the past 2 years anyways, nothing feels vibrant anymore and i swear it has been negatively affecting my mood, and i have noticed zero difference in eye strain levels.

SadSadSatellite ,

Blue light filters have a purpose, but it isn’t eye strain. That’s just marketing bullshit from people who don’t know it’s purpose or can’t be bothered to translate it to laymen.

It’s purpose is to protect your retina from damage that accumulates throughout your life. It’s to protect you from developing macular degeneration. It does nothing anyone will notice, it’s more like sunblock, except you can’t feel the burn.

Also if someone sells you shit products, go to someone better if possible. But avoid chains at all costs.

DarkSirrush ,

So life loses vibrancy, but my retinas stay in slightly better shape when I’m 80? Sounds like future me problem then, definitely have no interest in trying again with a different pair after my next eye exam.

Unfortunately every eye doctor in this province (or at least not a 13 hour drive away) is associated with a chain, with I think a single exception that is referral only. So the best I can do is get an eye exam, demand my detailed results, and do my best to order glasses that fit comfortably.

electric ,

Wait, the blue tint actually does something? Everyone kept telling me to get it because sCrEeNs BaD but I wanted the clearest vision possible. Couldn’t find anything online saying the blue tint wasn’t useless so saved myself the $30.

CherenkovBlue ,

Expensive lenses are expensive. My glasses also cost about $350 after insurance covers them. I go for all the expensive lenses and digital lens tech because my prescription is quite strong and it improves quality of life, but my vision could be corrected with the basic stuff.

Maybe your doctor can make the case to your insurance that these are medically necessary to be so lightweight. Otherwise, the improvements are a nicety, not a necessity.

tomkatt ,

I recently went for glasses and eye exam. Near sighted with astigmatism, and now I need bifocals on top of it. Bifocals with line aren’t common now so doctor suggested progressives. I’m fine with that.

I’m also a special kid who can’t wear polycarbonate lenses because I’m hypersensitive to chromatic aberration. So need Trivex lenses as well. Throw in an anti-glare coating and my cost (with insurance) is like $460.

The sad part is given my needs and how few carry Trivex in my area, I consider it a decent deal.

FlyingSquid OP ,
@FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

That’s insane. I’m really sorry to hear it.

tomkatt ,

Don’t be. I’m fortunate to be able to afford it comfortably, and it’s just part of the cost of living to me. In my 40s now and been wearing glasses since I was 10yo.

I’m just happy I’ll be able to read fine print and see stuff close again without needing to take off my glasses.

skyspydude1 ,

Okay, I’m going to go against the grain here and say “Don’t go with the really cheap online glasses”.

I used eyebuydirect, Zenni, and a couple of others for many years, and was pretty happy with them, especially for the price. However, one thing I’d always noticed is that they’d wind up being pretty beat up with some large scratches in the coatings, or they’d just fail and start flaking off by around the 1 year mark (I’m pretty hard on my glasses, tbf) and I absolutely had to get new ones. I just kind of accepted that I was very hard on my glasses, and that’s what happens.

However, I started going to Costco just because my insurance wouldn’t cover any of the online places, and the quality of the lenses and coatings are absolutely night and day. I’ve had 10 pairs now (sunglasses and normal lenses), and only had one with a single scratch in the lenses, after having them go flying across a cement floor due to me doing something quite stupid.

I don’t think you need a membership for their optical center either, but I’m not 100% sure.

Ookami38 ,

I’ve had the exact opposite experience. Last time trying glasses at a local place, they hurt my eyes and couldn’t figure out how to adjust them properly. Every pair I’ve purchased on Zenni has lasted multiple years of me sleeping in them or doing contact sports in them. I still have multiple pairs kicking around my house or car as spares.

Death_Equity ,

I buy from glassesshop, I think the cheapest pair is $50 for frame and lenses. I went all in on the thinnest lenses and transitions, I think it was $150.

Target optical does vision tests for $75 IIRC, and I go there to get a prescription that I give to glassesshop and pick up a cheap pair and a nicer pair. Still not free.99, but much cheaper than other routes without insurance.

eestileib ,

This is a preview of America in early November. Everyone seems to have forgotten that all the swing states now have Trump loyalist election officials who campaigned on refusing to allow a Democrat to win.

teamevil ,

Zenioptical it’s like 75 for every option and I wear them more than the glasses I paid hundreds for

Nougat ,

I tried bifocals, and they are just not for me. I work on a computer all day, and having to jog my head around in order to have appropriate focus sucks.

So ... when I go to get an eye exam, I have them give me two prescriptions. One for distance (driving, movies, whatever), and another for about six inches past arm's length - how far away my main monitor is. Then I get two pair of glasses online for ~$40 each, and a pair of distance sunglasses for $50.

I like the distance sunglasses better than transitions lenses, because they're darker than the transitions would ever get. Adding other fancy coatings will certainly increase the price of the lenses, but I think I only did scratch resistant on my regular distance pair, since I'm not doing somersaults while on the computer.

DevCat ,
@DevCat@lemmy.world avatar

This is what I did through Zenni as well. Only, I intend to get a third pair of glasses. The distance at which you read a computer screen compared to a physical book is very different.

Strider ,

Just to give you a little something:

My glasses cost around 500€ to 700€ per glass (so around 1200€ plus frame) and I have to pay them myself.

Bishma ,
@Bishma@discuss.tchncs.de avatar

I’m honestly not sure which frustrates me more. That teeth and eyes are not considered important enough aspects of health to be covered under normal health insurance. Or the shit insurance that’s available even when you pay for additional policies to cover them.

Veedem ,
@Veedem@lemmy.world avatar

The lack of coverage of teeth and eyes in standard health insurance is because of dentists and optometrists opting out when insurance was becoming a thing.

hakase ,

I always just go to America’s Best. $80 for an eye exam and two pairs of glasses is hard to beat.

FlyingSquid OP ,
@FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

As far as I know, that’s not around here. But the eye exam was only $30, so at least the insurance helped there. It would have only been $10, but they said if I gave them an extra $20, they’d do some imaging thing which meant they didn’t have to dilate my eyes. Totally worth an extra $20.

greenshirtdenimjeans ,

Check out Firmoo, I’ve gotten really cheap prescription glasses on there multiple times.

FlyingSquid OP ,
@FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

Never heard of them. I’ll check them out. Thanks.

Reverendender ,

Seamless bifocals=Progressives. I got mine at Zenni Optical for like $145 all in.

FlyingSquid OP ,
@FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

Yeah, sorry, that’s what I meant. They used to be called ‘seamless bifocals’ back in the 90s and I still think of them that way.

Postmortal_Pop ,

Zennioptical.com

I got mine for $30, they can make them mute expensive, but for just glasses, it’s perfect.

CM400 ,

I got mine with their HD lenses, no-line bifocals with antiglare coating, and the total came to $135 shipped.

Postmortal_Pop ,

While my initial reaction to this was “wholly fuck that’s expensive” I realize that all those modifiers would make it close to a grand at a glasses shop.

henfredemars ,

I used them and they were great good-enough glasses.

JimmyBigSausage ,

I have bought at least 10 pair from Zenni optical and they were just fine.

Nougat ,

I have had less than stellar results with Zenni, ymmv

dditty , (edited )

I bought one pair from them and they were pretty crummy. Also getting the pupillary distance is tricky.

Nougat ,

Measuring your own PD is ehhh. You can have the optometrist give you PD at your exam.

shalafi ,

I second this, but OP says they have special lens needs. That’s what stacks the price.

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