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Online Prescription Eyeglasses Lab - need lenses, already have frames

cvac

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Does anyone know of a trustworthy reliable, online eyeglasses lab? I'm talking about someone who I can send my own frames to, then they will cut lenses and put them in. I would need high index "thin" type lenses because I have a strong prescription (-7.00 in contact lenses). The reason I'm asking about this is the chain stores want to charge me $425+ the last time I checked for a pair of flimsy cheapo frames ($99) with the type of lenses I need. I don't even think that included an eye exam.

Thanks.
 

JPYPSU07

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There's a guy on ebay who I buy my glasses from who puts lenses in them when I buy them. I'm not sure if you need to buy the frames from him as well. I need the high index as well and I think I end up paying about $60 for everything plus the antireflective coating. Give him a shout. I've bought 4 pairs of glasses from him and they're all great.

http://stores.ebay.com/Eyeglasses-an...asses-for-Less
 

cvac

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Very cheap, but are the lenses any good? Anyone else use this guy? He says 1.67 high index lenses are $65. I wonder who makes those?
 

acidboy

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I don't know how it works there, but everytime I have new glasses made I make sure its done by an optometrist I trust. The place I go to is owned by one, and she makes sure that everything is done well- last time I got new glasses there it took me an hour and a half just for examinations, measurements, etc... I don't know what those machines and processes are called but aside from that contraption that you stick your face to and it looks at your eyes or something my eyes and the distance between the eyeball thingies were measured, and also had that eyeglass contraption thing that she made me wear and had the angles adjusted.... anyway, compared that to another pair of glasses I bought from another place where they just gave a simple eye exam and my eyes are much more relaxed and I have no problem wearing them all day.
 

Jumbie

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Try Costco. I remember reading some reports a year or two ago that their glasses are a very good value. Not sure if they'll just do lenses on your frame but worth a shot.
 

CityConnection

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Originally Posted by JPYPSU07
There's a guy on ebay who I buy my glasses from who puts lenses in them when I buy them. I'm not sure if you need to buy the frames from him as well. I need the high index as well and I think I end up paying about $60 for everything plus the antireflective coating. Give him a shout. I've bought 4 pairs of glasses from him and they're all great.

http://stores.ebay.com/Eyeglasses-an...asses-for-Less


His stock of glasses and sunglasses isnt up to season. He has older frames. The prices for the lenses are not bad, but not as good as what you can get in some stores. There are tons of opticals around me that sell it for cheaper than him and his frames are not up dated. Im not trying to be a jerk, Im just telling you so that everyone can be an informed buyer...
 

cvac

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I have access to a good optometrist for eye exams. That's not the problem. I need a lab for lenses, a good one. Most of the places around me are very expensive and chain store affiliates. I know the ebay guys frames are old stock. I'd be hesitant to buy frames without trying them on anyway.

Any suggestions from people who done something like this? Thanks.
 

CityConnection

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I dont know what area you are in, but I would suggest to find a family business who has been established for a while. I know most big opticals hire anyone and their lab technicians dont need any skills to get hired. Find an optician who does his/her own "edging" (cutting their own lenses).
 

Dangerbaby

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Don't go to Lensacrafts/Pearle/Target/Sears etc...Don't worry which one because they are all owned by Luxotica, the Italian eyeglass conglomerate. Their salespeople are all on commision and will push you into the most expensive high index thin lense with all the additional "features" they can lop on anti-glare coatings, anit-scratch. I'm just waiting for them to come up with "extended service plans" next like the electronics stores.

Maybe they should just get big no neck guys in shiny suits to say "Hey dat's a real nice pair a glasses you got der. Shame if any thing happened to them. What you need is PROTECTION."

They pull the same crap on me, oooooo with that prescription you've just Got to have our new super high index FeatherLite (TM/patent pending/all rights reserved) lenses with SuperSight (TM) technology blah blah. Only 450 dollars. Can't afford that, well then just use our easy 24 month payment plan and pay only 200% more.

And then they'll get you on the frames. Oh boy. Make favorite experience last time was remarking to one of their slicky boy sales guys how expensive their frames had gotten since they bought/put out of business all their competition and he says "A pair of our glasses will last you ten years so per year they're really a good deal". Hmmm. I few minutes later I said, well I guess I'll just get my current frames filled with my new prescription and he starts his spiel. Oh well, how old they? Two and a half years. Oh no you should get new frames those ones are really too old. Wait 3 minutes ago you told me a pair of frames is such a great investment because they last 10 years. Well who made your old frames? You did you twit, they're 500 dollar Luxotica titanium frames the last Lenscrafters salesman told me would last ten years. Yeah, but dude, they're OLD you really NEED new ones.

God I hate when sales guys call me dude.

I searched around and found two of the few remaining independents in the area (Boston). Small nice family owned businesses and they will jump through all sorts of hoops to make me happy, I'm a good customer.

I too have a VERY high prescription and get the top quality Zeiss poly carb lenses for about $200. They weigh next to nothing, are impact resistant (which I need) and frankly I can't imagine how much thinner or lighter those 450 Lenscrafter high index lenses could be. I really don't care. I also get frames from all smaller independent makers. I like and have Ogi's, ProDesigns, AngloAmericans and Oliver Peoples/Paul Smith (though latter were recently bought out by guess who - Luxotica).

Be very careful about those cheap lenses. Even from Costco (which I love and I usually swear by the quality of their stuf). Cheap lenses are form molded ie liquid poured into a mold and solidified into the right shape. There are tons of impurities/variations that way. Good lenses are made from a solid block that is then ground to the right shape and is much more accurate.

And also beware if you have a high script like mine, glasses need to be fitted correctly to you eyes. Lenses are curved so when they make your they need to measure where the center of your pupils are so you are looking through the center of the lense. That chain I mentioned once cut a pair of mine that were 45 percent of center, so I was getting headaches at the computer, seeing trails of lights when driving at night. I brought them back to the store numerous times for 2 and a half years and they swore up and down that the prescription was correct. It was finally one of those small shops that measured me and discovered they were cut incorrectly and I was looking out the side, the curved part instead of the center. That when I switched and I never went back to the chains.

I'd be VERY wary of cheap internet lenses. Since they can't really measure you and check the fit you'd be taking a big chance that they'd get it correct. If you did I'd still take them to a reputable optician and pay them a bit to check and make sure they're correct and fit them to your face.

Your eyes are the only one's you've got, take care of them. Don't get ripped off by pushy SA's, but if we all agree on one thing here on the Styleforum, it pays to go for a high quality product.
 

CityConnection

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Originally Posted by Dangerbaby
Don't go to Lensacrafts/Pearle/Target/Sears etc...Don't worry which one because they are all owned by Luxotica, the Italian eyeglass conglomerate. Their salespeople are all on commision and will push you into the most expensive high index thin lense with all the additional "features" they can lop on anti-glare coatings, anit-scratch. I'm just waiting for them to come up with "extended service plans" next like the electronics stores.

Maybe they should just get big no neck guys in shiny suits to say "Hey dat's a real nice pair a glasses you got der. Shame if any thing happened to them. What you need is PROTECTION."

They pull the same crap on me, oooooo with that prescription you've just Got to have our new super high index FeatherLite (TM/patent pending/all rights reserved) lenses with SuperSight (TM) technology blah blah. Only 450 dollars. Can't afford that, well then just use our easy 24 month payment plan and pay only 200% more.

And then they'll get you on the frames. Oh boy. Make favorite experience last time was remarking to one of their slicky boy sales guys how expensive their frames had gotten since they bought/put out of business all their competition and he says "A pair of our glasses will last you ten years so per year they're really a good deal". Hmmm. I few minutes later I said, well I guess I'll just get my current frames filled with my new prescription and he starts his spiel. Oh well, how old they? Two and a half years. Oh no you should get new frames those ones are really too old. Wait 3 minutes ago you told me a pair of frames is such a great investment because they last 10 years. Well who made your old frames? You did you twit, they're 500 dollar Luxotica titanium frames the last Lenscrafters salesman told me would last ten years. Yeah, but dude, they're OLD you really NEED new ones.

God I hate when sales guys call me dude.

I searched around and found two of the few remaining independents in the area (Boston). Small nice family owned businesses and they will jump through all sorts of hoops to make me happy, I'm a good customer.

I too have a VERY high prescription and get the top quality Zeiss poly carb lenses for about $200. They weigh next to nothing, are impact resistant (which I need) and frankly I can't imagine how much thinner or lighter those 450 Lenscrafter high index lenses could be. I really don't care. I also get frames from all smaller independent makers. I like and have Ogi's, ProDesigns, AngloAmericans and Oliver Peoples/Paul Smith (though latter were recently bought out by guess who - Luxotica).

Be very careful about those cheap lenses. Even from Costco (which I love and I usually swear by the quality of their stuf). Cheap lenses are form molded ie liquid poured into a mold and solidified into the right shape. There are tons of impurities/variations that way. Good lenses are made from a solid block that is then ground to the right shape and is much more accurate.

And also beware if you have a high script like mine, glasses need to be fitted correctly to you eyes. Lenses are curved so when they make your they need to measure where the center of your pupils are so you are looking through the center of the lense. That chain I mentioned once cut a pair of mine that were 45 percent of center, so I was getting headaches at the computer, seeing trails of lights when driving at night. I brought them back to the store numerous times for 2 and a half years and they swore up and down that the prescription was correct. It was finally one of those small shops that measured me and discovered they were cut incorrectly and I was looking out the side, the curved part instead of the center. That when I switched and I never went back to the chains.

I'd be VERY wary of cheap internet lenses. Since they can't really measure you and check the fit you'd be taking a big chance that they'd get it correct. If you did I'd still take them to a reputable optician and pay them a bit to check and make sure they're correct and fit them to your face.

Your eyes are the only one's you've got, take care of them. Don't get ripped off by pushy SA's, but if we all agree on one thing here on the Styleforum, it pays to go for a high quality product.


I agree with you. But another reason your old lenses might not have been comfortable might have been due to the reason that your last lenses werent Aspheric. With an aspheric thin lens, youll find that they are lighter, thinner and you get a wider field of view.... Also you might not have had the Anti-Reflection coating which would explain the night time driving discomfort. Anti-Reflection will prevent you from seeing halos around lights at night. And finally, Poly Carb is great because it doesnt break BUT be careful because they will scratch much easier than a High-Index lens.

In terms of Luxottica, they now own Rayban and Oakley, so keep and eye on how they start cutting corners with those brands too.

Like any other retail store, use caution where you go. Once you find the right place, itll be worth it to pay a bit more and stay there. Those big chains SA dont care about repeat business, they just want to make a quick commission.
 

presence

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Originally Posted by cvac
Does anyone know of a trustworthy reliable, online eyeglasses lab? I'm talking about someone who I can send my own frames to, then they will cut lenses and put them in. I would need high index "thin" type lenses because I have a strong prescription (-7.00 in contact lenses). The reason I'm asking about this is the chain stores want to charge me $425+ the last time I checked for a pair of flimsy cheapo frames ($99) with the type of lenses I need. I don't even think that included an eye exam.

Thanks.

May I ask why you don't want to go to a brick and mortar store if you already have the frames.
 

CityConnection

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Originally Posted by presence
May I ask why you don't want to go to a brick and mortar store if you already have the frames.

My guess is that its hard to search store by store to find the best price and service whereas when youre online, you sit in one place and you can contact lots of different online stores. To each their own. Personally, I would go to a store. You can tell a lot about a store by how they service the customers...
 

crazyquik

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I had my eyes checked, got my 'script written on a piece of paper (they are required to give it to you if you ask) and then had a pair of Rayban prescription sunglasses made online.
 

Leaf

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I bought already several eyeglasses on-line and I honestly like them. I went to Lenscrafters to try the frames on, wrote down the model numbers and found them on-line. $145 that I paid on-line vs $400 or about that Lenscrafters wanted me to pay...

The only inconvenience that I experienced was that my optician did not measure my pupil distance and when I placed my order on-line, a sales rep gave me a call back telling that without my pupil distance they would not be able to center the focus in the lenses correct. I went back to my optician and he measured my pupil distance for free. Another thing was that I had to wait about 10 days until they make my glasses.

But overall I had a good experience. The glasses fit, I can see well. It probably also depends on what on-line store you purchase from. I do not trust the ones that offer 2 pairs of eyeglasses at $35 ... I buy from the same guys all the time. They charge less than any other walk-in store I checked and their prices are not suspiciously low at the same time.
 

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