Getting Lenses Only for Existing Frames

10 years ago

Does anyone know of a good place, online or store, where I can purchase prescription lenses for my frames? I've got frames I like and which are fairly new, but I scratched one lens pretty bad and it needs replacing. I did a search online and found a number of sites but am looking to see if anyone has used one successfully. I also heard that Cosco does this, but I'm not a member and really don't want to pay the membership fee just for the lenses. Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

SunnyDJ
10 years ago
If you have the RX, you can take the frames to almost any optometrist, optometric store, Sears or I would think any one that makes sells/makes glasses....I worked many years in the optometric business and we never had a problem with using a person or patient's existing frame......Saves you a bunch of money, also......Good luck!
azzalea
10 years ago
Your optician--where you initially bought the glasses should handle that for you. Depending upon what you bought and when, the lens may even be covered by insurance, and be free.

Remember, if you use an online place (even with many opticians who use out of state labs), you're going to have to send them your glasses and be without them for several days up to a couple of weeks. They HAVE to have the frames to cut and fit the lens.

If you don't want to be without your glasses, your best bet may be an old-timey, independent optician (if you can find one in your neighborhood) who does his/her own lens installation. Another option would be to go to the local college where opticians are trained--they have all the equipment and could probably order your lens and install it.
Related Discussions
Contact lenses...can they give me 'perfect' vision???
Q
Comments (28)
Contact lenses are much abused eye products and can actually cause damage if not picked wisely. Here are a few reasons why contact lenses should be picked wisely after a prescription and that too after a visit to a qualified eye specialist. To begin with, a contact lens need not be 'fits-all' type. One must get it prescribed. Since a prescription is an authorized statement that clearly mentions what is ok, you can shop with confidence and it feels good that you are doing the right thing. Since buying a pair of contact lens can happen only through a prescription, any website selling 'branded' contact lens are likely to be selling lens that may not be branded and that isn't good news for your eye. If you have been wearing both glasses and contact lens, you are now aware that the prescriptions are a little different from each other. While most of us know what we need a prescription to buy glasses for eye sight problems, the same prescription cannot be used for contact lenses. This means, you need to get a separate prescription for contact lens. Even if you wish to wear contact lens for changing your eye color, you will need a prescription from an Opthalmogist. If you prefer to wear a specific type of contact lens, you can talk to your doctor so that she or he can recommend and also mention that brand in the prescription so that there are no hassles tomorrow. The doctor can also clear any doubt and specify the positives and negatives about any special type of Contact Lens. A prescription will have the doctor's contact details and this way, the dealer can call and check should there be any kind of confusion or if any clarification needs to be sought. Here is a link that might be useful: Contact Lenses
...See More
Transition lenses versus photochromic
Q
Comments (1)
You should probably ask your optical person...Years ago, I worked in the eye business and at that time, you could only get the photochromatic lens in glass which in turn was heavy...Then Transitions came out for plastic lens but was very expensive...The last time I got glasses, I went with the off brand Transistions and they darken just as well as the name brand ony much cheaper....As far as your polycarbonate, do they darken like the Transition? If your going to be wearing them for work/or to protect the eye, you should go with the high impact lens...Is there much difference in the weight? It's been years since I worked in the business but I'm still shocked at the prices...I did all the lens and frame ordering and frames and we would get designer frames for as little as a couple of dollars and then price them in the hundreds...And the same with the lens, they were basically very, very inexpensive....Just made me sick and is one reason I had to get out of the business..... Good luck in your search.....At one time, my son gave me a on line site that made glasses, very inexpensive, but do you think I can think of the name of it...I believe it started with a Z...He uses them all the time for his family.....
...See More
Transition lenses in glasses...
Q
Comments (30)
I didn't like my transitions, either. They are a few years old, tho. I don't know what the new ones are like. I am very light sensitive and wear sun glasses most of the time in the car. Sometimes the more overcast days are worse than bright sunshine for me. If you get glasses, and want sunglasses also to help block the light from the sides, get a pair of frames that are sturdy enough that putting the fit overs won't knock them out of adjustment. I got the really light weight ones that don't have any "frame" to them, just the ear pieces and nose piece. They are wonderfully light, but I can't keep them adjusted. I went Wed. and need to have them fixed again. The fit overs can come around the sides to help block the light, where transitions (if they work in the car, mine didn't) will only block the light where the lenses are. When I wore contacts ( I gave them up for the same reason you are!), I always wore very dark sunglasses that wrapped around. I got Rx sunglasses that were supposed to be able to be adjusted to work the same way, but it changes the bifocal to much so they adjusted them to take out the wrap for me, which makes them too wide for my face now. I do love my no line bifocals, tho. Good luck. My insurance only pays the exam and $75 towards the rest, so I spent a fortune on glasses last year. I will probably do it again this summer just to get out of the frames I have now. Tami
...See More
Do you wear progressive lenses?
Q
Comments (30)
I've been wearing progressives for many years and like them, except for the price, even with insurance-lol. Yes, things are blurry on the sides as that is normal. Unfortunately, progressives give you very small area of perfect vision and that is looking straight on. And if your eye measurements were done correctly, you won't have to move your head up or down to find that sweet spot when looking straight at something. If you opt for small frames, your perfect vision straight on will be MUCH less than with larger frames b/c obviously they don't have as much room with work with. It does take a bit of time to adjust, but, everyday you wear them, you will get comfortable. It took me a few minutes to adjust to my first pair of progressives (I had been wearing glasses since age 8, now 55). Stores like LensCrafters, Vision Works, and the like generally don't sell the better progressive lenses so I don't go there. My sis has worked in this field for 15+ years and that's what she told me. After doing some research, I found that to be true.
...See More
pam_25f
10 years ago
If they are fairly new, the place you got them might replace them. One time I lost a lens, and was just over the time limit when they would replace it. Last January when my mother fell, her glasses were damaged beyond repair and the place she bought them replaced them for free. Forgot to say they were only months old.
carol_in_california
10 years ago
You can use the vision services at Costco without being a member.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
10 years ago
yes Costco vision clinics do not require Costco membership simply tell them at the door you are going to the vision section. same for Sams.

Sears, Walmart, Sams and Costco, pretty much any place that does full service glasses will be able to have a lens made for your existing frame, especially if you take the old lens in with you they can use it as a guide.
We have had very very good results at the Sears vision clinic and also walmart. My current glasses are from Sears, they did an excellent job with the lenses, I have extremely thick difficult lenses to work with and they got them perfect including the exact spot for my bifocals. Very happy with them and the cost was great.
jemdandy
10 years ago
Our Walmart store will make lenses for owner's frames. Delivery time is about 1 week and they will install the new lenses in your frames and return your old lenses to you.
iowagirl2006
10 years ago
Check with your Eye Dr.'s office.

My DH took his glasses that were SEVERAL years old in and the gal there buffed out the scratches. It was amazing! These weren't light surface scratches either.

Getting Lenses Only for Existing Frames

Comments (7)

SunnyDJ

azzalea

Related Discussions

pam_25f

carol_in_california

ravencajun Zone 8b TX

jemdandy

iowagirl2006

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US