I've been wearing glasses since I was 17 and oddly enough every appointment I have to have my prescription backed off. It's now only for an astigmatism, no longer need it for distance. So I don't wear my all the time, but I have found this last pair my most comfortable. They are plastic with molded nose, no nobby pieces. I'm a very brown color choice normally but I chose a purple with a little black in it and it looks very nice. It was very much out of my comfort zone. I'm very happy with them.

I have semi-rimmed gold, rimless with rosegold trim, semi-rimless black, silver rimmed with aqua temples that have clip on sunglasses, brown horn-rimmed, pale purple tinted sunglasses, dark brown sunglasses that are horn-rimmed, and some really kitschy rose-tinted sunglasses that are rimless.

All collected over about a five year period. But, they're only $5-$15 each, so why not? I dread the day I go to muti/bifocal. They'll probably jump all the way to $30 a piece. I love the internet. Levels the playing field with cell phones and eyewear. I did get the full prescription from eye doctor, including pupil distance, before I got any though.

In order of preference:

eyebuydirect

Zenni optical

goggles4u

I usually go for simple frames as I have a small face. The last time I got new glasses, I got these and went whole hog. In addition to the no-line bifocal, I added Transitions so they are sunglasses as well. I really like these and wear them daily The link is not where I got them and not what I paid. My little optometrist puts frames on sale so I always try those on first. Sometimes I find ones that look good, sometimes not.

I agree with raven....the frames have to look good on you and be compatible with the lenses you need.

I think you have to be a very symmetrical person to order eye glasses online. We always need frames adjusted. For me, one ear sits higher than the other so if I bought online I'd be walking around crooked.

Rob I just checked out the eyebuydirect, awesome!!!!

I read recently about an Italian company that has been quietly buying up many lens and frame making companies and brands, and now control about 80% of the total eyeglasses market, allowing them to have monopolistic price control over most of the market. If you try to price compare between one optical store and another, or compare one pair of frames with another you are likely only comparing one drastically overpriced product from that company with a different drastically overpriced product they produce. In cases when the frames are labeled with a well-known designer's brand, they will often charge $400-$500 just for frames that cost them something like $15 to $20 to manufacture, and usually that designer (or the designer's company) had absolutely nothing to do with the design of those frames.

I think about the only way to avoid this company is to order the glasses online, perhaps at one of the site Rob333 mentions.

Here's one story about the company: http://www.forbes.com/sites/anaswanson/2014/09/10/meet-the-four-eyed-eight-tentacled-monopoly-that-is-making-your-glasses-so-expensive/

Dees I really like those!

I can order only the frame online but no way can I get my prescription done online it's too difficult and needs precision adjustment done in person. In fact some optical shops won't do it. I was very pleased with the lenses from the Sears optical, I am not familiar with which labs they use for their lenses grinding and production but they did a very good job.

If I had a very simple easy prescription I would be willing to give online a try. I always take my new glasses back to my ophthalmologist for them to check out the accuracy of the lenses anyway.

This site has good information on how to find your size.

Size guide

The Italian company Bob refers to is Luxottica. There's nothing quiet or secretive about it, it's been publicly traded on the NY Stock Exchange for 25 years. Current operating and financial insights and detailed information about it are available for all to see, exactly the same as if a question arose that needed information concerning the Ford Motor Company or United Airlines. Luxottica's profit margins are reasonable, much less than many other known companies few would accuse of having unreasonable prices. It employ many thousands of people in the US.

As with hearing aids, the profit margins on eyeglasses can be exorbitant. Blame the world of optometrists for that, they quietly do their thing and make a bundle. That's why the Costcos and Walmarts of the world can provide good products at substantially lower costs. Even places like Sears Optical, Lenscrafters, Pearle Vision (all owned by Luxottica, all providing products coming from the exact same lens labs) usually offer better prices than independently owned optometrist shops.

While online buying can be a good alternative for some, it's not for me. Some of the sites Rob his linked to violate my requirement #1 for internet sellers, which is: I won't buy from any site that is evasive or less than forthright about who they are, where they're located, how they operate. It's not a matter of trust or risk to me, it's a matter of integrity. If you don't want to tell me who you are, the conversation is over.

I know my exact frame size so I have been looking around a bit. I found one that I really like, similar to my current one. It happens to be a Gucci which means nothing to me, I just like the color and style plus it's in the exact same size as the one I have. I know that I would not have a problem with my lenses in it. And it seems well made and has a 1 yr guarantee what exactly that means I don't know.

Frame

What the heck are you talking about snidely? I have done business with them and there are real people to talk to and correspond with. They're kind, prompt, and do just as great a job as my personal eye doctor. Eyebuydirect is out of Texas (2801 S, I-35, Suite 170, Austin, TX, 78741, United States, only because I have an order in the system for my son who loses his glasses constantly). Seems like Zenni is out of California. They are quite helpful, if I lose the sunglasses that clip on to my sunglasses and will send me another, even if that's all I'm buying ($3.95). What do you want from them a personal handshake? Adapt!

Actually, I gave my answer based on personal experience. Here's a review that lists my three. I may try others, since I in agreement with them!

Haha, rob. I was involved with the internet from the very early commercial days, not the DARPA days. I was involved with companies whose names you know. I "adapted" to the new realities long before you or most anyone else knew there were new realities to adapt to. I saw what was coming down the pike before most people knew there even was a pike.

Here's what I do (and did for those sites). Go to site. Click on "About Us", or "Contact Us", or "Our Story". No location, no specifics, no background who owns them or is behind the operation. Sorry, I'm done.

It has nothing to do with risk. I don't deal with euphemisms, innuendo, hints, or mystery. If a person or company can't give me some background so that I know who they are and who are involved, I lose interest and move one. I'm not suggesting there's anything wrong with them, it's just not for me.

A question for those buying eyeglasses online: How do you judge quality? I do not need to have Gucci's name near my eyes (or anywhere else), but I'm sure that with eyeglasses, just as with anything, there are ranges of quality, I want something sturdy enough so it will last more than a few weeks.

Companies are leaving off contact us info more and more.

Cut your nose off to spite your face in this instance. There are enough people clamoring for Zenni and Eyebuy, they're pretty well known. haha

Last month I went to the optometrist at Costco and bought my glasses there. I think the exam was $50.

My frames are titanium -- similar shape to Raven's lenses, but with narrow earpieces and no decorations. The color was called "Purple Berry". My astigma-correcting lenses are progressives w/anti-glare coating. The frames were $60. The lenses were $120. They were ready in six days.

I picked up the glasses and walked around Costco trying them out. The correction for distance didn't feel strong enough in one lens. The optometrist was in, so I saw her again -- no charge. She made the correction slightly stronger. Costco sent the glasses back to re-do that lens, and I had the glasses back in another six days -- no additional charge.

Thanks raven! Took a bit of adjusting, as I've not worn this "heavy" of a frame in quite some time. I have another pair that are "lighter" in frame but I find these to be really comfortable. The frame is molded plastic so no annoying nose pads. They do slip down a bit when I'm outside in the heat but not so bad. Overall, I really like them!

A couple of years ago, I picked up these Tommy Bahama Platinum Pearl frames for $30 and had prescription sunglasses made out of them. Went with super dark Transitions so I didn't have to worry about day to night transition while on the beach. They're great for sunglasses but a bit much for regular glasses. My only regret was not getting my bifocal prescription in them but it was less than $100 total. Hard to beat that price. I may upgrade them the next time my script changes.

My nose is still in place, rob. We all have preferences and make choices with retailers, none necessarily any more or less sage than any other.

chisue, that's a great endorsement for Costco's prices and service. My wife wears glasses and we both also prefer the thinner, undecorated and preferably metal look.

The color changing lenses aren't so great as primary sunglasses. Especially so for driving, they darken only when struck by light. When sitting in a car or even when under an overhang outside, they tend to lighten when you may prefer they stay dark.

I wear rimless lenses with custom rose gold frames- expensive to start with, but they are light, the most comfortable pair I have ever worn, and they will be the last frames I ever have to buy cause the jeweler who makes them can work on them- unlike plastic, titanium, or plated base metals that are very difficult to work on when they break.

My rimless with rosegold look almost identical to you aviastar! So obviously, I like them.

;)

Here's mine. They come with the magnetic clip ons. This picture shows the combo of purple with black/brown detailing. I do think it's more brown but some areas are so dark that it looks black. They are Takumi. I can't remember how much the frames were but I always go for a lower / mid price or at least sale. I can often wear children's glasses because I have a tiny face, but I think these may have been adult. I love how comfortable they are and they don't feel flimsy like some of the metal ones I've had in the past. The second photo you can't see the purple, it's just they way the light is reflecting off the paper.

I did get these at the eye doc and they did have to adjust them and they also had to remold and shave off some of the arm because of my teenie tiny head. We have bought glasses from discount places (though never online) and what I like about my eye doc is that if you loose a screw or bend an arm or anything they fix it. My middle son breaks or looses (not always his fault) a minimum of 3 pairs a year. The eye doc is excellent about shipping them out really quickly so it gets covered under warranty which is always included in the price. I have thought about getting a few cheap pairs for him, but he has a very expensive prescription so I'm not sure how cheap his cheap would be.

DH and I have been getting all our glasses from Zenni for years. DH is hard on glasses, works outside a lot and on home repair projects so the glasses get beat up. It is cheaper to just buy them through that outfit when he breaks or scratches them. He also gets his sunglasses from them. We had to send one or two back and there was no hassle.They replaced them quickly.

My lenses are so thick that having the wider temple area helps cover up some of that ugly thick area. I don't really care about decorative aspects or name brand but I do demand a quality product because I will be using it every day, I don't mistreat my glasses, but they get a lot of wear and tear. My lenses are always very expensive no matter where I have them made and due to the thickness I need to go with the lightest weight lenses I can buy which are more expensive. Just the cost of the manufacturing process is high. So I definitely want a quality frame to hold and protect the lenses. Feeling good and looking good are the other essential points I look for. I do have my edges trimmed and polished which helps a little but as you can see in my picture there's still that deep tunnel look to the lenses.

I would definitely prefer to go back to contacts but with Sjrogrens that's not likely to happen.

My husband has had very good luck with Costco glasses and also Walmart, good quality and great replacement policy.

I can go into any Costco anywhere and get repairs. In fact, the reason I used Costco last month was because I'd broken my non-Costco frames while we were on Maui, and the tech at the Kahului Costco rigged up a repair that got me home. I liked that -- and the fact that they don't use that Italian monopoly. I was happy Costco could work with my left un-operated eye and my right cataract-operated eye, which sees an enlarged image.

I prefer the look of glasses without the frame enclosing the bottom, but I'm afraid I'd put nicks in the unprotected portion.

The bottom of the lenses don't get nicked with semirims. Rimless also hold up well. And i am hard on all my stuff.

For the past several years, I have purchased my glasses from Walmart. In the past, I had used 3 to 4 different providers, but none were any better than Walmart. For the past 4 years, I have been using frames by Stetson. These continue to be available from Walmart and if my frames are good, Walmart will well sell me new lenses to fit my old frames. That is a big savings.

I like the larger lens size of the Stetson because it gives me better eye protection and better field of view for the bifocal part. The lens also provides UVA and UVB protection and I order hard coat protection for the lens.

The stetson frame has a double bridge across the nose lending added strength to the frame. The frame is all-metal with spring loaded ear pieces.

My optometrist's frames start at $200. No way was I paying that for frames. I checked Walmart and their frames are the latest styles and MUCH better pricing. My prescription was no problem getting filled, and I got an anti-glare coating. Costco is another highly recommended place.

I just got new glasses and they are purple. Not a deep purple color but light. What was I thinking? I usually go neutral but I wanted something different. Well they are different. They don't look purple from the front but from the sides oh yes they do. They are growing on me. lol I see a new wardrobe for me. lol

We still drive 1 1/2 hours away to go to our optometrist office. There is one in the small town close to us but my husband went in one of the last times my son's glasses were broken (hit in t he side of the head with a basketball in gym) and they were $100 more than what we paid at the Doc's office in the city. I looked up my glasses above and they were $262 all in with tax. Which is somewhat expensive but they do have the clip ons and the lenses have anti glare on them and I think a scratch coating too. Those are what up your price. The frames are usually the cheap part. I have a child's size pupil distance so finding classes that fit me is not easy. I like that the docs office will take measurements to get an excellent fit and if they don't look right or fit right the girl that fits the glasses will say so. She actually wants you to look good in them. They also always show you frames in your budget.

I only use the glasses when I drive as it crisps things. So I want the anti glare on there for night driving. I don't legally need the glasses but I do feel better when I am wearing them at night.

I'm lucky that I'm one of those who do not "need' glasses. I wore glasses for nearly 40 years. It started with headaches at work (doing paperwork and using a computer). Anyhow, after retiring ten years ago I stopped wearing my glasses. I found my distance vision was just fine. I took the New York state Motor Vehicle Eye Test and they said I no longer need glasses! Checked it out with my eye doctor and he agrees. But I do squint when reading a newspaper. So I bought those "readers" glasses in all sorts of styles. Brown horn-rims, black with rhinestones, Ben Franklins, even red and rainbow. frames. I keep a pair of glasses in nearly every room and also in my car and purse. It's great that glasses are a fashion accessory, not a necessity for me.

I wouldn't necessarily say the company Luxottica is being secretive about their many acquisitions, which might entail setting up shell corporations to intentionally obfuscate their ownership, but it has certainly been quiet about it. I'll bet few of the people here (or few of the consumers in the general population) know that most of the routes by which they may have purchased glasses in the past are now controlled by a single company. If they were completely open about it each acquisition would be accompanied by a sweeping press barrage, and perhaps be followed by renaming the newly-bought company to highlight the fact. However they have determined that it would be more beneficial (read profitable) to them to make the acquisitions and otherwise try to keep things as they were, (except for the new larger prices).

Also I don't think the fact that other companies reap even larger and more exorbitant profit margins (see for instance any pharmaceutical company) in any way makes the profit margins Luxottica is achieving due to its near monopoly anything less than price gouging.

after ages of plastic and having them break across the bridge of my nose, finally turned to metal frames...(gold tone for my skin and hair color) because my skin and plastic just don't mix...went from huge down to a slimmer frame...now wear bi's but not that vain I need blended no line, lol...unlike dh....now he went from silver rims to a slim plastic very different but looks good (despite the grey) with his dark hair... 2 of our dgds were with us and chose them, lol...o btw we're Costco users...

forgot to add, while the frames are mid-price at Costco, by the time I get the light sensitive lenses (they look like sunglasses) it can run over $200. op doc is another $45...

bob, you've said

"I read recently about an Italian company that has been quietly buying up many lens and frame making companies and brands," and

"which might entail setting up shell corporations to intentionally
obfuscate their ownership, but it has certainly been quiet about it."

You really don't know what you're talking about. Really.

Luxottica is a public company - every acquisition, every major business transaction, etc., is announced with a press release. See the link below for examples on its website.

It's all public information. If you or others don't know, it's because you don't follow large corporation matters. Your comments also suggest you know little about the worlds of business and publicly traded companies. That's fine, but it may be better for you to tone down your comments, I think your comments are more a result of your limited knowledge and understanding than due to any nefarious conduct by this company.

If you think they're acting like the 800 pound gorilla in the room and taking unfair profits from the unsuspecting public, you'd be a fool to not buy their stock and profit personally from their activities (as you allege them to be).

Luxottica Press Releases

Rob333,

Thank you for your list of online companies. I went to the eye dr. yesterday at Walmart and got Rxs for bifocals and computer glasses. I found a very nice more colorful set of glasses at Walmart but would cost $600-700 for two pair after lenses and coatings and whatnot. I bought two pair at Eyebuy (conservative black) with everything for about $150 plus shipping.

I may go back and get the WM glasses as well because they were cute and I could not find comparable glasses online, it is good to have backups for each of the two different Rxs I received, but ordering from Eyebuy was a good way to get the new Rxs and good frames for reasonable cost.

You're quite welcome. Let us know how they turn out for you.

By the way, saying Walmart reminds me... my ex would take his glasses, at any point, from any provider, to Walmart, and they'd adjust them for him.

Yes they sure will. I have offered to pay since I didn't buy my glasses there and they said no they were happy to help.

these are mine...I love the cat eyes!

http://eyeglasses.go-optic.com/store/eyeglasses/details.asp?id=96647&c=4&r=gf&gclid=Cj0KEQjwn86sBRDroPiR0LrSzNYBEiQAzOaSYI3mvjb9CIH9q6X-YjLS6uOfK4s8O7O-lWK7xSNtp6QaAo3L8P8HAQ

One caveat for the bifocals: I got some several years back and wasn't able to wear them, due to the narrow field. This was when the style was narrow and there just wasn't enough room for both the close lens and the far. I wish I'd returned them as it was impossible to go downstairs without feeling completely dizzy as I could only see through the close lens as I lowered my head. I'm going to try again, but will only do so if I can find a wide style!

Ravencajun - I had a previous post about eyeglasses and you recommended Sears. Well, I went and am very happy with my glasses. Like you, my lenses are very thick. I will go back to Sears next time I need a new pair.

Just yesterday a friend was telling me, she had gone, had the exam, picked out frames and it would be close to $800.00! No way, she then went to an optical place, got 2 pair of bifocals and it was $300....For sure you have to shop around...

Years ago, I was an Optometrist Assistant and in charge of all our frame buying.. Frames are very cheap but we would mark them up more than triple and when I saw the price the lab would charge for the lens, it made me sick to think what we charged the patients...

Like everything else, way, way over priced......

Linda I remember that! I am so glad you are pleased with your glasses. We have gone back to Sears also and so far have been very happy with their products.

Contacts are also extremely marked up in price.

If anyone is interested Sears has some very good specials on right now here is a link with their offers. Including 2 pair for $99.99 single vision and 2 for $149.99 multi focal.

sears optical offers

My glasses arrived this morning. Good news and bad news. Rob, thank you for linking Eyebuy Direct, they did a GREAT job!

The good news is that my vision is crisp, clear and much better than it has been for several years, with the glasses. A real difference.

The bad news is that now when I look in the mirror using the new computer glasses (I got a pair of bifocals and a pair of computer glasses) I can see every eyebrow hair, pore, and unevenly applied makeup job and what I thought was an acceptable makeup job clearly is not, so I'll be spending a tad more time applying stuff.

HA! Thanks, I needed that. I'm so happy it worked out for you.

Hahahahahahaha, Lucille! Yes, when I look in the mirror with glasses in order to pluck my eyebrows, I see it all and it's appalling.