That much for glasses?!!

Yesterday my husband & I went to LensCrafters because he wanted new glasses. He got 2 pairs (they wanted to have bifocals) he got progressive (with the antiglare, etc) instead (1 pair 2 functions) and 1 pair of sunglasses. Guess how much?... $700(out of pocket) after the insurance coverage! What?? I almost died. They asked me would I like an exam. Hmm, no! Not after that price.

I hate to wear my glasses, but never have tried contacts. Are contacts easier? I would like the easiest, no hassle ways for myself (but after his pair, it'll be awhile before I even think about glasses or contacts. ) Like I said I don't like wear glasses(like I should. ), I only use them to drive (for seeing distance). But I'd like options/ideas from people who wear contacts.

How much more expensive are they than glasses? Easy to care for? Use, remove? I'm afraid I'd lose them or poke my eye out. I'd love the idea of wear for a month contacts.

I don't know what kind of glasses he got, but he probably should have looked at the price tag on the frames beforehand. My vision insurance is crap (it covers I think 10% of frames/lenses) and even still my last visit to get whole new glasses and contacts was less than 300$. Sometimes they get you with the "designer" frames and that's the only way I can imagine it costing that much.

Contacts are decently easy to use. I have astigmatism though. People who are willing to do what it takes to have contacts usually love them, people who aren't hate them. Even the ones meant to be slept in shouldn't be slept in, it really is dangerous to your eyes. The best thing for your eyes is contacts that are worn each day, not at night, and are changed out as often as possible, probably either every two weeks or every month unless you get dailies. Or hard lenses, I don't know anything about those!

Once you get used to putting them in or taking them out, they're easy. But I remember when I first got them in high school it took me forever to get them in the first week or so, and awhile to get them out. After that it takes me about as long to put in contacts as it would to clean my glasses and put them on.

The frames were cheap. But I think insurance paid for 1 pair partly and on the second pair we paid for (sunglasses) but I think the lenses added it up quickly.

I haven't worn contact in years but I loved them when I did. Now my allergies are so screwy, I would end up scratching them out
I just bought two pair of glasses, one daily wear and sunglasses (my first prescription sunglasses ever! woohoo!) at America's Best. The total charge with the lightweight lenses, antiglare, exam, etc was around $350 for both. I could never have afforded the $700. That seems really high. Like Zissou's Mom said, it must have been the frames.

edit: oops, just saw your post about the frames. Maybe they just charge a lot more. With America's Best you have to wait 10 working days for the glasses to come in. Maybe they have higher prices because they make them faster?

Holy crap - $700?!

I go to Shopko Optical - and last summer I got 2 boxes of regular contacts, 1 box of colored ones, new lenses and an exam for about $150. My insurance covered the exam, that was it, so I paid for the rest.

With contacts, you have to remember that you have to change them constantly, and when your out, you have to buy more. So if your looking for the cheaper route- glasses are much cheaper.

I'll be getting my new contacts (colored ones) next week when my insurance from work finally kicks in. I've been wearing my glasses non stop since December and my eyes feel MUCH better than they did when I constantly wore my contacts.

The last time I bought glasses they were $380. The frames are brooks brothers, but I've found that the designer frames are usually a bit better quality. You do get what you pay for.
Since I'm not hard on the frames they'll last a few years, so the price isn't so bad in the end. The lense cost does add up quickly when you start getting different coatings on them.

If you've just recently bought the glasses check the LensCrafter's site, they should still take coupons if you hurry and get that mailed or faxed in with proof of purchase. At least that's what the sales person was willing to do for mine.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

The last time I bought glasses they were $380. The frames are brooks brothers, but I've found that the designer frames are usually a bit better quality. You do get what you pay for.

Since I'm not hard on the frames they'll last a few years, so the price isn't so bad in the end. The lense cost does add up quickly when you start getting different coatings on them.

If you've just recently bought the glasses check the LensCrafter's site, they should still take coupons if you hurry and get that mailed or faxed in with proof of purchase. At least that's what the sales person was willing to do for mine.

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Yes, he got two pairs of Brook Brothers frames & you are right about the coatings adding up. His current glasses has lasted ten years. 1 pair of orginal lenses and 1 new pair of lenses. So you are right about quality. But I don't think we have any coupons to give Lense Crafters. We bought them yesterday.

Okay I just got out the receipt: 1 frame we paid $39.96 (orginally $149 Brook Brothers) Progressive lenses $210.00 (all our cost) High Index $155 (all ours) and invisables $ 85 (all ours again) plan pays $55 & $54 of that cost. total $489 (all ours) On his sunglasses plan paid $59 of his frame price & $48 of his 1 single lens & $ 42 of Grey 3 PZP (???) our cost $ 224.

Crazy! I'm guessing parts of it is his prescription needed. They explained it yesterday, but still that crazy.

Husband and I both have contacts, and we each just got new glasses. Here, each is about $400 CDN, for one pair of glasses or a year's supply of contacts.

Our insurance covers one or the other every other year, so we end up paying for a lot of it ourselves.

I just bought new glasses last year. check out Costco next time. Yes you do have to wait a week for them, but I don't have any problems and my lenses (which are horribly expensive) were $100. Typically I would pay $300 along for the lenses, plus whatever the frames were.

I'm finding I'm wearing my glasses more often now because I have been staring at a computer 10+ hours a day. I may even invest in sunglasses from costco this year.

Doesn't surprise me with LenCrafters though...they were always expensive.

Originally Posted by lunasmom

I just bought new glasses last year. check out Costco next time. Yes you do have to wait a week for them, but I don't have any problems and my lenses (which are horribly expensive) were $100. Typically I would pay $300 along for the lenses, plus whatever the frames were.

I'm finding I'm wearing my glasses more often now because I have been staring at a computer 10+ hours a day. I may even invest in sunglasses from costco this year.

Doesn't surprise me with LenCrafters though...they were always expensive.

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Yes, we are learning that... crazy, next time at least for myself, I'll try Costco or shop around first. The bad thing he still needs to wait for his glasses, it wasn't 1 hour.

We seriously need a better vision plan. I agree about the costs. We spent the same at Lenscrafters. Oddly enough we tried Pearl and their frames were more money. Lenscrafters always have coupons and discounts for AAA members. I much prefer paying the higher cost of Lenscrafters b/c I have horrible vision and I need their super thin lenses. Ugh! I think we all should have the eye surgery. The worst part is my lenses are scratched(my fault) & I can't afford new lenses right now.

I just got new glasses last week - $420 for just plain old frames and invisible bi-focals.

My husband had the Lasik surgery done about four years ago. It was well worth it. I think he lucked out and was a perfect candidate for the surgery. It cost us less than $1000 for both eyes, and his vision is still better than mine, and I am close to 20/20. Maybe that is something to look into. Recovery time was hardly anything. The next day he was fine, just couldn't rub his eyes at all.

I can't believe how expensive these glasses were!! DH bought me 2 pairs for the price of one last year - £120, but I usually wear my lenses - I have daily disposables - a lovely clean fresh pair every day, no mess, no cleaning and they are so comfortable as they are 78% water!!!

They work out at just under £30 a month, so I guess not the cheapest way, but they make my life so much easier!!!!

I used to get the two pairs/$59 deal at WalMart and they tinted one pair for free. My last pair were bifocals and they were only $79. Since my LASIK surgery, I just buy $10 reading glasses at Walgreens.

My current pair I got about 4 years ago and they cost over $800 (had to put it on the credit card. ) They're bifocals and I have a strong prescription.

I should be the one whining.

I know that feeling!!!! I need to get bifocals (probably trifocals), because I only need my glasses for distance and it's a PITA to keep putting them on and taking them off. However, they are mighty expensive, so I suffer with putting them on and taking them off!

I'm lucky that the prescription for distance hasn't changed so I have had the same glasses for several years. But if I remember correctly they cost me $600.00 (my insurance only covers $100.00) about 6 years ago so that's like $100.00 per year of use. Still expensive if you think about it.

I got 2 pairs (one regular, one sunglasses) and 3 months supply of disposable contacts for $500 when I got my new ones last year (which is good because our insurance doesn't cover vision)

Originally Posted by katl8e

I used to get the two pairs/$59 deal at WalMart and they tinted one pair for free. My last pair were bifocals and they were only $79. Since my LASIK surgery, I just buy $10 reading glasses at Walgreens.

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That's my kind of shopping! LOL! My daughter wears contacts, we get them at Wal*Mart, $35.00 per box with I guess about 6 contacts per box...something like that.

I only use glasses for reading/eating...and I get mine at Dollar Tree! LOL! The eye doctor told me that there was really no need in buying expensive ones anywhere else....if the $1.00 glasses work fine, then that's just fine too! So yep, I've got alllllll sorts of readers, in every room of the house! This year, I found some awesome multicoloured ones...soooo cute!!...very psychodelic and groovy!

Ok...yes, I'm old.

Hilda>^..^<

Sadder story. I have three children. All five of us wear contacts, with glasses as a back up. I try to avoid looking at the expense.

I've worn contacts for 35 years. In fact, I was in the FDA studies to get colored hard contacts, then gas perms and then colored gas perms approved for consumer use. Studies are great - very little cost to the patient.

I still use the gas perms, bifocals now. They are approved for continuous use, but I take them out every night. They last two years or so (the first pair of hard contacts lasted 15 years, with an occassional polishing - lost one).
The rest of the family wear soft contacts - daily wear. They do not sleep in them.

I only wear my glasses when I am sick.