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.
I got mine for $30, they can make them mute expensive, but for just glasses, it’s perfect.
I got mine with their HD lenses, no-line bifocals with antiglare coating, and the total came to $135 shipped.
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.
I have bought at least 10 pair from Zenni optical and they were just fine.
I second this, but OP says they have special lens needs. That’s what stacks the price.
When I got LASIK I wasn’t allowed to wear contacts for a few weeks before the surgery. I bought the cheapest pair of glasses from Zenni. I had new glasses for $17 + $10 shipping.
If I had to do it again I would have my IPD measured by a proper optometrist first. I just guessed at it and got ones a little too small, so they had a kind of fisheye effect.
Still, for <$30 it was a great bargain
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.
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.
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.
If you have Costco membership, their optical department is pretty affordable. Frames are $50-80. Lenses another $80 or so, but depends on complexity and of you get transitions and whatnot.
from the op description they are in fact a very complicated seamless bifocal. likely some of the most expensive lenses to make. idk, to a certain extent op is looking for a modern luxury item and mad that it’s expensive. like they don’t NEED seamless bifocals, it’s just Better for their condition. they could spend less on thicker cheaper bifocals, they just wouldn’t be as nice.
like it sucks that most glasses are uncomfortable for them, but sadly this has simply resulted in them needing expensive glasses if they get this spec. it’s kind of like someone saying they need a car that’s fast, fuel efficient, rides great, looks cool, is safe, and has lots of storage but are confused why they can’t find a good deal on that.
It’s the same for Sam’s Club. My eye doctor said glasses would be $800 AFTER insurance. I went to Sam’s Club and got two pairs for $200.
And if you don’t have a membership, one costs $60. So frames lenses and membership could end up less than $250.
also, costco takes the shitty eye insurance so you may not be paying much on top of not paying much already. felt good that year.
Yay the conglomerate that owns glasses production and distribution.
It’s not just the US, Essilor is a virtual monopoly.
That said, my glasses are 50% less online than at a local shop.
Also, thank insurance companies for inflating prices
Essilor monopolizes lenses, Safilo monopolizes frames – neither offer direct sale
Why is it always luxottica
Comedian Kyle Ayers has Trigeminal Neuralgia as well. He’s about to do the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with his show (Hard to say) all about how he’s been dealing with it. I know that doesn’t help you with your glasses, but maybe his comedy can help alleviate some of the pain and worry.
Good luck.
That’s awesome! I’ll check him out! Thanks!
If you have a membership, check out Costco. They often have really good prices on this sort of thing.
If you do buy them online, make sure to submit the receipt to your insurance- they should cover at least some of it.
Get Kaiser Permanente!.. I got new $150 for my $20 copay, which I was told I didn’t need to pay!
Weeks later they started sending me daily reminders to pay my copay and the extra 100 I owed on the frame!
Surely I don’t understand healthcare.
Unfortunately, my wife, who’s insurance I am on, doesn’t get to choose policies. Also, nothing is in-network for Kaiser around here. We did have it when we lived in L.A. and my daughter was born in Providence St. Joseph in Burbank, which was a really nice hospital and they paid for it. But I’m in Indiana now. No Kaiser stuff here.
Her vision plan is called VSP and it clearly sucks. But again, no choice.
Well then you don’t have to put up with the daily Kaiser pay 5 bucks please.
Fub fact: they both cost $250
Very fub indeed
eyebuydirect. I got my first pair from them for $11, shipped, just to test if they could get my weird prescription right. if you want all the bells and whistles, you can get one up to about 150, but I basically got a dozen pairs for what Target wanted for a single pair.
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.
Zenioptical it’s like 75 for every option and I wear them more than the glasses I paid hundreds for
I think Costco glasses are a good deal, even if you have to buy a one-year membership to get them. Don’t know if they’re available online, but don’t you want to try glasses on in person to make sure they fit and are comfortable?
No Costco around here unfortunately. I don’t want any glasses touching me unless they are the ultra lightweight ones. They weren’t available at the optometrist, which is who my insurance covered.
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.
