Comments on: You’re Getting Ripped off If You Buy Contacts and Glasses from the Eye Doctor

By: Liwee

Liwee — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:59:28 +0000

I got my glasses at http://www.zennioptical.com for really less than the eye doctor.

Sure, you can’t try them… but when you go get an eye exam, get to try LOTS of glasses and see what type fits you best. Than browse the website for similar model, color, shape…

My eye doctor wanted to sell me a pair of glasses at around 300$ (180$ for the frame, 120$ for the lens). With that, I don’t even get a second pair, nor sunshades.

I went online and got myself 4 pairs (I know, I went CRAZY)! One everyday pair that looks like the look I had before witch still suits me, one a bit more fancy that I wear at special events, one that turns out to look funny, so I wear them when i do sports like canoeing and might lose them in the river, and one pair of sunglasses! With that I ordered a clip-on sunshade. Total: 100$, for 4 glasses and a clip-on!! What a saving!

Sure they might be more fragile & cheap, but at 20$ for a frame & prescription lens, no worries you can forget them, lose them, brake them… It’s not like losing a 300$ pair!

By: buy contacts

buy contacts — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:32:26 +0000

I agree with your blog post. I’ve been buying contacts online for more than 7 years and would never go back !

By: Personal Finance Resource Links 04-26-09 | Free From Broke

Personal Finance Resource Links 04-26-09 | Free From Broke — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:54:46 +0000

[...] Milk Your Money tells us you could be getting ripped off buying glasses and contacts from a doctor. [...]

By: thefinancefiend

thefinancefiend — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:21:30 +0000

After seeing the prices of glasses, we bought ours from LensCrafters. I am not going to say they are the cheapest place out there, because I am sure you can get cheaper online. But, if you don’t have eye insurance, and get their discount frames its actually not that expensive. Plus they make the glasses on site (which is important if you can’t drive or read or do your job without glasses). Next time my husband gets an eye exam (I am blessed with perfect vision) we will look into buying a pair online.

By: colormist

colormist — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:38:24 +0000

I had no idea you could buy glasses online. I was aware of the contacts, but not frames. I had taken up shopping at Sam’s Club for my eye-modification needs. Now I’ll have to check the online retailers before I commit to purchasing at Sam’s. Worst comes to worst, I can always crawl back to Sam’s and order them there.

By: StarvingHummingbird

StarvingHummingbird — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:20:31 +0000

Your lesson, “not automatically think your only option is what is in front of you” is generally true for most transactions, not just the eye doctor.

Somewhere out there, there is always someone selling the item you want at a cheaper price. It’s just how much time and money you are willing to “waste” finding that person. For example: Text books – New +$100 at bookstore. New international edtions… $10 – $50, but try finding a source of international text books.

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:56:47 +0000

For years, I have been using Zenni Optical – http://zennioptical.com for glasses. The price for a pair of single vision eyeglasses starts at $8.00 + $4.95 per order (no matter how many glasses you order).

I have bought an $8.00, a $45.95 (pure titanium) and a $23.95 (memory titanium) and I have been extremely happy with every pair of glasses.

All eyeglasses are guaranteed and include free:
Thin and Light 1.57 index lens
Anti Scratch Coating
Full UV Protection
Lens edge polishing and beveling
Plastic Eyeglass case
Microfiber Lens Cleaning Cloth