General Discussion

CrispyQ

(36,645 posts) Tue Dec 31, 2013, 11:19 AM Dec 2013

When did eyeglass frames get so frickin' expensive?! [View all]

I remember when contact lenses were more expensive than eyeglasses but it seems it's changed. My insurance pays up to $175 for a pair of frames. You would think, no problem finding frames for that amount, right? Nope. Most of the frames were at least $200 & the ones I finally settled on were $250. $250 for $5 worth of plastic & metal. Add high index lenses for my incredibly myopic vision & I'm pushing $500 for a pair of glasses. What a racket.

136 replies

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When did eyeglass frames get so frickin' expensive?! [View all] CrispyQ Dec 2013 OP

I get my frames and lenses from zennioptical.com NOVA_Dem Dec 2013 #1

wife just got some from Zenni - pretty cheap and looked nice. rurallib Dec 2013 #4

i got some great hipster looking frames for $13. NOVA_Dem Dec 2013 #6

I will also endorse Zenni -- good prices, frames are nice, service good. nt Nay Dec 2013 #20

Another vote for Zenni Optical. MicaelS Dec 2013 #48

+1 for zenni; but check frame size Politicub Dec 2013 #87

Zenni!! +1 Rectangle Dec 2013 #111

That's who I use. I've got a pair of prescription sunglasses from them that I bought a few years ago WhollyHeretic Dec 2013 #24

Buying prescription sunglasses was the nicest thing I did for myself! CrispyQ Dec 2013 #53

I hate my prescription sunglasses dickthegrouch Dec 2013 #77

Progressive lens sunglasses ... earthside Jan 2014 #127

I am another Zenni fan etherealtruth Dec 2013 #39

Yet another happy zenni customer - buy a spare pair! eggplant Dec 2013 #66

Frames on-line drkedjr Dec 2013 #108

They have a version of Ray Ban's Clubmasters!!!!! ryan_cats Jan 2014 #132

If you don't have vision insurance these days, you can only afford BC frames as we stevenleser Dec 2013 #2

In the Marine Corps . . . Brigid Dec 2013 #114

Same in the USAF. stevenleser Jan 2014 #136

60 Minutes did a story on this wercal Dec 2013 #3

Didn't know that. Good post. Thanks. n/t Laelth Dec 2013 #12

saw that story NJCher Dec 2013 #18

You have to be careful with Wal Mart wercal Dec 2013 #103

I didn't realize that. CrispyQ Dec 2013 #19

Vuarnet.... when was the last time ... OneBlueDotBama Dec 2013 #30

i have 5 pairs of Vuarnet sunglasses because I love them so much. They are hard to find now TeamPooka Dec 2013 #73

But why should we believe 60 Minutes? Pretzel_Warrior Dec 2013 #94

Gotta love that free market shit. nm rhett o rick Dec 2013 #100

The Monopoly is back in a lot of Consumer Products and Services warrant46 Jan 2014 #135

I fear that my $15 readers will stop working some day and I'll have to buy real glasses. tridim Dec 2013 #5

I bought 4 pairs of 3 doller readers AngryAmish Dec 2013 #21

I'm fortunate enough to have good eyesight save for Walgreens x175 readers. catbyte Dec 2013 #62

I'm still on 1x which I assume means my vision is pretty decent. tridim Dec 2013 #84

I'm the same way. I started out at 1x 5 years ago, and my eyesight has deteriorated to where catbyte Dec 2013 #97

I've done the "2 for $80" thing at JCPenny Optical. AtheistCrusader Dec 2013 #63

I buy all my reading glasses off of ebay n2doc Dec 2013 #67

On the high-index lenses frazzled Dec 2013 #7

Ditto. CrispyQ Dec 2013 #14

My wife is -8 and -6.75 kristopher Dec 2013 #60

My frames cost $50. I don't want or need fashionable. hobbit709 Dec 2013 #8

Me either but just to get ones that won't fall apart simply from sitting on DebJ Jan 2014 #120

My frames have lasted me 5 years and two sets of lenses. hobbit709 Jan 2014 #121

Zennioptical and costco cally Dec 2013 #9

Yep. Scurrilous Dec 2013 #16

I second Costco. Lex Dec 2013 #34

Glasses mimi85 Dec 2013 #59

Slickdeals.net is great for finding bargains bananas Dec 2013 #106

As if the insurance money were just gravy and we end up paying retail anyway. gtar100 Dec 2013 #10

This. CrispyQ Dec 2013 #17

Word... Tace Dec 2013 #82

I'm very nearsighted, too. kcr Dec 2013 #11

I love my high index lenses & would not go back, CrispyQ Dec 2013 #22

Costco has great glasses and you can definitely get a nice pair of glasses... Walk away Dec 2013 #13

I got expensive (by Costco standards) eyeglasses 7 years ago emsimon33 Jan 2014 #118

They got expensive when insurance started covering them. former9thward Dec 2013 #15

+100 lunasun Dec 2013 #78

yep frylock Dec 2013 #83

Yes that is part of the problem. If your insurance pays for your frames, why rhett o rick Dec 2013 #101

warby parker spanone Dec 2013 #23

Wow! A home try on program. CrispyQ Dec 2013 #25

Big fan of this company. cbayer Dec 2013 #65

Love them! Agschmid Dec 2013 #93

Huge fan of Warby Parker style Patiod Jan 2014 #124

When someone decided to get the fashion Skidmore Dec 2013 #26

Try online A Little Weird Dec 2013 #27

Their selection is good & their prices are incredible! CrispyQ Dec 2013 #28

I second eyebuydirect. Great if you're dead broke Patiod Jan 2014 #126

Getting Glasses These Days Is Like Buying A Car With All The Options Available.... global1 Dec 2013 #29

When you wear glasses all day, every day, some of those lens options are nice. CrispyQ Dec 2013 #33

I got all of that at ZenniOptical.com for 120 bucks demosincebirth Dec 2013 #47

I paid $40 for my current pair. alc Dec 2013 #31

The eyeglass frame monopoly is at work. There was a show on tee vee about this. MADem Dec 2013 #32

Another vote for ZenniOptical... TreasonousBastard Dec 2013 #35

SCAM... someone is making a killing... I would by frames... my current ones are Dior JCMach1 Dec 2013 #36

Where did you go, JCMach1? I thought you were in Florida?? loudsue Dec 2013 #85

Yeah, worked in Dubai the last 10 years... back in Florida now JCMach1 Dec 2013 #113

Dubai? Ten years??? Welcome home! loudsue Jan 2014 #115

exactly went from $$$ to no $ JCMach1 Jan 2014 #131

Very interesting. Are you glad you went? loudsue Jan 2014 #133

of course, i traveled everywhere and every chance i got... JCMach1 Jan 2014 #134

Luxottica. jsr Dec 2013 #37

Wow! I learned a lot in this thread. CrispyQ Dec 2013 #42

Like the hospital $1000 toothbrush story ErikJ Dec 2013 #98

Designer frames in the UK are c. $180 dipsydoodle Dec 2013 #38

I hate the way glasses are marketed as a fashion accessory... MindPilot Dec 2013 #44

They're stylish if you want them to be. MicaelS Dec 2013 #54

My eyes disappear behind my very myopic lenses, so I like a nice frame to bring attention to them. CrispyQ Dec 2013 #55

Except that glasses actually do help you to see, while a wheelchair doesn't help you walk MNBrewer Dec 2013 #68

But they are such a prominent feature of one's appearance Patiod Jan 2014 #128

I love my Silhouettes, but.... femmocrat Dec 2013 #70

We also use Zenni Optical Holly_Hobby Dec 2013 #40

Most vision insurance will not pay for Lasik. MindPilot Dec 2013 #41

Some people aren't good candidates for laser surgery. Skidmore Dec 2013 #43

Yeah, I know. It sucks. MindPilot Dec 2013 #45

Had not heard of trifocals. CrispyQ Dec 2013 #51

Never had the nerve for the surgery. CrispyQ Dec 2013 #49

I never heard of that. Thanks for posting. nt raccoon Jan 2014 #119

It's foolish on their part. kiva Dec 2013 #56

Lucky you! I can relate to that. Recently I DebJ Jan 2014 #122

kick for truth Blue_Tires Dec 2013 #46

http://www.39dollarglasses.com/ openfield Dec 2013 #50

Agreed. TRoN33 Dec 2013 #52

I'm paying $360 for one pair of contact lenses. progressoid Dec 2013 #57

AmericasBest, definitely less expensive. Blue Diadem Dec 2013 #58

Costco - I keep my membership for the eye glasses alone Mira Dec 2013 #61

Expensive eyeglasses Vinnie Dec 2013 #64

welcome to DU gopiscrap Dec 2013 #110

For thse that still need them, check around town - like with a social worker. jtuck004 Dec 2013 #69

I just bought glasses last month Sweet Freedom Dec 2013 #71

I called this morning & cancelled my order from yesterday. CrispyQ Dec 2013 #75

If you are a Costco member..with my prescription in hand.$169.00 total.. frames, transition lenses.. Tikki Dec 2013 #72

WOW! Mine cost a whole DOLLAR! ErikJ Dec 2013 #74

I did that for a few years because I had no other financial means but I DebJ Jan 2014 #123

I haven't paid more than $75 for any style (single vision) in years and I don't even have insurance. TalkingDog Dec 2013 #76

I paid $119 for high index lenses AND frames. Nobody You Know Dec 2013 #79

If you buy eyeglasses on line, where do you go to get them adjusted? Divernan Dec 2013 #80

Good question, I would like to know as well oregonjen Dec 2013 #86

Yes, at least my area one does…you could call and ask.. Tikki Dec 2013 #102

Good question. CrispyQ Dec 2013 #95

There's advice on the sites for sizing jeff47 Dec 2013 #99

because the optometrist puts a signifigant markup on those frames.. frylock Dec 2013 #81

go to Costco... Sancho Dec 2013 #88

myopic mehrrh Dec 2013 #89

Probably because I need new ones. Hubert Flottz Dec 2013 #90

have you looked at the prices for RIMLESS glasses?? shanti Dec 2013 #91

go to zenni or 39dollarglasses.com elehhhhna Dec 2013 #107

they've been given shanti Dec 2013 #112

$95... Agschmid Dec 2013 #92

Zenni is not for everyone ga_girl Dec 2013 #96

welcome to DU!!!! gopiscrap Dec 2013 #109

around the same time everything else people need became expensive Skittles Dec 2013 #104

Here is the reason: Luxottica 1monster Dec 2013 #105

I need new glasses, I've been putting it off because of the expense. nt Raine Jan 2014 #116

Try Costco emsimon33 Jan 2014 #117

You are talking about Earth, correct? Shankapotomus Jan 2014 #125

When the Boomers hit 40? truebluegreen Jan 2014 #129

LOL. CrispyQ Jan 2014 #130