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Cheap Eyeglasses, Best Discount Eyeglasses Websites

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For those who rely on corrective lenses to see their way through the world, the financial squeeze of new prescription glasses is an all too familiar sensation. Today's prescription eyewear averages upwards of $300 a pair, more for bifocals or progressive lenses.

It's enough to give anyone heart palpitations. But it doesn't have to be that way.

While discount warehouse stores like Costco and Sam's Club offer glasses for significantly less than do optometrists or chains like LensCrafters, a slew of websites selling cheap eyeglasses have popped up in recent years, giving thrifty consumers more options than ever before. For less than $50, eyeglass wearers can purchase cheap prescription frames of surprisingly good quality, as long as you're willing to do your homework in advance.

To order cheap eyeglasses online, you'll need a written copy of your prescription. If your eye doctor balks at this request, remind the doctor that the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Prescription Release Rule requires optometrists and ophthalmologists to provide this information to patients. Make sure your Pupillary Distance (PD), a critical measurement not typically written down as part of your prescription, is included. You can also have someone else measure your PD using the online tools the discount eyewear websites provide.

In addition to an accurate prescription, you should have an idea of what frame style suits you, and what size best fits your face. Experts recommend trying on glasses at a brick-and-mortar store, then writing down style and size info or taking photos of yourself wearing those frames for reference. Alternatively, you can refer to an old pair of glasses that you like.

Once you have your information in hand, you're ready to shop online for cheap eyeglasses. Sound easy? It is. However, there are some risks you should be aware of and important features to pay attention to. While most customers are satisfied with their purchases overall, long lead time, inconsistent order tracking, and problematic customer service are issues that dog most of the cheap eyeglass websites we researched.

Still, the lure of affordable frames is an attractive proposition, and one many frgual consumers find worth experimenting with. If all goes well, you've procured prescription glasses for an incredible value. If things go south, at worst you're out $30, $40, $50. Is it a chance you're willing to take? To help you decide, here's the rundown on buying discount eyeglass frames online.

Eyeglasses Cost.

Cheap eyeglass frames websites offer a wide variety of options, just as traditional providers do, but each "extra" you invest in will increase the price of your discount eyeglasses. Choosing the least amount of add-ons gets you the biggest bang for your buck in this price point, and more importantly, reduces the margin of error.

A base-model pair of inexpensive eyeglasses, including single-vision lenses, anti-scratch and UV coatings, and U.S. shipping, will run you $13 at Zenni Optical, by far the cheapest option. 39 Dollar Glasses charges $44 for the most basic eyewear, although for that price you get polycarbonate single-vision lenses in addition to the frames, anti-scratch and UV coatings, and U.S. shipping. At Eye Buy Direct you can expect to pay $13, $23 or $30 for a pair of entry-level specs, depending on the frames you choose; this price includes single-vision lenses, anti-scratch coating, and U.S. shipping; UV coating will run you an extra $5. Basic glasses at Goggles4u are $30 with free worldwide shipping and single-vision lenses, as well as anti-scratch, anti-reflective, and UV coatings. Optical4less sells its cheapest single-vision lens and frame combos for $37 once the $8 worldwide shipping fee is added; for that price, anti-scratch, anti-reflective, and UV coatings come standard. Coastal Contacts has a few pairs of eyeglass frames for $7, but most start around $25; with U.S. shipping, this e-tailer's discount frames come to around $32, plus handling fees; the cost of these cheap eyeglasses includes free single-vision lenses and free anti-reflective, anti-scratch, and UV coatings. While the Glasses Shop offers roughly ten eyeglass options at $8, most of its frames are in the $20 range; for that price, you get free single-vision lenses and no-charge anti-scratch and UV coatings; an anti-reflective coating adds $5, as does U.S. shipping.

When it comes to bifocals or progressive lenses, how do these same vendors compare? With Zenni Optical, bifocals add $17 to your overall cost, and progressives add $29. At 39 Dollar Glasses, bifocals and progressives are $79 and $89, respectively. Eye Buy Direct sells bifocals for $19 more and progressives for $39 more than the single-vision lenses. The bifocals at Goggles4u start at $48 and progressives start at $62, but neither includes free coatings, as do single-vision lenses. Both bifocals and progressive lenses are $92 at Optical4less, a price that includes anti-scratch, anti-reflective, and UV coatings. Progressive lenses at Coastal Contacts add about $79 to the cost of your frames; expect to pay around $104 plus handling for a basic pair of progressives, U.S. shipping included; Coastal Contacts does not sell bifocals. Progressive lenses cost an additional $22 at the Glasses Shop, and bifocals add $17 to your total.

Eyeglasses Selection.

When it comes to selection, there's a wide range of cheap eyeglasses available from online vendors. Visit any website and you have your choice of discount eyeglasses or sunglasses, plastic or metal construction, rimless or semi-rimless frames.

The biggest difference between most online retailers seems to be the number of frames they carry. Goggles4u, with more than 1,500 frames to choose from, appears to have one of the largest selections of eyewear. Zenni Optical carries more than 500 frames, 72 of which cost only $8. Eye Buy Direct has about 120 frames to choose from, and 39 Dollar Glasses and Optical4less each offer around 150 styles. Coastal Contacts, though primarily a seller of cheap contact lenses, offers more than 700 eyeglass frames, and the Glasses Shop has a selection of more than 450 frames.

Parents of active children particularly appreciate the ability to stock up on discount eyeglasses, and most providers do carry kid-sized specs. As this Goggles4u customer on Epinions found out, however, if a retailer doesn't have a kid's glasses category, it's not always obvious whether they carry sizes small enough for children -- so read the measurements carefully to determine which frames, if any, might fit. This mommy-blogger on Momstakeonethings.com seeking frames for her forgetful daughter was dismayed to find Eye Buy Direct only carries eyewear sized for ages 12 and up.

Eyeglasses Website Ease of Order.

Whether you're new to online ordering or a veteran internet shopper, this is likely your first foray into purchasing cheap eyeglasses from a web retailer. The ease of placing an order will help determine whether or not you choose to complete it. How user-friendly are the websites of discount eyeglass vendors?

According to industry info-blog Eyeglass Retailer Reviews, 39 Dollar Glasses has one of the best sites around when it comes to simplicity and ease of use. Discount eyeglass frame choices are broken down into intuitive categories and can be filtered by gender appropriateness. Purchasers can view high-res photos of each frame style in all available colors and with all available lens tints. Measurements are given and fully explained for each frame. Although this site does not allow you to upload a photo and virtually try on the frames, you can use its SmartFit TM guide to see what each option looks like on a variety of face shapes. You can also download an actual-sized picture of each cheap frame to print off, cut out, and try on. The site has a Monday-Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm EST live-chat feature, but note that some discount eyeglass reviews on sites like resellerratings.com and Epinions say that customer service reps are frequently busy and unresponsive.

Eye Buy Direct also has a simple-to-navigate website, with helpful tools that allow you to compare cheap eyeglass frames side-by-side and narrow your search by criteria like size, price, and material. An EyeTry feature lets you upload your photo to "try on" the styles you're considering, but it can be difficult to find and only pops up when you click on a frame for more info. This site, like that of 39 Dollar Glasses, has live-chat customer service agents who are often described as unsympathetic in user reviews posted on Resellerratings.com. Experts also nitpick that the tools provided for measuring your PD aren't as elaborate as those of other sites.

Zenni Optical's online interface, though functional, is plain-Jane with no bells and whistles and sometimes drives people round the bend, according to the GlassyEyes blog. On the other hand, Zenni Optical provides you with all necessary frame and lens measurements, which GlassyEyes points out is a missing piece on many other sites.

Goggles4u has search capabilities that GlassyEyes calls "robust" and offers many of the same tools you find on other sites, such as live chat (8:00am to 9:00pm EST) and Virtual Try-On. It's worth noting, however, that the Virtual Try-On tool offers no measurement scale for perspective, but Goggles4u does give a 360-degree view of all available frames.

Optical4less has most of the functionality, but none of the polish, of other sites in the value eyeglasses category. You should be able to find what you're looking for fairly easily, but information isn't always clearly written. The site includes a Beta version of its "Try Now" tool, which works well as long as the photo you upload is optimally sized. There's no live chat, but you can open a customer service ticket to request help with an order.

The Glasses Shop website features live chat and Virtual Try On, and provides prices in your choice of U.S. dollars, British pounds, or Euros. Customers can sort glasses by a variety of criteria, including price, frame width, style, or size.

Eyeglasses Websites Prescription Capabilities.

Where you shop for online low price eyeglasses will depend partially on the strength and complexity of your prescription.

The stronger your prescription, the higher the lens index you'll want to buy. High index lenses are thinner and lighter, reducing the overall bulk of a pair of prescription glasses. If a high lens index is important to you, check out Optical4less, which offers ultra-high index glass lenses of 1.8 or 1.9 for single-vision glasses. Optical4less also offers progressive lenses that carry an index of up to 1.67. The highest index lens that 39 Dollar Glasses carries is 1.67, and that's for single-vision lenses only. At Zenni Optical, single-vision lenses are available in three indexes -- 1.57, 1.61 or 1.67; progressives and bifocals are available only in one index. Eye Buy Direct has a standard index of 1.5 for all its glasses and offers a maximum index of 1.6 for bifocals, 1.67 for progressives, and 1.74 for single-vision lenses. Goggles4u's single-vision lenses go up to a 1.71 high-index glass or 1.67 high-index plastic, but bifocals and progressive lenses stop at an index of 1.56. Coastal Contacts offers up an index of up to 1.74 for either single-vision or progressive lenses; this budget eyeglasses retailer does not carry bifocals. Glasses Shop can also accommodate an index of up to 1.74 for single-vision or progressive lenses, but only offers an index of up to 1.59 for bifocals.

Overall, Optical4less seems to have the most options for those with high correction prescriptions, although they come at a cost and require a leap of faith given the vendor's shoddy customer service record. Frugal consumers who wear bifocals will find the best prices for basic models at Eye Buy Direct and Zenni Optical.

A word of warning: as these 39 Dollar Glasses buyers discovered and wrote about in eyeglasses reviews on Glassy Eyes Google group and Epinions, as did a Zenni Optical user posting on Epinions, not only will your costs increase as your prescription gets more complex, but the likelihood of a prescription error also goes up. Because online providers of cheap eyeglasses have spotty customer service across the board, you may decide to stick with a brick-and-mortar eyeglasses provider if your prescription is unusual. After all, gambling $35 on a common single-lens prescription is one thing; risking $135 of your hard-earned cash on a complicated eyeglass order is something else entirely.

Eyeglasses Provider Turnaround.

Order turnaround time is an area where all online providers seemingly suffer. Generally speaking, U.S.-based companies without overseas production, like 39 Dollar Glasses and Eye Buy Direct, have the shortest lead times. International companies, like Hong Kong-based Optical4less, and companies with foreign production facilities, such as Zenni Optical and Goggles4u, take longer to fulfill orders and face the threat of customs delays.

Even so, locally-seated companies aren't always a sure bet. Orders can still get lost in the mail, as this disgruntled 39 Dollar Glasses customer notes on Epinions, or get hung up online, as an Eye Buy Direct customer relates on Bizrate.

Discount eyeglass websites usually promise two to four weeks for shipping. 39 Dollar Glasses states that most cheap glasses arrive in three to seven business days after an order is placed, although it could take one to two days longer if the order is complicated. Eye Buy Direct, with fewer shipping complaints than most, promises a turnaround of 14 business days from placement to delivery. Zenni Optical plays it safe, estimating that single-vision glasses will take up to two weeks, multi-focal lenses up to three weeks, and orders that include extras like tinting may not arrive for up to four weeks; Zenni Optical also has a customs disclaimer on its website warning of unanticipated delays. Optical4less tells customers to expect a wait of 14 to 23 business days, and Goggles4u states that glasses will spend ten to 12 days in transit but does not specify how long order verification and the production process will take. The Glasses Shop ships glasses within four days of order placement and estimates transit time at one to two weeks for U.S. orders. It isn't clear from Coastal Contacts' website what sort of turnaround times to expect for eyeglasses, because all shipping info and guarantees reference contact lenses only.

Eyeglasses Packaging.

Most discount eyeglass frames, such as those from Zenni Optical and 39 Dollar Glasses, arrive in a standard plastic shipping envelope, wrapped in a microfiber cloth and tucked into a hard clamshell case. Packaging from Eye Buy Direct is more professional and includes an outer shipping box, a branded inner box, a magnetic-closure case with foam cushioning, and discount cards for future orders. Goggles4u's presentation isn't as polished, but the glasses are well-protected within a Styrofoam outer box and a hard inner case, and they throw in a few extra nose pads for good measure. Discount eyewear from Optical4less ships in a hard case within a shipping box and includes two microfiber cloths, care and cleaning instructions, and a disclaimer regarding in-transit damages. Glasses Shop shipments come in a standard shipping box and consist of the frames in a hard case, a carrying bag, a microfiber cloth, and literature on caring for your glasses. Eyeglasses from Coastal Contacts are also sent boxed and include a coupon card, business card holder, microfiber cloth, and mini keychain screwdriver; the glasses themselves are wrapped in a cloth carrying bag and placed in a hardshell case.

Eyeglasses Quality.

The cost of buying discount eyeglasses online is so much less than you're used to paying that you can't help but wonder, will the quality be the same? There are differing opinions about this among consumers, and the short answer is, for some it is, for some it isn't. A writer for Slate.com found his Goggles4u specs to be every bit as good as those purchased from his optometrist, but a customer writing a discount eyeglasses review of Zenni Optical in Insiderpages.com is far less impressed and says you get what you pay for.

Most cheap eyeglasses buyers fall somewhere in the middle. A three-time Goggles4u purchaser writes in an eyeglass frames review on resellerratings.com that he's satisfied with the pairs he ordered, but recommends steering clear of the cheap rimless frames. A discount eyeglasses review of the UK-based company SelectSpecs (starting at $8) on trustpilot.com says the purchaser is happy with his glasses, although he wishes they were sturdier. And a Zenni Optical review by a buyer broadcasting on YouTube comments that his $20 specs are "good enough."

Many internet purchasers choose to place test orders first, selecting from the cheapest frames and buying from one or more different vendors. If the quality falls short of expectations, they use the reduced-price eyeglasses as a backup pair or donate them, as did a Goggles4u customer, according to a discount eyeglass frames review posted on GlassyEyes forums. Although you may not end up the convert that this Zenni Optical enthusiast did, as evidenced by a posting on Viewpoints, you may decide that discount eyeglass frames are a deal you can't ignore.

Eyeglasses Accuracy.

One of the biggest dangers of ordering cheap eyeglasses online is the potential for receiving an incorrect prescription. Although significant differences in prescriptions quickly become apparent, you might not notice subtle errors. Wearing lenses with the wrong vision correction or PD can cause headaches and deterioration in your sight. For those reasons, it's best to take any eyeglasses purchased via the internet to an optometrist as soon as you get them in order to confirm whether the prescription and PD are accurate.

Eyeglasses Fit.

One drawback to buying cheap eyeglasses through websites is that you don't have the opportunity to try them on. To overcome this disadvantage, many discount eyewear websites offer web tools that let you virtually try on frames by uploading your picture. Others let you print out to-scale representations of the eyeglass frames you're interested in. Some purchasers visit a local optical store and try on frames ahead of time, taking photos of those they like and jotting down the measurements. Still others seek out discount eyeglass frames the same size and style as previous pairs they've owned. A blogger who works in the optical field recommends having an optician give you the measurements of the frames you currently wear for reference. If that isn't possible, you could take the advice of this online eyeglass shopper and check your existing eyeglasses to see if the measurements are printed inside the frames.

The end result of these efforts? Positive, overall. A satisfied buyer writes in a discount eyeglass frames review on resellerratings.com of being more impressed with the fit of glasses purchased from Eye Buy Direct than with those obtained from an optometrist. The optician blogger reports she was blown away by the price and quality of the brand-name eyewear she purchased from Coastal Contacts. And in an eyeglasses review on Yelp, a 39 Dollar Glasses consumer comments that his prescription sunglasses are a great value despite having to visit his eye doctor for some minor adjustments.

You might worry that your doctor will refuse to adjust discount frames that you bought elsewhere should the fit be a bit off. The truth is that they might, but as these consumer reviews of discount eyeglasses report on urbanhonking.com, most eye doctors are willing to help. If yours isn't, you could try visiting a local chain store. In a discussion on the GlassyEyes forum, one buyer mentions that Lenscrafters will adjust outside eyewear for a nominal fee. If all else fails, you can educate yourself on how to make the necessary adjustments on your own. Several guides, such as lasvegasoptometrycare.com, walk you through the process of making simple tweaks.

Sometimes more significant fit problems occur with eyeglasses bought online. A blogger on PDRater and a customer posting a discount eyewear review on coolcomputing.com reports running into similar base curvature issues with glasses they ordered through Goggles4u; the blogger adds, however, that the company quickly rectified the problem. This brings us to customer service.

Eyeglasses Customer Service.

One of the biggest challenges with buying discount eyeglasses online is inconsistent and unresponsive customer service. According to discount eyeglass reviews, getting hold of a live person on the phone, or even in live chat, can take Herculean effort, as this former Optical4less customer points out in a review on xpbargains. Miscommunications are another frequent frustration for dissatisfied customers. Another patron of Optical4less posting a user review of eyeglasses frames on the same site suspects the language barrier may be partially to blame. Thrifty consumers with negative experiences warn you're in trouble if there's a problem with the order and you have to deal with customer service. Critics, like the customer reviewer of 39 Dollar Glasses on Glassy Eyes forum, lament that service agents are rude and disorganized and that no one seems to know what's going on.

Eyeglasses Return Policy.

The return policies of discount eyeglasses online retailers vary. 39 Dollar Glasses return policy offers an unconditional six-month replacement guarantee for all frames, and a 30-day replacement guarantee for damaged lenses. Eye Buy Direct's guarantee is one of the best in the cheap eyeglasses frames market, offering a 100% refund if, for any reason, you're dissatisfied with your frames, shipping not included; you must, however, contact customer service within seven days of receiving your frames -- after that, you can get a 70% refund or replacement glasses for 50% of the original order cost. Goggles4u replaces or refunds lost or damaged eyewear or glasses with an incorrect prescription at 100% of cost; customers dissatisfied with the quality of their glasses can return them at their own cost for a refund equaling 100% of the frame cost and 50% of the lens cost. The Zenni Optical return policy offers a 30-day warranty and a 50% refund on glasses within the first four weeks; glasses must be returned at customer expense, and the refund is credited upon receipt by the vendor. The Glasses Shop offers a full refund on its discount eyeglasses within five days of receipt if you're dissatisfied for any reason; you have up to 30 days to return damaged or poor-quality merchandise for a full refund, and quality-related returns occurring between 30 and 90 days are reimbursed at 100% of the frame cost and 50% of the lens cost. Coastal Contacts' return policy, like its shipping guarantee, is unclear when it comes to non-contact lens purchases. Optical4less has a 30-day quality guarantee, but a recent history of giving unhappy customers the runaround has caused many, including former partisan GlassyEyes, to caution against using this discount eyewear website.

In sum, buying prescription eyeglasses online from reputable sites can save you hundreds of dollars, but you should be aware of the risks involved. By taking charge of your ocular health, managing your expectations, and taking the time to understand what frame sizes and styles work best for you, you might find that discount eyeglass retailers can help stretch your budget further. However, it's equally important to understand when online prescription frames might not be the right choice for you. Whatever you ultimately decide, it's nice to know that one more affordable option exists in the world of healthcare.

Important note

: Purchasing glasses online should never replace regular visits to the eye doctor. First of all, prescriptions tend to change over time, and you will need a current and accurate prescription in hand to successfully purchase a pair of low price eyeglass frames. It's best to visit your optometrist or ophthalmologist once a year to ensure your prescription hasn't changed. In addition, your eye doctor can test for eye diseases, such as glaucoma or macular degeneration, which left untreated can cause permanent blindness. Because some specialists offer free eye exams, expecting compensation through the purchase of eyewear after the exam, it's only fair to notify providers ahead of time that you'll be purchasing your discount eyeglasses elsewhere.

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Coastal Contacts
SelectSpecs
Optical4less
Goggles4u
39 Dollar Glasses
Eye Buy Direct
Zenni Optical

 

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