Online or Cosco glasses?

[CuriousKat]

Hey optometrists,

Quick general question: for a young person with a stable rx (like -4.50 sphere bilaterally) and who is not too fashion conscious, is ordering glasses online or from Cosco reasonable? I should preface this by saying I go to see my private OD yearly, pay cash, and purchase contacts from him (I pay around $40 extra per year but do it anyway out of loyalty). I can not, however, justify an extra $300-400 to buy glasses from him. I know my pupillary distance, temple length, width, etc.

I'm sure for the older patient with trifocals and other visual needs, the personal service could be valuable. But for a young guy who just needs a functional pair of glasses to where for 30 hours on call, what is the point?

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[JMU07]

Go wherever you want. You get what you pay for. If you want to pay 10 bucks for some online glasses, don't expect them to last very long.

 

[MR1]

Go wherever you want. You get what you pay for. If you want to pay 10 bucks for some online glasses, don't expect them to last very long.

I disagree a little here, yes if you get the $10 pair (and I know glasses this cheap are really available), they will be crap. On the other hand though if you get a good set of frames, just want to get them cheaper online. I got my frames online for $80, and the cheapest in any optical was $180, you can save $ here. As far as lenses, I imagine your basic simple Rx, not much cyl and you know your PD, you'd probably be okay. I actually got my frames online but then had lenses put in by a local optical. Still saved $ even though the optical charged me 10 more bucks b\c I didn't buy my frame from them.

 

[Penguin2012]

I would go with Costco because their prices will definitely be reasonable but you get to see how it look and feel on your face. Win win situation, plus Costco has great customer service.

 

[KHE]

Hey optometrists,

Quick general question: for a young person with a stable rx (like -4.50 sphere bilaterally) and who is not too fashion conscious, is ordering glasses online or from Cosco reasonable? I should preface this by saying I go to see my private OD yearly, pay cash, and purchase contacts from him (I pay around $40 extra per year but do it anyway out of loyalty). I can not, however, justify an extra $300-400 to buy glasses from him. I know my pupillary distance, temple length, width, etc.

I'm sure for the older patient with trifocals and other visual needs, the personal service could be valuable. But for a young guy who just needs a functional pair of glasses to where for 30 hours on call, what is the point?

Most of the lines carried by Costco and the cheaper online retailers are little more than flimsy pieces of crap made in China. To be fair, many private opticals also have some cheap crap as well.

If cost is an issue, I recommend you talk to your doc or their optical manager. In my office, we carry mostly high end frames but we do have a line of budget frames and lenses for $99. The frames we use for that are discontinued models of our high end products. As such, you can usually get a real quality product for a great price, it's just usually last years model frame which for most people who aren't fashion mavens, really don't care.

Try that.

 

[IndianaOD]

Most of the lines carried by Costco and the cheaper online retailers are little more than flimsy pieces of crap made in China. To be fair, many private opticals also have some cheap crap as well.

If cost is an issue, I recommend you talk to your doc or their optical manager. In my office, we carry mostly high end frames but we do have a line of budget frames and lenses for $99. The frames we use for that are discontinued models of our high end products. As such, you can usually get a real quality product for a great price, it's just usually last years model frame which for most people who aren't fashion mavens, really don't care.

Try that.

Good response KHE. I agree. Our private practice also has a line of glasses from around $100 that actually includes a warranty unlike some others mentioned above.

I guess you also need to decide if you want to support the local economy and local jobs or support China's economy and a few wealthy business owners (Costco and online shops).

For example. Walmart locally moved their optical jobs to Mexico. So if you buy a pair of glasses from wally you get a $3 China frame for $80 or whatever with a whopping 30 day warranty. The only person you are helping is the $7 an hour optician there.

If you buy a frame from a private practice like ours you are having a much more positive economic impact on those around you. That money not only pays the opticians who work for the private doctor, but the local accountant, the local finishing lab in-state (not Mexico), local business suppliers, local frame reps, local banks who the practice uses etc.

Your walmart/costco money goes to a few wealthy owners out of state and a bunch of their outsorced accountants etc.

Its up to you. Save a couple bucks for inferior product online or at a wharehouse or get a better product locally and keep a lot more money in the local area.

 

[CuriousKat]

Most of the lines carried by Costco and the cheaper online retailers are little more than flimsy pieces of crap made in China. To be fair, many private opticals also have some cheap crap as well.

If cost is an issue, I recommend you talk to your doc or their optical manager. In my office, we carry mostly high end frames but we do have a line of budget frames and lenses for $99. The frames we use for that are discontinued models of our high end products. As such, you can usually get a real quality product for a great price, it's just usually last years model frame which for most people who aren't fashion mavens, really don't care.

Try that.

I appreciate the feedback. I really try, in general, to support local businesses over corporate chains in all eceonomic sectors if prices are remotely similar. I also try to support other members of the healthcare economy (I go to my GP every year, DDS q6 months, OD q12 months, etc.)

With that being said, as a former engineer, I think it would be very easy to contruct a durable frame for less than even a few dollars. I will acknowledge, however, I am less familiar with the cost of production of high quality lenses. Still, I can not imagine that it would be too costly to produce a simple spherical lens given the cost of over the counter reading glasses.

Anyway, thanks for the help. I will give the local optical shop another look and try to find something that will meet my needs!

 

[KHE]

I appreciate the feedback. I really try, in general, to support local businesses over corporate chains in all eceonomic sectors if prices are remotely similar. I also try to support other members of the healthcare economy (I go to my GP every year, DDS q6 months, OD q12 months, etc.)

With that being said, as a former engineer, I think it would be very easy to contruct a durable frame for less than even a few dollars. I will acknowledge, however, I am less familiar with the cost of production of high quality lenses. Still, I can not imagine that it would be too costly to produce a simple spherical lens given the cost of over the counter reading glasses.

Anyway, thanks for the help. I will give the local optical shop another look and try to find something that will meet my needs!

Well, it's like anything....you can drive a Ford, or you can drive a Mercedes.

As far as frames, a high quality frame will have thicker, sturdier plastic. The attachment points will be properly machined, not just glued on. The temple pads will be glued on and in proper alignment rather than just forced on and held in place by friction alone making them easier to slide off as the frame heats and cools. A high quality frame will use quality metal finishes rather than painted on crap that corrodes and turns green. I don't know how "high end" your ODs office is but if it's not that high end, seek out a high end optical shop that ask them to show you the difference between a "good" frame and a "cheap" one. Most high end places will have a few junk frames in a drawer so that they can do that demonstration. Once you see and handle the frames side by side, the difference is obvious.

As far as lenses go, you can buy a disposable camera at the drug store or you can buy a professional grade camera with the most precision made optics possible. Do you think they both have the same lenses in them?

A good example of this is polarized sun glasses. Sometimes patients will complain about the cost of of polarized sunglasses in my office which run around $200-sky's the limit if you want a fancy designer name frame.

"Why should I get these from you when I get them from Costco or Walmart for $25.00?

Well, the answer in essence is that in cheap polarized lenses, the polarization is little more than a film that's applied to the surface of the lens. Because of this, it can pit and crack easier and it also is never a uniform thickness across the entire surface of the lens. This can create distortion and color fringing almost similar to when you see the rainbow effect when there's some gasoline spilled in a puddle of water.

A high quality lens, the polarization is created with a chemical bonding process that ensures that the coating is more durable but also that it's even thickness across the surface of the lens. This creates a much higher quality image across the entire field of view.

So again.....Ford or Mercedes?

 

[jefguth]

So again.....Ford or Mercedes?

More like Yugo or Mercedes...

 

[IndianaOD]

More like Yugo or Mercedes...

Yeah, a Ford is more reliable than a Mercedes. Actually Ford is near the top in quality now days.

 

[thanotoriousfob]

Yeah, a Ford is more reliable than a Mercedes. Actually Ford is near the top in quality now days.

Drive a Ford and then drive a Mercedes. BIG difference.

 

[livingcrow]

i believe in getting what suits your budget since that is the main issue in your thread. Be it online or costco, if it is durable enough, then go for it. i am currently using a chinese frame i bought for less than $5 four years ago. and they are still good and comfortable. i will recommend going to costco where you can at least inspect them and ask the optical associate of his impression before using it.however, don't go on the too cheap side because you are less likely to change your specs soon (due to ur stable rx and less fashion consciousness).

 

[Handy388]

do you want to save money or fatten someone's wallet?

 

[JMU07]

do you want to save money or fatten someone's wallet?

Opticians need to make a living too, you know.

 

[IndianaOD]

i believe in getting what suits your budget since that is the main issue in your thread. Be it online or costco, if it is durable enough, then go for it. i am currently using a chinese frame i bought for less than $5 four years ago. and they are still good and comfortable. i will recommend going to costco where you can at least inspect them and ask the optical associate of his impression before using it.however, don't go on the too cheap side because you are less likely to change your specs soon (due to ur stable rx and less fashion consciousness).

and you are Pre-opt?

 

[IndianaOD]

do you want to save money or fatten someone's wallet?

Exactly,

Fly to India for medical procedures at half the price!

 

[JMU07]

and you are Pre-opt?

Seriously. When you're an OD, are you going to be ok with charging 50 bucks for an eye exam at Wal-Mart so you can help people save money? Probably not.

 

[jymezg]

i am currently using a chinese frame i bought for less than $5 four years ago.

don't go on the too cheap side because you are less likely to change your specs soon (due to ur stable rx and less fashion consciousness).

I do believe I am reading this correctly, feel free to correct me if wrong but.... You have a 5 dollar frames and your advice is to "don't go on the too cheap side."

Wouldn't going any further on the "too cheap side" involve a personal visit to the sweatshop and mugging the small child making the frames?

 

[blysssful]

I do believe I am reading this correctly, feel free to correct me if wrong but.... You have a 5 dollar frames and your advice is to "don't go on the too cheap side."

Wouldn't going any further on the "too cheap side" involve a personal visit to the sweatshop and mugging the small child making the frames?