Cheap sunglasses

Back in May, when I found out that I was going to need prescription eyeglasses for the first time, I wrote about the fact that it’s possible to buy very inexpensive eyeglasses online. And by that I mean $25 for the whole package versus $200 or more. Since most vision insurance plans have a limit on how much they’ll reimburse you for new glasses and often limit you to a new pair every two years, these inexpensive glasses could be a very useful way to replace lost or broken glasses or to keep a spare pair around. And most of my online research found satisfied customers of the major online retailers.

Yet after all this research, I didn’t actually get around to ordering cheap eyeglasses for myself until December. It was always one thing or another and I had a hard time picking a style and so on. But finally I decided that I need a spare set of glasses in case I lost or broke mine—let’s just say we’ve had a few close calls with the kids—and I could really use some sunglasses. I dealt with the summertime sun, but the glare off the snow in the winter was really what convinced me.

That decided, I picked out a pair of regular glasses and a pair of sunglasses. And since it was only a couple of dollars to add them, for the regular glasses I added the option of the magnetically attached sunglasses. I wasn’t sure I’d like them, but I figured at that price, why not?

Luckily I’d thought ahead about to this very moment and I’d asked my optometrist for my prescription when I’d first gone in, even then I had to get the all-important pupillary distance by looking over her shoulder. Eye doctors don’t like you buying your glasses online for a lot cheaper than they’re selling them.

Anyway, I ordered my glasses from Zenni Optical. Both glasses, including options like magnetic sunshade, anti-refletive coating and the like, with shipping came to a total of $60. That’s about $30 per pair of prescription glasses! The order was placed on December 8. On December 23, I received an email notification that my glasses had shipped from California. I received them via First Class mail on December 28. Not a bad turnaround.

So the all-important question: How are they? I really like them. The next time I order sunglasses I’m going to make sure I get ones where the lenses are a little larger. That’s the downside of ordering online: not being able to try them on before buying. I’m also trying to figure out how to adjust the other glasses so they don’t slide down my nose. Another downside: No optometrist to provide the final fitting. But then I just saved hundreds of dollars for the price of those slight problems. And to answer the next question, Yes, I will be buying my next pair of glasses from online too.