Glasses direct?

[Drawweight]

Or similar.

I’ve just bought 2 pairs of glasses from my usual glasses chain.

However I forgot about the sunglasses i keep in the car. These are seldom used and i grudge paying big bucks for a new prescription pair.

What kind of quality frames would I expect from an online seller? Would I need to pay for an upgrade or would the basic range be okay?

[Slowboathome]

I've bought from Glasses Direct and been very happy with the price and service (on a slightly complicated varifocal prescription).

I wouldn't say the basic frames are super high quality, but I'd definitely buy from them again - they were half the price of my local optician.

[Streps]

I've used them before for a few years. I have had two orders sent through that were incorrect though which was annoying. They quickly sorted it so for the price I wasn't too bothered.

[Sycamore]

I've used them for as long as I can remember and I wear my glasses all of the time.

Various ranges you can have them send you a box of 4 different frames minus the lenses so you can try them on first. All free

[Mr Pointy]

I have prescription sunglasses from GD using the £49 Aero model frames. They are... adequate. The prescription is fine but the frames don't feel particularly high quality. They are ok for keeping in the car though.

[Armitage.Shanks]

No complaints with GD. I got two pairs for £15 with single basic lenses. Not sure if the code GDTV still works for the offer but the basic range of frames has been fine for me - readers and PC use. I then got another two pairs for £15 then paid the extra for the sunglass tinted lenses for distance.

I'm due an eye test this month, so I'll get the new prescription and order some more if things have changed.

[The Gauge]

I’ve ordered reading and general vision glasses from GD twice now, first time a couple of years ago when I first started wearing glasses and again very recently following another eye test.

I choose metal framed glasses, I think the first pairs were Colby and Ascot Harrington (discontinued) and the recent pairs being Harrington Alec. No complaints.

Not sure if using a different email address allows you to become a new customer again and get the 2 for £15 deal?

[jimmyjimjim]

My wife and I have had more than a dozen pairs between us from Zenni optical.

We've never had an issue. The cheapest frames I had ($6.99) plus lenses came up to about $30ish and were comparable with low end optician's frames.

The more expensive frames are still cheap and well worth getting; recommended. Never had a problem with prescriptions.

My FiL prefers the $30 pair he got to his $400 pair from an optician's.

[leef44]

I've not seen this before. I've just browsed the site and am getting prices about half that of the high street which is impressive.

When ever I get glasses I always need them adjusting at the opticians due to flat nose, wide face etc. How does it work with on line purchase?

[Kermit power]

It's worth some context here.

If I asked you to name a glasses brand, you could probably reel off a few, yes? Even if you don't need prescription lenses you'd probably be able to name the likes of Rayban or Oakley?

Now try and name a glasses brand that isn't owned by Luxottica, and prepare to struggle! They own the vast majority of frame brands, and have a near-monopoly market share of over 80%!

As a result of this, we're all getting scammed! The average glasses frames cost around £5 to make, and even more complex, custom frames probably no more than £15, but take a look at some of the jaw-dropping prices for frames at your local opticians! The profit margins are obscene!

I have 4 pairs of glasses from GD. I never use the reading glasses, because on the rare occasion that I do need them, it's generally easier to use my phone as a magnifying glass instead, but they're perfectly decent and cost peanuts, so I don't begrudge the cost. I also have reading sunglasses, which I'll use more intensively when I'm on holiday, and again, they're easily doing everything I ask of them.

On the other side of the vision coin, I'll only ever really use my long distance glasses for driving and live sports events, although occasionally I'll keep the sunglasses on if it's sunny when I reach a destination by car. As I recall, I paid under £50 for both pairs with thin, scratch resistant polarised (for the sunglasses) lenses about 7-8 years ago. They've been bouncing around in the car, not in cases, ever since and don't have a scratch on them! For the past couple of years I have needed to tighten the screw on one arm of the clear lenses every month or so - something I could easily fix with a tiny blob of threadlock if I ever get round to it - and I honestly couldn't imagine ever paying more for glasses. What would be the point?

[jimmyjimjim]

Kermit power said:

If I asked you to name a glasses brand, you could probably reel off a few, yes? Even if you don't need prescription lenses you'd probably be able to name the likes of Rayban or Oakley?

Now try and name a glasses brand that isn't owned by Luxottica, and prepare to struggle! They own the vast majority of frame brands, and have a near-monopoly market share of over 80%!

As a result of this, we're all getting scammed! The average glasses frames cost around £5 to make, and even more complex, custom frames probably no more than £15, but take a look at some of the jaw-dropping prices for frames at your local opticians! The profit margins are obscene!

Last time I bought a pair of prescription Oakley sunglasses, the cost was ~$500. The last 6 pair of prescription glasses / sunglasses (mostly mirrored, which costs more) from Zenni, they've worked out at $50 each. For one of the sunglasses, if I'd not got mirrored, they'd have been $11.90. Including frames, lenses, and shipping. For prescription sunglasses. They'd still be in use today if my prescription hadn't changed. They're still in the cupboard as a backup pair.

I'd be lucky to get frames for $100 at an optician, let along anything else.

[pacenotes]

Just got my first prescription which is actually a relief, a eye test in February missed it but a retest picked it up that my eye has a astigmatism so I will need to wear them all the time.

I have a couple of normal ray bans does anyone offer a re lense package? If that’s such a thing?

[jimmyjimjim]

Yes, there is at least one company out there doing this. I forgot the name because, after my initial excitement, I found their prices to offer no advantage over going to an optician's.

I dropped an email to Zenni on the back of this, suggesting it as an opportunity, but I think they don't want the legal hassle.

I might try googling it later.

[henrycrun]

leef44 said:

I've not seen this before. I've just browsed the site and am getting prices about half that of the high street which is impressive.

When ever I get glasses I always need them adjusting at the opticians due to flat nose, wide face etc. How does it work with on line purchase?

If you have a favourite frame, note the numbers printed inside arm and try and buy similar ?
See here
https://www.allaboutvision.com/eyeglasses/faq/eyeg...

[leef44]

henrycrun said:

leef44 said:

I've not seen this before. I've just browsed the site and am getting prices about half that of the high street which is impressive.

When ever I get glasses I always need them adjusting at the opticians due to flat nose, wide face etc. How does it work with on line purchase?

If you have a favourite frame, note the numbers printed inside arm and try and buy similar ?
See here
https://www.allaboutvision.com/eyeglasses/faq/eyeg...

Thank you, that is most useful

[ATM]

Drawweight said:

Or similar.



What kind of quality frames would I expect from an online seller? Would I need to pay for an upgrade or would the basic range be okay?

No need to buy new frames

You can send your old glasses and they will fit new lenses

Or believe it or not you can buy frames [used / unused] on ebay

[The Gauge]

henrycrun said:

If you have a favourite frame, note the numbers printed inside arm and try and buy similar ?
See here
https://www.allaboutvision.com/eyeglasses/faq/eyeg...

I didn't even know you could get different sized frames, I've only ever bought glasses from Glasses direct and just wear what they supply, perhaps because I've never know my pupil measurement? Would this be why opticians charge a lot more as they size them for you?

Edited by The Gauge on Thursday 24th August 12:50

[Slowboathome]

The Gauge said:

I didn't even know you could get different sized frames, I've only ever bought glasses from Glasses direct and just wear what they supply, perhaps because I've never know my pupil measurement? Would this be why opticians charge a lot more as they size them for you?

Edited by The Gauge on Thursday 24th August 12:50

You can filter the glasses direct search by size (small, medium, large) and the information on each pair includes it's measurements.

[RedAndy]

leef44 said:

When ever I get glasses I always need them adjusting at the opticians due to flat nose, wide face etc. How does it work with on line purchase?

You might find an indi optician who wil fit them for you (for a fee) but otherwise you're going to be getting the hairdryer and pliers out.

[egomeister]

The Gauge said:

I didn't even know you could get different sized frames, I've only ever bought glasses from Glasses direct and just wear what they supply, perhaps because I've never know my pupil measurement? Would this be why opticians charge a lot more as they size them for you?

Edited by The Gauge on Thursday 24th August 12:50

Frame size is unrelated to pupil distance (essentially the lenses will be profiled to place the centre wherever it is needed within the frame). I'm not sure how you even order glasses without a pupil distance unless you are going for off the shelf readers or something.

Some of why an optician charges more would be pure mark up and expensive branded product, but a good optician would also work with you ensuring a frame is well size/fitted to you (both physically and aesthetically) and that the lenses are optimised for you within that frame fit.