I’m surprised no one has mentioned the online discount places. You get your prescription in “the real world”, and save loads by going online. Just do a google search for discount glasses. Our family uses http://www.39dollarglasses.com/, never had any problems.
[QUOTE=Barrington]
The reading glasses I’m using to type this cost £0.99 brand new, sans prescription, including a hard case. Same with my spare pair. Both were bought off-the-shelf at a discount opticians (Spectacle Warehouse, I think).
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Yep, my optometrist said if I start to notice trouble seeing up close, to go ahead and get a pair of -1.00 or -1.25 reading glasses to supplement my lenses. She said they can’t do any damage. My friend picks them up by the buttload at the Dollar Store so she has a pair within reach in any room or vehsicle she’s in!
[QUOTE=gotpasswords]
I’d looked at Pearle just this past Saturday, and they were stupid expensive.
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Kinda tells you something about the bozos who would buy there glasses there, doesn’t it? 
Anyway, I had checked several places and found that either the styles were limited or they were just as expensive as Pearle. In the end I went with Pearle because they had exactly what I wanted. It wasn’t cheap.
[QUOTE=Hari Seldon]
I paid $250 for a pair of glasses with me providing the frames. But I have a prism in one eye and that adds a lot to what it cost, since they have to grind it to order instead of taking it off the shelf. In fact my ophthalmologist recommended this place specially for the prism (Marer on Cote des Neiges, if you are interested–this is not an endorsement). The frames they were selling looked pricey and I would advise buying them elsewhere.
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I forgot to mention that this price was for progressive lenses. Love 'em, in case you want to know.
[QUOTE=kung fu lola]
Right now, I can afford $300 for the whole thing. I think I might wait a few weeks until I can scrape together another $200 so that I don’t have to settle for something low-end.
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I did exam and glasses for under $300 and my frames are ADORABLE at $129. You can shop on line to see what’s suitable for your price range. I’d link you up to Lenscrafters, but their links are funny so you’ll have to Google it yourself.
[QUOTE=Nanoda]
You absolutely should get an eye exam (don’t know how much they cost), as there’s no point shelling out hundreds to correct your vision to an old prescription. Due to severe myopia and some astigmatism, my optometrist strongly recommends I let his office handle my prescription. A sturdy set of thin, light frames, high-index glass, a few coatings and some custom sunglass clipons (never going to be able to wear any otherwise), and I leave something like $800 lighter.
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Amen to that. At one point, my opthalmalogist was recommending six month exams for my eyes since they were (at the time) locked in a death spiral. They’ve levelled out since, thankfully, and my current optometrist has said I don’t need to come back but once every two years.
After visiting several stores without success in finding a set of frames I could live with, I finally found this high class place that said they could cut down the weight of my glasses on top of selling me frames that I fell in love with. Given that I’d do near anything possible for lighter/thinner glasses (but not including eye surgery), I said “Sure!”
They sent the scrip out to Germany. And gave me the bill. :eek:
I came back about that much lighter walletwise, but I also walked out with glasses that were definitely much thinner and lighter, so it was worth it, but I still have retroactive sticker shock.
Before that though, I got to know the guys at Lenscrafters real well. I’d recommend visiting several locations just in case the store stocks are different from place to place. Hopefully you can find something that you like.
OK well I called, and it will only be about $50 for the exam and $30 for the trial fee for contacts. It’s a one-time fee paid in order to fit me for my first pair of contacts; the optometrist will give me a trial pair that he thinks will suit me, and if they aren’t working I will get another trial pair without having to pay again. Repeat as needed until I find the right pair for me, then I’ll be buying a 6 week or 3 month supply depending on my options.
I also got a $100-off coupon in the mail, and my appointment isn’t until next week, so with the extra time and the coupon I might get both contacts, and new frames at the same time.
Thanks for all your solid advice and website recs!