Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by ResearchMed » Wed May 22, 5:15 am
This is NOT a request for any medical information or opinions, etc..
SIL has a severe vision problem, one that may or may not improve. (It's a consequence of a far more serious medical event that finally seems to be improving.)
For now, she just got a prescription for some special Rx glasses, and her physicians think this will improve her vision considerably. (There may be future improvement in her sight; that would be wonderful if so, but it doesn't affect the glasses now.)
This is much more of a problem than something like getting "reading glasses".
Her Medicare Advantage plan requires that she get glasses at
Target, Lenscrafters, or Warby-Parker.
[An issue for *later* is trying to help her change plans, which apparently can be done on certain dates in her location. I'll be looking into this separately for her.]
Do any of you have information about the comparison of quality of glasses or more generally the services of those 3 vendors?
There may well be variability in the specific local vendors of the three "chains". However, do any of you have information about general comparisons of the three? (We have no idea how far the $300 will go, but figure we should at least try using the coverage for starters.)
Is the quality of the glasses pretty uniform within each vendor? (For example, does each vendor have the lenses made in the same centralized facility, such that the main difference between branches is really just "service"?)
Is the choice more like throwing a dart among the 3 vendors, or are there reasons to prefer one over the others?
Or is the variability among the different locations of each brand likely to swamp any difference among the 3 brands?
She has something like $300 allowed toward the purchase, and at this point, we have no idea what the cost would be IF she were to go to other vendors.
First goal is: Can she get glasses that work for her now from one of the three vendors on the official list? Which is likely to have the best quality, in terms of "vision" (not "appearance" or such).
(If there isn't anything that works well enough, then yes, we'll explore getting "better" glasses elsewhere, and not relying on any restricted list of suppliers.)
Many thanks.
RM
This signature is a placebo. You are in the control group.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by PeninsulaPerson » Wed May 22, 6:20 am
ResearchMed wrote: Wed May 22, 5:15 am
SIL has a severe vision problem, one that may or may not improve. (It's a consequence of a far more serious medical event that finally seems to be improving.)
For now, she just got a prescription for some special Rx glasses, and her physicians think this will improve her vision considerably.
This is much more of a problem than something like getting "reading glasses".
Her Medicare Advantage plan requires that she get glasses at Target, Lenscrafters, or Warby-Parker.
She has something like $300 allowed toward the purchase, and at this point, we have no idea what the cost would be IF she were to go to other vendors.
My husband has semi-severe vision issues and there is no way we would go to or trust those three under his circumstances.
We innocently used to think all glasses "makers" were about equal and then were blessed to discover they're not. (My husband used to get his glasses at a nationwide chain at the mall. They closed. Looking for a replacement, we found a local optician who is amazing. We have been with him for about 20 years now and later discovered that he is highly-respected and recommended by local eye doctors.)
We would pay anything for my husband to have the best glasses for his eyes - meaning there the lenses, not the frames.
Unless your SIL is broke, she should consult with her doctors and go where they recommend or where they would send a loved one. I would never let a MA plan make that decision for us. If her doctor's office makes glasses, she might want to go that way. Presumably, they would be very aware of quality control.
If your SIL is broke, maybe you could chip in or lend her the $$$?
I know you were asking about those 3 specifically.
For my plain old reading glasses, sure.
But sorry - for a special RX - I would never trust them.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by livesoft » Wed May 22, 6:28 am
Lenses are all bought from the lens makers. Then they are cut around the edges to match the frames they are put into. There is some skill involved in that latter process. There is some skill involved in measuring the center of one's eyes while one is wearing the frames, so that the point of the lenses that are needed to be directly in front of the center of one's pupil is perfectly matched. Robots could do it.
This signature message sponsored by sscritic: Learn to fish.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by nisiprius » Wed May 22, 7:15 am
I haven't had recent experience with any of those vendors.
I'll say, however, that eyeglasses I've gotten from "discount" providers including Costco, BJ's, and Zenni have all been optically perfect, every bit as good as the $1,000 Varilux glasses I got at the optical shop that has the office of my favorite optometrist. And I am picky, and once had a pair of glasses re-done because of a very slight optical defect.
I would definitely notice if the interpupillary were way off, or any vertical misalignment between the two eyes, and, again, opticians seem to be pretty competent everywhere, and high fees don't correlate. (Worst mistake I ever encountered was getting the left and right lenses swapped, and that was in a high-end shop).
So my message is "don't be afraid of low-cost providers." Go to high-cost providers if you really want high-end high-fashion frames... definitely take location, hours, and convenience into account so it's easy to go back if the temples need tightening or a hinge screw comes out.
I don't believe any of these places have a single lens factory of their own, or anything like that, so I don't believe there will be consistency in better/worse. Generally, I don't know what's happened but lenses are much better than they were, say, twenty years ago. And having the right features is worth something. Antireflection coatings are great (almost standard nowadays). Higher indexes of refraction don't just mean thinner lenses and lighter weight, they also are sharper when you are not looking straight through the center of the lens.
Also... just in case it isn't obvious... for me, for frame fit and comfort, having a "spring hinge" is extremely important. Glasses with spring hinges have just the right amount of snugness and stay gently snug forever, while glasses without them are never quite right and loosen over time.
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by nisiprius » Wed May 22, 7:38 am
P.S. I'd love to know what is really happening behind the scenes from a business perspective. It sure seems like Something Has Happened. For a while Luxottica had managed to monopolize everything and prices were interstellar... and, perhaps in response, a flock of bargain or discount eyeglass providers has now emerged.
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by sport » Wed May 22, 7:46 am
If she is located near a Costco store, I suggest finding out what the glasses would cost there without insurance. It may be less than $300. I have been getting my glasses there and the quality has been excellent. I just bought some new bifocals and the total cost was $220.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by tm3 » Wed May 22, 8:09 am
One reason that I'm not a fan of medicare advantage.
My guess is that Target in Topeka is likely different from Target in Tucson, so let me re-frame the question: If the provider choice was not restricted, i.e. any optician/optometrist in your area could be chosen, how would you decide? The answer may provide a more useful way of analyzing your actual choices.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by nisiprius » Wed May 22, 8:16 am
sport wrote: Wed May 22, 7:46 am
If she is located near a Costco store, I suggest finding out what the glasses would cost there without insurance. It may be less than $300. I have been getting my glasses there and the quality has been excellent. I just bought some new bifocals and the total cost was $220.
Costco has been flawless for me. Best of both worlds, in-person opticians and low prices. Similar to those you mentioned. We recently moved and Costco is an annoying drive while BJ's is much more convenient, so I had some done at BJ's with somewhat higher prices but similarly satisfactory results.
I don't know the pricing at the three places the original poster mentioned. Warby Parker is a discount optician for sure. I think Lenscrafters is high-priced. Target? No idea.
In order for Costco-without-insurance to be better than the price at Target/Lenscrafters/Warby Parker minus $300, the pricewould need to be >$520. Probably not the case for "reasonable" frames at any of those three.
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by nisiprius » Wed May 22, 8:23 am
I mentioned "convenient location and hours for future frame adjustments," but another factor is the importance of easy returns. Eyeglasses (almost?) always have liberal return privileges, and this should be used. If you Just Don't Like something about the glasses or lenses, you don't want to be inhibited from returning them.
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by Watty » Wed May 22, 9:13 am
For more information, please visit optical glasses supplier.
ResearchMed wrote: Wed May 22, 5:15 am
For now, she just got a prescription for some special Rx glasses, and her physicians think this will improve her vision considerably. (There may be future improvement in her sight; that would be wonderful if so, but it doesn't affect the glasses now.)
This is much more of a problem than something like getting "reading glasses".
A lot depends on what you mean by "special". All optical stores can make glasses for near and far sighted prescriptions with astigmatism(within limits) but there are also other types of eyeglasses that do things like to to help things like double vision which I would be surprised if you could get a typical retail optical store to make those. Keep that in mind when you are selecting a store and don't be surprised if a place like Costco or Target says that they cannot make her glasses if they have something like that going on.
One thing to keep in mind is that it is perfectly fine to take the prescription in and get a price then decide where to get the glasses. Don't feel pressured to buy at the first place you go to and feel free to ask at several stores before deciding where to buy them.
Once the glasses are made it is also OK to take them into your opthamologist and have them check the glasses to make sure they are correct. If there is a problem they will write a note then the glasses will either be remade or you will get a refund. You do not need to guess if they were made right or not since you can have them checked if there seems to be any question about them being correct.
ResearchMed wrote: Wed May 22, 5:15 am
Is the choice more like throwing a dart among the 3 vendors, or are there reasons to prefer one over the others?
The return policy and how they handle scratched or damaged glasses can vary a lot. Also ask if there is a discount on making new lenses if her prescription changes and what the details are.
The prices of frames can vary a lot and some of the higher end optical stores may have a very limited and ugly selection of lower priced frames which your insurance would pay for in order to get you to pay extra for expensive frames. You may find that you actually have a better selection of affordable frames at a place like Target or Costco so they can be better than a high end optical shop where some designer frames may cost $500 just for the frame. Different shops may also have frames you like better.
If this is a strong prescription then the thickness of the lens and weight is determined by the type of glass or plastic which is used. There is index of refraction which determines how thick the glass need to be with "high index" lenses being thinner and lighter. These come in several different levels but not all stores will have the highest level. If you ask which the highest index of refraction lenses they have they might say something like 1.6 or 1.74 with a higher number being better.
There can also be different deals at different stores where you can get a second pair of glasses, like sunglasses, at a discount.
Last edited by Watty on Wed May 22, 9:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by nisiprius » Wed May 22, 9:18 am
Watty wrote: Wed May 22, 9:13 am
...A lot depends on what you mean by "special". All optical stores can make glasses for near and far sighted prescriptions with astigmatism(within limits) but there are also other types of eyeglasses that do things like to to help things like double vision which I would be surprised if you could get a typical retail optical store to make those...
I have prism correction to help with double vision. Zenni (mail order) was able to incorporate prism into single-vision glasses, but not bifocals or progressives. BJ's Wholesale Club was able to provide them across the board: single vision, bifocals, progressives.
There are limits to cylinder, sphere, etc. but at least judging by what I see on Zenni they are very wide.
I agree, I don't know what the original poster means by "special."
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by obafgkm » Wed May 22, 9:27 am
No idea about quality, but Target Optical in Target stores is owned by Luxottica, which also owns LensCrafters.
"I'm investing in stocks... chicken, beef, and vegetable. It's risky, but I know one day it'll pay off & I'll be a bouillonaire. Who knows, I might even open up a Broth IRA."
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by PeninsulaPerson » Wed May 22, 9:32 am
Watty wrote: Wed May 22, 9:13 am
Once the glasses are made it is also OK to take them into your opthamologist and have them check the glasses to make sure they are correct.
Excellent advice!
(In some of these situations - feeling confident/not worrying & second-guessing - can make a huge difference! Good luck to your SIL, OP! Hope she gets a happy development with her vision.)
P.S. The frames - whatever. No need to pay up for trendy frames unless that floats your SIL's boat. The frames are just there to hold the all-important lenses.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by Chip Munk » Wed May 22, 9:49 am
My husband got his most recent pair of glasses (they are progressives) from Costco and was thrilled with them. He says they are the best glasses he has ever had. So I gave Costco a try and unfortunately the glasses they made for me (also progressives) just didn't work.
I went back to my ophthalmologist's office, despite the high cost, because they have always provided me with perfect glasses. The technician asked me if I belonged to AARP and when I showed her my card, she offered me a significant discount on my new glasses. They were still a couple hundred dollars more than Costco but I was happy to pay it to get glasses that work perfectly for me.
The information on AARP's website about this discount https://www.aarpvisiondiscounts.com/aar ... scounts/en specifically mentions LensCrafters, Target and glasses dot com, but this offer is provided by EyeMed and my ophthalmologist's office is an EyeMed provider and volunteered the information about this discount. The website states: "Remember to call ahead to confirm provider participation in the AARP Vision Discounts provided by EyeMed Program." again suggesting it's not limited to the providers listed on the website.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by nisiprius » Wed May 22, 10:42 am
obafgkm wrote: Wed May 22, 9:27 am
No idea about quality, but Target Optical in Target stores is owned by Luxottica, which also owns LensCrafters.
In the past, everything from Luxottica was exorbitantly priced as they had worked themselves into a near-monopoly situation. So if that's still true, it is very important to price-shop as it is quite possible that Luxottica-$300 with insurance could be more than Costco without insurance.
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by rich126 » Wed May 22, 1:20 pm
We found a local optician place, no exams, that charge much less than many places. They have been around 40+ years and have 3 stores in the state.
----------------------------- |
If you think something is important and it doesn't involve the health of someone, think again. Life goes too fast, enjoy it and be nice.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by PoorPlumber » Wed May 22, 6:31 pm
I have worn glasses since a child. Decades of glasses. Different optometrists. Seen (<- maybe not? hahahah!) things change.
Just born with bad eyes. I had my most recent eye exam at the opthalmologist & when the tech asked me to "Read the chart please."
I stated "E, I'm done."
Anyway...recently bought glasses again from Zenni and have been satisfied. Keep in mind that I have a DIFFICULT prescription. There are upgrade options within ordering that some people have when their eyes aren't as bad. Get this lens material or these frames as an upgrade.
I do not have these options. I must get the high index abc lenses that cost more.
And still they are only around $100.00 to $150.00.
Main thing you must have when online ordering that is often left off of the prescription is PD i.e. pupillary distance. Basically the center point between the eyes. (Axis, etc. should be on there.)
But, online may not be what one wants so...
From the choices you have provided and my experience I would recommend Lenscrafters. I used them like 20 years ago. They were "ok". In all honesty they didn't hit the focal point on one lens and they had to remake them. But at that time they had lens equipment onsite. Not sure if that's the way any more.
I'm guessing just about everything is coming out of a "lab" in India, China, or wherever will do it the cheapest regardless of US dealer.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by nalor511 » Wed May 22, 6:58 pm
I can get better glasses, cheaper (out of my pocket) from eyebuydirect online than I can using my insurance benefit from a brick and mortar store
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by B88 » Wed May 22, 8:09 pm
Lenscrafters will be expensive, very expensive. The Costco suggestion is a good one. Warby Parker probably is not bad. I have used Payne optical at payneglasses.com for spares. Optical quality is very good. You'll have to use their aides to get a fit and frame type for your needs. That would be the fly in the ointment. Prices are good also. Sounds like you'll want someone local. So Target maybe, Costco yes, and $300 won't get you much of anything at Lenscrafters.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by ResearchMed » Wed May 22, 8:28 pm
Thanks all.
Hopefully, this weekend we can help her get statted, and also find out what the costs are likely to be for *her* prescription... and if they can even do it (?).
Maybe check with two of the three vendors as a mini-sanity check on both "can they do it" and price. Or maybe al three.
We'll just need to see if these glasses work for her, and check back at the eye clinic if the glasses arrive but don't seem to help enough. Of course, I'm not sure any of us know how much improvement can be expected at this point, so that will be the first bit of information. If it's not helping much, we'll still need to determine if it's the way the lenses were made and better quality might help, or maybe she's just not able to get much better vision... yet!
"Double vision" was mentioned above. Is there something specific and tricky about trying to correct that?
I'm not sure what the other vision deficits she has, or what is expected (hoped for/) to improve over time, or not...
Thanks again.
RM
This signature is a placebo. You are in the control group.
Re: Special Rx glasses: Vendors? (NOT a medical issue)
Post
by nisiprius » Thu May 23, 6:55 am
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit optical frames wholesale suppliers.
Trying to avoid medical discussions (and I am not a doctor)... With regard to "double vision" there are many different kinds, causes, and treatment.
Sometimes, in
some situations, there is
a kind of "double vision," for which
some doctors prescribe lenses that include a "prism" correction.
If you look at an eyeglass prescription, you will see nine numbers on it. These numbers describe the lenses that are normally available. The nine numbers include sphere, cylinder, axis, and prism for each eye, plus the "near vision add" for bifocals or progressives.
Most eyeglass prescriptions have no "prism" correction. "Prism" correction shifts the view seen through the lens up or down. If you take a normal pair of glasses and intentionally twist them just a little bit on your nose so that one lens is a little higher or lower than the other, you are creating some prism. The two images in your two eyes will be misaligned vertically.
Some combinations of numbers are impossible for a lensmaker to make. For example, you can have -3 or +2 easily for sphere, but if a doctor wrote a prescription for +15, it probably couldn't be filled at any ordinary optician. A +15 lens would look like a magnifying glass, it would be extremely thick and heavy. (People who had had cataract surgery before the development of lens implants really wore glasses like that). The higher the numbers, the more difficult it is to make the lens. Some prescriptions might not be feasible for ordinary lens material, but feasible with "high index" material. Also, the quality of the correction is best when you are looking straight ahead through the center of the lens, but when you are looking toward the sides, it might be possible to get better results using higher index material. Also, the higher the numbers, the more important it is for the optician to make the glasses exactly right.
Normally, the doctor will write prescriptions that can be filled by most opticians. I feel sure that a doctor would know, and would let you know, if there were any doubt.
I have no idea what is going on behind the scenes that that makes it possible for BJ's Optical, but not Zenni, to fill a bifocal prescription with prism.
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.