My current spectacles are getting a bit bent out of shape, so I’m looking to get some new ones.
My last few pairs have been through SpecSavers, but they’ve ended up wearing out in similar ways. Could easily relate to a pattern of mistreatment on my part, but I’m keen to try somewhere else anyway.
Where do you guys suggest around the city? Ideally still budget friendly (would like to stick around $400 if possible), but open to all suggestions.
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I’ve been told the right way to go about it is to get your eyes tested by an optometrist (say, if you’re an AA member with a free check at Specsavers, if you’re a Southern Cross member with a free check at OPSM, etc.). Then ask them to print out your subscription, and order your lenses and frames online.
There are places online that will ship glasses to you at a fraction of the cost. The most common one I’ve heard is https://www.zennioptical.com though there are others that ship to NZ.
This way you can get a bunch of them and it’s still cheaper than Specsavers.
I did that when I lost my prescription sunglasses and ended up going with Smart Buy Glasses. You scan your face so you can try models on virtually and it ended up being cheaper than claiming insurance. They did send a dozen or so requests for reviews though so that was slightly irritating.
I’m a bit skeptical about buying frames without trying them on first. I find a lot of frames don’t look as good as I’d hoped once I see them on my face (this could be my face’s fault to be fair).
And virtual means of trying on glasses isn’t the same, I reckon. Slight differences in how the software measures your face size could mean they end looking different on you in real life.
I suppose I could buy a bunch, and be statistically pretty likely to get something that looks good, but that seems like it’d be creating a lot of unnecessary waste.
So yeah, maybe I’m just not savvy enough for these modern times, but I’d prefer to do it all in store.
Can you look for frames that are similar to the ones you already have?
I feel like I’d still want to try them on first. They might be just different enough that they end up looking wrong?
I probably should have prefaced all of this by saying I am an absolute pedant.
I too am an absolute pedant but with zenni optical you can see all the dimensions in mm (frame height, width, etc etc) and filter by them too.
So I measure glasses I already own, and then go for other glasses that are the exact same size and similar shape. It takes a lot of sorting through results but at the end of the day I can come out with glasses that cost $20 instead of $220.
Alternatively, pick ones you don’t like and put up with them. I always spend an hour in the shop and never like whatever I end up with. I think that’s because I don’t wear them all the time, only while driving, so I don’t get used to them.
I pretty much only take off my glasses to sleep and shower. In a sense, they’re part of my face, so I’d rather get a pair I feel good about.
Fair enough. I’ve typically only used specsavers and never really liked them, so can’t really suggest anything.
Thinking about it though, it sounds like your frames are wearing out. Can you get new frames and use the existing lenses to save some money?
I’ve used Zenni before and they’re decent if you don’t go for the absolute cheapest frames. There’s usually enough reviews with pictures from others to get an idea of how they look. But if OP is very specific about looks then trying in store somewhere is really the only option.
The savings from buying online are too good to pass up for me. My last prescription pair from Zenni was $55USD which I’m still using a couple years on. The exchange rate was better back then but for $400 OP could probably get 4 pairs of glasses.
This is the way. You can also then take the glasses into an optometrist and check that they are the right prescription.
Zenni?
$400 will get you transition lenses for two middle school aged boys, a pair of clear bifocals, a pair of tinted bifocals, and two pairs of prescription readers… not to be too specific :) (total was $385US, and just my two bifocals are easily over half that, them removed are pricey man). Takes a month or more to get shipped to you, and they aren’t top shelf or anything, but I’m hard on glasses, always have been (career soldier, hard on everything tbh), and the solution was kinda counterintuitive for me, I got frameless hingeless lightweight glasses instead of big chonky durable looking ones… they’re basically just two lenses with flexible titanium wire earpieces bolted straight onto the lens. I super glue the screws when I get them so they don’t work themselves loose, and the lightweight flexible earpieces, having no hinges (they just bend inward to fold), have proven to be ridiculously tolerant to abuse :) the original intent was that they’d be disposable basically, get 8 pair for what a single pair would usually run, and just toss em as they got demolished, except they dont get demolished…
If you go on the zenni webpage and search frame# 420611 you’ll see exactly what I mean. The frames look ridiculously delicate and like they’d break with a sneeze, but they’re bendy as hell to the point that the lens coatings will start cracking with age before you can break any of the frame pieces. You sit on them and they smoosh like a slinky and sproing right back up like they’re made of nerf :) you can take them off, grab each earbow, and pull them apart far enough to make the whole pair straight, like a pair of paper 3d glasses (don’t actually do this, but I actually do this lol, I also drop kick my kyocera phone occasionally just to show it’s durable, don’t do that either lol). No hinges to get fucked up.
They’re also insanely lightweight, which I didn’t think I cared about until I got some super light glasses on my face and realized I kinda do care about it a little…
If you got a prescription, and you get basic ass lenses in those frames, it’s like $50 or so. Well worth giving it a go imho.
It’s the hinges that screw up for me. As below, I’m probably going to try get stuff in store, but good food for thought on the make.
I have gotten glasses through Zenni and was very satisfied.
I’ve heard good things about them as well! Long lead time though.
You save hundreds of dollars though so it’s probably worth it. If you really can’t wait then order your spares through them.
I know how you feel. I’m hard on spectacles too. My previous set from specsavers were 2 for the price of 1. I think it was around $190 for the 2 but they ended up being heavy and hurt my nose after long periods. So the last set I splashed out and got a set with titanium frames. Came in around $550 for 2 pairs if I remember correctly. Best decision ever.
They’re light, I can wear them for the whole day and they don’t hurt my nose. They flex under abuse. I usually end up sitting on them and the frames handle it. I love them. If you can stretch your $400 upwards I would recommend it. I would pass on the extra tints or coating they offer and put that money towards the frames. My 2c.On the flip side, I also have a cheap set from the warehouse with plastic frames I use to watch TV. $15 or something like that. Work like charm. Light as too. Only trick is, if you find a set that works for you, go back and buy 2 or 3. Warehouse and other places like that don’t often have lenses for my prescription. This way you have a spare when you sit or stand on them.
