I have been given my first prescription for eyeglasses for astigmatism. For about 8 years, I have worn only OTC reading glasses. There are so many choices of stores to purchase my prescription eyeglasses. :confused: So far, I've visited 4 stores. One store has "2 complete pairs for $98.61". Two other stores are regular prices, which would be $300 to $400. Another store just didn't feel comfortable to me, so I didn't stay long enough to price their glasses.

I'd like to hear from people who have experiences with the "2fers" and also the regular-price eyeglasses. Are there any warnings I should heed? :nono: I'd like to hear good and bad experiences with eyeglass purchases, please. Your comments can help me make an informed decision!

Thank you in advance. :wave:

Hi AllysHeart
My best advice, since i've worn glasses for 45 years is 1) take someone with you so you can get another opinion of how you look in the frames you try on,as once the lenses are in, they always seem to look different for some reason and 2) consider your lifestyle...if you are into sports, make sure the frame is going to be sturdy enough to last without warping, breaking, etc. and 3) don't get something so cute & "funky" that you love, but won't look good with your wardrobe or face shape or coloring.
ANd don't forget to protect your eyes from the sun too! Years of sun can damage the eyes! (Clip on suglasses aren't very pretty, so you may want to get a lense that changes to sunglasses when you go outside, but won't interfere with indoor use.)
Good Luck
Hellas

Thank you, Hellasrules, for the tips. You have made some very important points that I would not have considered otherwise. There are a few more places I will check, and I hope I get a clue as to where is the best one to buy from. They cost so much, that I need to make the right choice. Prescription lenses are not like cheap sunglasses, where we can have more than one!

I'll let you know how it goes this week!

well good luck with finding the perfect pair! I had trouble recently when I needed my RX changed. THe optometrist who had made my glasses since I was a little kid retired, and was not happy to just try all over the place. I had used one of those chain places before, and was not at all happy with the cost or service. So I finally ended up a W almart and got a good pair, for a good price, and thought the service was great and the glasses were fit perfectly. There are a lot of places out there, and some not as obvious as others.
You're very wise to compare your options. I know you'll make a great choice.

When HELLASRULES said "THe optometrist who had made my glasses since I was a little kid retired, and was not happy to just try all over the place." means this : Most private optometric practices will provide excellent services with a wide choice of prices for frames and opthalmic lenses. Look for a group practice with 2 to 4 optometrists. They have the proper number of trained professional staff and can buy in volume to pass the saving on to you. Private Practice Optometry has always been known to provide full service opthalmic care.

Eyes

Thank you for the responses to my question. I made a decision today, and I hope my intuition is right.

The ophthamologist who wrote my prescription has been my eye doctor exclusively since about 1975. We were both in the military, he as an M.D., and I as an E-4. He started a private practice in town, and I married a local man and stayed when my enlistment was up.

I had no intentions of buying in this particular optical store, but everything just fell into place. The lady greeted me, sat me down and brought me about 10 frames. We hit it off instantly. I liked her manner and felt that she was very knowledgeable. I asked, "Do you have any specials?" She giggled a bit and said, "The only special is we get them right!" I told her that's what I needed to hear. We carried on a pleasant conversation and laughed some more, so the overall experience felt right.

I narrowed my choice down to 3 frames, but in the end, I selected the frames she preferred. I felt I could trust her judgement. The lenses will have a special coating on them to further diminish the unpleasant effects of the lights for night driving, so the glasses will be ready in a few days.

The frames I chose will have matching, magnetized sunglasses. I think that's cool! Actually, I'm excited about getting them. I really need them, and they look good, too!

Thanks, again.

Here's the update on my new prescription eyeglasses! They are just great! The difference was instant upon putting them on. The optical store employee fitted them to my face perfectly, and I was on my way! I have better distance vision. What used to be blurry is now sharp. Night driving is no problem. The magnetized sunshades are ideal, easy to use.

I am also wearing them while watching TV, as my eye doctor suggested. I was skeptical about the glasses being able to correct what was wrong, but I'm elated now that I've got them.

Kind regards. :wave:

Very Cool! :cool:
I am very happy for you. Really, you post makes me smile. :)
And you got the magnetic sunglasses.
Double-extra cool! :cool: :cool: