Prescription Glasses For Just $39??? It's No Joke at 39 Dollar Glasses.com
Written: Aug 20 '04 (Updated Aug 20 '04)
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I have been wearing prescription glasses practically since birth, so I am no stranger to the yearly cycle of appointments and selecting a new pair. Now that I am the grown-up and dealing with my own pesky insurance I dread the task even more than usual. Our new insurance only covers a single pair per year, (pretty much the norm), so you can imagine my dismay when I sat down and obliterated my recently acquired $350 eyewear. Needless to say, I was on the hunt for a bargain! I remembered epinions member elainehn mentioning the site and thought I'd give it a try. Was I ever pleased that I did!!
What Is $39 Glasses.com
The storefront at $39 Glasses.com is authorized to sell prescription and non-prescription glasses and sunglasses for the entire family. The frames start at $39. Some prescriptions, frame material and add-on options may push the total of the order up a bit, but I still found it significantly less expensive than traditional optical stores.
For example, selecting the bendable titanium frames will run about $89 compared to the $400 pair I had to leave back at the optometrists office. They feature frames from leading manufacturers such as Varilux, Transitions, and Sola. They also sell contact lenses, though I don't have any experience ordering those from them.
Shopping!
If you decide to give shopping at $39 Glasses.com a try, you will be pleasantly greeted by an easy to navigate web page, with innovative options to assist you in selecting your glasses.
Selection can be made via the main eyewear categories, they are as follows:
Metal
Plastic
Rimless
Kids
Bendable Plastic Rimless
Bendable Titanium
Bifocals
Progressive
Rx Sunglasses
Sports Eyewear
Use Your Own Frame
These can all be reached from a pull-down toolbar menu or from the home page. Once you select a sub-category, you will be shown large thumbnails and details of all of the various offerings.
Details about the frame you selected are very adequate and will make you feel as comfortable as can be expected when ordering glasses online without trying them on. You will see the color options of the frame, the included amenities, the gender of the frame (though most are unisex that I noticed), and the measurements of the frame in millimeters.
Nifty Tools available on the detail page allow you to change the frame color, print out a page of the actual frame size, and most handy of all try the glasses on a face shape similar to yours. You select mens or women's and then the shape, such as circle, oval and so on, and a separate pop-up window appears with your lenses on a similarly shaped face. This is great for gauging the actual size of the frames, and how they might look. I was very pleased with the representation of the pair I ordered.
Ordering is relatively simple. Once you have decided which frame to buy, you select the color and the type of prescription you'd like (bi-focal, basic, etc). On the next page you will enter your prescription. Generally this comes on a card from the eye doctor. You also need to know a measurement called pupillary distance. This was not something my prescription had on it automatically, so I had to phone my doctor and get it. This is a measurement in millimeters between the pupils and is necessary to determine focus.
On the second page they also attempt to upsell their products. For example, the basic package for $39 has polycarbonate lenses with a scratch coating, but for $49.95 you may upgrade to the Seiko brand high uv index lenses.
I DID NOT order any options, remember I was looking for a deal! My glasses were perfect, and I found their included scratch resistance adequate. I also did not notice a big glare, as I passed on the glare reduction treatment. I have had these lenses since March, and they holding up very well.
Completing Checkout
Checking out is really the two-step process I described above, as well selecting payment and delivery options.
Shipping has several options including overnight delivery. They use either DHL or USPS to deliver their goods. Standard shipping is $5.95, and two or more pairs ship free. They do offer shipping overnight, as well as to many international countries.
My order came securely packaged in a small hard box, with a complimentary eyeglass case. They arrived in less than a week!
Payment can be made via the usual major credit cards, or through Western Union payment services. I'm not sure how this works as I used my Visa card.
My Experience
I found my ordering experience to be quite simple, and satisfying. When my glasses came I took them to a local WalMart retailer and had the optician there look them over. They verified the prescription was correct and took a few moments to custom fit them for my head. I offered to pay them for their assistance, but they wouldn't accept any money. Once I found out these glasses were just as I had ordered I was thrilled! Now nearly 6 months after ordering them, I feel confident enough in their durability to wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone.
Customer Service
I did not have any need for customer service, though I was reassured by the live customer service support, the easy to locate 800 number, and the 100% satisfaction guarantee. They are also a member of the BBB online merchants association.
Notable Mentions
*$39 Glasses.com has live customer service available from the home page. The hours are limited to business hours, but you have an option to leave a message if the tech's aren't there when you need them.
*Buy 5 pairs of glasses from $39 Glasses.com and get credit for a free pair (of $39 frames).
*Questions about the site or eye related health? Check out their archive of Help Topics
All In All
I give $39 Glasses.com the highest of marks. They delivered a high quality item just as described for a VERY reasonable price. Verification of the prescription with my local doctor assured me that this company is on the up and up, and I'll be reordering some prescription sunglasses very soon!
*Note
You should still get a yearly examination as your prescription can change. You may also want to have your prescription lenses checked and adjusted by a professional optometrist or opthamologist following receipt. Take care of your eyes!!
Thanks to elainehn for bringing this site to my attention and to joubert for adding the site to the database for me.
Recommended:
Yes
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About the Author
Location: Washington State
Reviews written: 212
Trusted by: 204 members
About Me: Working on school! Hoping to finish soon.
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