Get Better Glasses!

Eyebuydirect: Buy one get one free through November 15th

nospam@example.com (Adam Zekmueller) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:17:56 -0500

Here they go again:

Eyebuydirect is having a buy-one-get-one-free sale through November 15th.

Click here to go to theEyeBuyDirect.com Homepage and take advantage of the sale.

Insurance doesn't even help when eyeglasses cost $400

nospam@example.com (Adam Zekmueller) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:47:41 -0400

I ran across this today:

My employer has a rather generous vision plan that covers $155 towards new eyeglass frames and 100% of the lenses through insurance provider VSP. With the new insurance, I was thinking I might actually be able to get away with simply paying the co-pay of $25. I was so excited! I may actually get to try on some glasses, in person, and see what they’d look like on my face. Wow, what a privilege!
My excitement quickly faded before my appointment as I started trying on glasses and looking at the little price tags on each of them. $300, $350, $400… things were not looking good. Sure, there were a few cheap, outdated frames that I could get for around $200, but the quality of these frames were not even close to being as good as the quality of the frameless memory titanium, anti-reflective coated glasses that I had purchased online about 3 years earlier for under $40. Equivalent glasses were actually 10 times more at the local optometrist!
Read more at 20somethingfinance...

I have this exact same setup with my employer: a decent vision plan, but the outrageous prices at the optometrist quickly wiped away every dollar the insurance would cover and required several hundred out of my own pocket. Six, seven, even ten times more compared to the nice frames you can get online? Sorry, I don't think so.

So let your optometrist measure your vision, but don't let them sell you a pair of glasses.

Buy one get one free: Now through midnight on Sunday (9/27)

nospam@example.com (Adam Zekmueller) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:46:56 -0400

Been waiting for a good deal? Here you go: EyeBuyDirect.com is offering a free pair of specs with every pair you buy (over $14.95, excluding sunglasses and designer frames). Tough to beat.

Save a little dough at GlassesUSA

nospam@example.com (Adam Zekmueller) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:21:42 -0400

What has quickly become my favorite online RX retailer, GlassesUSA, has three coupons. This brings their price point closer to the "big guys" like EyeBuyDirect and 39 Dollar Eyeglasses.

Note that these folks my daily wearers and I'm still loving the specs.

$10 off selected frames: code "Selected10"
$25 off glasses with Transitions lenses. : code "Trans25"
15% off RX sunglasses: code "Springsun15"

Or if none of those suit you, click here and use coupon code GUSA10 for 10% off

EyeBuyDirect deal of the week

nospam@example.com (Adam Zekmueller) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:52:41 -0400

They call this frame "Thompson." It's on sale for $30, including prescription lenses. Click the image below if you want to buy it.

High School Musical Glasses: For smaller faces (at smaller prices)

nospam@example.com (Adam Zekmueller) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:27:45 -0400

If you've got kids, you know about High School Musical (okay, I'm almost thirty, no kids, and even I know of Zac Efron). For kids and teenagers with a fashion sense, High School Musical designer eyeglasses have hit the scene. If you've seen them at the mall, you know you'll need to fork over $350 or more for the privilege of your near-sighted daughter being able to see right while looking cool.

Well, thankfully you can buy these same designer frames online for $82 plus the cost of lenses (an additional $75-$135, depending on the type of lens). A savings of 40% or so. Here's the 507 model, a horn-rimmed, semi-rimless look:

High School Musical HSM 507

$81.99 (Retail $143.99)

Or the 514, a less flashy alternative:

High School Musical HSM 514

$81.99 (Retail $143.99)

Want more choices? There are over a dozen HSM frames to chose from, simply click one of the above links and click the button for "high school musical" towards the top of the page.

As always, if you're not sure about buying glasses online, check out the archives (links on the right), shoot me an email or post a comment.

Eyebuydirect's get-one-free sale starts tomorrow!

nospam@example.com (Adam Zekmueller) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:51:00 -0400

Well, once or twice a year EyeBuyDirect does a buy one get one free sale. This time, it is for a whole week! (usually it is just one day)

It starts MONDAY, July 20th and ends SUNDAY, July 26th.

This is probably the best sale in the whole online eyewear industry. If you miss the sale this week, another one will (probably) come along in six months or so. If you're reading this too late and you di missed the sale, don't forget about my exclusive coupon for 12% off (see code in the right-hand column of this web page).

Click above to visit Eyebuydirect.com and enjoy the sale! Sorry about the ugly and loud banner, but I think that I need to post it to give you a link to the sale.

Glasses USA (.com): The maker of my everyday eyeglasses

nospam@example.com (Adam Zekmueller) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 14:56:31 -0400

One of the lesser-known companies out there, GlassesUSA.com (click, new window) claims to deliver a superior quality product at a reasonable (but not dirt cheap) price. I have been impressed with their communication and apparently high level of customer service, but never had experienced their product first-hand.

The folks at GlassesUSA were confident enough with their glasses to provide me with a free pair, knowing that I was in no way obligated to return the favor with a favorable review. I received the glasses several weeks ago and have, to better judge the product, worn them exclusively since. My vision is such that I wear glasses from the second I wake up in the morning until the minute I go to bed. I have strong astigmatism and wear single-vision glasses and don’t require bifocals or trifocals; I have a current prescription (less than 12 months old).

All right, to the brass tacks. The company representative asked me to choose a pair from their website. I quickly navigated the website (good layout, simple search feature) and found the right pair for me. Having wanted to try out rimless eyeglasses for some time, I chose the “Philadelphia” frame (a simple search will find it). I chose this frame because it looked like it had good proportions and it has a 140mm temple length. For whatever reason, many of the online eyewear stores force me into a 135mm temple length. In reality, 135mm is somewhat short on most men’s heads, including my average-sized gourd. It works, but 140mm is more comfortable, so I was pleased that GlassesUSA had several options with the 140mm temple. The price on this pair is $59.95 with no extras and not including shipping. Widely-available coupons knock the price down 10% or so or take care of the shipping. So the actual cost is right around $60 out the door. You also need to fax, scan, or key in your prescription information (make sure to see your optometrist for an updated prescription if you don’t have one already).

About two weeks went by, and the glasses arrived. Excited, I ripped open the envelope and checked out my new specs (all pictures at bottom of this post). I looked over the included case and lens cloth (an appreciated extra, but ultimately destined for my sock drawer) and then went straight to trying on the eyeglasses. I immediately noticed the prescription was dead-on. Great lens grinding with no odd effects at the peripheral vision (it has been commented that some of the cheaper online eyewear stores struggle to grind out a perfect and consistent lens), the frame seems of great quality, and the look and proportions of the eyeglasses are dead on. By all accounts, a very high quality pair of eyeglasses. Certainly there are no noticeable differences in quality between this pair and the pairs I’ve paid $300 or $400 for over the years (naturally, the $300 or $400 pairs were bought at brick and mortar stores, not over the internet). The quality is noticeably better than my $30 pair from zenni optical -- specifically, the alloy frame seems immediately more dense and less fragile.

Two weeks later, I haven’t experienced any problems or noticed any manufacturing defects whatsoever. The glasses are comfortable, lightweight, and not leaving any pressure marks or sores around my ears or on the sides of my nose. I’ve actually received compliments on my eyes since wearing these glasses. Usually, I would receive comments on the glasses themselves when I would buy a new pair, but with a rimless pair, people seem to be noticing my eyes underneath! I don’t see switching back to one of my other pairs any time soon (other options include what’s left of my zenni optical pair (the nose paid mount broke off) and a nice-quality designer Izod frame (which retails for about $200 for the frame alone)). So yes, the eyeglasses at GlassesUSA.com are high quality and I would recommend them to anyone. What’s more, they are 50 to 70% cheaper than what you can buy from your optometrist. No, GlassesUSA isn’t as cheap as eyebuydirect, goggles4u, or some of the other china-based online eyewear companies, but the initial quality of product does seems superior. What was meant to be a sample pair has ended up as my 18-hour-a-day daily wearer. I’ll probably still go with the other guys for a dirt cheap pair of RX sunglasses, but I will definitely stick with GlassesUSA for my daily pair that will log the most use.

Click here to visit GlassesUSA

Some current coupons (see right panel if these have expired)
Celebrate independence with GlassesUSA! Take 20% off your final order of eyeglasses or sunglasses. Use Code: July20
Celebrate independence with GlassesUSA and enjoy free shipping on any order over $50! Use code:USASHIP

What comes in the mail (this is inside a non-pictured envelope)

The complete product -- glasses, the nicest case I've seen, and a cleaning cloth.

Another view -- I ordered the "Philadelphia" frame

Me, wearing the glasses.

20% off Mother's Day sale at EyeBuyDirect

nospam@example.com (Adam Zekmueller) — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:39:22 -0400

Happy mother's day GBG readers! EyeBuyDirect is offering 20% off women's and unisex frames to celebrate. Here's the link. Sale ends Sunday, May 10.

Deal of the Week at EyeBuyDirect

nospam@example.com (Adam Zekmueller) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:52:28 -0400

I always thought parsley was a plant. And only a plant. In fact, the parsley for my kitchen garden just bolted to seed. But "parsley" is what EyeBuyDirect named the frame shown above.

But the point is, EyeBuyDirect has been offering certain frames at half off or even better for a very limited time. This week's deal is the frame shown above, named "Parsley" with lenses for $8.95. That's seriously cheap. What do you have to lose?

In case you can't tell, those are girl's glasses. And they're cute.

Visit EyeBuyDirect.com for this week's Deal of the Week.

GlassesUSA.com -- "We want to change the way Americans buy glasses."

nospam@example.com (Adam Zekmueller) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 08:35:14 -0400

What are we getting when we buy glasses online? My experience has been that we spend less and receive a really decent pair of glasses. Sites like BestBuyEyeglasses give us top-quality designer glasses for 40% less than we would pay at the eyewear store. EyeBuyDirect gives us really inexpensive glasses that do the trick.

Until now, I haven't seen a company online offering a middle ground -- glasses that aren't as pricey as designer frames but not as inexpensive as those on EyeBuyDirect . GlassesUSA.com seems to be taking on this market -- reasonably priced, high quality frames. I had a chance to send a couple emails back and forth with their marketing director:

All of our glasses are manufactured according to US guidelines- we actually surpass US guidelines during our manufacturing process...we are a group of people who are fed up with high priced eyeglasses made horribly. You can go to Target and WalMart to buy a pair of frames and the glasses are just barely up to industry standards.
We want to change the way Americans buy glasses...I went to America's Best to purchase my 2 frames for $69.95. I still have headaches when I wear those glasses. Yet, my glasses from GlassesUSA cause me no problems, no double vision- no headaches...I'm out to change. I believe in the company. Have you ever worked somewhere that you honestly believed in the work you do? That is how I feel about GlassesUSA. I love my job!
-Hillary Rubin, Creative Marketing Director, GlassesUSA.com

Hillary said she would send me a pair of glasses for review. So I'll let all of you know firsthand if they live up to the fairly high expectations I have for this company. Thus far, I am impressed with their product selection. A minor problem I have had at some of the online eyewear stores is a lack of selection of glasses with 140mm temples. The 135mm temples tend to be a bit short on my head. A minor issue, but something I have observed. For a gal, 135mm is fine, for most men, it tends to be a bit short.

The site has user reviews for many of their frames. I'm impressed with the "Columbus Black" rimless frames, these are pictured below. They have 2 4 star+ reviews and run $60 including a basic lens.

For women, the Hilarie Black reminds me of the glasses Tina Fey wears. $32 including a basic lens.

As a fairly new retailer, GlassesUSA.com has some decent promos going on. Use code: 2gusa15 for 15% off any two pairs. Use code GUSA10 for 10% off any order. Click here to go to GlassesUSA.com

The comeback of glasses

nospam@example.com (Adam Zekmueller) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 09:26:00 -0400

Designer Carrie Mundane in vintage frames.

2008 was the end of soft and pretty. Edginess is going forever mainstream in 2009. And what shows an edge more than bold and beautiful designer eyeglasses?

Simon Chilvers considers the comeback of glasses in this 2009 article from the Guardian:

With the overload of pretty celebrities in 2009, the power of glasses to cut through the chaff is even greater. Alexa Chung, whose look revolves around an offbeat boyishness rather than high-octane glamour, is the ideal pin-up for the specs revival. Actor Jaime Winstone was clearly gunning for extra cool points when she chose to rock a hefty tortoiseshell pair recently. Hip-hop royalty are getting stuck in too. Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and Jay-Z have all been swapping statement pap-proof shades for quirky nerd-like specs instead. Meanwhile, at a cinema near you, Gus Van Sant's Milk, set in the 70s, features Cleve Jones, a young gay activist (played by Emile Hirsch) whose square specs fit brilliantly with this current revival.
Click for the rest of the article and some great photos

Cazal eyewear is more relevant than ever. Take the 4111, pictured below. These german-made glasses are as much artwork as RX.

If you buy your pair online at bestbuyeyeglasses.com (click here), you'll enjoy paying about half what you would at the downtown boutique. Use the coupon the right for an additional 5% savings and free shipping.

Exclusive 12% off coupon at EyeBuyDirect

nospam@example.com (Adam Zekmueller) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 09:30:53 -0500

EyeBuyDirect's "Plasma" Titanium Frame

EyeBuyDirect noticed a lot of GetBetterGlasses readers took advantage of the buy one, get one free sale the other day. So their kind team offered the readers of GetBetterGlasses.com an exclusive coupon for 12% off. The coupon code is "GBGLASSES12" (without the ""). This coupon expires April 30th, 2009. Click to visit EyeBuyDirect.com (new window)

So why not pick up a pair of titanium eyeglasses -- like the "plasma" -- for about a quarter of what you'd pay at the eye doctor?

Here we go again: Buy one get one free at EyeBuyDirect.com

nospam@example.com (Adam Zekmueller) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:08:16 -0500

Another sign of the times? EyeBuyDirect has typically only offered their buy one, get one free sale twice a year. But they're doing again, only two months after the last time! So if you've been waiting to get your updated prescription, now is the time! Maybe you're ready to give online eyewear a try or maybe you just need a couple more pairs of specs.

The one-day sale is Monday, February 9th ONLY. So start lining up at the door.

Click here to visit EyeBuyDirect.com

If you're new to this (online rx eyewear) game, be sure to check out the posts shown in the right hand column to help get you started.

How much do you want to save on your next pair of prescription glasses?

nospam@example.com (Adam Zekmueller) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:01:32 -0500

Let's assume an average pair of prescription glasses and frames is $400.

Spending $400 on regular eyeglasses? We can do better than that.

Save $380:
How: Head over to Goggles4u Eyeglasses and pick out a pair of glasses from the $12.99 section
Pros: Cost: $20 shipped. That's cheap. Great for your kids who destroy their glasses anyways.
Cons: The frames would be alloy metal, not titanium or rimless. If you want thinner lenses or special coatings, you'll have to ad another $15 or so.

Save $300:
How: Choose a pair of rimless glasses at eyebuydirect. Add a superthin polycarbonate lens, anti-reflective and anti-scratch coatings
Pros: $100 gets you a fully configured pair of glasses using superlight materials and with the lightest lens available. The coatings help your glasses stay like new for a long time.
Cons: Although the glasses will probably be great, you can't do an apples-to-apples comparison with most of the frames you'd find at your optometrist. This is because Eyebuydirect uses "house brand" glasses as opposed to Prada, Izod, or some other designer.

Save $100-$200:
How: Buy an exact replacement for your existing designer frames or purchase new designer glasses at BestBuyEyeglases.com
Pros: If you know exactly what you want, or if you are replacing your existing frames, you can key in the information from your current glasses and purchase literally the exact same pair for 2/3 or even 1/2 the price of what you usually pay. If you're after new glasses, you'll find the best designs from the most reputable designers in the industry.
Cons: You'll be spending two to five times as much for designer prescription glasses at BestBuyEyeglasses compared to with what you would spend at the online discounters.

No matter how you slice it, you'll save a bunch of money buying online. You're in control of your choice in prescription glasses, not a pushy salesman at the optometrist office. Better yet, if you use your health savings account, you could pay even less out-of-pocket.