Brave New Specs Update

• barrieabalard
• January 14th, 2010

Here’s a link to my original blog post concerning the pluses and minuses of buying eyeglasses over the internet.

To finish my story—I decided against ordering any sort of prescription eyeglasses over the internet because no one solution or provider seemed to fit my budget and my preferences. However, I did order a pair of Cocoons from the Vistana fashion line and I love them. The fit is fantastic (the sunglasses sit on top of your prescription glasses) and the price was less than sixty dollars, with shipping. You can see the sunglasses I bought here. I paid for regular ground shipping and had the glasses in my hands within forty-eight hours. Impressive! Count me a satisfied customer.

My new prescription glasses are, in a word, awesome. They fit perfectly and the prescription changes feel natural. (It’s nice to be able to see clearly again.) We are going back tonight so I can have the drops done (part of my $49 exam), and my husband will also get the $49 exam while we’re there. So, remember to check your local optometrists for deals and coupons. I paid no more than what I would have paid at one of the chains/Wal-Mart, with fantastic services and products. Plus, the glasses were ready in three days because I believe that they grind their own lenses at this place. This is a plus because it’s easier and faster to correct anything that feels like a mistake when you look through the glasses. Having to describe the problem to a clerk, then have the lenses sent back for correction or regrinding, has not been a satisfactory solution for me in the past. Here's a link to the local doctors I saw, in case you live near Philly on the Jersey side.

Of course, prescription glasses ordered over the internet are going to be cheaper. If you don’t have a spare dime and really need glasses, you might be willing to take a chance, especially if you only need single-vision glasses (i.e., not bifocals/trifocals/progressive) because they are simpler to make with fewer chances for mistakes. Some of the sites online offer money-back guarantees and are still cheaper than the chains.

I’m a little short on time this week, so I will give you my thoughts regarding walking away from an “underwater” mortgage next week. If you haven’t seen the original story and Howard Lindzon’s reaction, I hope you will read them. The idea seems outrageous, and yet…

Tickers: buying glasses over the Internet, Cocoons sunglasses, prescription eyeglasses, saving money, single-vision eyeglasses

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