Where do you buy your glasses?

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by peter12

I'm chatting with a Warby Parker customer rep as I write this post. Seems pretty good. I am also nearly blind at this point, so moving into desperation territory.

It'll be your turn to let ME know how it goes. Now I'm finding I need a second pair as I constantly forget mine somewhere.

[peter12]

I don't have my pupillary distance, and I have read that measuring your own is incredibly inaccurate. I guess you can't just walk into an optometrist's, and ask them to measure it, and then walk back out.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by photon

EDIT: Also could be a business opportunity, become a showroom for frames. Get the online places to pay you to have frames for people to try.

Warby Parker does this in the US. Certain stores, such as clothing stores will have a rack of their frames for people to try. It's genius, I did it on a business trip, then ordered up my glasses after.

[evman150]

Originally Posted by peter12

I don't have my pupillary distance, and I have read that measuring your own is incredibly inaccurate. I guess you can't just walk into an optometrist's, and ask them to measure it, and then walk back out.

Get several people to measure it with a ruler, then average the results.

I did this, then checked it a couple years later on the instruments at my eye exam, and I had it nailed.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by peter12

I don't have my pupillary distance, and I have read that measuring your own is incredibly inaccurate. I guess you can't just walk into an optometrist's, and ask them to measure it, and then walk back out.

Call your optometrist and ask for it.

If they refuse, tell him it's part of your medical record and you are entitled to it. Threaten to report him to the college. Then fire him and go somewhere else that will give it to you.

[peter12]

Well, I am pretty boring. I walked into a local optician shop, and bought a pair of glasses. So no Warby Parker review today.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by Canehdianman

Call your optometrist and ask for it.

If they refuse, tell him it's part of your medical record and you are entitled to it. Threaten to report him to the college. Then fire him and go somewhere else that will give it to you.

It depends on your jurisdiction. A PD measurement is not considered part of your routine eye examination. It is only done if you are going to purchase glasses. It is an additional measurement. You can request your records, but there is no guarantee that the PD would have ever been measured.

IN BC it is considered part of your prescription, so they do release it with the Rx. IN the rest of the country it is NOT considered part of the prescription. You can come in and pay $25 to have it measured accurately though. Some offices (like Lenscrafters) will outright refuse to even do a measurement.

Would you go into the Tailor have him measure up your suit and then take those measurements and buy a suit online?

[burnin_vernon]

Originally Posted by Hes

Would you go into the Tailor have him measure up your suit and then take those measurements and buy a suit online?

[GreatWhiteEbola]

IRIS, for the massive amounts of Airmiles. I have a strong Rx, and I like my fashion frames = $$$$$

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Hes

Would you go into the Tailor have him measure up your suit and then take those measurements and buy a suit online?

Tailors don't charge for measuring me. Optometrists do.

[bomba]

I can vouch for warbyparker.com the service/delivery/price is incredible. I've now ordered about 5 pairs from that site. Most glasses I've ordered from there have been around $140 canadian taxes in with shipping and customs covered to my door. You can even order them and if you're not satisfied with the frame OR the prescription of the lenses, send them back and they will change them at no cost.

They also have retail locations in the US, so anytime I've gone to San Fran I've gone in there and tried on all the frames.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Tailors don't charge for measuring me. Optometrists do.

Tailors absolutely do charge for measurement if you aren't buying your suit from them.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by bomba

I can vouch for warbyparker.com the service/delivery/price is incredible. I've now ordered about 5 pairs from that site. Most glasses I've ordered from there have been around $140 canadian taxes in with shipping and customs covered to my door. You can even order them and if you're not satisfied with the frame OR the prescription of the lenses, send them back and they will change them at no cost.

They also have retail locations in the US, so anytime I've gone to San Fran I've gone in there and tried on all the frames.

So you paid customs on top of the delivery??

[bomba]

Originally Posted by peter12

So you paid customs on top of the delivery??

No extra fees for customs.. it was included in the all in price on the website

[Knut]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Tailors don't charge for measuring me. Optometrists do.

Many likely do. If it becomes a much more common practice, then you can bet that all of them will.

The Measurement takes time away from other patients that require our optician services.

Do you walk into a clothing store, have them measure you, ask them to jot all the measurements down and then walk out ?

[Knut]

Originally Posted by GreatWhiteEbola

IRIS, for the massive amounts of Airmiles. I have a strong Rx, and I like my fashion frames = $$$$$

FyiDoctors has Aeroplan now. There are a lot of points handed out.

[peter12]

I think the online aspect works pretty well if you have a normal-sized face/nose, which I don't. My measurements are 57-18-147 so gargantuan.

I also needed bifocals, and the price at Warby Parker, in the frame size that I needed worked out to be pretty much the same as the optician.

I walked into this process really thinking I would take it to the "man." That is, the Luxottica monopoly, well, it is a lot harder than I thought it would be.

[KelVarnsen]

I've used GlassesUSA for sunglasses in the past. Always worked well.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by peter12

I don't have my pupillary distance, and I have read that measuring your own is incredibly inaccurate. I guess you can't just walk into an optometrist's, and ask them to measure it, and then walk back out.

No idea what Hes has to say about this, but I had my friend measure my pupillary distance and ordered some cheapo glasses from Clearly Contacts.

I have a set that I got at an optomerist, but in the interest of having a couple different style options, tough to beat $60 for a set of glasses. I wear them all the time and don't seem to have any problems. Not recommending it at all, I'd be interested to hear Hes' take on it.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by peter12

I think the online aspect works pretty well if you have a normal-sized face/nose, which I don't. My measurements are 57-18-147 so gargantuan.

I also needed bifocals, and the price at Warby Parker, in the frame size that I needed worked out to be pretty much the same as the optician.

I walked into this process really thinking I would take it to the "man." That is, the Luxottica monopoly, well, it is a lot harder than I thought it would be.

Luxottica recently bought ClearlyContacts and a big European Online company. So they are expanding there as well.

Pearle Vision
Lenscrafters
Sears Optical

3/5 of the 5 options in the mall I work in are the same company. That is why our practice joined with FYiDoctors. It is meant to counter the private equity group aspect of the industry. Privately owned and managed by optometrists. It has allowed our prices to be much more competitive.

Another interesting aspect of the industry is that online stores are starting to put in retail, brick and mortar locations.