Prescription Glasses & Digital Free Form - Is it neccesary? (lenses, eyeglasses)

[igolfchip]

Could't find a specialty forum for this question so taking a chance that someone here has experience in Opthomology / eyeglasses.

I need to get a new pair of Single Vision (not progressive) prescription eyeglasses and the store I've gone to is strongly suggesting I pay the extra $150 for their digital free form lenses vs. those made with a traditional process. Benefits are greater clarity, less distortion and a 2 year warranty,

Most references online talk about its benefits for Progressive lenses, and don't specify benefits for Single Vision. I can't tell if this is an unnecessary upsell / luxury

Would appreciate feedback from folks in the industry what they'd reccomend or folks' experiences with this technology.

Thanks!

[F150]

I just received my single vision (1/2 diopter each lens) and gold frame from China and paid $16.00 total. Was that too much?

[stonecypher5413]

I went with Zenni Optical for perfectly wonderful glasses for $75 (progressives), and I think you'd be getting hosed if you paid what was quoted for your single-vision glasses, when places like Zenni exist with starting prices at under ten bucks!

Zenni Optical - Eyeglasses, Prescription Glasses, Bifocal, Progressive Eyeglasses, Rimless Glasses

[Dallas Kitty]

Originally Posted by stonecypher5413

I went with Zenni Optical for perfectly wonderful glasses for $75 (progressives), and I think you'd be getting hosed if you paid what was quoted for your single-vision glasses, when places like Zenni exist with starting prices at under ten bucks!

Zenni Optical - Eyeglasses, Prescription Glasses, Bifocal, Progressive Eyeglasses, Rimless Glasses

Did you order online using a prescription from a local optometrist or opthamologist? I've considered doing that but concerned that my prescription may not be just right since the progressive lens helps only with watching TV when it should help with book reading and computer. So I worry that the prescription is screwy.

[stonecypher5413]

Originally Posted by Kitty_FL

Did you order online using a prescription from a local optometrist or opthamologist? I've considered doing that but concerned that my prescription may not be just right since the progressive lens helps only with watching TV when it should help with book reading and computer. So I worry that the prescription is screwy.

Yes, I went to a local eye doc for my annual exam and they gave me an updated glasses prescription for my progressive lenses. I added the Pupillary Distance by measuring it myself since they eye doc's policy was not to provide it if you didn't buy your glasses at exorbitant prices at his in-house eyeglass "shoppe."

How Do I Measure My Pupillary Distance (http://www.spectacles.com/how-do-I-measure-my-pupillary-distance.html - broken link)

Then I went to the Zenni site and made my very first purchase of online glasses by spending lots of time using their nifty feature of "trying on" your selected frames with the face from their gallery that most closely resembles yours. Once I picked out my frames (and I followed the measurements of my current glasses to be sure the ones I chose would fit), I used their super-easy ordering process by carefully typing in the figures off my prescription and my measured P.D. (A real person will answer the phone if you have questions.)

The glasses arrived in less than two weeks in a hard-shell case with a soft lens cleaning cloth. I took a deep breath and tried them on -- and voila! They were perfect! I've been very happy with them.

The price of eyeglasses is one of those supreme scams perpetrated on consumers for far too long:

Wow -- the Eyewear Industry Is an Incredible Ripoff, But There Are Alternatives | | AlterNet

Break your chains and save some money!

[Dallas Kitty]

Originally Posted by stonecypher5413

Yes, I went to a local eye doc for my annual exam and they gave me an updated glasses prescription for my progressive lenses. I added the Pupillary Distance by measuring it myself since they eye doc's policy was not to provide it if you didn't buy your glasses at exorbitant prices at his in-house eyeglass "shoppe."

How Do I Measure My Pupillary Distance (http://www.spectacles.com/how-do-I-measure-my-pupillary-distance.html - broken link)

Then I went to the Zenni site and made my very first purchase of online glasses by spending lots of time using their nifty feature of "trying on" your selected frames with the face from their gallery that most closely resembles yours. Once I picked out my frames (and I followed the measurements of my current glasses to be sure the ones I chose would fit), I used their super-easy ordering process by carefully typing in the figures off my prescription and my measured P.D. (A real person will answer the phone if you have questions.)

The glasses arrived in less than two weeks in a hard-shell case with a soft lens cleaning cloth. I took a deep breath and tried them on -- and voila! They were perfect! I've been very happy with them.

The price of eyeglasses is one of those supreme scams perpetrated on consumers for far too long:

Wow -- the Eyewear Industry Is an Incredible Ripoff, But There Are Alternatives | | AlterNet

Break your chains and save some money!

Excellent info! Thanks very much!

[goat1of2]

I too have ordered from Zenni for many years and have generally had good experiences. Once they lost an order back in China and I waited weeks, but they made it right. Once a pair arrived with one of the nose pieces unattached but I have one of those tiny screwdriver sets and fixed it myself.

Be prepared to do more "leg"work yourself. They will arrive unadjusted and you will have to gird your loins and attack them (carefully!) with the needlenose pliers. Don't buy plastic frames as those cannot be adjusted without the special melter thingie in optician's offices. Or maybe you could pay an optician $10 to adjust them for you? Never tried that.

I wonder about the legality of refusing to give a patient their pupillary distance? Be aware that your PD may be different for up-close versus distance vision!

I suggest ordering a couple styles in single vision first to see how they fit your face before paying the big bucks for progressives.

[Dennis P]

I'll have to give this service a try. I'm always looking for ways to save on buying a pair of glasses. Thanks very much for this information. Very helpful!