Prescription glasses

[Greg Cuetara]

Finally after a few years I went to see the eye doc and got a new prescription. I searched around and not too many options so went to wal mart to buy some glasses. There was an option to get Nikon lenses but I opted out today. I am rethinking that decision and not sure if they are worth it. They said that they are poly lenses that are digitally made so they are more accurate, clearer etc.

anyone use these lenses are they worth it?

[Rick Moyer]

Can't help you with eye lenses, but the last rifle I bought I looked through many scopes and the Nikon Monarch was the clearest one even comparing all the others even more expensive. I eventually purchased Nikon binoculars after that. Very impressed with Nikon optics.

[Lee Schierer]

I opted for Zeiss progressive lenses 10 years ago when I was working and found it difficult to read blueprints and computer screens with just bifocals. They were pricey, but to me have been well worth the cost. I can eyeball TS settings without climbing on the table to see the blade. I can read and watch TV or work on the computer with ease. Zeiss claims a wider field of vision in all the lens viewing areas. I love the ability for focus at any distance just by tilting my head slightly.

[Matt Meiser]

How does one "digitally make" lenses? I would have to guess (but its just an educated guess) that ALL lenses made today are made with computer (i.e. digital) controlled equipment and then inspected with computer controlled equipment.

I'm a pretty big believer that buying my glasses from a doctor is worth it. I may pay more (and I'm not even sure that's a big difference) but they take care of things. The frames I got last year had a quality issue and they bent over backwards taking care of them. I then did something that was 100% my fault and chipped the lenses and tried to order another set of lenses. They refused my money and are covering them under warranty.

[Greg Cuetara]

Matt I am not sure how they digitally make the lenses but that is what she said. The way she described it was that typical lenses are ground down to give the prescription but that it is different in these lenses because they digitally cut them or something like that but that is why I am asking the question here. My eye doc is moreso a contact lens guy so they didn't have any glasses in there and I was forced to go elsewhere.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Regardless of anything else....
I can't begin to describe how much I like my Transition lenses.

[Jerome Stanek]

I like my glass transition lens also

[Jim Koepke]

Just a compilation of the above:

... option to get Nikon lenses... Very impressed with Nikon optics... opted for Zeiss progressive lenses... "digitally make" lenses?... a contact lens guy... can't begin to describe how much I like my Transition lenses... like my glass transition lens also

My first set of prescription glasses were transition lenses and just didn't work for me. Bifocals work much better. Probably should have trifocals, but that is a different story. I am convinced that contact lenses would drive me to distraction. Do they come in bifocal or trifocal?

There have been stories of lens makers working together on different projects. There are even stories of Zeiss and Nikon working together during WWII for military optics.

Not sure and can't find anything to site in a quick net search.

Both Zeiss and Nikon are well known for their high precision and quality.

jtk

[Phil Thien]

There was an interesting segment on 60-minutes a month or two ago about how one company controls 80%+ of the eyeglass market. They make frames, but they also own places like Lenscrafters, etc. In fact, I think the only optical chains they didn't own were the ones in Costco.

Anyone know who I'm talking about?

[Matt Meiser]

Looks like it is Luxottica: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxottica

[Ted Pitera]

I get my glasses and exams from the VA. I asked the eye doctor about the inexpensive online glass places and she said the few examples she had seen were ground well but had flimsey frames. Her opinion was that if you needed replacement or spares that woul be satisfactory.

Just a note.

[Phil Thien]

I get my glasses and exams from the VA. I asked the eye doctor about the inexpensive online glass places and she said the few examples she had seen were ground well but had flimsey frames. Her opinion was that if you needed replacement or spares that woul be satisfactory.

Just a note.

My wife and kids order their glasses online. They get very good prices, and have been happy with the quality. I think they use coastalcontacts.com.

I'd be inclined to do same, but I have a stronger prescription. So I always get the featherweight lenses at Lenscrafters . When I've checked on availability on the thinner/lighter lenses at the online places, the prices march right back up so the point where they're only 20% or so less than Lenscrafters. It has been a year or so since I checked, though.

20% isn't enough to get me to order online and give up the local service.

Edit to add: I just checked Coastalcontacts.com and notice they now offer 1.59 (same as Featherweights) and 1.67 lenses. The 1.59 are only $20, so I think I am going to order some new glasses.

Now, I need to get a prescription. Most of the places that do eye exams sell glasses. I don't feel like misleading someone about my intents to order glasses elsewhere. How do I go about finding someone to give me an eye exam where I just get the exam and there is an understanding I'll be buying my glasses elsewhere?

Besides glasses my wife/kids have contacts, so they actually do buy some contacts from the place they go. I don't wear contacts, and don't want to mislead a place and make them think I'm buying anything but the exam.

I guess I will just call a few places in the morning and see what they say. I know the doctors at Lenscrafters are said to be "independent," so maybe they just don't care one way, or another.

[Larry Whitlow]

I use lenscrafters and would not hesitate to tell them I only wanted the exam & results. I think they would be fine with that. My problem is finding the right size frames. I'll have to check out the on line sources next time.