bought glasses frame online, where to install lens?

[doritos]

Hi guys, I got brand name glasses frame online and would like to know if there is a place I can just bring the frames and my prescription numbers for them to install? most stores in the malls are rip offs. i don't mind cheap asian places either. What are the costs I am looking at usually for lens? Thanks!

[murd0c]

no matter where you go it will be a rip off because you bought the frames from somewhere else. Call around and get quotes would be your best bet rather then asking here.

[bcrdukes]

Are you looking to get prescription lenses?

[bcedhk]

asian optical stores probably are your best bet. There is one in parker place that has been around for ages but i get mix service from them.

The last place i went was Melbourne Optical, near Richmond Sushi. it was $130 for 1.61 index and $160 for 1.67 lenses (standard ones with UV protection and anti-scratch coating). Good service and took less than 3 days to get it done.

[Hehe]

Costco

[Mr.HappySilp]

Most place isn't going to give you any discount because you didn't get your frames from them. Basically they don't make much money on your lens. They made money on your frames.

[OriginalJC]

Originally Posted by Hehe

Costco

Yeah, I always go to Costco for lenses.

[Traum]

As other have already said, any eyeglasses / optical stores will be able to order prescription lenses for you and fit them into your frames.

A family member works in the industry, and from my experience with that, my 2 general recommendations are:

- most stores should be OK with you brining a frame to them -- they still make a tiny bit of money from lens sales
- the store will not be responsible if your frame incurs any damage during lense installation

Another point that I think is totally worth mentioning, but most people don't realize is, I would really recommend everyone to get their eye exams and eyeglasses done at the same place as your optometrist. This will generally end up being a little more expensive, but the rationale is as follows:

Whenever any issues with the glasses + prescription results, it becomes all too easy for the eye glasses store and the optometrist (ie. eye doctor) to lay blame on the other. Sometimes the lab (ie. the lens making portion) screws up. Sometimes the optician screws up (in taking measurements and stuff). Your eyes may also not have the same resolving power the day of your exam, and when you regularly wear them (could be better or worse). You may not have correctly conveyed your overall intended usage of your glasses to the optometrist during your eye exam (or they might be too rushed to properly listen to you if you are only having the 10-15 min type exams). Going through this between 2+ sources is just too troublesome.

As the typical RS age slowly creeps up, this will become more common when our eyes start deteriating, and we slowly move towards progressive lenses or a distance vs reading glasses scenario.

We also need to realize that the eye exam alone is often minimally profitable for your eye doctor. If you have / found a good eye doctor that you are happy with, support him and his business by purchasing your glasses from him. Otherwise, they might not be around 2 years later when you need to get another eye exam.

[DJ Milk]

Don’t know what prices are now but about 5 years ago, I got lenses at the corner store at Parker Place installed for $50.

[Traum]

Prices vary greatly depending on what lenses & coatings you are getting. From a CR39 1.50 index lens with no coating to a fancy schmancy top of the line Nikon progressive lens, you can be looking at anything between $29 (or less) all the way up to $1k+.

Just as a car can be a $500 Hyundai beater or a $50k Mercedes, the higher end lenses definitely carries big difference compared to the low end stuff. What you'll need and how much you are comfortable with spending will obviously differ.

[MSREE]

If anyone here is single vision and not hung up on brand names, next time try Zenni Optical online.
I'm single vision only and my script is like -1.75 give or take with borderline astigmatism. I get frames and lens for $6.95 USD per pair. They give extra options for coatings, transition, etc. but I got mine basic and got 4 pairs at once at less than $60USD incl shipping. I will never buy brand name glasses here again lol.

[CharlesInCharge]

Middlegate Optical for low costs.

https://i.imgur.com/KyYrdlR.jpg

[DragonChi]

I've ordered from Zenni as well. I've ordered lenses without anti reflective coating, and they're terrible. I would really suggest getting lenses with the said coating. I should say the standard AR coating are terrible, the blue light filter lenses are pretty good.

So I compared my lenses from Zenni that I got from 2012, I'm pretty sure they rebranded premium AR coating for the blue light one. The one that I got a couple months ago with the blue light filter lens looks pretty much the same.

[FB6]

Welcome to Eye Gallery Optical - Eye Gallery Optical

Around $150-$250 depending on how thick you want.

[N.V.M.]

"glasses frame"

school- UBC

[Hehe]

If you are going to spend $100+, do yourself a favor and make sure your lens is from a reputable supplier (mostly Essilor, as they have pretty much absorbed most of the lens supply chain here in NA, or you have Hoya and Zeiss... )

The difference in clarity (optical precision), as well as in durability is night and day difference between non-branded cheapo lens and branded ones. Yes, most of them are just made in China for the lowest price possible for basically molded plastic, but branded lenses tend to have much higher quality control than non-branded ones.

[Traum]

While Essilor is the 900 lb gorilla in the eyewear business, I don't necessarily agree they have the best products. Especially when you take prices into consideration, I do not think they offer the best value at all. Hoya lenses, for example, generally has a far more favourable price-performance ratio. In terms of optical quality, Nikon lenses seems to be superior to those under the Essilor brand name as well.

(Then again, I seem to think Nikon might be contracting their lenses from Essilor -- but I could certainly have remembered it wrong.)

[604dragon]

I usually just bring my frames to clearly contacts and get them to put in my prescription. No complaints so far Was about around 100 for the lenses if I remember correctly. I wonder how essilor or hoya or zeiss compares to clearly lenses. Looking to get an eye exam done soon. Can anyone recommend a good optometrist or where I can get a reasonably priced eye exam done in van/Burnaby area?

Thanks

[Traum]

Another noteworthy point is -- the lens brand is not the only factor in determining optical quality. Much like everything else -- Mercedes sells B class, C class, E class, S class, etc. -- there are different product lines with different prices for each manufacturer. Almost no optical store that I have been to will tell you what model of, say an Essilor lens they are selling you, and you probably wouldn't care anyway. But even Nikon has a number of value line, midrange line, and high end lines. So when you are buying, say, a Nikon lens, you are more or less relying on the business and professional decision of the optical store to pre-pick a lens grade for you.

[Hehe]

Nikon here are made by Essilor as well as many other brands you can get here. So much so that except cheap or exotic lenses, anything you can find in between are from Essilor.

As mentioned, brand isn’t everything. But watch what you are paying.

Many places sell you high index lenses for huge premium. However, unless your eyes are totally fucked and without high index lenses, you’d look like a dork, the regular 1.6 or lower would do.

The main thing is really the coating. High-end coating from Zeiss or Hoya make the lenses extremely resistant to scratch, oil, dirts... so they are lower maintenance.

[twitchyzero]

I splurged on my current pair in 2015...Zeiss 3D single vision
https://www.zeiss.ca/vision-care/en_...on-superb.html

made in Canada and you get a certificate like their camera lenses
honestly aside from a tiny Z logo (that's not visible when wearing the lenses) I can't tell the difference between the more affordable essilors I had in the past, but my last pair lasted 5 years so I thought why not

[tiger_handheld]

Originally Posted by bcedhk

asian optical stores probably are your best bet. There is one in parker place that has been around for ages but i get mix service from them.

The last place i went was Melbourne Optical, near Richmond Sushi. it was $130 for 1.61 index and $160 for 1.67 lenses (standard ones with UV protection and anti-scratch coating). Good service and took less than 3 days to get it done.

+1 for Melbourn Optical.

[doritos]

Originally Posted by N.V.M.

"glasses frame"

school- UBC

congratz, you know how to click on my profile *clap clap

[Nabatron]

Bring to Superstore in Langley best prices and quick service!

[1997integra]

I go to Optiview Eye Clinic in Surrey. They have a lab and can do custom eyeglasses and lenses. They are just on Scott Road and 75th near Shoppers Drug Mart.
link: optivieweyeclinic.com