How to Get a Better Buy On Prescription Eyeglasses

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How to Get a Better Buy On Prescription Eyeglasses

Medicare does not cover the cost of prescription eyeglasses. Millions of seniors shell out $200 or more every year for a new pair. Why does one frame sell for $150 when a look-alike costs $50? Are all those special coatings worth the cost that can more than double the price of your frames? Here are some ways to get the most for your money:

Frames
Are you paying for high quality or high style and hype? If you like the look of a designer frame, shop around for a look-alike that has the same desirable features.

Less expensive metal frames are made of a mix of metals that includes nickel. Some can corrode from contact with perspiration and skin oils. More expensive titanium and stainless steel frames are more durable and hypoallergenic. Also more pricey are Flexon frames that return to their shape when twisted. Soldered joints in low-cost metal frames may not be as strong or carefully made, and the frame’s edges may feel rough.
In plastic frames, Zyl plastic can allow intricate curves, but can become brittle over time. Propionate plastic is used in low-cost frames, but colors can fade over time. Kevlar is more durable, as is Optyl that keeps its shape.
Regular hinges on less expensive frames eventually can loosen, wobble, or pull out of the sides of frames. Spring hinges on more expensive frames resist bowing and maintain adjustments.

Lenses
If both eyes need similar correction and you have no focusing problem such as astigmatism, inexpensive reading glasses from the drugstore can be fine. But if you have more complicated needs:

Anti-reflective coating cuts glare and may be useful for night driving. It lets more light reach the eyes, making details look crisper, especially important for high-index (very thin) lenses. The lenses need special cleaning with plain water or solution sold by opticians and soft cloth (no paper please). Anti-reflective coatings cannot be covered with a scratch-resistant coating. Scratch resistant coatings must be applied underneath, leaving the surface vulnerable.
UV protection shields eyes from ultraviolet rays, linked to cataracts and retinal disease. Many premium lenses have a UV filter built in, but even regular plastic lenses filter out most harmful rays.
Scratch-resistant lenses. Many chains sell only scratch-resistant lenses. If you order the coating, make sure to ask for the coating on both sides. When labs grind the back of the lens for your prescription, they may not restore it. Have the store make sure the back of the lens is re-coated if necessary.

For more tips on how to save on your next pair of eyeglasses, read “Clear Choices,” Consumer Reports Eyeglasses survey, June 2001. For back issues, check your local library.

For more ways to save on health care costs see, “Is There a Lower Cost Alternative to that Prescription?” at http://www.tscl.org/NewContent/101501.asp.

December 2002