On Saturday I got my new glasses.  I’ve never been one to desire splashy frames or specialized much of anything when it comes to my spectacles.  Honestly, I would rather have a pair of frames that just change out lenses every couple of years, therefore there wouldn’t be a tedious breaking in period where I need to get the frames continually refitted.  Fortunately, there’s no cost at the place where I get my glasses.  I can go in anytime, wait my turn and get them adjusted.  It’s all part of what I pay for when I get them in the first place.  Even so, every 2 years when I get new ones, I always ask the same question, and get the same answer.

“Can I just get new lenses for my old frames?”
“No.“

The reasoning the staff gives is that the frames that I have are now discontinued (convenient) and they cannot guarantee getting replacement parts should something go amiss in the following 2 years and the frames break.  The likelihood of the frames breaking is pretty low, so they’re just covering their own collective asses and charging me more for their convenience.  Of course, I have a vision rider on my medical insurance, so it’s mostly covered.  I think this time out-of-pocket I paid about $300 for the glasses that I have.  I’m older now, have astigmatism and bifocals.  Since I also prefer not to switch out to sunglasses when I go outside, I also to the lengths of getting Progressive lenses that have Transition coating, so they’ll darken in sunlight.  I find it helps as well with flourescent lighting, since I have blue eyes and sometimes I get headaches from exposure to them.

This time, I thought I’d be a little smarter at the end of the transaction.  As we were packing up to leave, I asked Ed, the fellow that we normally work with if I could have a printed copy of my lens prescription.  I don’t remember getting it when I ordered the glasses, and I didn’t wish to clue him in on why I wanted it.  My brainstorm was that I would look up online how much a new pair of lenses would cost, and perhaps I can have my cake and eat see it too, to paraphrase a phrase.  Ed was more than willing to do so, and I got the printed copy before we left.

Last night, I did a little spelunking online, going to Google first, then to a couple of different websites that do that specific thing that I wished; ie, creating lenses but not selling me a pair of frames.  I was pleasantly surprised that such places exist, and they’re super easy to navigate.  The only wrinkle was, when I inputed all of my information and clicked on ‘calculate’, the number that was returned was less than appealing.

$530 for a pair of replacement lenses.  Oy vey.  I just checked the receipt from the eyeglass place, and without insurance, my new spectacles would have cost me close to nine hundred freaking dollars.  So perhaps the previous number might be considered a bargain.

I’m glad I’m sitting down.