How much for glasses!!????

I had that too, Boom. My ophthalmologist was watching it. Then I had my extravaganza surgeries and the left eye charged immediately into dangerous glaucoma. The right one is still IOP but I've long been taking a drop a day to keep it that way.
I talked to my ex about this the other day, as he had been diagnosed with glaucoma back when we were together, I think back in the eighties - he's been on a drop a day for decades, no changes. I guess I question that, thinking he probably had IOP, but I'll have to ask.

Anyway, it's controllable.

the question is more should you pay that now. When I think of what I used to hand over to Lenscrafters 10-15 years ago I shudder.

My prescription is very strong. My vision's 500/20 and 350/20, and since I won't wear coke bottles on my eyes either, I've always gotten scratch-resistant, high-index lenses. Now I require reading glasses, as well, so I've had to add the cost of transitional lenses. With a nice frame, the last time I bought glasses through my optometrist they cost over $850 + the eye exam.

When the optician who'd worked at my optometrist for years left and went to work at Costco, I went to see him there. I'm terrible at choosing glasses that suit my face and Todd always gave me good advice. Last year, my new glasses cost $440.

The majority of the saving is in the frames. When I asked Todd why Costco was so much cheaper, he showed me frames that they had at the optometrist's for more than $300 that Costco was selling for $60.

Oh, yes, not to mention the two-year guarantee on the lenses for scratches and the one-year warranty on the frames for defects!

My teen girls beat on their glasses, and thought that it was time to buy more because of scratches. Costco said don't bother, they would send them in and in 10 days get back new lenses, for FREE. I was shocked. I should have paid more attention to the details when we bought them!

Being blindish does totally suck, swimpy! (Good to see you again, too!)

Last time I checked I was not a candidate for lasik. Things have changed since then. Maybe I should look into it. My brother just had it done (the Army paid for it) and he loves it except that now he loses dozens of pairs of reading glasses each year.

I know Costco has good prices but honestly, I will never again go there. It was a complete disaster. I've worn glasses for 40 years and those were the absolute worst glasses I've ever owned. I couldn't see for ****. They ended up making me at least four pair and they were all crap. I gave up.

I've never had to do anything for my eye pressure, osso, since that is my "normal". They think it has to do with the chemical explosion I was in when I was a kid -- I got some kind of crazy chemical (some kind of glue stuff) in my eyes. It completely messed them up, they think. It was a long time ago and there aren't any records of the injury.

wow old stick, (optomitrist and perscription?) you need them new thingies that dyslexia wears

That's good, boom. Have you seen an ophthalmologist? I think I remember that you have. I'd be surprised if you were ok for lasik, but haven't followed the criteria.

Chai and I have discussed lasik before. I'm fine with it for others with no other eye problems. I might just die first before I'd have an ophthamologically elective eye surgery. (Heavy.. don't mean it that way. Each to his or her own.)

I have it on very reliable hearsay that anyone can use either Costco or Sam's Club for prescription drugs, since the accept Medicare. The same source was pretty sure the same applied to their vision operations.

I think you're right about prescriptions, Roger. Our local place - last I was there - had gotten rid of the optometry section. But that may have changed.

Lasik is fine for the garden variety type of vision problems, but it does not work for more complicated situations like Boomer's or Osso's. Lasik also makes people more prone to floaters, so you have to take that into consideration if you are over the age of 40 and getting ready for reading glasses.

Well, it's been a lot more complicated than it has been in the distant past.

I've wearing eyeglasses since I was about 10ish.

Now, at 58, I've been wearing tri-focals for about 3 years now. My eyes are fussy in the sense than I have trouble adjusting to the very thin plastic (I believe that's called high index), and I'm leery about using "progressives".

My tri-focals are made for 3 different ranges, rather than the options progressives gives you. I also have special coating on the lenses. I guess it's called non-glare. For my prescription, it's vital.

In British Columbia, there are no longer any government programs that cover eye exams, with the exception if you have a medical problem with your eyes, which fortunately I qualify for. So, once a year, I can get a good quality comprehensive test costing me $19. That includes stuff like testing for glaucoma, which runs in my mother's side of the family.

The cost of getting eyeglasses has really zoomed up over the past 10-15 years. Just the frames alone are ridiculous.

I've never been one to even consider contact lenses. The stories I've heard about the possible problems put me off. Then, there's laser surgery correction. Don't believe for a second that they are all 100% successful. Besides, some folks are not suitable candidates for this option.

Yeah, right! I feel so luck to have diabetes. I knew what you meant, though.

I have no idea how they justify the cost of frames.

I don't think I have non-glare, seem to remember I didn't like it at all either.. just uv protection and anti scratch.
The whole trifocal thing is a hazzerai, but for years it was the best option for me - drafting table right in front of me, the library shelves, people thirty feet away.
The progressives have seemed to me to waste space for looks, but of course that is opinion, and I doubt you can get trifocal progressives anyway.

Designer fees..

Yes, you can, as my optometrist is trying to talk me into getting that for my situation.

Just for computer use, I have a bi-focal prescription to help me out. For me, there is a difference between looking at the keyboard and the monitor screen.

I can use my tri-focals, but get only a small area (middle section) to look at the screen, as opposed to by bi-focal glasses.

Ah.. thanks, this is good to know. Last I enquired that was a no. I don't think I'd go there myself (wary) but let me know if you do. They sound tricky, as trifocals are tricky by themselves, but I may be speaking from ignorance.
I can read both monitor and keyboard with my right eye, sans glasses, and neither with my left by any means, fuzzerama, though oddly my left is not all that bad with glasses for distance. Go figure.

My computer screen is quite close though - I have position problems with other people's computers.

It'd be cheaper for you to fly over and buy 'em here.

I have never paid less, and I have trifocals. Less than $100, I swear this is true. I had budgeted a lot more in flex spending (which was spent elsewhere) -- I was honestly expecting it to be > $300 or so.

Zoya Tolchin. She's lovely.
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/doctors/zoya-tolchin/15138097

Well, our mandatory insurance expects that you go once per year to the ophthalmologist's.
So, a few months ago he noticed that one eye needed new glasses.

Those exams are covered by the insurance like anything else at the doctor's ..
... but not the glasses or frames.

Since I didn't need a new frame, but only one single glass ... ... but the optician persuaded me, ehem, I mean assured me to get two because of the new technologies, coating etc.
Got them 250 Euros ($370) reduced and paid only 350€ ($520), even inlucded a glass insurance (for two years) and the usual gimmicks like lens cleaners, microfiber cloth .... a coffee, some cookies and a small bar of chocolate.

We found Zenni optical while shopping for Yaya's glasses.

http://www.zennioptical.com/cart/home.php

I plan to use 'em when time comes to replace my glasses, but I have no idea how they'd do on a complex prescription.

We had to go back and forth several times regarding pupilary distance, because the computer kept saying Yaya's eyes were out of the norm, but that's because a kid.