Contact lens question

[jp1]

When I was a senior in high school my parents gave me contact lenses as a graduation present. I’m near sighted and astigmatic. At the time hard lenses were the only option for people with astigmatism and I’ve been wearing them ever since. One of the benefits is that my prescription hasn’t changed since I was about 25 years old because hard lenses keep my eyes from changing. When I was in my 40’s I progressed to needing bifocal contacts to be able to read. I love them and wear them from shortly after I get up until I go to bed.

I have a pair of glasses that I got maybe 15 years ago. A friend who was an optometrist at the time gave me the frames. The problem is that they still have monofocal lenses in them so I can’t read with them. The distance vision is still fine but when I need to read I pull them onto the top of my head and hold whatever I’m reading six inches from my face. This works but I’m wondering if I should get the lenses in them upgraded to bifocal when I go to the eye doc this fall.

Barring unexpected dental expenses I’m going to have money left over in my FSA that will need to be spent on medical stuff by year end. Usually I’d use any extra for contact lens cleaner but I’m thinking about using it for bifocal lenses for my glasses. My contacts last forever physically so I won’t need to replace them since I still see just fine. Thoughts? Should I splurge on upgrading glasses that I rarely use so that I have some at the ready in the event that I have to stop wearing contacts for some reason? Currently I just view the glasses as a backup in case I wake up in the middle of the night and the house is on fire or whatever.

[rosarugosa]

I've worn glasses since I was 7 years old. I tried contacts when I was 25, but I was so well adjusted to wearing glasses that I found the contacts to be a nuisance and never tried them again.
It sounds like your eyesight hasn't changed much over the years, but that doesn't guarantee that it won't change in the future. I don't think I would recommend investing money in upgrading glasses you don't currently wear. Maybe invest in a couple of fire extinguishers instead, lol.

[catherine]

I would get progressive lenses, not bifocal. Progressives are best for computer use, and the lines between the lenses is imperceptible. I also have had astigmatism my whole life, and I definitely need reading glasses at this stage.

I just got new glasses myself... I hadn't changed my glasses (or prescription) since 2016, and my old glasses had just gotten too scratched up. I went to Costco's Optical affiliate for a new prescription because my old one had "expired"--no optician would fill it because it was too old. Somehow the optician was able to file charges under a medical benefit, so even though I don't have a vision plan, it was covered ($35 Medigap deductible).

Then I went to Zenni and GlassesUSA to comparison shop and ordered my glasses online. I can tell you, online is extremely less expensive than retail stores. My last pair of progressive glasses (with Ray-Ban frames) cost over $500. I went all out on the Zenni lenses--anti-reflective, anti-blue screen, lightweight, you name it, I took every option offered. The frames and lenses together cost $149.

I know you are interested in replacing lenses in frames you already have--frankly I don't know how that works online. In any case, I would definitely use your FSA money to upgrade your glasses--and as I said, progressives are an upgraded version of bifocals, so I'd go that route

I went to GlassesUSA for prescription sunglasses, and those were slightly more expensive because I wanted Polarized lenses. Those were $203. So, two pair of high-quality glasses for less than the cost of one pair at Lenscrafters.

[jp1]

Did you look at pricing at Costco optical? I’ve bought my contacts there for years because they are the cheapest I’ve found. I assume (hope) that it would be the same when getting replacement lenses for my glasses.

[iris lilies]

I know lots of people order online, but I respect the measuring the in-person technician does. Perhaps I place too much emphasis on that.

My tiny town had an optician/eyeglasses shop until just last year. Kinda surprising what services this tiny town has.

[catherine]

Did you look at pricing at Costco optical? I’ve bought my contacts there for years because they are the cheapest I’ve found. I assume (hope) that it would be the same when getting replacement lenses for my glasses.

I did, and based on the price of the frames, I couldn't imagine they'd be as cheap as Zenni. But if you're going to just do a lens replacement, that might be a very good option.

Here's what one online source said:

A tip for getting the best of both worlds is to shop around for the frames you like, then go to a discount store like Costco or Walmart for the lenses. The technicians at these discount stores often can put the lenses you’ve purchased there in the frames you’ve brought in for an additional service charge of under $40.

https://www.actionnews5.com/2020/03/05/bottom-line-consumer-reports-reveals-best-ways-buying-eye-glasses/

[mschrisgo2]

Wow! Good information here, thanks everybody!

[jp1]

Thanks for the ideas! One question for all the older glasses wearers. My glasses frames are fairly narrow. Maybe 5/8 inch tall. Will progressive lenses be annoying in them? Or does that not matter?

[catherine]

Thanks for the ideas! One question for all the older glasses wearers. My glasses frames are fairly narrow. Maybe 5/8 inch tall. Will progressive lenses be annoying in them? Or does that not matter?

When you take them to the optometrist, they'll be able to tell you if the progressives will work in your frames. You're right--not all frames are able to accommodate progressive lenses. 5/8 inch tall seems REALLY narrow.

[jp1]

They are actually 1 1/8 inch tall. Not quite as narrow as I thought. It may also be a case that they are simply too old for new lenses. I ran into that problem with an old pair of frames before. I ended up living with way out of date lenses in my glasses until my friend gave me these newer frames, based on the assumption that it was unlikely that I'd need to depend on them and that at least they would be better than nothing. (without contacts or glasses I would barely be able to walk down the street, much less drive or read a computer screen or anything.)

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[jp1]

Maybe invest in a couple of fire extinguishers instead, lol.

LOL. It would probably take more than a couple since the fire I"m really worried about will be happening outside in the wilderness area behind our house!

[rosarugosa]

I get my glasses at Costco. They were $250 for frames with progressive lenses, anti-glare, and transitional (turn dark in the sunshine). I would be hesitant to buy glasses online because it almost always takes at least several tweaks to get the frames feeling just right, and since I wear my glasses all the time, this is critical. The Costco optician did tell me they will adjust/repair for glasses from online vendors, but they don't feel very good about it, and I honestly cannot imagine having the gall to even request such a thing!
I believe I posted about it previously, but the last pair of glasses I bought just didn't ever feel comfortable and I couldn't wear them. I went back to Costco, and they helped me pick a pair of frames that was a better fit for my face (apparently the pair I had selected had too wide of a nose bridge and were never going to sit where they were supposed to, plastic frames), and they replaced for no charge. So service like that will keep me going back, plus prices that are very reasonable compared to other non-online options. I think it's great if you can get what you need online, but I just don't see that as a good option for my own personal circumstances.

[catherine]

I get my glasses at Costco. They were $250 for frames with progressive lenses, anti-glare, and transitional (turn dark in the sunshine)..

That's a very good price.

I was hesitant to order online, but I'm pretty pleased with my glasses. They fit me well. There is also a pretty good return policy: 100% store credit or 50% refund.

Warby Parker actually sends you 5 pairs of glasses that you can try on at home and then pick one and send them back. I think that's probably a better way to go than the virtual try-on method that the other online sites have. I didn't feel I got a really good sense of what they would look like IRL. So I just rolled the dice with my best guess, and it turned out fine.

Nice glasses, jp! When you described how narrow they were, this is the first person that came to mind (cue Turn, Turn, Turn):

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[rosarugosa]

As far as size goes, my lenses are 1 & 3/4 inches high and are progressives. I imagine there is a minimum size for progressives to work, but I don't know what that size is.

[lmerullo]

I also started with hard lenses for astigmatism correction at the age of 14 - when my parents paid for them. Shortly after adulthood, I traded the astigmatism correction for soft lenses at a considerably lower price. Upon reaching "a certain age", I then went with soft multi focal contacts.

Over the years, I would have the occasional irritation or even pink eyes so always had a pair of glasses for emergency use.

About five years ago, I got a cut on the covering of my eye, and then needed to use glasses while I healed. The eye place fitted me with a current prescription with progressive lenses for $100. I thought I would use them temporarily while I healed, but I never did go back to contacts. (I've since gotten several.other pairs of glasses)

Hubby got that ONE pair of glasses that just don't work out. With progressives, if the lenses aren't right one can get dizzyness and headaches. He told them when fitting they were off, but they said to get used to them. He couldn't and they replaced at no charge. This is the primary reason I'd use an in person provider.

[jp1]

Went to the eye doc today. Eyes are still super healthy and my left distance prescription actually got one notch better. No other changes. Talked to the optician and he thinks they can use my frames but they have to send them to the factory so I’d be without glasses for a couple of weeks. I may do that but not until November, after I’m done with the 3 weeks in a row of upcoming work travel and the weekend trip we have planned at the end of October for my birthday.

Funny story. Driving into the city for my appointment today I was wearing my glasses, which they tell hard contacts wearers to do before the exam for better accuracy. There’s a tunnel just before the Golden Gate Bridge. Normally I’m wearing sunglasses and lift them off my face as I enter the tunnel since it’s darker in it. Today, as is my habit, I did the same thing with my regular glasses and quickly realized the mistake…

[JaneV2.0]

The last time I went to Costco for glasses the optometrist exclaimed about the extent of my astigmatism and how it really must bother me. I had to laugh, because I've never worn glasses regularly and so how I see is just what it is. Just like El Greco, maybe.

[jp1]

Perhaps el greco had untreated astigmatism… (I assume back in his day people just had to live with it).

[JaneV2.0]

Perhaps el greco had untreated astigmatism… (I assume back in his day people just had to live with it).

Yes--that was what I was referencing. As I said to the optometrist, I've been living with it all my life--it's just how I see.
When I do wear glasses, I can read better at a distance, but that's about it.