One hour costs too much

Tue, 06 Feb 2007 18:34:34 +0000

I've waited a little while before posting this just to make sure they didn't fall apart but, after over a week, I am ready to say that buying glasses from GlassesDirect seems like a really good deal. After getting my last eye test I wandered around Vision Express, whom I've been using for years, and was shocked - once more - at the price of glasses most of which I just don't like.

Someone suggested I take a look at GlassesDirect and I'm really glad I did. Being the cautious type I opted for the cheapest (rimmed) frames and an anti-glare coating (for computer work) and the total including P&P came to �32.50. They quoted 14-28 days for delivery. Mine came in about a week.

So far they've been great. The frames ("Luke" model in black), I think, look pretty good and are sturdy (with sprung arms) and although I went for the thick lenses they don't seem particularly any thicker than past lenses I've had. Maybe it would be more noticable with rimless frames. Anyway I'm pleased with them and, once again, that total price was �32.50.

Based on this experience I will probably order some nice rimless frames with thin lenses which will come to about �90 and keep these as a backup pair. For �120 I'll have two good pairs of glasses. I realise Vision Express are amortizing the cost of their operation in their glasses but really they need a different model. I'm not buying glasses from them for �200+ when I know they come from China just like the �17.50 jobs I get from GD. And if, as I hear rumored, they are trying to get competitors like GlassesDirect shut down I will boycott them on principle.

One thing to note: the next time you have an eye exam ask them to write down your pupil-to-pupil distance. They probably should but don't (to make it harder for you to buy glasses elsewhere).

Curiouser and Curiouser! on glasses

One hour costs too much