# Buying eyeware online



## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

Any advice for someone buying eyeglasses online for the first time? Where is the best place to buy from?


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## like_to_retire (Oct 9, 2016)

Rusty O'Toole said:


> Any advice for someone buying eyeglasses online for the first time? Where is the best place to buy from?


In so many ways, it's just such a bad idea.

I've worn glasses since I was 10, so I've been to the optometrist and the optician a few times in my life. 

There are so many reasons to not do this online that I won't waste my time outlining them all.

Buying eyeglasses online - ridiculous.

ltr


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

I have a prescription from the optometrist.


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## like_to_retire (Oct 9, 2016)

Rusty O'Toole said:


> I have a prescription from the optometrist.


When I take my prescription from the optometrist to the optician dispenser, they take all sorts of measurements of my eyes with fancy machines, so that the prescription will be exactly centered and match for the peculiarities of each eye. Every individual is different. It's not something you do online.

ltr


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## Dilbert (Nov 20, 2016)

like_to_retire said:


> When I take my prescription from the optometrist to the optician dispenser, they take all sorts of measurements of my eyes with fancy machines, so that the prescription will be exactly centered and match for the peculiarities of each eye. Every individual is different. It's not something you do online.
> 
> ltr


+1 I have been wearing glasses since about twelve years of age. Fit and optical parameters need to be addressed when purchasing new eyeware. Downright dangerous to go online IMHO.


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## fatcat (Nov 11, 2009)

i wear glasses for my computer and for distance

one of the smartest purchases i have ever made is buying my glasses online at clearly.ca

really affordable glasses, a large selection, so inexpensive that i can just buy multiple pairs of different designs, all kinds of lens choices

you can do it all online or call their customer service reps who are amazing, among the best i have ever used

free shipping and free no questions returns

you just take your current glasses measurements and plug them in along with your prescription ... super easy

last time i ordered on a sunday and the glasses were delivered on tuesday

you may or may not need to do some adjusting (if you live in vancouver they have a store and you can bring the glasses and they will adjust them) i have had them perfect without any adjusting and i have had to do some arm bending with a hair dryer, you just heat and gently bend and repeat

great company and i paid $120 all in including shipping for my last computer pair with the superlight lenses (single vision)

i could not recommend this company and the experience more highly

clearly.ca


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## WGZ (Feb 3, 2017)

Last time I picked out glasses, I went through any frame I had interest in from a stylistic/fashion point of view, but checked to make sure hinges and such were solid. I spent an hour there inspecting frames for structural integrity. Then trying them on and making sure they looked decent on me. They had some very flimsy and structurally questionable frames. Fished out a couple winners though.

Also dealt with a girl at the front who was pretty hot and had the same style glasses I was looking at getting. Made for a good conversation.

They had direct billing, and I had my work benefits to use, so that was convenient in-store. Not sure how that works online.


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## GreenAvenue (Dec 28, 2011)

Zenni is the best.

If you stick with the measurements from your own glasses (the work that your optometrist does) you can save a decent amount on your glasses. You measure in millimeters and decide what you like. The online tools provide a lot of information. 

At Firmoo I got glasses for $9.95 and I wore them for 3 years. Good luck


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

Both my wife I have bought glasses from Zenni OPtical several times. Very fast delivery. I once ordered from what appeared to be a UK firm, Omnioptics. The glasses came from three different Asian locations and this took some time. Zenni would be my choice.

The lenses are ground based on the prescription you get at your local eye exam. If the eye exam does not specify PD (distance your eyes are apart), you can ask for it or measure it yourself (Zenni provides instructions). The prescription will include distance and reading specs. If you want computer glasses, ask and they will include that on your prescription. You can choose different types of optical quality in lenses. This can affect thickness. Probably best to not go cheap! You can get bifocal, progressive, tinted etc - same options as here.

As I understand it, lens grinding is done on a computerized machine. The results should be the same whether the machine is in Toronto or some place in China. With Zenni, you deal with a company in USA, but glasses likely come from China.

The second part is the frame. You do need to choose a frame that will fit. There are hundreds of styles and sizes to choose from. Low cost ones are like the cheapest drug store readers. I usually buy the mid range plastic type. My wife spends more! Most frames have the temple arm dimensions stamped on. You also need the bridge width. You can check that on old glasses. I originally bought glasses locally, so just used same dimensions.

In summary - Buying on-line is not for everyone. Some technical understanding and ability to make measurements for frames needed but Zenni do have a good website to help out.


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## cedebe (Feb 1, 2012)

I bought 2 pairs from clearly.ca quite a few years ago, but only because they had killer deals at the time. The only additional measurement they require is your PD. IIRC, it's illegal for optometrists to deny providing you with that info, at least in BC. 

I like high-end frames so I now buy them all on Ebay for a song, then take them to one of two optical places and get single vision lenses cut for between $88 and $120 for polarized. 

If I were you, OP, I'd disregard the naysayers above who've never purchased glasses online. Seriously, why even comment about something you know nothing about?


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## fatcat (Nov 11, 2009)

cedebe said:


> I bought 2 pairs from clearly.ca quite a few years ago, but only because they had killer deals at the time. The only additional measurement they require is your PD. IIRC, it's illegal for optometrists to deny providing you with that info, at least in BC.
> 
> I like high-end frames so I now buy them all on Ebay for a song, then take them to one of two optical places and get single vision lenses cut for between $88 and $120 for polarized.
> 
> If I were you, OP, I'd disregard the naysayers above who've never purchased glasses online. Seriously, why even comment about something you know nothing about?


where do you take your frames to have the glass put in ? ... do most opticians do this ? ... i like clearly a lot but the ebay route sounds interesting also


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## fireseeker (Jul 24, 2017)

I've also had excellent results from Zenni. Lots of choice, very low prices. Paid roughly 20% of what it would have cost in store.
The optometrist provided all the necessary details -- no difference between in-person or online, in that sense -- with the exception of the pupil distance, which is not complicated.
Obviously, there are no follow-up adjustments. And you may get a poorer-quality pair. And if you have a complex prescription, you may want the in-person experience.
But at the price, I was extremely happy. Bought five pairs.


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## cedebe (Feb 1, 2012)

fatcat said:


> where do you take your frames to have the glass put in ? ... do most opticians do this ? ... i like clearly a lot but the ebay route sounds interesting also


I would think anyone would do this for you. They may not be overjoyed as they make money on frames, but they also have a mark-up on lenses, so it's not such a loss for them. If you're ever in Vancouver, you can try Factory Optical on 6th Ave, just west of Cambie. I have 2 pairs there right now getting single vision lenses with a non-glare coating for $88/pair. One of the owners, Joyce, quoted me $120 for polarized lenses for a pair of Mikli frames that I'm picking up in the US tomorrow. (The frames were $50 USD, btw.)


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## fatcat (Nov 11, 2009)

cedebe said:


> I would think anyone would do this for you. They may not be overjoyed as they make money on frames, but they also have a mark-up on lenses, so it's not such a loss for them. If you're ever in Vancouver, you can try Factory Optical on 6th Ave, just west of Cambie. I have 2 pairs there right now getting single vision lenses with a non-glare coating for $88/pair. One of the owners, Joyce, quoted me $120 for polarized lenses for a pair of Mikli frames that I'm picking up in the US tomorrow. (The frames were $50 USD, btw.)


i will ask around thanks for that


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

I have not checked them out, but one of my friends says he takes his prescription to Walmart Vision Centre. Not as cheap as on-line it seems but might be worth checking. Wonder where they get their lenses made?


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## GreatLaker (Mar 23, 2014)

It depends on your prescription, any vision problems you have and what difficulties fitting glasses you have had in the past.

My prescrip is strongly nearsighted, -8 in one eye and -10 in the other, with astigmatism and minor cataracts. I cannot get my prescription from either Zenni or Clearly.ca. With strong prescriptions (nearsighted anyway) the distance from your eye to the lens and the vertical alignment of the lens are critical to good vision. When I get an eye exam and need new lenses my optometrist runs all the usual measurements then gives me lenses to hold over my existing glasses to get a better idea of how the new prescription will really work.

Even with contacts, the difference in price between my optician and clearly.ca was so small I would much rather get them retail in-store.

My optometrist has partnered with an online supplier, so obviously a lot of her customers want to purchase that way. Does not work for me though.


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## agent99 (Sep 11, 2013)

This what CR had to say on subject:

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro...great-looking-pair-of-cheap-glasses/index.htm

I don't always buy what CR says, but this seems like a good summary of subject.


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## NorthKC (Apr 1, 2013)

I've heard good things about buying glasses online from some of my friends but they've had low prescription. Me, on the other hand, have a very high prescription thus, it's better for me to do in-person as every single adjustment affects my vision greatly.

As always, buyer beware. Give it a try. If it works for you, great! If not, then you know. Another alternative is to go to a discount store. That seems to be the happy medium for those on a tight budget.

I, however, do buy my contact lens online as they're exactly the same from what I get from the eye doctor for a fraction of price.


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## geno (Sep 6, 2017)

I've used clearlycontacts.ca with good results, but that was only for contact lenses. I'm not sure if they offer the best deals out there so I will be doing some more shopping the next time I need to order.

For glasses, I agree with what some others have said about taking them to an optician. For that I have been using Costco. They were not as cheap as online but much better pricing than any other "brick and mortar" places I saw. If you have the membership I'd definitely recommend checking it out.

Thanks for posting. It's good to get a reminder that there are so many areas to be more frugal.


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## olivaw (Nov 21, 2010)

No wonder people go online, visit Mexico or go to all sorts of lengths to avoid the retail designer frames.


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## NorthKC (Apr 1, 2013)

I should add that I've purchased from both clearly.ca and contactsexpress.ca with good results for contact lens I just choose the one that happens to have the best promotions on at the time which can often be found in the mailing list.


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## cedebe (Feb 1, 2012)

olivaw said:


> No wonder people go online, visit Mexico or go to all sorts of lengths to avoid the retail designer frames.


Exactly! This is why I stay away from brands under their umbrella w/ the exception of some Mikli frames that were bought online anyway for a fraction of the retail price. Anne et Valentin, Face a Face... there's a list out there of brands that still operate independently.


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## fatcat (Nov 11, 2009)

got to recommend clearly.ca once again with 2 thumbs up ... 

going through 2 cataract surgeries, so my vision is bouncing all over the place and i have to get an interim pair of distance glasses

saw my optometrist last wednesday and got a prescription, went home and ordered a pair of glasses from clearly in the afternoon for something like 90 bucks all in

the glasses were in my mailbox on friday ... less ... than 48 hours later


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## GeoNomad (Aug 24, 2017)

I have been buying from Zenni for years and have always been pleased with the glasses. I think the first ones I bought were $7.99, but they have gone up a bit since.

The prescription comes from an optometrist including the extra measurements.

I have several pairs of driving sunglasses I keep in the cars, the boat, the camper, etc and reading glasses for the computer screen that are based on a modified prescription for exactly the distance I like to sit from the screen. I also have a progressive prescription in sunglasses for reading outside. Without Zenni prices I never would have bought so many for the extra flexibility.


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## FI40 (Apr 6, 2015)

Another vote for Zenni. They have been great for myself and my extended family. So cheap you can buy 2-3 pairs for less than $100 and wear whichever ones fit best or have different glasses for different situations.


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## marina628 (Dec 14, 2010)

Rusty O'Toole said:


> I have a prescription from the optometrist.


My oldest is a Graphic Designer and last 3 pairs of glasses have been from online store ,very arty and unique , one even had a wooden frame and some cool logos in the frame ,they had a booth at a trade show .You just send prescription and pick your frames out online.


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## fatcat (Nov 11, 2009)

FI40 said:


> Another vote for Zenni. They have been great for myself and my extended family. So cheap you can buy 2-3 pairs for less than $100 and wear whichever ones fit best or have different glasses for different situations.


i tried zenni and they are certainly cheap enough but i just couldn't see that their selection was nearly as good as clearly.ca who have some really nice frames 

though for rock-bottom cheap, zenni seems very good


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

With my higher prescription, I would not buy glasses online. Properly selecting a lens and matching it for a specific frame, and person, is quite an advanced skill that requires a qualified optician. With lower prescriptions you can probably get away with just selecting and mixing and matching but I would never try that with a more complex prescription.

There are many lens parameters to choose from, far more than just what the prescription shows. Different people can be sensitive to specific "base curves" for example. Any one of the options is a valid lens for the prescription, but some base curves may give unclear image whereas others are more clear. There are other important factors too, such as geometry of the frame, thickness of frame, affecting the thickness of the lenses, sensitivity of the person to the edge of the lenses, etc.

For example, I bought my last pair of glasses from a pretty bad store where I did not get much attention from the optician. I don't even think they were a trained optician, they were just a university-aged kid. The resulting glasses never worked for me ... they kept distorting my vision, even months after wearing them. I never adjusted to them and they were a total waste of money.

I just don't see how an online experience can replace the people who know about this stuff.


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## fatcat (Nov 11, 2009)

clearly.ca ships so quickly, i had my last pair in 48 hours ... shipping is free ... returns are easy, no questions asked and they pay the retrun shipping

you spec the frames from hundreds to choose from, you get to choose from several kinds of lenses 

if you don’t like them you just send them back ... and you save a LOT

my optometrist sells glasses for 500-600-700-800 or more

i get a really great pair from clearly for between 85 and 125

i would not be investing in an optical business right now


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

I just bought lenses today from a rather honest optician at a local (highly recommended) eyewear shop that my coworkers like.

He talked me out of paying extra for 'digital lenses' as he thinks this is a marketing ploy, they try to compensate and tune lenses very specifically to people, but the process isn't very refined and sometimes it backfires by creating effects people can be sensitive to.

He talked me out of paying extra for anti-blue coatings. It gives everything a yellowish hue, and although it may be good for "computer-only" glasses, it's not good for every day use because all colours will change. He added, it's not even clear there's a health benefit to reducing blue light.

This post doesn't quality for the Frugal section as I just spent $495 on a pair of glasses. Mostly lens cost. For comparison I priced this at ClearlyContacts and got a total of $170 for what might be equivalent lenses.

Despite being 3x the cost, I decided to go with the store's glasses this time. I've bought cheaper pairs before, and the last one turned out to be totally unusable (unacceptably poor quality of the lens).


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

Here's what I've understood about glasses and some things to consider when buying them (online or wherever)

*Frames* - must be comfortable and fit the face. Eyes must be centered in both lenses for proper lens performance. Fitting the frame properly does take some skill, otherwise the lenses can't work properly. But assuming they are fit properly, $30 frames can be just as good as $200 ones. I've made mistakes with frame selection before, so I've seen first hand that some skills/expertise is needed here. For example with a higher prescription, you need glasses that have both lenses on a flat plane, _not_ curved or wrapped around the head, because making proper lenses for that geometry is extremely challenging.

*Lens material* - basically come as a chunk of plastic, with different forms (CR39, polycarbonate, high index, Trivex). The plastic is the plastic, so there's no difference in quality here no matter where you get them. Some materials are more suitable for certain prescriptions and certain frames than others, so there's some expertise in choosing that. Your optometrist can suggest the correct material for your prescription, so ask at the time you get a prescription - easy. Choosing the wrong material can definitely result in poor glasses as they have different uses.

*Lens preparation and cutting* - now we get into expertise. This takes skill. The cheap houses that pump out large numbers of lenses may not cut them very well (poor tolerance), or make lots of mistakes. It's like machining any part to specifications -- it does't always come out right. Lenscrafters is known to be bad at this. The cutting job gets harder with more advanced prescriptions, so this is non trivial. There are also many parameters that have to be carefully matched for the lens to work right. Sometimes, certain lenses just won't work well for certain eyes... it's not uncommon to send the lens back and take another shot at it with different parameters.

*Coatings* - important for high index lenses, but maybe less important for other types. Brands vary, as does quality and durability of the coatings.


I've considered buying glasses from Clearly, but I wonder about some things like: how am I supposed to choose the frame properly just by looking in the mirror? I don't have the expertise to make sure the frame geometry is appropriate for my lenses and eyes. The web sites oversimplify this part.

Lens material is probably straightforward, but the prep & cutting is not trivial. How good a job is Clearly doing with these? At the price they're selling the lenses at, I can't help but be suspicious about the quality of these lenses including workmanship and quality control. Coatings are probably not a big deal, but I wonder what brand they are using and how well that brand is regarded.

OTOH, I've also been to a "real" glasses store, which sold me (a) inappropriate frames with poor geometry, and (b) bad lenses. If you buy glasses at a store, I would quiz the opticians on what training they've received, what certifications they hold, who does their lens cutting, etc. I suspect that if you go to a store that knows what they're doing, with real opticians who have experience doing this, that it's more likely you will end up with a superior pair of glasses.

I visited several stores in the last few days, and some stores had millennials with NO real training in this field just doing the sales thing. I quizzed some of them and heard that they worked in these gigs for 1 or 2 years. You must definitely avoid these places... these people have no clue how to choose a proper frame, nor do they understand the intricacies of the materials. If your choice is between a store like this and buying online, then just buy online.

To be honest I would not trust any optician, or anyone selling glasses who is younger than 30 or 35 years old. This is complex work that takes years of experience. I've spoken with way too many untrained salespeople in the last few days, and it makes me cringe.


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## Spudd (Oct 11, 2011)

By looking at your current glasses you can find out the dimensions they have. Then you can buy frames from Clearly or wherever that match those. Clearly also offers a 365 day guarantee so you can return them for a full refund if you're not happy. For me, it was worth spending more to buy from Clearly rather than Zenni, even though Zenni is a lot cheaper, because of the guarantee. 

I just got my first pair of progressive lenses (getting old!!) and my eye doctor cautioned me not to buy them online. But I figured with the guarantee there was no big risk, so I took the plunge and they seem pretty good. I don't like the frames too much so I asked about exchanging them and they processed the return for me no problem, even applied the same coupon I'd used on my first pair to my replacement pair. I'm just waiting for the replacement pair to arrive before I pop this pair in the mail back to them. 

They used to have a feature where you could try on frames on your picture, but they seem to have removed that, I don't know why. So now you just have to go by the frame shape and dimensions, which is less than ideal. Still, considering a pair of glasses would be $400 locally, and I'm getting them for $200 from Clearly, it seems worth it. Especially with the return guarantee.


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## like_to_retire (Oct 9, 2016)

Spudd said:


> I just got my first pair of progressive lenses (getting old!!) and my eye doctor cautioned me not to buy them online.


And you should listen to them. There are a lot of ways in life to save money, and buying glasses on-line ain't one of them.

I'll repeat my earlier post - _Buying eyeglasses online - ridiculous_.

ltr


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## fatcat (Nov 11, 2009)

james4beach said:


> Here's what I've understood about glasses and some things to consider when buying them (online or wherever)
> 
> *Frames* - must be comfortable and fit the face. Eyes must be centered in both lenses for proper lens performance. Fitting the frame properly does take some skill, otherwise the lenses can't work properly. But assuming they are fit properly, $30 frames can be just as good as $200 ones. I've made mistakes with frame selection before, so I've seen first hand that some skills/expertise is needed here. For example with a higher prescription, you need glasses that have both lenses on a flat plane, _not_ curved or wrapped around the head, because making proper lenses for that geometry is extremely challenging.
> 
> ...


sheesh james, i thought i was an overthinker ... i have been wearing glasses my whole life and so have bought quite a few pair, though admittedly my needs are simple, single vision distance glasses only, i find the clearly glasses to be excellent for the money ... you can spec the frames to your liking based on your prescription and the frame measurements ... they have several different kinds of lenses including progressive lens ... the frames come in all qualities and prices

and it’s all on their dime james, they pay shipping both ways and you can return no questions asked ... my experience with their sales people is that they are some of the most relaxed, knowledgeable and helpful sales people i have ever used

its a no risk deal james and you end up saving a lot of money

seriously, you can end buying frames on a whim just to get a new look they are so inexpensive, i can buy 4 pairs for what my local optician charges for one

why all the hand wringing ? just give them a try


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

How strong is your prescription? Careful selection of frames and lenses becomes a much bigger deal with higher prescriptions, astigmatism, etc.

With lighter prescriptions, it doesn't matter so much because the lens doesn't have to _do_ as much.


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## fatcat (Nov 11, 2009)

james4beach said:


> How strong is your prescription? Careful selection of frames and lenses becomes a much bigger deal with higher prescriptions, astigmatism, etc.
> 
> With lighter prescriptions, it doesn't matter so much because the lens doesn't have to _do_ as much.


since my cataracts got worse and i required a larger visions correction i had to pay extra for the lighter lenses because the standard cheapo lenses would have been too heavy ...

when my second cataract is removed next month i will go back to the optometrist and presumably get a prescription that will allow the cheaper lenses again, however the lighter plastic lenses are like $55 so i will probably add them on

without i could get a pair for $80 with them i pay about $130

if you have a prescription, it will have all the numbers you need to spec a pair and then you take your current glasses and from them you get your bridge size, arm length and size of the glasses

you then play around with different styles, you can plug in your prescription and frame numbers and they will give you a selection of glasses that will fit

you can upload a photo and try frames on by dropping them on your photo

make a cup of coffee and just play around 

if you come up with a pair you like, buy them and you will have them super fast, try them and if you don't like them then just return them, no sweat

the only thing you have to do is adjust the arms depending on how they fit, i do it myself with a hair dryer or if you can find an optometrist to do it for free or a small fee let them do it

they have some very light lenses which offer a range of vision correction

however, as you say my vision is pretty straightforward, if yours really is that complex then perhaps you should stick with what you know


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