# Eyeglass Prices: Reality check



## brad

For those of you who wear prescription eyeglasses, what do you typically pay for a new pair of glasses?

I'm extremely nearsighted and my lenses have always run on the expensive side, but I bought a new pair of glasses recently and had sticker shock. I'm curious to see what other people typically pay for a new pair these days?


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## DAvid

Over $700 for lightweight progressives, 3 years ago.


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## brad

DAvid said:


> Over $700 for lightweight progressives, 3 years ago.


Okay, I don't feel so bad then. I paid a little over $700 for my glasses a few weeks ago, which is almost three times what I remember paying when I lived in the States...but that was over 10 years ago.


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## stardancer

A little over $300 for single vision, with transition lenses for my driving glasses; same price for reading glasses with anti-glare. I can't wear bifocals, as they make me dizzy, so if my prescription changes, I have to buy two pair.


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## el oro

I bought by last pair for ~ $100 online. If you know the specs you need, get them online. The website I use starts at $8 per pair... then you just add on all the upgrades you need. It's not a designer brand but I don't care. The quality is just fine.


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## mogul777

Depends on your prescription, etc. Two pairs including one with designer frames $510 end of 2007. Paid for with my health spending account...


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## canabiz

I paid $70 CAD for my current pair of glasses this past January while I was in Asia. I brought the prescription along, chose my frame and picked up the pair within 1 or 2 business days. It has all the features that you'd normally expect in a typical pair of glasses i.e. anti-glare, anti-scratch coating and thin lenses.

I also bought a pair of glasses from an online shop last year but I wasn't too pleased with the product. Sure the price was attractive but the frames didn't fit me the way I like it (even though I specifically targeted certain frames based on the dimensions from my previous pair). I find glasses are like shoes or other personal stuff, it's better when you try them out in person. 

You can try Wal-Mart or Zellers or Sears instead of the dedicated eyeglasses shops like Lenscrafters or Laurier Optical.


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## brad

Okay, now I feel bad again 

$250 is the most I ever paid for glasses in the past, and I figured there must be better deals out there. I bought glasses online once, but getting an optometrist to give me my pupilary distance was a bit of a challenge (they typically don't want to give it to you, because they know they're not going to get your business), and I think he intentionally gave me a misreading because the glasses I ordered online always felt a bit "off" in the prescription.

One problem I have is that my eyes are so bad that I can't choose new frames myself because I only see myself clearly if I stand three inches from the mirror, so I have to rely on the judgement of others. In this case the "others" thought I looked great in a pair of designer frames, but in future I'll try to avoid places that sell those. 

(I know some eyeglass shops will take digital photos of you wearing different frames to help you choose, but for some reason that has never worked well for me either.)

My supplemental health insurance knocks $150 off the price of eyeglasses so my real cost was about $550, but that still seems like an awful lot of money.


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## Alexandra

My mom used to work for an eye doctor, who told her that the real cost of a contact lens was about 25 cents. That was kind of hard to swallow when I pay over $150 for a set of five contact lenses.

The next time I need them I am going to try ordering them at visiondirect.com


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## Kathryn

brad said:


> One problem I have is that my eyes are so bad that I can't choose new frames myself because I only see myself clearly if I stand three inches from the mirror, so I have to rely on the judgement of others.


My husband has the same issue. I've always had to pick out his glasses for him because he can't see himself try on a new pair and he doesn't wear contacts. Before I came into his life, his glasses were kind of nerdy. 

My advice would be

a) It's worth spending money on a good pair of glasses. You wear them every day and they are a part of who you are and how you present yourself.

b) It's worth getting glasses at a 'real' store. They need to be fitted correctly. It sounds like your prescription is really strong. You need to wear them daily. It's worth spending the money to get a good pair .. ones that look nice and work!

c) You need to take your three closest stylish friends with you. If you don't have friends who are good at this type of thing, find someone at the office who wears nice things / looks great in their glasses and ask if they'll come with you to help choose a new pair. I would love to do this for others! Take them out for a coffee to thank them if you need to.

If you were wearing contacts or had a simple prescription, then yes, I'd consider ordering online. But in your case, I'd spend the money to get the right pair. Just be sure to bring someone you trust to help choose the frames.

His last pair was $650.


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## Jon202

$300 for 2 pairs at Hakim. With anti-glare / scratch coating. I like Hakim as I regularly go into any location for adjustments, pad replacements, etc etc.... 

Daily use contacts from clearly contacts http://www.clearlycontacts.ca/


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## brad

Kathryn said:


> If you were wearing contacts or had a simple prescription, then yes, I'd consider ordering online. But in your case, I'd spend the money to get the right pair. Just be sure to bring someone you trust to help choose the frames.
> 
> His last pair was $650.


Thanks for that advice, Kathryn. In fact my new glasses are very stylish (they're Georgio Armani frames, so they'd better be!) and that's part of the reason I'm not very happy with them: I am an anti-stylish person. I find they make me look like a Manhattan advertising executive or some trying-to-be-hip-but-over-the-hill urban radio announcer (in fact they make me look like a very specific urban radio announcer here in my city, and a couple of people have stopped me on the street, thinking I was that guy). The problem is that I am not a hip urban kind of person, so it's an image that I have a hard time reconciling with myself.

The two people who helped me pick them out were the woman at the eyeglass shop and my girlfriend, and they were unanimous that these glasses looked great on me, so I trusted them. I am starting to get used to these new specs, but when I first got them with the prescription lenses and saw what I looked like with them on, my reaction was "what were they thinking?" Of course the woman at the eyeglass center was thinking, "I'm going to sell this gullible fellow some really expensive frames and I'll get a nice commission," but I was surprised that my girlfriend also thought they were right for me. In the end, though, the women in my life have usually turned out to be right about these kinds of things and I may very well grow to like them. 

My main worry is that these glasses will lead me down a slippery slope toward becoming more stylish, because right now most of the clothes in my wardrobe are between 10 and 20 years old and not very snappy. Will I have to buy a new suit to go with my new glasses? Maybe a cool black and grey striped shirt? Expensive shoes? Brooks Brothers socks? It all horrifies me a little  I've succesfully avoided paying any attention to style for all my adult life...I'm 50 years old and I don't really want to start now.

But I'll keep the glasses.


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## OhGreatGuru

All I can suggest is that you shop around. Bifocals or transition lenses seem to be about 3x the price of monofocal lenses. Frames are getting to be a "fashion statement", with similar mark-ups to fahion clothes. But a place like Lenscrafters will offer a wide range of frame prices (or at leat they used to.) The latest trend in lenses seems to be to keep making slightly new "improved" versions every year for which they feel justifed in asking higher prices, but try pinning your optometrist down on prices for last year's technology instead. (Does anyone actually believe the ads for so-called "Hi-Def" lenses currently going around? I'm sorry, no matter how good the lens is, they can't put anymore pixels into your retina without installing an artificial eyeball.)


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## DAvid

Your eye has a resolution of about 0.0030mm. That's enough pixel density that quality lenses are indeed noticeable. The recent development in lens technology to my recollection are increases in the refractive index, so lenses can be made thinner & lighter, while having the same corrective effect. I'd rather have the fancy new lenses that "coke bottles" every time, even at greater expense.


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## CuriousReader

2 years ago I paid $125 .... wait a minute ..... for: 2 prescription glasses and a prescription sunglass, not cheap fake frame either, it's original Oakley and Kipling frames.

You just gotta love shopping in asia eh ... especially those places where u need to bargain for, in fact, I am gonna get new glasses again in the next month or so.


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## brad

CuriousReader said:


> You just gotta love shopping in asia eh ... especially those places where u need to bargain for, in fact, I am gonna get new glasses again in the next month or so.


Somehow the idea of spending $2,000 roundtrip to fly to Asia in order to buy cheap eyeglasses doesn't seem very frugal to me.  (I'm assuming you travel to Asia for other reasons and take the opportunity to get great deals on glasses and other things while you're there. I unfortunately have no plans to go to Asia for vacation and my work never takes me there.)


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## CuriousReader

brad said:


> Somehow the idea of spending $2,000 roundtrip to fly to Asia in order to buy cheap eyeglasses doesn't seem very frugal to me.  (I'm assuming you travel to Asia for other reasons and take the opportunity to get great deals on glasses and other things while you're there. I unfortunately have no plans to go to Asia for vacation and my work never takes me there.)


Of course I was in Asia for other reasons, but also always maximize the trip to get my shopping done there, just about everything is a lot cheaper without sacrificing quality.

Although thinking about it, 3 prescription glasses which could easily add up to more than $2,000 (considering the brand frames and prescripiton sunglasses are not usually that cheap), and only for $125 in asia, it might just worth the round trip flight cost


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## SavingMaster

I think I paid $200 about four years ago for decent frames and lenses. I paid about $250 last year for contacts that deal with my new issue of astigmatism.

Not frugal on either count but I've seen people with cheap frames and consider paying a bit more to be worth it -- if only aesthetically.


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## Agape

What about going to laser eye surgery. Recent add on the radio stated they start at 490 an eye. I'm starting to think about that, when I finally graduate and have benefits.


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## brad

Agape said:


> What about going to laser eye surgery. Recent add on the radio stated they start at 490 an eye. I'm starting to think about that, when I finally graduate and have benefits.


That can work for people whose vision doesn't have to be corrected too much. My opthalmologist warned me that someone like me would be almost guaranteed to go blind with laser surgery (and most laser surgeons would refuse to work with someone like me anyway because the risk is too high). If you're extremely nearsighted, laser surgery is more likely to cause permanent damage. The doctor explained to me why this was but I've forgotten the details...something about the shape of my lens or cornea, I can't remember exactly.

I know plenty of people have had laser surgery and were happy with it, but my girlfriend works for a lawfirm that handles (among other things) lawsuits by people whose vision was permanently damaged by laser surgery, and there are enough of those lawsuits to make me think this is a pretty risky operation in general.


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## Tryzik

*In General?*

Like anything, there are always less experienced/reputable surgeons than others which is why it pays to do your homework. I'm not sure that hearing only about the cases involving lawsuits entitles you to suggest that it is a risky operation in general.

For me, it was time for a new prescription so instead of buying new glasses & contacts, I paid $2000 for the surgery. I figured it would pay for itself in 3 or 4 prescriptions so it made sense if you have the cash up front. I knew several people who successfully had the surgery done at this location and he guaranteed his work (if you are a candidate for the operation eg. no extreme astigmatism).

Sorry for going OT. My last pair of glasses cost me roughly $300-400. Contacts ran well over $100 per year.

Matt





brad said:


> That can work for people whose vision doesn't have to be corrected too much. My opthalmologist warned me that someone like me would be almost guaranteed to go blind with laser surgery (and most laser surgeons would refuse to work with someone like me anyway because the risk is too high). If you're extremely nearsighted, laser surgery is more likely to cause permanent damage. The doctor explained to me why this was but I've forgotten the details...something about the shape of my lens or cornea, I can't remember exactly.
> 
> I know plenty of people have had laser surgery and were happy with it, but my girlfriend works for a lawfirm that handles (among other things) lawsuits by people whose vision was permanently damaged by laser surgery, and there are enough of those lawsuits to make me think this is a pretty risky operation in general.


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## cannon_fodder

Brad,

Have you ever thought of leveraging your 'mistaken identity' into getting free tickets to shows, good seats at restaurants, etc.? 

I had laser surgery about 5 years ago and I'm not quite your age yet. I had a pretty high prescription and astigmatism and a healthy cornea. I purchased a package that allows me to go back and get the laser eye surgery redone.

I'd say at your age it wouldn't be an option. My ability to see close is starting to suffer and I'd end up with glasses anyway - perhaps you are the same.

There are a lot of people who swear by the online shops - there is one called Coastal Contacts (this is either the US or Canadian version of the same company - go to Redflagdeals.com to find out more). Heck, if you can pick out a decent pair of glasses for less than $50 shipped, how bad could it be?


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## Alexandra

Agape said:


> What about going to laser eye surgery. Recent add on the radio stated they start at 490 an eye. I'm starting to think about that, when I finally graduate and have benefits.


Two comments.

One, I also saw the ads for $490 an eye. I went to LASIK and did an assessment and for me, it will be $3900 for the pair. The $490 per eye starting price is for people with extremely light prescriptions (so light that I doubt they have ever charged that amount - the person could probably just do without any glasses at all).

Two, generally a benefits program will only cover $200 for the surgery - the same coverage it offers for eye glasses or contacts.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news :-(


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## pjw

I got p/o with LensCrafters ( which is part of the Luxottica group, an Italian company with names like Pearle Vision and others).
Mine is a difficult prescription so I called the West Edmonton Mall store - read out my prescription - and was told they could do it in 1 hour.
I drove over - selected frames - and was told it was a difficult prescription and it would take 2 weeks!
I went online and found www.zennioptical.com.
I got progressive photochromatic lenses with aluminum alloy frame mailed to my door for $80US.
Excellent quality and service.
Just check the dimensions of an old pair of glasses against the frames they offer to ensure a good fit.
Also have your optometrist measure your pupilliary distance (PD) - or get a friend to do it ( in millimeters mm)
I think the company is from the US but the lab is in HongKong.
(Their prescription goggles are unique and great for motorcycling and other sports!)
Takes about 2 weeks for delivery.


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## canabiz

Agape said:


> What about going to laser eye surgery. Recent add on the radio stated they start at 490 an eye. I'm starting to think about that, when I finally graduate and have benefits.


I would do more due diligence on this. Your eyes are your most prized possessions, I don't know if doing things on the cheap is a good idea. The after-care is also important as well. Hopefully, prices will go down as a whole as the practice becomes more popular and there's more competition.


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## sideways5

*prescription glasses*

I tend to pay $450 to $600 - my astigmatism(sp?) is quite low though... also those are designer glasses.... I would suggest when they quote you $500, you negotiate... my guy gives me $100 + off everytime


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## michika

I paid $700 for my last pair of glasses. Plus I pay about $160 per year for contacts for sports. 

Quality makes a huge difference, and I am happy to pay for it. I had a few pairs of cheap frames in University and I frequently had problems; lenses popping out, or having them crack when I came in from the -35 weather. It ended up costing me just as much in the end after having to pay to replace/repair my frames a few times.


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## promod

brad said:


> ... my new glasses are very stylish (they're Georgio Armani frames, so they'd better be!) and that's part of the reason I'm not very happy with them: I am an anti-stylish person.
> ...
> My main worry is that these glasses will lead me down a slippery slope toward becoming more stylish, because right now most of the clothes in my wardrobe are between 10 and 20 years old and not very snappy. Will I have to buy a new suit to go with my new glasses? Maybe a cool black and grey striped shirt? Expensive shoes? Brooks Brothers socks? It all horrifies me a little  I've succesfully avoided paying any attention to style for all my adult life...I'm 50 years old and I don't really want to start now.
> 
> But I'll keep the glasses.


Anti-stylish is a form of style too  
What kind of statement are you trying to make?

Since you didn't know what frames to pick, you got advice from two people who could help you. Do you or your girlfriend have reason to think that the eyeglass lady was giving you poor advice? The reactions you're getting are certainly positive --- signs of a good choice. 

What do your girlfriend and others who matter to you think about your wardrobe? If the consensus is to make changes, you can upgrade gradually. Your life is hardly over at 50 and clothing does wear out. Your sense of fashion affects how others perceive you and may send out messages that hurt your career advancement.

Since I'm lousy at picking frames, I rely on my wife and the eyeglass staff for help. I got progressives last year and opted for new designer frames. We went to Costco. The selection is limited but we trust the advice, quality and price. 

All the best with your new glasses.


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## brad

promod said:


> Anti-stylish is a form of style too
> What kind of statement are you trying to make?


I hope you could tell my post was mostly tongue-in-cheek, poking fun at myself and the situation. These glasses aren't really so bad, and in fact I'm getting lots of nice comments. The women I know seem to uniformly like them, almost all the men who've seen me with them think they look strange or harsh at first, but once they get used to them they generally like them. So far only one person has laughed at me when they saw them. 

I'm not trying to make any kind of "statement," I just want glasses that look good on me. But I guess in terms of style my preference is for "timeless" styles to ensure that the clothing I buy today will not look dated or ridiculous if I'm still wearing it in 10 years. I still have a few shirts that I bought in the 1980s that are in great shape (I didn't own a dryer until just last year; dryers can drastically reduce the life of clothing), and I wear them frequently. They weren't stylish then and they're not stylish now, but they look good on me.



promod said:


> What do your girlfriend and others who matter to you think about your wardrobe? If the consensus is to make changes, you can upgrade gradually. Your life is hardly over at 50 and clothing does wear out. Your sense of fashion affects how others perceive you and may send out messages that hurt your career advancement.


I work alone at home, so my work attire is on the casual side, tending toward careless. On the two or three times a year that I go to the office or meet with clients, I dress nicely. I do think I'm overdue for a new suit: the one I have was bought in 1992 and is starting to show signs of age, but I only wear it once every year or two.

In any case, career advancement is the last thing I want -- in my annual reviews, I told my supervisors emphatically for years that I didn't want to be promoted, so they finally created a new job category for me and other people like me so we're no longer on the career ladder track. That suits me just fine: I'm in the right niche for myself and prefer to grow within that niche.



promod said:


> All the best with your new glasses.


Thanks! I am starting to like them despite my initial misgivings.


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## Berubeland

I feel very cheap I paid under $200 at Walmart. Generally I hate Walmart and don't buy anything there but Hakim drove me to it with their "promotion"

I have a pet peeve about posted prices. I think Hakim had a promotion $299 for two pair of glasses. So I go there and of course my prescription alone is $400 for one pair of glasses. And then there's not one pair of frames in the shop under $200 and they all have frakking sequin type things on them. I was just so irritated it said 2 pairs of glasses for $299 and now it's gonna be $500 for one pair. 

Walmart was right beside, i did not have high expectations but I found a nice looking professional looking frame minus glitter within minutes for $200 so I was happier with the product and they were good price so a win win


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## Phalene

I just bought a new pair of glasses and the total cost came to $388. I have a strong prescription and wear my glasses everyday. As with my wedding band, I'm willing to pay more for something that is getting daily use!


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## kenwood

have a pair of transition lens eye glasses, paid about 250 for them
it is not name branded frame, but good enough for me to wear for almost 2 years without any issues


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## retired2

Whats wrong with buying the glasses from the guy that looks after your eyes. An optometrist deserves to make a living also and he looks after your eyes.


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## mogul777

retired2 said:


> Whats wrong with buying the glasses from the guy that looks after your eyes. An optometrist deserves to make a living also and he looks after your eyes.


Nothing, but I wouldn't be too worried about his financial well-being since he is getting paid well to do his job which is to "look after your eyes".


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## Berubeland

Last time I went I had to pay $75 for him to inspect my eyes for 15 minutes top. He's doing all right. The one I went to didn't even have frames just an assembly line eye inspection place.


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## retired2

I would sure look for another Doctor. My last appointment lasted close to 45 minutes. Started with a pressure check then the usual checking of the internal eye and then the vision check, Then he took a picture of the back of my eyes with a new machine, then showed me the difference between my eyes and a perfect eye and what he will look for in the future compared to what he sees now. My pressure was up in one eye so I had to go back in 6 weeks for a different pressure check. All was OK this time. My vision is worth what he gets paid. Insurance pays $250 of glasses in most cases anyway.


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## m80

*online*

I just received a pair of glasses from:

http://www.eyebuydirect.com/

And I'm very happy with both the price and the quality. Of course you need to know the right measurements for the glasses, and have an idea of what looks good on you.


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## Spidey

Boy, I sound super cheap. I bought my last pair of glasses at Costco for about $150 (with scratch proofing and UV) and got a second set of the same kind of sunglasses for about half that amount (they had a promotion on the second set).


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## steve41

What is wrong with the $9.99 reading glasses I purchased at my local drug store kiosk? I am still wearing the same glasses I bought 5 years ago. Granted, they are for reading only, but they haven't scratched, nor have the frames broken, my eye sight hasn't deteriorated, and for reading, they are absolutely spot on.

WTF?


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## cautiousone

Oh, to be retired AND wealthy, Retired2!!!  My employee benefits pay, every two years, only $25 towards the $90 vision test and $100 towards lenses and frames. I pay the balance. If I purchase lenses and frames from my optometrist, I pay an additional $115 dispensing fee. The bill totals between $400 and $450. Since I have unique issues with my cornea that result in vision abnormalities, I'm willing to pay for her expertise and service because I prefer to SEE! If the results aren't satisfactory, she'll tweak and adjust which means my returning a few times at no extra charge. IMO, you get what you pay for.


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## inhaliburton

*Consider the Eywear Emporium...*

I've been buying glasses from them for over 20 years. They are inexpensive enough to get 2 or 3 pairs. They are located in Scarborough at 1200 Kennedy Rd. south of Ellesmere. Prices start at $39. and go up depending on the frames, transistions, etc. Mega markup on glasses. I'm surprised no one has mentioned.

Typo on subject line. 

SB Eyewear Emporium.


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## trevorwang

*eyeglasses accessories*



brad said:


> For those of you who wear prescription eyeglasses, what do you typically pay for a new pair of glasses?
> 
> I'm extremely nearsighted and my lenses have always run on the expensive side, but I bought a new pair of glasses recently and had sticker shock. I'm curious to see what other people typically pay for a new pair these days?


Well,online shop is a good choice.
If anyone want to buy eyeglasses accessories,welcome to the websiteeyeglasses case glasses accessories


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