Kids Glasses?

[Anonymous]

How much did you pay for your kid's glasses? Not counting the eye exam?

My husband spent $250 on my child's frames and lenses. I am in total shock. Is this normal?

[Anonymous]

Well- it depends on if the lenses were single vision or bifocals, and whether or not it was a good quality frame and the shatter resistant polycarb lenses.

You really don't want to crap out on the cost of glasses. The cheaper lens crafter quality lenses get microscratches very easily and that makes them hard to see out of and defeats the purpose of even wearing glasses (which is to make the kid more visually comfortable.)

$250 is around the price for a good quality frame and good quality single vision lenses. If your kid wears bifocals, then you may have gotten cheapie lenses or a crappy frame.

What brand are the frames? Are they polycarb lenses?

[Anonymous]

$250 is normal, maybe even the low end of normal. It is very easy to spend more, especially if you get anti-scratch, anti-glare, transitions, etc. Both my kids wear glasses and it can be a big expense, especially when you also get them a spare pair and sunglasses.

I echo what PP said about using polycarbonate. I think that's all most places will sell you for kids, for safety. I also strongly suggest you get a spare pair, and take it with you when traveling. Both my kids routinely break theirs, although neither is especially rough, and it would be hard to go without glasses while awaiting a repair or a new pair.

The good news is that you can probably reuse the frames for the next prescription change or two, and just buy new lenses.

I wear glasses, too, and mine can run $400-800.

[Anonymous]

I just purchased two pairs of child's glasses for my son at COSTCO for less than $150 with a $30 off coupon. He is five and we go through about four pairs of glasses a year between prescription changes and broken glasses.

[Anonymous]

My son's lenses and frames were around $325. They last for around 3 yrs and then his face has outgrown them. They have never broken. So, I don't think $100 a year for clear vision is too much. His friend has cheap frames and they always seem to be breaking.

[Anonymous]

I am the PP. I forgot to mention the brand- Flexon. He has worn them since he was a baby. He would pull them off constantly at first, chew on them, step on them, you name it. They never broke. Worth the $$$.

[Anonymous]

I think my son's were $150 or so. We had a vision plan through DH's job which gave us a discount on the frames and lenses. We used For Eyes.

[Anonymous]

There's nothing that special about kids lenses. They cost what they cost based on the vision issue. You can go to an expensive place or a cheaper one, although if the vision problem isn't straightforward, the cheap places will do a crap job.

$250 isn't outlandish.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I feel better.

There's nothing unusual about my son's prescription; it isn't bifocals or anything like that. I wear glasses myself but haven't got a new pair in years, I guess. I forgot how much they can cost! I always buy a very cheap pair and they last forever but do get scratched.

I don't recall ever breaking my glasses as a kid -- I hadn't even though that my son might do that. Yikes!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just purchased two pairs of child's glasses for my son at COSTCO for less than $150 with a $30 off coupon. He is five and we go through about four pairs of glasses a year between prescription changes and broken glasses.

Same here!

[Anonymous]

We go to Sears..bifocal lens, polycarbonate, protection plan..usually around $120. Our eye dr checks the prescription at visits (she has issues so we go several times a year) and he is fine with them. Since kids eyes change as they grow, they are likely to need a new pair each year or two..or at least mine did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well- it depends on if the lenses were single vision or bifocals, and whether or not it was a good quality frame and the shatter resistant polycarb lenses.

You really don't want to crap out on the cost of glasses. The cheaper lens crafter quality lenses get microscratches very easily and that makes them hard to see out of and defeats the purpose of even wearing glasses (which is to make the kid more visually comfortable.)

$250 is around the price for a good quality frame and good quality single vision lenses. If your kid wears bifocals, then you may have gotten cheapie lenses or a crappy frame.

What brand are the frames? Are they polycarb lenses?

where do you go?

[Anonymous]

I go to an optometrists that is not in a chain that sells frames on site.