Ordering eyewear online? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Ordering eyewear online?

PrivatePilot

PrivatePilot

Ironus Butticus
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Anyone ever used any of the online eyewear companies? Curious what your experience was and if you were happy with the results.

I have for quite a few years bought my glasses at either WalMart, or Costco, and have had great success with both, but I'm always less than enthralled at the selection of frames - both have a "take it or leave it" choice that tends to be pretty bland at best.

I'm lucky with our benefits that I can get 2 new pairs of glasses a year, and although I don't really need them it's a "use it or loose it" situation, so I do have more than a few pairs of prescription sunglasses in various places (one pair specific to the scoot, one pair in my car, one in my work truck, etc) as well as a few pairs of my daily use transitions. I like the prescription polarized glasses for driving/riding on sunny days, but my regular transitions are my regular choice..

Anyhow, I have 2 more pairs available and am thinking I'd like to try a few different frame styles that I see online, but am never going to find anywhere other than a boutique eyeglass place locally, at massively inflated boutique prices.
 
I've ordered from Warby Parker (they have retail stores now) and Clearly Contacts. No issues with either.
 
Ordered a pair of scrip sunglasses once

can't remember the company name
but they were clearly not the ones pictured

lenses we're okay
but the frames were awful
wayfarer type, lower quality
than the gas station glasses

anecdotal experience I know
but for me, put glasses
into to must see in person category
 
Clearly Contacts (well, they just go by "Clearly" now) is where I'm looking at ordering from.
 
I stick with name brand frames and ordered through Smartbuyglasses on line.

Better than any of the large retailers.

Ray Ban for sun glasses and Oakley for regular.

I look at the clearance and get regular updates on sales etc.

I’ve also found Costco can be good. Only issue at times is stock comes and go. If you see it and like it, get it.

On the flip side, if you don’t see anything you like, the stock will change the following week or two.




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I've always used Clearly and have never had an issue with the glasses. Once I bought the cheapest ones I could find and they were garbage so I called them up, and got the return package within 2-3 days. Sent the glasses back and they sent me a different pair for no extra charge.

Was talking with my cousins recently that also always bought online, but they said they found a glasses shop in Etobicoke that has sold them 3 pairs with frames and lenses for $250 TOTAL! I'll be going there in a few months as waiting for my benefits to reset.
 
Clearly got bought out a while back by a large optician brand I think. Before that they were a bit better. There are some other companies that have popped up that charge what Clearly used to. I think they send the glasses offshore for work and assemble everything in North America. Not sure what their names are but you can find them on red flag deals pretty quickly.
 
I order glasses online at least once a year (I have a great benefit plan and my wife's is even greater!).

Clearly.ca glasses are as good as you get at any optical place, just cheaper. Frames excellent, optics excellent. I get my 'daily drivers' from them. If you aren't in a hurry, they often have crazy sales and promos. If you pay $250 at Lenscrafters, expect to pay <$100 at Clearly.ca for same quality. If you buy more than one pair, you save a lot more. My glasses arrived 5 days after ordering.

Zenni.com offers dirt cheap glasses - lots under $10. The optics and coatings are excellent. If you like options, bifocal, tint, polar, high index, clipons etc, you will save tons. Most of their under $30 glasses have 'budget grade' frames, treat these more like fashion items rather than your 'daily drivers'. The prices are tough to resist -- the last buy I made was 10 pairs (6 for me, 4 for my daughter) -- my total bill was $186. My glasses arrived 11 days after ordering. I have only been disappointed with one pair -- motorcycle goggles.
 
Another thing, you need your PD measurement (distance between pupils) for ordering online - it will not be on your perscription. Be sure to ask your optometrist to give this to you before the exam otherwise you'll need to DIY or pay to get it from a optician. Most opticians and optometrists resist handing this out as they have a 'brotherhood' that supports local optical dispensaries.
 
Goggles4u gets my vote, been ordering prescription glasses for 10yrs from them, cant beat their prices and good customer service.
 
Mad Mike said:
Most opticians and optometrists resist handing this out as they have a 'brotherhood' that supports local optical dispensaries.
Click to expand...

Thanks, and yes, I've heard that before...but FWIW I got my prescription done at an independent optometrist that isn't really associated with any dispensaries, so I don't think it'll be an issue to get ALL the info, not just the script.

Thanks for all the suggestions and info everyone, will do some digging in the coming days and see what I find/like. I'm at that age now where in the last year or two I've started to notice my vision changing more rapidly (pretty sure I need some invisible bifocals now for close-up reading sometimes, vs distance) so I'd like to experiment with a few options without exhausting my benefits in one fell swoop in case I don't like the results.
 
Another +1 for Clearly. They have some great sales pretty frequently. They also have a physical location downtown if you want to try some frames on before buying. Very off topic, but what do you fly?
 
mimico_polak said:
I've always used Clearly and have never had an issue with the glasses. Once I bought the cheapest ones I could find and they were garbage so I called them up, and got the return package within 2-3 days. Sent the glasses back and they sent me a different pair for no extra charge.

Was talking with my cousins recently that also always bought online, but they said they found a glasses shop in Etobicoke that has sold them 3 pairs with frames and lenses for $250 TOTAL! I'll be going there in a few months as waiting for my benefits to reset.
Click to expand...


Please let us know the name of this Etobicoke shop when you get the chance. My wife needs new glasses soon and we're in Longbranch.

Thanks
 
If he does, take a peek at the doctor side of the phoroptor used to check your eyes. Your PD is dialed in for the exam -- it's easy to find on most machines, usually along side or opposed to a level gauge. Look for the gauge beside a level. The PD in this pic is 64.
pd.jpg
 
Plant_W said:
Please let us know the name of this Etobicoke shop when you get the chance. My wife needs new glasses soon and we're in Longbranch.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Got a few private messages about this so since I was nearby I drove by.

Its called ‘3 for 1 glasses’ and is one block west of the new Watermark building. 2 doors west of the Greek greasy spoon diner that’s been there for years. Cousins bought 6 pairs of glasses between them for $500 all in and are very happy.
 
Another vote for Clearly. I have never had any issues with them and have never waited more then a week for them to arrive (and free shipping). I have returned numerous pairs for numerous reasons (didn't like the fit, got bored of them, didn't like the colour) with zero issues. In fact, I just returned two pair last week and all they did was email me the Can Post label, I stuck it on the box that they came in and off they went. Refund in two days.

I am one of those people that get bored with my glasses very easily and also like being able to change styles as needed (depending on circumstance or apparel). I currently own 15 different pair of glasses, one from Hakim that cost me $275 and the rest from Clearly that total less than $400 (yes, I have a few that were only $15, lenses included)

Had a look at Zenni. First off, prices are USD. Second, $10 shipping and I'm guessing they come from China (another thread somewhere here referenced China closing for New Years) since a banner at the top says 'Shipping Delays: Standard Shipping orders placed between February 05 – February 23 may experience shipping delays of up to 6 days. We apologize for any inconvenience.' Regardless, I just ordered a pair of flip-up sunglasses as I find that I need to remove my glasses frequently for paper work etc while on the road, thought these might be handy.
 
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Well, lesson learned. Got my flip up sunglasses form Zenni today. They flip up alright, but only the sunglass part. Behind that are the normal lenses that don't move. Correction, they do move as they only clip into the frame and the part of the frame that holds them in is flimsy and doesn't hold the lenses in very well. After two or three flips of the shades the lenses fall out. I was going to send them back but when I looked at the return policy, I only have 30 days and I only get 50% back if I want my money back or 100% in store credit. Plus I have to pay shipping back and if they believe there is a manufacturing defect they will credit me $2.50 in shipping.

Like I said, lesson learned. If I had looked at the return policy first I wouldn't have ordered anything from them. I will stick with Clearly. 100% refund, no questions asked (well, they do but it doesn't matter what your answer is) and they pay shipping back.
 
Speaking of getting glasses on benefits... I have pretty good benefits myself(Yay USW), and I've heard stories of guys getting premium sunglasses on these benefits. Now, I have good eyesight as it stands right now, and am not using that portion of my benefits at all, and it would be nice to get something with it. So, does anyone know of stores that do (zero)prescription sunglasses charged to benefits?
 
I looked at most of those guys, but couldn't find anyone to make my Rx. Costco can't even do mine anymore in the thinnest lens.
I got a freaking steal when I managed to get my new ones with EasyClip frames for $500 otd from a local place.

I heard about 3 for 1 years ago....should see what they can do for me.

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