Glasses...What's the story?

[rsser]

What about a laser slash?

[jimbur]

What about a laser slash?

Wrong sort of defect it seems Ern. Remember when the Russians were doing it with razor blades?
Cheers,
Jim

[ajw]

Friends of mine own an independent optometry store. While their prices are lower than some of the big chains, the glasses do seem to be expensive when you think about them as a few pieces of plastic.

On the other hand, they have wages, rent and other expenses to cover. They also have technically qualified staff available every day, and carry a large range of stock.

All that has to be paid for somehow. They could charge $20 for a frame, and then put a service fee of $250 on the bill, but most people would baulk at that.

Comparing the cost of a pair of glasses to the cost of the raw materials used to make it is akin to saying a timber chest of drawers should be equivalent in price to the few bits of wood used to make it.

My friends work 6 days/week, and they're not wealthy.

Just my 2 cents' worth.

ajw

[Big Shed]

Perhaps the mark up occurs at the wholesale and or manufacturing level, rather than the retail level.

There has to be a reason why you can buy frames etc so much cheaper in Europe and Asia than you can in Australia?

My example of the frames purchased in Penang, the store I bought them from was in a big multi-level shopping complex, they had optometrists and optical technicians on site, so their overheads would also have been at a reasonably high level.

Not too many optical outlets in Australia have optical technicians on site any anymore, most of the work goes to a central facility.

As all the lens shaping etc is done on computer controlled machines these days it doesn't take very long to shape a lens to the frame and fit it, so $250 service fees are a little unrealistic.

Optometry testing is covered under Medicare, so largely price regulated anyway.

[snowyskiesau]

I get new glasses every 2 years or so. All covered by medical insurance - nearly. The cheapest frames add an extra $70 or so over what the fund will pay.
I always go for the cheapest frames they have on the basis that having a manufacturers or designers name on the frames isn't going to improve my eyesight no matter what the sales person may imply.
I might have to start getting them to reuse my old frames and see what sort of looks I get.

[issatree]

Hi to All Spec Wearers,
I'm told I should have had Glasses at about 4 -5 yrs old. Yeah, bypassed everybody until I was 19 yrs.
And you tell me, how did I get my Driving License, ???.

Well I use Multi Focal Lens with the, " go into the light & they go dark " (can't think of the correct term).
Must admit, they are Brilliant ?

My cost is about $695, for Frame & Lens, with a bit of a cut by Medicare, but not much.
Wings on the new Frame were not much good, so the 13yr. old Wings were put back into service, those sideways springy ones, as they don't have those anymore. Why, because they were to good.
They didn't get any Breakages, that had to be replaced.

Anyway all things being equal, I couldn't see without them & that would mean no Turning, & that would not do.
Regards,
issatree.

[artme]

Glasses are bad enough, but I only have one eye. Lost the left when I was6. Yes, I know that was careless of me.

BUT when I suggested to an opthalmologist that I only be chargesd half price for an examination and prescrption he errupted. As it turned out he wrote the bloody prescription out wrongly and made it too strong!

Then the shyster at the local OPSM store tried desperately to convince me to have both lenses made to the same prescription!! The list of excuse - sorry, reasons - he trotted out was laughable. After a serve from me he capitulated, although not happily.

Makes you wonder about the whole business.

[Woodwould]

Glasses are bad enough, but I only have one eye. Lost the left when I was6. Yes, I know that was careless of me.

BUT when I suggested to an opthalmologist that I only be chargesd half price for an examination and prescrptio he errupted. As it turned out he wrote the bloody prescription out wrongly and made it too strong!

Then the shyster at the local OPSM store tried desperately to convince me to have both lenses made to the same prescription!! The list of excuse - sorry, reasons - he trotted out was laughable. After a serve from me he capitulated, although not happily.

Makes you wonder about the whole business.

Have you ever considered using a monocle or vignette?

[Manuka Jock]

II might have to start getting them to reuse my old frames and see what sort of looks I get.

I do every time , until they cannot be repaired anymore.

[artme]

Have you ever considered using a monocle or vignette?

I have. Just not quite that eccentric.

There are advantages to my problem. I don't need binoculars, just a telescope, I don't have close one eye when sighting things. And I can truly be said to have a one eyed view of issues.

[rsser]

Gee Arthur, talk about insult to injury.

So did your 'serve' involve unfurling the jolly roger ? ;-}

[Poppa]

I have a problem with the cheap specs - my prescription is too weak to find a pair at a chemist. But I've bought a couple of pairs of 1.00's to keep as emergency spares anyway. And the other problem I have is that I'm hard on the frames - I keep breaking the damn things. My Dad put me on to a brand of frames that is reasonably priced and yet very tough. They're called "Paparazzi", I got them from the Optometrist near where Dad lives last time I was visiting, and I'm going to get another pair next time I'm there. They are metal frames, with spring arms so they don't snap off if you over-extend them, and they come in a range of basic shapes with different coloured finishes to the metal (like bronze, chrome, brushed, gold, etc). I've been really happy with them.

My medical fund covers most of the cost of one pair every year, with an allowance for the frames and an allowance for the lenses. I've bought two pairs in the last 3 years, for a cost out of my pocket of about $25. Not including the monthly cost of the health fund of course...

And I've started to advise all my kids to become Optometrists. Ever seen a poor one? Good solid work, always a market (even with the laser surgery), own your own business, and only a 4 year degree (compared with 6+ for medical degree). And they get to help people. Ever seen a poor one?

[stuffy]

I got my first pair of multi-focals a couple of years ago. Cost around $650 and they are no better than my old single vision specs. 6 months later my 2 yr old broke the frames. Optician said sorry we don't stock those frames any more, you'll have to get new lenses as well. Not bloody likely. I made them mould some plastic frames to fit but the lenses fall out if I'm too rough with them.
Not happy Jan!

[Barry_White]

I have had the same frames for over nine years now. I have had the lenses changed twice in that period. The last time I only had one lens changed because I had a cataract removed on that eye but the other eye had not altered. The optometrist I go to and have been going to him for over twenty years never complains about using the same frames.

One time because I wear multi-focals he got the position of the lenses wrong in the frames he just replaced them without a murmur.

He does the same for my wife although he goes crook at her because she had damaged her frames from hanging them around her neck on a cord when she leans against something when she hasn't got them on her eyes.

I look after my glasses. They are always on my face or when I go to bed they are the last thing I take off and then they lay on the dressing table and they are the first thing I put on in the morning.

My biggest expense is I visit the ophthalmologist every six months because of diabetes and glaucoma to make sure nothing has got worse although I will need to have the other cataract done shortly.

[artme]

Gee Arthur, talk about insult to injury.

So did your 'serve' involve unfurling the jolly roger ? ;-}

No Ern. I just let my parrot have his say!!