know anything about eyeglasses?

[Rÿcher]

I want to get a new pair of glasses.

How do I get the highest quality glass or polycarbonate possible that's thin and doesn't magnify my eyes too much? I realize that you may or may not be an optimetric technician but do you think if I went to Wal Mart vs. Lens Crafters vs. an actual optometrist's office, there would be an actual difference in the quality of the lenses they get me?

The eye magnification deserves some explanation: If I don't get the spectralite lenses or go with this thinning out options, my Rx magnifies my eyes my about twice making me look like an even bigger goof than I already do.

 

[trampledamage]

I haven't had to get new glasses since I moved to Canada and in the UK you buy glasses from the optometrist, so it's a different system. But I'd say you'd be better off looking at what your optometrist can offer you and then checking out Lens Crafters (or their ilk) to see what they have and compare prices.

A specialist store would have the widest range of lens options, I would think.

 

[JonathonWally]

Shop around. Go to all the places and ask questions about the lens'

 

[TheRealNaveed]

If you happen to live in Canada, I know Sears offers several different lens types, anywhere from the cheap scratch-resistant plastic to the higher-end thing, super hard stuff.

 

[JNG]

http://www.39dollarglasses.com/

I had good experiences with them.

 

[RJDiogenes]

If I don't get the spectralite lenses or go with this thinning out options, my Rx magnifies my eyes my about twice making me look like an even bigger goof than I already do.

Just tell everybody you work in Anime.

 

[Amaris]

http://www.39dollarglasses.com/

I had good experiences with them.

Seconded.
Actually, I got a pair of these from them too, for $59.
Prescription sunglasses.

J.

 

[Holdfast]

... I went to Wal Mart vs. Lens Crafters vs. an actual optometrist's office, there would be an actual difference in the quality of the lenses they get me?

Go to an actual optometrist, and they'll give you the special lenses that give you laser vision.

 

[RJDiogenes]

And you'll know he's an actual Optometrist because his glasses are half full.

 

[trampledamage]

And you'll know he's an actual Optometrist because his glasses are half full.

Ow... my sides now hurt.

 

[IndyJones]

... I went to Wal Mart vs. Lens Crafters vs. an actual optometrist's office, there would be an actual difference in the quality of the lenses they get me?

Go to an actual optometrist, and they'll give you the special lenses that give you laser vision.

As an Optometrist I can tell you that we are taught to infer LASER vision, but not to promise it.

I'm a newbie (graduated in May), and split my time between a retail store (of the LensCrafters variety) and a private practice. The quality of the Optometrist is likely to be similar in both locations, exam time alloted and instruments available to the Doc may vary, but the staff in most cases is better trained at the private office. Their service will be better as well.

As far as price of the materials, and this surprises many people, but you'll probably find the private office will be able to sell you the glasses for a similar price as that quoted at a LensCrafters, and often for less. If the glasses break within a year or two the private practice will usually replace them free of charge.

An experiment we performed once to check the quality of the lenses yielded interesting results. We took a Rx-less lens from a nationwide retail chain and one from the private practice and placed them in front of the chart projector in an exam room. The lens from the private practice did not distort the image at all. The lens from the chain store distorted the chart so much that even walking up to it the 20/30 line was distorted almost beyond recognition. Basically, you could have the best exam in the world, find a great RX, have the glasses made perfectly, and still not be able to see any where near the level of visual acuity that you're able to with that lens. So, at least in that instance, the quality of the optics of the spectacle lens was much improved with the stock lens from the private practice.

This is of even greater import in specialty lenses like those you require to correct for your high degree of farsightedness.

Good luck, and get a fun looking frame!

-Indy Jones, OD

 

[RJDiogenes]

And you'll know he's an actual Optometrist because his glasses are half full.

Ow... my sides now hurt.