AA's "Fat Flier" Got Whole Row
Ashley Dupre On Tiger Woods' Babes: "At Least I Kept My Mouth Shut"
Same-Sex Marriage Blame Game Aims at Paterson, Addabbo
Rihanna's Random Airport Search
NYC Students "Die" On 25th Anniversary Of Bhopal Chemical Disaster
I'm a student, and my crappy student health plan doesn't cover vision. The problem is I need, in no particular order, new lenses for one pair of glasses, another pair, and a pair of prescription sunglasses. My criteria may, taken all together, be absurd, but I'm looking for: stylish frames, variety, and affordability. Someone told me about a guy named Louis Gaspari who's an optician in Lower Manhattan who sells glasses for something like $40, provided you pay in cash. I don't know if this is legit at all. Does Gothamist have any glasses purchasing advice? Lenscrafters wants $240 to replace my lenses, and I think that is absurd.
-Adam
Ask Gothamist feels your pain! We are also optically challenged and want stylish glasses but can't afford spend big bucks on fancy frames. We do think $240 just to replace one set of lenses, not including new frames, is a bit steep - but we don't know the particulars about your prescription. You might be able to save some cash by not getting an extra pair of presciption sunglasses and just getting one pair of frames with transition lenses that get darker when exposed to sunlight. When our prescription changed recently and we realized we didn't have an extra pair of frames that we could wear while waiting for our replacement lenses, we opted to get contact lenses as a backup rather than an extra pair of glasses at $300. The contacts were only $99 (including an eye exam) for six pairs of disposable lenses that last two weeks each - so that may be an option for you.
We have not visisted Dr. Gaspari, but we called him to find out some info. He told us his prices were reasonable, and he's located at 198 Broadway between Fulton and John streets. However, we're unable to visit him to check out his selection due to his limited hours: 10 AM to 3 PM, Monday through Thursday only. Let us know how his selection is if you visit him, will you? Have any Ask Gothamist readers been to him? We've also had luck in the past getting reasonably priced glasses at Myoptics and For Eyes. They both have locations in the city; the latter is offering a coupon for two pairs for $99 (including lenses) on their website.
Last but not least, we visited our friend the Internet and did a search for "discount prescription glasses". We found a website called 39dollarglasses.com - a prair of frames with lenses starts at $39. We haven't used them before, so we're not vouching for them. Of course, you can't try the frames on before you buy them, which is one drawback, but they might be a good source for an extra pair of frames.
Got a question? Need advice? E-mail ask(at)gothamist.com.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
Try SUNY College of Optometry on 42nd Street.
I have always had good experiences buying glasses in Chinatown on Mott Street. There are a couple of eyeglass purveyors that have all the chic-est frames, onsite examinations for $10, and fast service. I broke my glasses on Thursday night and had a new pair in a couple of hours on Friday morning.
Rates depend on how bad your prescription is and how upmarket you want your frames to be. You could get away with $150 for frames and lenses if you aren't too picky.
39dollarglasses.com is great...
Beware For Eyes! If you've got a bad prescription (I'm a 7/7.5) they may encourage you to pay more money for thinner lenses because otherwise you'll end up with really thick lenses which can't even fit into two-thirds of the frames that are eligible for the deal.
Check out Fabulous Fanny's on 9th Street btwn 1st and 2nd Avenues for affordable vintage and antique frames. For affordable lenses go to East Side Vision on 10th Street and 1st Avenue. The doctor there makes deals.
If you can get yourself to a Costco, my mother swears by them. Says they are very well priced and high quality and always offering discounts.
I second Jose's Fabulous Fanny's recommendation. Affordable and tres chic. And the guys who work there are so nice and helpful. Viva la vintage!
Fabulous Fanny's - yes! I think its on 8th, though, between 1st and 2nd. I just got a pair of frames there for $100 and they are amazing.
For cheap lenses, go to Optical 88 on Mott and Hester. I just got 4 sets of lenses for $260 total and it only took two days.
I second Ellen's recommendation--the SUNY College of Optometry on 42nd St. This is a large teaching facility and all the work is double-checked by the optometry professors. Although the prices aren't dirt cheap, they are extremely competitive for the quality of work you'd receive. (If you call, I'm sure they could give you a price quote.)
I have had negative experiences at the large chains, i.e. Cohens Fashion Optical and Lenscrafters. These individual stores can vary considerably in their diagnostic ability. However, these places are okay if you're mainly interested in designer frames.
Chinatown-Try canal street vision center @ 6 1/2 Elizabeth street. Good customer service, nice, fast, decent assortment of designer frames and CHEAP.
I had a pretty good experience for glasses at the Cohens Fashion Optical on 86th and 3rd, the frames look pretty stylish (in my opinion) and the doctor was good. Exam and glasses for $99.
I did their contact lenses deal too, but that backfired. You get an exam and 6 pairs for $99, but you can only buy your contact lenses from them afterwards! Because contact prescriptions are brand-specific, Cohens gives you the deal on their house brand, and then jacks up the price when you refill your Rx. Pay the money for a regular exam and you can do 800-Contacts from there on, it's cheaper.
Beware of the contacts, though. My contacts prescription is pricey. I actually recently switched to wearing glasses full time because I couldn't swing the cost of the exam and two boxes of lenses (one for each eye, different prescription).
I don't know how reputable these sites are but check out this forum post I found
Cheap Prescription Glasses Thread (as low as $19)
Some people who have used them reply in that thread.
Watch for coupons-- I'm a cheap little Midwestern-raised coupon clipper living in the city, and they save you some bucks. Cohens has them once in a while, and theirs are the best in my opinion-- no catches or hidden minimums-- just $75 bucks or so off. That said, it'll still cost $150 for a good looking pair and new lenses.
Does anyone know where ya can get a deal on progressives? Varilux lenses run nearly $500. I could use a break.
costco - its true. i wouldn't count on a stylish selection of frames there, but if you purchase frames elsewhere and bring them in they will put in the lenses for you at a very affordable rate. depending on what you need in a lens of course, but mine were definitely under $100.
you do have to pay the usual $40 membership fee, but this will also enable you to get comically sized tubs of butter and boxes of trash bags for the remainder of the year.
i've too been on the hunt for cheap frames (i second the recommendations for going to an optometry school for lenses) and came up with the following:
White Cat Vision - 1475 2nd Av. (77th St.),
212-472-3030
"If you want to go to a place that specializes in eyewear then head over to White Cat Vision. This trio of discount eye shops offer a wide selection of glasses for $30. Designers include Gucci, Norma Kamali, Alain Mikli and others."
White Cat Vision - 1475 2nd Av. (77th St.), 212-472-3030
Also, "supposed discounts on glasses, decent selection", but a recent visit sort of countered the 'decent selection' claim...
Chelsee Eyes
20 W. 20th St., Suite 804 (Chelsea)
near Fifth Ave.
212-242-4823
eyeglass.com has frames as low as $40.
-rg
I'm really proud of my eyeglasses scam: I don't need a very strong prescription, to so I got a pair of "vanity" frames with clear lenses for $8 at the Sock Man on St. Mark's and took them to an optician in morningside heights to get my prescription lenses put in them. I had to take the risk that it might not work and I'd be out $32, the cost of my lenses, but it worked fine. If you don't need thick lenses and don't mind a bit of risk, just buy some frames at a place like that.
Lenscrafters is terribly overpriced -- the only reason to ever go there is if you break your only pair of glasses and need a new pair "in about an hour."
Politician for sale: Gerald Esposito - Brooklyn's CB1 District Manager
We need 3000 pcs opticals frames.
This is a late post, but Cohen's is having an amazing deal right now - If you purchase a frame and lenses worth more than $200, you get $100 off AND a completely free pair. I just got two nice pairs of prescription for a total of $140. Make sure to bring the coupon that's on their website
I picked up 2 pairs of glasses from www.eyeglassfactoryonline.com The glasses were 24.99 each. I would buy from them again. Next time I will get the transition option and possibly the antiglare. I used to spend twice as much over my insurance just for something decent. Im glad there are more options out there.