Affordable Eyeglasses

Glasses have become a fashion phenomenon! When picking out glasses, you're not just thinking about seeing straight, you're thinking about how you look. But the prices on those fashionable frames can be blinding. Maggie Villagran was surprised when she got the bill for her glasses, " All together my glasses cost $225," she said.

Although Maggie likes her glasses, she thinks the prices are a bit steep. When she was shopping, she was faced with decisions about insurance, add-on options, and warranties.

Dr. Lee Duffner, with the American Academy of Ophthalmology, helps you get in the right frame of mind before you shop for a new pair of glasses.

Lens Extras

"The eye doctor kind of made it seem like I needed all these extra add-ons," Maggie said. Salespeople, doctors, or nurses may offer you add-ons to your lenses. You can add on anything from anti-reflective coating to a scratch resistant coating, or a transition coating that will make your lenses darker when you go out into the sun.

These lens extras can be costly, "Most add-ons are in the range of $20 to $25 dollars," says Dr. Duffner, and some, like anti-reflective coating, can cost even more.

Dr. Duffner says he suggests add-ons based on his patients needs, so before you head to the eye doctor, think about what kind of add-ons you will need.

Warranties

Maggie had her glasses for just a couple months when she accidentally sat on them and had to bring them back to her doctor to get fixed. Luckily, her glasses had a one-year warranty, "I returned them to the doctor's office, and they fixed it for free," she said.

Dr. Duffner says you should ask your doctor or the shop where you're getting you lenses about their warranty before you buy.

Insurance

Dr. Duffner says insurance for glasses and eye care varies from plan to plan, "Some eye glass insurance plans will cover you just for the examination and almost nothing for the glasses," he says.

But some plans may cover you for both, and some won't cover you for any eye care. He says you need to read through your plan before even making an appointment with a doctor to avoid any misunderstandings. Dr. Duffner also says your insurance may be so specific that it will only cover certain frames.

Maggie's insurance gave her $100 toward the purchase of a pair of eyeglasses. Because her glasses were $225, the remaining $125 came out of her own pocket.

Buy Online

There are several online stores that offer to sell you frames at low prices, and some will even fill the prescription for you lenses too. If you are interested in getting your prescription filled, each site explains how to do it. Here are some sites you can go to:

EyeGlasses.com

39DollarGlasses.com

But Dr. Duffner warns that before you buy online, make sure you know the size of the frame, the distance between the lenses, the size of the lens, and the length of the side piece called the temple. Without the correct measurements, the frames may not rest correctly on your face. He says you shouldn't even shop online without these dimensions.

If you are going to buy online, the Vision Council of America suggests checking with the Better Business Bureau or Bizrate.com to make sure the company is reputable.

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from Fox11 Eyewitness News Online

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