According to the Vision Council of America, an estimated 75% of the worldwide adult population wear glasses or contact lenses to correct their vision. If you’re one of these people, you don’t have to spend a lot to take care of your sight.
Buying cheap prescription glasses, as opposed to designer frames, is a clear way to save money. But before you purchase your new eyeglasses, there are a few ways that you can save even more.
If you are still working and have health insurance at work, check to see what your benefits will cover. There’s a chance that your vision insurance will cover the full cost of your glasses, as well as eye exams.
Avoid Buying from the Optometrist’s Office or Boutique Opticians
Your eye doctor’s office likely has walls of glasses available for purchase. While there’s no harm in browsing the different frames to see what style best suits you, there is usually a significant mark up in prices if you purchase through them or from boutiques.
Paying extra for add-ons like scratch-resistant coating or blue light coating might not be necessary. Polycarbonate lenses, for example, already have UV-protection and are more durable than plastic lenses.
You don’t have to replace your frames and lenses every time your prescription changes. I’ve kept my eyecare costs down by only replacing the lenses and not the whole frames.
Buying more than one pair of new glasses can work to your advantage as many eyewear stores offer promotions like buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO). Having a back-up pair of glasses is smart, but you could also get a pair of prescription sunglasses with these sorts of deals.