Online glasses recommendations

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blackjack17

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#277105 26-Sep-2020 09:32

So my 3 year old needs glasses. We don't want to spend heaps as they will get trashed but at the same time we want something decent that will last.

Has anyone used clearly.co.nz or optically.co.nz to buy prescription glasses? Any other recommendations?

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#2574557 26-Sep-2020 09:39

I recall a couple of threads on this, including one recently. A search will give you plenty of options and opinions, I can't from my phone. Clearly is better than average for online glasses.

SirHumphreyAppleby

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#2574615 26-Sep-2020 10:52

My first online glasses were purchased from EzyGlasses.co.nz. They were at the time a reseller for Zenni, and when the glasses arrived with incorrect lenses, they sorted it out.

All subsequent purchases were from Zenni, not because it is cheaper (it's not), but because there is more choice of frames and lenses.

tchart

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#2574627 26-Sep-2020 12:23

Unless your child has really bad eye sight, Spec Savers aren't actually that badly priced for kids glasses. Especially if you get one of the 2 for 1 deals. I don't get mine from them though as my eye sight falls outside there "normal range" so they charge a extra for those lenses.

Generally I get tested and then order from Clearly.

PS if you have a community services card you can get 2 pairs for free at Spec Savers.

Eva888

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#2574659 26-Sep-2020 14:02

SirHumphreyAppleby:
My first online glasses were purchased from EzyGlasses.co.nz. They were at the time a reseller for Zenni, and when the glasses arrived with incorrect lenses, they sorted it out.

All subsequent purchases were from Zenni, not because it is cheaper (it's not), but because there is more choice of frames and lenses.

Tried ezy glasses and says

Sorry We AreClosed

We're sorry that orders cannot currently be completed
Due to the disruption caused by the Covid crisis, we are currently unable to process and dispatch glasses orders. Please email us at sales@ezyglasses.co.nz or use the form below if you would like to be notified when we are able to process orders again. Thank you

timmmay

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#2574661 26-Sep-2020 14:12

Threads to read one, two, three.

mdf

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#2574668 26-Sep-2020 15:06

For a three year old, I would be going with a local optometrist to make sure they are the right prescription, PD and fitted properly etc. A three year old isn't going to know if something is wrong and you don't want to make the problem worse or cause eye strain if it isn't right. A child optometrist is well worth the money IMO.

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FineWine

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#2574711 26-Sep-2020 17:16

For child glasses make sure you get adjustable headbands/head straps (in their favourite colour/s of course). You can attach all sorts of favourite trinkets to these bands to jazz them up to make the wearing of glasses more palatable.

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

jamesrt

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#2574714 26-Sep-2020 17:17

mdf: A child optometrist is well worth the money IMO.

Agree; my daughter had glasses for a few years in childhood - the optician managing the prescription effectively "cured" her (she doesn't need glasses any more) - not uncommon in children with good management of lenses, I understand.

pih

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#2574767 26-Sep-2020 22:43

I agree with the earlier posters, go to an optometrist for at least the first pair of glasses. It's really important that the glasses are sized correctly and are correctly fitted to your child's face.

Once you and your child are comfortable with the first pair you can ask your optometrist for the full prescription and you can go ahead and order cheaper spares, we have used Zenni Optical many times and only one pair over the years was not quite right (incorrect PD I think as they gave me headaches).

Prices are so good it doesn't matter if one of the pairs isn't quite right, you're getting four pairs for the price of one from a brick and mortar store! Quality is usually about the same.

My advice for Zenni: don't trust the virtual frame fitting for sizing as it's frequently off by a bit, check the listed frame sizes carefully against a pair that fits well.

Finally, be sure to go for at least a yearly checkup. At that age things are changing so quickly you'll need to keep on top of it.

blackjack17

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#2574783 27-Sep-2020 07:35

Thank you all. Yes we are getting a pair from a brick and mortar (spec savers) for his first pair. But was hoping for some kid specific advise regarding online stores as the rate he destroys stuff I can see it getting very expensive.

As he has esotropia and the glasses are meant to fix it (it is glasses or surgery). Hopefully it won't be for too long.

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jonathan18

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#2574789 27-Sep-2020 08:05

I would tread with caution using online retailers for not only the first pair, but for a few years. Sure, could be useful to have a cheap o/s-sourced pair for emergencies, but I would not have them as a primary pair for the reasons given in earlier posts (particularly kids’ inability to accurately determine if the lenses are correct).

And I say this as both someone with a son who’s worn glasses since four, and someone who orders his own glasses from o/s companies... I don’t think I’d feel comfortable ordering his primary pair from o/s for a few more years (and he’s nine now).

There are adequate and decently-priced options from most opticians these days - I’m sure part of the ploy is to pull children in as customers with reasonable prices and hope they’ll remain as clients into adulthood! Other than SpecSavers, I’d recommend looking at OPSM. We got my son’s current pair there after getting his test done at SpecSavers but finding no frames he liked there. They sell brands like Oakley and Ray Ban (OPSM is owned by the same company, Luxottica), and the kids’ models of these brands are totally reasonable.

Buying kids’ glasses can be a dog - especially given the range is so limited (but not as bad as when I had them as a kid: when I first got them at 18 months old and for many years after that there was apparently a choice of 1-2 frames) - but even I as ever-a-bargain hunter would still recommend buying local in this case...

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ojo

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#2574796 27-Sep-2020 08:58

blackjack17: Thank you all. Yes we are getting a pair from a brick and mortar (spec savers) for his first pair. But was hoping for some kid specific advise regarding online stores as the rate he destroys stuff I can see it getting very expensive.

As he has esotropia and the glasses are meant to fix it (it is glasses or surgery). Hopefully it won't be for too long.

Zenni Optical or Clearly for cheap ones, I've been buying from both places for years without issue. Clearly cycles sales often, so keep checking or sign up for their newsletter. Zenni will typically do a 25% off sale for Black Friday.

ojo

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#2574798 27-Sep-2020 09:05

jonathan18:

They sell brands like Oakley and Ray Ban

That's just the frames though, the lenses are still the same ones that get placed into non branded frames.

jonathan18

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#2574802 27-Sep-2020 09:32

ojo:

That's just the frames though, the lenses are still the same ones that get placed into non branded frames.

Sure, I assumed that would be understood.

ojo:
Zenni Optical or Clearly for cheap ones, I've been buying from both places for years without issue. Clearly cycles sales often, so keep checking or sign up for their newsletter. Zenni will typically do a 25% off sale for Black Friday.

And, if you had a young child that needed glasses, would you be comfortable ordering these from Zenni or Clearly?

I've used both (for myself) and had some dodgy pairs from the former... I certainly wouldn't trust my son to have picked that up if they'd been his.

lNomNoml

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#2574806 27-Sep-2020 09:43

I've just recently used Clearly and extremely happy, I was quoted $700 from OPSM for new specs and I was able to get much better ones from clearly for $333.

Make sure to go to a OPSM or specsavers to get a new prescription done and also get the PD measured. You will need it for the website.

Keep an eye out of coupons on their website as well to make the price even cheaper. There is a section on their website that tells you the coupons.

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