8 ms·

Amazing that glasses was invented almost thousand years ago, and today it is still that overly expensive item. I only need glasses since the last year or so an

Amazing that glasses was invented almost thousand years ago, and today it is still that overly expensive item. I only need glasses since the last year or so and I have been amazed by how monopolistic and bad this whole industry is. The prescriptions are fairly standard, but still, making a pair of glasses cost more or less 200$ and require a 1:1 appointment. The price of the lens mounts is just ridiculous for a piece of metal. Even looking at an alternative like Warby Parker, the price is still about the same for something, that let's be honest must not cost more than 20$ to make! I since then bought 4 pair of glasses directly on Amazon from a Chinese vendor for 10$ (I have a small standard prescription) and they do a perfect job. I can barely tell the difference from my Warby Parker ones. It's crazy to me that cheap glasses are still that difficult to get.

jcelerier 8y ago
> The prescriptions are fairly standard, but still, making a pair of glasses cost more or less 200$ and require a 1:1 appointment. Depends on the country. I went to Japan for vacation a few months ago ; my girlfriend wanted a new pair of glasses. She just went to a mall in an optical center, they took her eye measurements on the spot, we went back two hours after and the glasses were ready.
- LoSboccacc 8y ago
  most apothecaries here in Italy have a section for cheap glasses. worst scenario you have to buy two and mix the lenses. if you have special issues and need to order lenses it may get expensive but glasses are deductibles, so you get a little back. anyway I did a cursory search on amazon usa and one can find prescription glasses with lenses of variable strength for around 20$, of course they're not the best or the prettiest, but there are ways for people to get glasses on the cheap.
- lokedhs 8y ago
  I did the same when I had to travel to Moscow the day after I had lost my glasses in the ocean from a boat. Going into a shop in Stockholm I was told it'd take 2 weeks, which obviously wasn't acceptable. When I arrived in Moscow, just like you I went into a shop, took the measurement, went for lunch and it was ready when I came back. What was fascinating was that they had the actual machines to grind the lens at the back of the shop. It was pretty cool. Those glasses lasted me for years, and they worked really well.
- bane 8y ago
  Quick glasses are very common in developed countries. In the U.S. at least you can find a Visionworks or a Lenscrafters (or similar) pretty much anywhere and their hook is "glasses in about an hour". They usually have an optometrist in the store so you can get prescriptions there. Some newer companies (Stanton Optical) are even starting to offer the complete service inside of 15 minutes so you can get the glasses while you wait and frames run as low as $20.
clon 8y ago
Try shopping for a pair of prescription sunglasses. Cost me 600+ euros (EU) for a pair of decent shades, while my gf just picked some up for a tenth of that. One of the happiest moments in my life was when I realised that speedo offers optical goggles. And even not trying to rip me off 10x. No more fumbling around at the pool.
sshanky 8y ago
Would you mind sharing a link to the vendor where you got the Chinese glasses?
- jfk13 8y ago
  Not the original commenter, but my wife and I have had several pairs from http://zennioptical.com http://zennioptical.com and been very happy with them. (And speaking just for myself, I'd prefer not going through Amazon if it can reasonably be avoided.)
  - pavel_lishin 8y ago
    Seconding the Zenni recommendation.
  - pwned1 8y ago
    I love Zenni. I buy glasses from them quite a bit just for a change of look. I think the cheapest I've been able to buy them for so far is about $10.
oldcynic 8y ago
Most eyeglasses cost under $10 to make, lens included. It's still an expensive item thanks to the near monopoly of both frame and lens production. Nearly every brand you know are owned by just two companies. Those two are now merging: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/may/10/the-invisible-power-of-big-glasses-eyewear-industry-essilor-luxottica https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/may/10/the-invisible-p...
- ianai 8y ago
  Excellent example of the “free”economy not working toward efficiency and actively working toward concentration. We really need more,checks and balances.
  - specialist 8y ago
    Yup. The Freedom Markets™ cult perpetuates the fiction that corporatism == capitalism. Corporations are explicitly anti-competition.
  - bane 8y ago
    It's easy. Go start a glasses frame and lens company and sell them for less. There's nothing at all stopping you.
tim333 8y ago
I wonder if part of it is that psychologically people want expensive glasses because they value their vision and want to look cool? I use a 99p pair of reading glasses from the pound shop and they actually work surprisingly well and look ok.
- pishpash 8y ago
  It's sold as a fashion item now. Why else would pro athletes with superb vision wear fake glasses? Handbags also cost little to make, same difference.
captn3m0 8y ago
Repeating a sibling comment[0] here to donate to https://onedollarglasses.org/ https://onedollarglasses.org/ [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17225018 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17225018

jcelerier 8y ago

> The prescriptions are fairly standard, but still, making a pair of glasses cost more or less 200$ and require a 1:1 appointment. Depends on the country. I went to Japan for vacation a few months ago ; my girlfriend wanted a new pair of glasses. She just went to a mall in an optical center, they took her eye measurements on the spot, we went back two hours after and the glasses were ready.

LoSboccacc 8y ago
most apothecaries here in Italy have a section for cheap glasses. worst scenario you have to buy two and mix the lenses. if you have special issues and need to order lenses it may get expensive but glasses are deductibles, so you get a little back. anyway I did a cursory search on amazon usa and one can find prescription glasses with lenses of variable strength for around 20$, of course they're not the best or the prettiest, but there are ways for people to get glasses on the cheap.
lokedhs 8y ago
I did the same when I had to travel to Moscow the day after I had lost my glasses in the ocean from a boat. Going into a shop in Stockholm I was told it'd take 2 weeks, which obviously wasn't acceptable. When I arrived in Moscow, just like you I went into a shop, took the measurement, went for lunch and it was ready when I came back. What was fascinating was that they had the actual machines to grind the lens at the back of the shop. It was pretty cool. Those glasses lasted me for years, and they worked really well.
bane 8y ago
Quick glasses are very common in developed countries. In the U.S. at least you can find a Visionworks or a Lenscrafters (or similar) pretty much anywhere and their hook is "glasses in about an hour". They usually have an optometrist in the store so you can get prescriptions there. Some newer companies (Stanton Optical) are even starting to offer the complete service inside of 15 minutes so you can get the glasses while you wait and frames run as low as $20.

clon 8y ago

Try shopping for a pair of prescription sunglasses. Cost me 600+ euros (EU) for a pair of decent shades, while my gf just picked some up for a tenth of that. One of the happiest moments in my life was when I realised that speedo offers optical goggles. And even not trying to rip me off 10x. No more fumbling around at the pool.

sshanky 8y ago

Would you mind sharing a link to the vendor where you got the Chinese glasses?

jfk13 8y ago
Not the original commenter, but my wife and I have had several pairs from http://zennioptical.com http://zennioptical.com and been very happy with them. (And speaking just for myself, I'd prefer not going through Amazon if it can reasonably be avoided.)
- pavel_lishin 8y ago
  Seconding the Zenni recommendation.
- pwned1 8y ago
  I love Zenni. I buy glasses from them quite a bit just for a change of look. I think the cheapest I've been able to buy them for so far is about $10.

oldcynic 8y ago

Most eyeglasses cost under $10 to make, lens included. It's still an expensive item thanks to the near monopoly of both frame and lens production. Nearly every brand you know are owned by just two companies. Those two are now merging: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/may/10/the-invisible-power-of-big-glasses-eyewear-industry-essilor-luxottica https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/may/10/the-invisible-p...

ianai 8y ago
Excellent example of the “free”economy not working toward efficiency and actively working toward concentration. We really need more,checks and balances.
- specialist 8y ago
  Yup. The Freedom Markets™ cult perpetuates the fiction that corporatism == capitalism. Corporations are explicitly anti-competition.
- bane 8y ago
  It's easy. Go start a glasses frame and lens company and sell them for less. There's nothing at all stopping you.

tim333 8y ago

I wonder if part of it is that psychologically people want expensive glasses because they value their vision and want to look cool? I use a 99p pair of reading glasses from the pound shop and they actually work surprisingly well and look ok.

pishpash 8y ago
It's sold as a fashion item now. Why else would pro athletes with superb vision wear fake glasses? Handbags also cost little to make, same difference.

captn3m0 8y ago

Repeating a sibling comment[0] here to donate to https://onedollarglasses.org/ https://onedollarglasses.org/ [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17225018 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17225018