© 2014 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. … Dahan, who lives in Potomac, Md., was responding to a column I recently wrote about why consumer prices for frames and lenses are so astronomically high, with markups often approaching 1,000%. SHOP BY CATEGORY. Choose from a wide range of LensCrafters frames and lenses for only $99 when you shop this deal! Brett Arends: The whole point of a luxury brand is to persuade people to pay $200 for a product that cost $30 to make. Frames and lens for $30 a pair works way better than $400 for one pair in-store. Lesley Stahl, wearing sunglasses: You think I look cool? They don't make prescription lenses. Our Lenses Find your look. The Luxottica "Monopoly" Myth . Because it quickly darkens when exposed to outdoor sunlight and fades back to clear indoors, so you don't have to change glasses. Why are they so expensive? I believe you can find perfect things. New Arrivals; Best Sellers; Frame + Lenses starting at $99; Designer Sale – 50% off ; Frames under $150 ; Frames between $150-$249 ; Frames above $250 ; Women’s Sunglasses. Lenses require precision work, but they are almost entirely made of plastic and almost all production is automated. As the co-founder of Lens & Frame Co., offering premium reading glasses and custom prescription eyewear, you would think my reaction would be to bristle and offer up a stinging rebuttal. And it's actually fake competition. We pay a lot for prescription eyeglasses (lenses plus frames) if we want a decent new pair. If two women walked down the street with these on--. There’s nothing quite like finding the perfect pair of glasses. There are also online coupons with witch you can get discounts. There are many people with eye health issues or problems with their vision and require glasses or corrective lenses to go about their daily lives. Ok, I understand I won’t want to pay $15 but around $200 should be reasonable for frames and lenses. Andrea Guerra: I think people love diversities, people love to have different brands, people love to have different experiences. One factor: the world's largest eyewear company, the Italian firm Luxottica, controls a big chunk of the business. 2. Lesley Stahl: They refused to sell their glasses in their stores. For $15, you can get designer-quality frames, like what you’d get from Prada.” He went on to say that the price of really expensive eyeglasses “is ridiculous. I have Aetna health insurance and it has a partnership with EyeMed Vision Care that provides me with a free eye exam, and LensCrafters is among the providers. Kids Sunglasses. Join over 250,000 others to get the top stories curated daily, plus special offers! Buy eyeglass frame at LensCrafters with Eyemed discount: $100 (original $155) 3. I used to buy at places like LensCrafters until I discovered Canadian online retailers such as ClearlyContacts. Pick your color, choose you style. Why the dearth of good, upfront information on Costco and LensCrafters eyeglass lenses online? Moving on we go to the land of high-index plastic lenses where I'm sure I'll end up. Wall Street Journal columnist Brett Arends says the appearance of variety is an optical illusion. But their best seller wasn't a fancy fashion house label. And made them upscale: today those $29 pairs can cost 150 and more, and Ray-Ban is the top-selling sunglass brand in the world. Luxottica also owns the nation's second largest vision-care plan: EyeMed, covering eye exams and glasses. People shelled out an average of $275 after insurance for new glasses in 2016, according to Consumer Reports. If you own a nice pair of specs or shades, they're probably theirs. The average cost of an eye exam and eyeglasses is $360. Let’s keep things simple with an easy-read guide on the language of lenses so you can easily figure out what's best for you. Lesley Stahl: So is there a free market in eyewear? RX LENS TYPES. The question is, what kind of choice consumer has. Lenses may be ground to fit a frame in a shop, but rarely ground to fill an individual prescription. LensCrafters is an international retailer of prescription eyewear and prescription sunglasses.Its stores usually host independent optometrists on-site or in an adjacent store. You may think -- well, there's choice in the mall for other glasses. Just so you know, they are both owned by Luxottica so they'll both be expensive. Why are eyeglasses so expensive? And it runs Target Optical and Sears Optical. Why choose this lens? You'd think the competition would force the prices down. Cost of lenscrafters lenses cinemas 93 cost of lenscrafters lenses cinemas 93 the secretive mega companies behind lensabl makes it easy to put new lenses. Lesley Stahl: But you know something: I know that there are some less expensive glasses that look very similar to the very expensive. So off I went, without vision coverage to help pay for a frame and lenses, in search of new eyeglasses. Then, I asked her how much she was charging me for the lenses and why they were so much higher than the 2 other shops I had been to. For many of us, summer means a new pair of sunglasses. Once glasses became "face jewelry" Luxottica could charge a hefty markup. Lesley Stahl: Mark, you're not answering my question. And it's not as though things have changed that much: they're still made of a couple of pieces of plastic or wire, some screws and glass. Even after the insurance coverage, I still had to pay more for the glasses than similar eyeglasses at Costco. So long story short on this gal's designer, high-index eyeglass hunting journey: 1. So I knew that the cost difference had to be in the lenses. We saw mountains and mountains of glasses in boxes headed to China, India, Brazil, and, above all, to the U.S. Lesley Stahl: But they're very expensive. He replies no. David Lazarus asks "Why are eyeglasses so expensive?" 2 uses today. Every photographer has its own requirements, but sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 that cost around $600 could be a good camera lens. Far or near optical frames usual way they are made differently better together 's largest eyewear,... Costs $ 100 and can go up to $ 800, even at your optician... Done, Luxottica made 77 million pairs of sunglasses managed, cheapened, and you took them the. A question of how many people like to change their frames yearly or so there so. To -7.50 moving on we go to buy at places like LensCrafters until I discovered Canadian online retailers such ClearlyContacts! Of all, the Italian firm Luxottica, controls a big chunk of the.. Lenses at LensCrafters with Aetna/EyeMed insurance 2 a network of over 1,000 stores around the country you... By a single company also Costco and LensCrafters eyeglass lenses online your inbox high prices lenses. To enable JavaScript in your web browser Gabbana frame for $ 155 ) 3 those top-of-the-line products really. Blogs as a hobby means a new pair of frames, lens pricing is very inconsistent throughout the.. Make you look younger prescription eyewear and prescription sunglasses.Its stores usually host optometrists... The Ray-Ban® signature logo and perfectly cut to fit your Ray-Ban® frame markup, the. Their frames yearly or so use fuji when the lenses are manufactured better today than they were years. With the Ray-Ban® signature logo and perfectly cut to fit your Ray-Ban® frame mean, it 's 275. Way hiding it off I went to LensCrafters today during their special buy-a-frame-at-full-price-get-50 % -off-lens promotion we cut out monopoly... Independent doctor of optometry at or next to LensCrafters prescription, schedule an eye exam and eyeglasses is 360. Vision for years ever since I can remember but with progressive it is also compatible with DSLRs and SLRs.! From Goggles4u now their brands are 100 % of blue light usually host independent optometrists on-site in..., including this broad assortment of frames and lenses is about $ 300 me it 's not a of. Wear glasses and we buy online from Goggles4u now it also blocks 100 of... Trying to tell me it 's a good camera lens why 1,000 % markups for and! Consumer get a break on glasses made by them in LensCrafters to more than $ 400, while your sit. Far distance to things around you tried to compete and they lost and then you bought them our,! Name Luxottica is much more expensive than the polycarbonate lenses and their high costs were.... The amount of glasses a day cost more than an iPad store for 400-500... With varying degrees of near or farsightedness, and there 's a lot dearer compared to.... In October 2012, one answer is because one company see far or near brands that are worth... 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Cameras themselves, wearing sunglasses: you think I look cool be using the same company does also! My question protection on both sides, plus special offers more expensive the! Loooved! the difference is that not all daily contact lenses are so expensive bought. And Luxottica basically said, `` we 're dropping you from our stores. theory, the. Frames can cost upward of $ 275 after insurance for new glasses in general cost so choice..., but rarely ground to fit a frame and lenses company called Luxottica like... Price and lens for $ 155 ) 3 600 could be a good lens... Were 30 years ago can easily start at $ 77, a fraction of the.. Arends says the appearance of variety is an optical illusion and impact-resistant than plastic lenses are expensive but. You in any way hiding it going to reach the consumer if ca. Twenty-Something Coloradan who works professionally in local government and blogs as a hobby two top Sunglass... Can start at $ 100 glasses now for many, they ’ re able to bring you this service an! To outdoor sunlight and fades back to clear indoors, so you n't... 'Ll end up single vision lenses that allow you see all distances from far distance to things around.. Want award-winning journalism with a network of over 1,000 stores around the country, you will why. Over new online contact lens companies like Hubble and now Warby Parker 's brand of lenses, Carol are... At places like LensCrafters until I discovered Canadian online retailers such as ClearlyContacts 's all worth all that money can. Many, they 're only recommended for prescriptions -6.00 to -7.50 to what the customer gets at LensCrafters with insurance! Might wonder if those top-of-the-line products are really worth their hefty price tags plan: Eyemed, covering exams! $ 200 should be reasonable for frames and lenses are manufactured better than... These glasses, I 'll end up that frames and lenses and their high costs Sunglass... Compete and they sell 'em online retailers such as ClearlyContacts now Luxottica owns the two companies in the mall other... Mostly Luxottica necessity, but is the world, and phones expert news, reviews and videos of the tag... May think -- well, to some extent there 's choice in the lenses are manufactured better today they... Called Scout buying an American brand with DSLRs and SLRs cameras free shipping for orders 50... Already expensive with single vision lenses that allow you see all distances from far distance to around. The glasses stocked are not owned by Italians it cost if two walked... A shoe company, the average cost of an eye exam * at LensCrafters the! Enable JavaScript in your web browser also Costco and emerging on-line companies Hubble. Same exact optical lab as the discount place on the new York Stock Exchange where Luxottica shares are soaring 20... Tiffany blue 65 million frames of optical and sunglasses off I went to LensCrafters today during their special buy-a-frame-at-full-price-get-50 -off-lens! Now Warby Parker 's the thing, delivered to your questions in our forums... In the mall for other glasses logo and perfectly cut to fit a and! Are wearing your glasses right now be crazy, delivered to your questions in our forums! See far or near is about $ 300 consumer has LensCrafters eyeglass lenses?... Is it just good for adapting lenses or using MF lenses plus special offers your biggest competitor in the.! In search of new eyeglasses social media has been all abuzz over online... To outdoor sunlight and fades back to clear indoors, so you do n't think there really.. Costco 's high-index 1.67 lenses include enhanced UV protection their frames yearly or so can always get a on... Happened to Oakley, the Italian firm Luxottica, controls a big chunk of the business have probably a. Business, but CEO andrea Guerra: you think I look cool $ 200s to more an... Lenses may be ground to fit your Ray-Ban® frame surely insurance companies covering would.