Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.



--
Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeros after @

On 11/07/13 03:31 pm, willshak wrote:
Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.

Even with anti-glare coating, our glasses cost not much more than $100
at Costco. I think their vision tests are well south of $100 too.

I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.

"Percival P. Cassidy" wrote in
message
On 11/07/13 03:31 pm, willshak wrote:
Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home
repair (thus why no OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all
the tests taken and then get glasses costing hundreds
of dollars.

Even with anti-glare coating, our glasses cost not much
more than $100 at Costco. I think their vision tests are
well south of $100 too.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get
cheap reading glasses, but they are only sold in single
diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc. Why can't I find these
cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same
lenses, 3.00 being at the bottom of the lens and 1.00
at the top? Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these
glasses? Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.

No restriction, they are made in both bifocals and progressive lenses.
Probably trifocals too. They won't be cheap though and you won't (likely)
find them at a drugstore.

https://www.google.com/#q=progressiv...eading+glasses

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

On 2013-11-07, willshak wrote:

Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?

Is there a whole legion of optometrists dumb enough to put themselves
out of business?

nb

On 11/7/2013 3:31 PM, willshak wrote:
Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.



Why can YOU get reading glasses, but I can't get distance glasses?

--
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 15:31:38 -0500, willshak
wrote:

Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.

I don't buy my reading glasses at the drugstore. Too expensive. I
buy them at the dollar store.

And I did buy bi-focals once, since they were only a dollar. I didnt'
really like them. Had to lower my eyes too much to use the strong
part. Felt weird or even painful. There might have been more than
one pair for sale, but I havent' seen them except that one time, maybe
4 years ago. If you mean with a hidden border between the different
sections, or some sort of continuous change from weak to strong, I
thin it's because no one makes them, because there isn't enough market
for expensive cheap lenses. Even at the supermarket or drugstore,
that's what they'd be.

Of course at the dollar store they're pretty cheaply made, and except
for the style I bought a long time ago, all the plastic frames are
pretty much guaranteed to break after a few months, I think because
they are meant for women and my head is wider than a woman's.

I don't like the metal frames because those plastic feet that rest on
the nose catch on my hair when I lift the glasses, unless I just had a
haircut. But they don't break anywhere near as much, unless I sit
on them, and the arms can be bent to make them tighter when the hinges
weaken.

On 7 Nov 2013 21:58:45 GMT, notbob wrote:

On 2013-11-07, willshak wrote:

Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?

Is there a whole legion of optometrists dumb enough to put themselves
out of business?

nb

You don't need an optometrist to get supermarket/drurgstore glasses.
Or dollar glasses. They're made far far away and you can tell what
you need by trying them on. For me, less than 1.25 doesn't do
anything, and while going up to 2 or 3 makes reading a trifle easier,
they blur my vision when I lift my head and look across the room.
1.25 lests me look far away and still see almost as well as without
glasses, so I don't have to take them off if I'm going right back to
reading or close work.

Judge Milyan on the People's Court says she buys her glasses at the
dollar store also, and I believe her.

I told my ophthamologist (that is, an MD) I bought glasses at the
dollar store and he didn't say anything bad about that.

On 11/7/2013 3:31 PM, willshak wrote:
Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.




I've been getting my glasses online from Zenni optical made in China.

http://www.zennioptical.com/?option=com_fireboard

Last pair with bifocal, memory titanium frames, anti reflective coating
and shipping was $55. Same thing from local optician would be over $350.
Wife criticizes me for not spending locally but I tell her that I use
the savings to buy local beer. Besides, looking at the local opticians
glass case, it says, "Made in China."

What you want is a progressive bifocal lens. Besides prescription, all
you need is to measure your pupillary distance.
My eye doctor did mine but you can do it yourself.

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 17:14:45 -0500, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 11/7/2013 3:31 PM, willshak wrote:
Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.



Why can YOU get reading glasses, but I can't get distance glasses?

Good question. No one sells really cheap distance glasses. I didnt'
think to ask my ophthamologist, but someone told me it's because they
are made in so many prescriptions. It may be true that there are more
than for reading glasses, but I don't think it answers the question.
They selll Duplicolor paint in more than 100 colors, 100's over the
years. I don't see why they couldn't make distance glasses in all the
prescriptions there are.

Do they need better fitting? Do they have to be centered in front of
the eyes more than reading glasses. I don't see why.

Astigmatism. I've never understood how glasses correct for that, so
nothing I say relates to that.

Cheap reading glasses always have the same strength in each eye. There
are enough frame shapes that it would be hard to buy two pair and
trade one lens. But even though one of my eyes is better than the
other, this never bothers me Would it be a problem for distance
glasses? You wear them. Do you know?

At any rate, I would think they could come up with a method to sell
each lens separately and frames too. There is a lot of leeway
between 100 dollars at a good store and 10 dollars at the drugstore.

This must be what I've been waiting for, a way to get rich. We just
have to hire a company in the US or China to sell us frames and lenses
for distance that fit the frames and we can sell them for 25 dollars.
The extra 15 will include 5 more to buy them and 10 more dollars
profit for us. We'll be like the first baker to sell sliced bread.

Let me see. This magazine has a house on a large wooded lot for
$1,635,000. That's a lot for Baltimore. Now I think I'll be able to
afford it. I'd like to close before the new year if you can get your
act together.

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 13:31:38 -0700, willshak wrote:

Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.

interesting. have you tried exercising your eyes?

My father-in-law used to wear 'coke bottle' glasses. then went on a trip
of eye exercising. Focusing close/far, close/far for ten minutes a day for
a year. He said he had terrible head-aches, but finally he never wore
glasses again.

The Chinese govt,with their socialistic health service started getting hit
with requirements for prescription glasses - due to the computer
revolution for them. Simple math tells you that's a BIG hit in cost!
almost at any percentage. So they went into providing eye exercises for
people and voila! fewer glasses were required.

for me, when things get a bit blurry, it's into eye exercises and
blurriness goes away.

Conclusion is to try it.

focus far, focus close, one eye at a time, you'd be surprised how much
that strengthens your eyes.

For close work, I still need the 1.50 eyeglasses from the drugstore, but
at least they've held for over 20 years now. Whereas my brother has gone
through tri-focal glasses now.

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 18:50:45 -0500, Frank
wrote:

On 11/7/2013 3:31 PM, willshak wrote:
Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.




I've been getting my glasses online from Zenni optical made in China.

http://www.zennioptical.com/?option=com_fireboard

Last pair with bifocal, memory titanium frames, anti reflective coating
and shipping was $55.

Hey, I had plans.

There aren't many houses for sale in that n'hood that I like, and
you're screwing things up. Cut it out.


Same thing from local optician would be over $350.
Wife criticizes me for not spending locally but I tell her that I use
the savings to buy local beer. Besides, looking at the local opticians
glass case, it says, "Made in China."

What you want is a progressive bifocal lens. Besides prescription, all
you need is to measure your pupillary distance.
My eye doctor did mine but you can do it yourself.

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 15:31:38 -0500, willshak
wrote:

Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.

AFAIK, there are no restrictions, just no market. The number of
combinations needed doesn't make it practical.

You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on a pair of prescription
glasses. I've had very good luck with Zenni Optical. I buy a good
pair of distance glasses from the optometrist (insurance covers most
of the cost), then several pairs of glasses set up for computer work,
sun glasses, etc. from Zenni.

www.zennioptical.com

Stormin Mormon wrote:
On 11/7/2013 3:31 PM, willshak wrote:
Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.



Why can YOU get reading glasses, but I can't get distance glasses?

Probably because there are too many distance glasses "variables".

Everyone reads at relatively the same distance. Magnify the letters in
specific increments (1, 1.25, 1.5, etc.) and you'll satisfy the vast
majority of readers. Reading glasses are just magnifiers. I can get by
using my computer for short periods with off-the-shelf reading glasses, but
I keep a pair of prescription glasses on my desk at work which were made
just for using the computer. They compensate for the exact problem with my
eyes as opposed to just magnifying the type. (I also have a special pair of
bifocals for using a computer at 5 feet while also taking notes/reading)

Distance problems can be at 5 feet, 10 feet, 25 feet, etc. and caused by
all sorts of different eyeball shapes and issues. You can't fix enough of
any one problem with off-the-shelf distance glasses to make it cost
effective.

willshak wrote:
Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no OT
in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken and
then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading glasses,
but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.




Because they wouldn't be cheap. If they are not cheap, they won't get sold
in bulk like they are at the drugstores.

I once had a pair of reading glasses that was sort of a bifocal - 1.00
reading glass on the bottom, clear glass on the top. I could wear them all
day while working on projects. Now that I need way above 1.00, walking
around with reading glasses on, especially on stairs, is dangerous. I am
constantly putting them on and taking them off. I wish I could find a pair
in my numbers with upper clear, but I haven't been able to.

Last year I had a special pair of bifocals made. I spend a lot of time in
meetings where I am 5 feet from a computer screen and also have to take
notes. I don't usually need distance glasses, but I can't see a computer
screen at five feet well enough to work on spreadsheets, etc. The eye doc
had one of his assistants come into the exam room and hold an eye chart
five feet in front of me. He then did the "better 1 or better 2€� thing
until he found the prescription that worked at 5 feet. He then went through
the process for a reading glass prescription and made a pair of bifocals
that I use just for the meetings.

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 18:53:39 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 17:14:45 -0500, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 11/7/2013 3:31 PM, willshak wrote:
Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.



Why can YOU get reading glasses, but I can't get distance glasses?

Good question. No one sells really cheap distance glasses. I didnt'
think to ask my ophthamologist, but someone told me it's because they
are made in so many prescriptions. It may be true that there are more
than for reading glasses, but I don't think it answers the question.
They selll Duplicolor paint in more than 100 colors, 100's over the
years. I don't see why they couldn't make distance glasses in all the
prescriptions there are.

Reading glasses are popular because of Presbyopia. Everyone will get
it. It's worthwhile selling the glasses. The market is there. Not
so for distance glasses.

Do they need better fitting? Do they have to be centered in front of
the eyes more than reading glasses. I don't see why.

I don't either.

Astigmatism. I've never understood how glasses correct for that, so
nothing I say relates to that.

Astigmatism is just an elongation of the lens, and is corrected with a
similar elongation at a right angle to it. The glasses have to be
custom ground for each angle (at 10deg increments, that would be 18
times the number of prescriptions - at 1deg that's 180 different
ones), making off-the-shelf glasses impractical.

Cheap reading glasses always have the same strength in each eye. There
are enough frame shapes that it would be hard to buy two pair and
trade one lens. But even though one of my eyes is better than the
other, this never bothers me Would it be a problem for distance
glasses? You wear them. Do you know?

Shouldn't be. It's a matter of marketing. No market, no product.

At any rate, I would think they could come up with a method to sell
each lens separately and frames too. There is a lot of leeway
between 100 dollars at a good store and 10 dollars at the drugstore.

Marketing. Fashion. Too many different combinations.

This must be what I've been waiting for, a way to get rich. We just
have to hire a company in the US or China to sell us frames and lenses
for distance that fit the frames and we can sell them for 25 dollars.
The extra 15 will include 5 more to buy them and 10 more dollars
profit for us. We'll be like the first baker to sell sliced bread.

Already been done. Zenni sells prescription glasses for as little as
$7. It takes a couple of weeks from China, but their work is good
(the Optometrist I went to last time couldn't believe they were bought
over the Internet). You'll need your prescription, though.

Let me see. This magazine has a house on a large wooded lot for
$1,635,000. That's a lot for Baltimore. Now I think I'll be able to
afford it. I'd like to close before the new year if you can get your
act together.

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 16:56:43 -0700, RobertMacy
wrote:

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 13:31:38 -0700, willshak wrote:

Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.

interesting. have you tried exercising your eyes?

My father-in-law used to wear 'coke bottle' glasses. then went on a trip
of eye exercising. Focusing close/far, close/far for ten minutes a day for
a year. He said he had terrible head-aches, but finally he never wore
glasses again.

How old was he when he did that? How old is he now?

The Chinese govt,with their socialistic health service started getting hit
with requirements for prescription glasses - due to the computer
revolution for them. Simple math tells you that's a BIG hit in cost!
almost at any percentage. So they went into providing eye exercises for
people and voila! fewer glasses were required.

That's a reason not to do that. Don't want to end up like the Red
Chinese.

for me, when things get a bit blurry, it's into eye exercises and
blurriness goes away.

Conclusion is to try it.

focus far, focus close, one eye at a time, you'd be surprised how much
that strengthens your eyes.

For close work, I still need the 1.50 eyeglasses from the drugstore, but
at least they've held for over 20 years now. Whereas my brother has gone
through tri-focal glasses now.

In my case, I first needed glasses, 1.25, when I was 50 and the type
was small and the light was bad. Now I need 1.25 when the type is not
quite as small and the light is pretty good (but not if the sun is
shining right in the window on what I'm reading.) and I'm 66.

If it gets worse maybe I'll try your exercises.

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 20:31:07 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 15:31:38 -0500, willshak
wrote:

Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).

One thing I discovered is old guys can also use a pair of 350s for

What are 350s?

that really tiny stuff you have to work on. The focal length is far
shorter than comfortable reading distance but it really helps if you
are doing work on tiny stuff.

I did notice, before I was 50 or maybe also afterwards a little bit,
that there was no point in using a magnifying glass, because
everything I could see with it I could see without it. That doesn't
seem right, so maybe I mean at least in terms of repairing things.

That isn't true anymore, and a magnifying glass doesn't always help.

So what are 350s? :-)

I did buy, at a hamfest (though I have rarely seen them there). a lens
that clips on the temple? arm of one's glasses and stands in front of
the glasses to make a compound lens. Then it will flip up (sideways)
when you don't need it. It was 2 or 3 dollars at the hamfest, not
sure how much it would be retail, but it works well for me.

I bought a cheap jeweler's loupe too, plastic case with plastic lens,
but the plastic is not the problem. I haven['t gotten used to holding
it in with my cheek and my forehead. It's hard and even then it falls
out.

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 23:25:40 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 23:11:35 -0500, micky
wrote:

What are 350s?

The highest diopter reading glasses you usually see at the dollar/drug
store


Oh, I call them 3.50. I'll try again. Maybe I only used 2 or 2.5
the last time. Thanks.

micky wrote:
On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 17:14:45 -0500, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 11/7/2013 3:31 PM, willshak wrote:
Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.



Why can YOU get reading glasses, but I can't get distance glasses?

Good question. No one sells really cheap distance glasses. I didnt'
think to ask my ophthamologist, but someone told me it's because they
are made in so many prescriptions. It may be true that there are more
than for reading glasses, but I don't think it answers the question.
They selll Duplicolor paint in more than 100 colors, 100's over the
years. I don't see why they couldn't make distance glasses in all the
prescriptions there are.

Do they need better fitting? Do they have to be centered in front of
the eyes more than reading glasses. I don't see why.

Astigmatism. I've never understood how glasses correct for that, so
nothing I say relates to that.

Cheap reading glasses always have the same strength in each eye.

....snip...

I've heard of people that buy contacts but only use them in one eye. They
say they can learn to read with the contact eye and use the other eye for
everything else. They say "You get used to it."

I asked my eye doctor about it and he said, "Yes, that technique can work.
However, if you want to do it that way, find another eye doctor. I don't
support the practice."

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
news
On 11/7/2013 3:31 PM, willshak wrote:
Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home
repair (thus why no OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all
the tests taken and then get glasses costing hundreds
of dollars. I can go to the drugstore and other places and get
cheap reading glasses, but they are only sold in single
diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc. Why can't I find these
cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same
lenses, 3.00 being at the bottom of the lens and 1.00
at the top? Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these
glasses? Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.



Why can YOU get reading glasses, but I can't get distance
glasses?

All you need is a negative meniscus lens of whatever power you need. A
negative meniscus lens is one that is thicker at the edges than in the
middle; "reading" lenses are positive meniscus lenses, thicker in the middle
than at the edges. The difference between the thick and thin part determines
the diopter (power).

Simple meniscus lenses in a huge variety of sizes and diopters are readily
available; Edmund Scientific being one source.

Go buy two and glue them into a frame. Or buy one and learn to use it as a
monocle


--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

http://www.zennioptical.com/
Please visit this web site. I've got no interest,
other than being a satisfied customer. Last time
I checked, they had eye glasses starting about
eight bucks a pair (which includes single focus
lenses to your Rx). More for bifocals, tint, and
some other options.

You need to know your Rx, and your PD (pupilary
distance). Last time, shipping was $15 or so, for
any order size.

Glasses made in Hong Kong, and shipped to you from
some where in California.

I bought several pair of reading glasses, distance
glasses. Put spare eye glasses in the vehicle, and
set of reading glasses in my church book bag.

--
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"DerbyDad03" wrote in message


Distance problems can be at 5 feet, 10 feet, 25 feet,
etc. and caused by all sorts of different eyeball shapes
and issues.

Distance problems are only caused by one thing: the spherical shape of the
eyeball. If it is too protruding, one can see well close up but not at
distance; too flat a shape and the reverse is true. To correct either, all
that is needed is a lens that returns the eyeball to a spherical shape.

When we get older, most of us lose some of the ability of the eyes to adjust
their shape to focus at closer distances; ergo, reading glasses.

Eyes can have other problems such as astigmatism but the effect of that is
that objects in one plane are focused differentially from those at 90
degrees.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 21:03:45 -0700, micky wrote:

...snip...
How old was he when he did that? How old is he now?

[my understanding] in his 20's, deceased - died on a guerney in a hospital
during a normal examination. Must have been too far away from medical
care, eh?

..snip..
That's a reason not to do that. Don't want to end up like the Red
Chinese.

LOL! yeah, we don't want to end up like them, "soon to be rulers of the
world", right?

Especially, after listening to an interview with a young couple struggling
to survive. They had just wrecked their truck which they used as part of
their floral business. They were barely making ends meet and now this
completely unexpected hardship. They said their insurance didn't cover
completely and rates would definitely go up, didn't know where theyd get
the money to replace the truck and may lose their business. More
importantly, they were extremely worried about where they would get the
money to keep their children in school! Thought I was listening to a U.S.
midwest couple's lament, only to find out I had been listening to the woes
of a young couple in China?!!! I thought, wow they ARE just like everyone
else, and then wondered if the interview was some type of 'propaganda' to
convince me they were like eveyrone else. Well if it was, it worked, I
still hear the laments of the young couple's woes and firmly believe it to
be true. On the flip side, I no longer trust ANY non-persoanl situation
that leaves such crystal clear memories. Even some personal situations
have become suspect. And, discount all such as attempts to manipulate my
thinking.


...snip...
In my case, I first needed glasses, 1.25, when I was 50 and the type
was small and the light was bad. Now I need 1.25 when the type is not
quite as small and the light is pretty good (but not if the sun is
shining right in the window on what I'm reading.) and I'm 66.

If it gets worse maybe I'll try your exercises.


That's right. Wait until it's too late.

My experience similar. I just use the eye exercises now to be able to keep
using the 1.25's Have to admit that having poor vision is a bummer! Like
being in a prison. Now I have relative whose optic nerves were attacked by
those high powered antibiotics necessary to stomp on those high powered
infections! Her vision was almost destroyed. She can now read ONE LETTER
at a time! But it has to be about the size of your computer monitor.
However, good news, her vision has now improved to where she can read a
whole word at a time.

On Fri, 08 Nov 2013 05:12:31 -0700, DerbyDad03
wrote:

...snip....
I've heard of people that buy contacts but only use them in one eye. They
say they can learn to read with the contact eye and use the other eye for
everything else. They say "You get used to it."

...snip...

During youth, I used to lie on my left side and read. With the book lying
beside me, which resulted in the right eye becoming great at reading and
the left eye wandering off, since it was so low to the book that it's view
added little information, so as a result...
The right eye became stronger and stronger for close viewing and the left
eye became stronger and stronger for 'far' view. Rather unbalanced, but
makes sense. If you don't 'think' about what your body is doing; it pretty
much goes off and does what it wants. The attempted cure is to cover one
eye at a time while doing the activity. Driving cover the left eye and try
to drive with just the right eye. Reading, cover the right eye and force
the left eye to try and focus.

All helps keep things from going wonky, but therein lies the truth,
'helps' not 'cures' Maybe a judicious regimen would work, eh?

On Fri, 08 Nov 2013 05:39:38 -0700, dadiOH wrote:

...snip....
Distance problems are only caused by one thing: the spherical shape of
the
eyeball. If it is too protruding, one can see well close up but not at
distance; too flat a shape and the reverse is true. To correct either,
all
that is needed is a lens that returns the eyeball to a spherical shape.

...snip...

This 'shape' of the eyeball explanation makes sense, since it is based
upon a camera system, something everyone can relate to. Until,...I found
out that people with multiple personality will test completely differently
based upon which personality they are. One, is so myopic as to need
'coke-bottle' glasses, almost legally blind, Another, has perfect 20/20
and so on. Kind of 'redefines' vision. Or, maybe they force change the
shape of their eye balls.

In article

day while working on projects. Now that I need way above 1.00, walking
around with reading glasses on, especially on stairs, is dangerous. I am
constantly putting them on and taking them off. I wish I could find a pair
in my numbers with upper clear, but I haven't been able to.

I found a good compromise was the glasses with magnets that join the
frames together at the front (think the ME from CSI:NY if you are
familiar). I break them apart and wrap them around my neck when I don't
need them for awhile, yet I don't lose them like I tend to do with the
others. Also, when I break them apart, it often confuses who I am
talking to for a couple of minutes- grin)


--
€œStatistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive,
but what they conceal is vital.€�
€” Aaron Levenstein

In article
,
DerbyDad03 wrote:


I've heard of people that buy contacts but only use them in one eye. They
say they can learn to read with the contact eye and use the other eye for
everything else. They say "You get used to it."


My wife swears by them. I tried but couldn't get to work, largely
because I have floaters. If contact in my floater eye, when they came
around I couldn't read any more. If in my other eye, when they came
around I lost long distance... rather disconcerting when driving.
Had a friend do one eye long and one eye short when he had his
cataracts done. He says, NEVER do that.
--
€œStatistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive,
but what they conceal is vital.€�
€” Aaron Levenstein

On 11/7/2013 7:53 PM, wrote:
On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 18:53:39 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 17:14:45 -0500, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 11/7/2013 3:31 PM, willshak wrote:
Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.



Why can YOU get reading glasses, but I can't get distance glasses?

Good question. No one sells really cheap distance glasses. I didnt'
think to ask my ophthamologist, but someone told me it's because they
are made in so many prescriptions. It may be true that there are more
than for reading glasses, but I don't think it answers the question.
They selll Duplicolor paint in more than 100 colors, 100's over the
years. I don't see why they couldn't make distance glasses in all the
prescriptions there are.

Reading glasses are popular because of Presbyopia. Everyone will get
it. It's worthwhile selling the glasses. The market is there. Not
so for distance glasses.

Do they need better fitting? Do they have to be centered in front of
the eyes more than reading glasses. I don't see why.

I don't either.

Astigmatism. I've never understood how glasses correct for that, so
nothing I say relates to that.

Astigmatism is just an elongation of the lens, and is corrected with a
similar elongation at a right angle to it. The glasses have to be
custom ground for each angle (at 10deg increments, that would be 18
times the number of prescriptions - at 1deg that's 180 different
ones), making off-the-shelf glasses impractical.

Cheap reading glasses always have the same strength in each eye. There
are enough frame shapes that it would be hard to buy two pair and
trade one lens. But even though one of my eyes is better than the
other, this never bothers me Would it be a problem for distance
glasses? You wear them. Do you know?

Shouldn't be. It's a matter of marketing. No market, no product.

At any rate, I would think they could come up with a method to sell
each lens separately and frames too. There is a lot of leeway
between 100 dollars at a good store and 10 dollars at the drugstore.

Marketing. Fashion. Too many different combinations.

This must be what I've been waiting for, a way to get rich. We just
have to hire a company in the US or China to sell us frames and lenses
for distance that fit the frames and we can sell them for 25 dollars.
The extra 15 will include 5 more to buy them and 10 more dollars
profit for us. We'll be like the first baker to sell sliced bread.

Already been done. Zenni sells prescription glasses for as little as
$7. It takes a couple of weeks from China, but their work is good
(the Optometrist I went to last time couldn't believe they were bought
over the Internet). You'll need your prescription, though.


I've got astigmatism and need bifocals. When I wore my Zenni glasses
to an optical exam, I was 20/20 just like with local glasses.

As far as ordering from China, as some object, I've gotten one order in
less than a week. I've also had a week's wait at the local opticians.
Who knows where they are going to get the work done. Also pointed out
the "Made in China" label on the local glasses. Even if the local guy
did the lenses, he was using Chinese parts.

People buy American cars made in Canada and Mexico. Why not glasses?

In article ,
micky wrote:

Good question. No one sells really cheap distance glasses. I didnt'
think to ask my ophthamologist, but someone told me it's because they
are made in so many prescriptions. It may be true that there are more
than for reading glasses, but I don't think it answers the question.
They selll Duplicolor paint in more than 100 colors, 100's over the
years. I don't see why they couldn't make distance glasses in all the
prescriptions there are.

Do they need better fitting? Do they have to be centered in front of
the eyes more than reading glasses. I don't see why.

I think they might be. When you use reading glasses, what you're
looking at is pretty close, so the light is coming into your eyes
from only a limited range of angles. With distance glasses, you
might be looking at anything from zero to virtual infinity, so
the more nearly the centers of the lenses match up with the
centers of your eyes, the less distortion.

Astigmatism. I've never understood how glasses correct for that, so
nothing I say relates to that.

Cheap reading glasses always have the same strength in each eye. There
are enough frame shapes that it would be hard to buy two pair and
trade one lens. But even though one of my eyes is better than the
other, this never bothers me Would it be a problem for distance
glasses? You wear them. Do you know?

I've been wearing distance glasses for almost 50 years, and one
of my eyes is considerably weaker than the other. When I
was younger (and was still growing), sometimes there'd be quite
a change when I got a new pair of glasses. The dizzying thing
was that my eyes would suddenly both be "good".

Finally, the cheap glasses have cheap lenses. Chromatic
aberration, fringes on the edges, you name it. That's
not so bad if you're wearing them for a while and looking
at a book or something, but every waking hour and looking
in every direction and trying to use peripheral vision--
it's best to have the best possible lenses.

Cindy Hamilton
--

wrote:
On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 15:31:38 -0500, willshak
wrote:

Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).

One thing I discovered is old guys can also use a pair of 350s for
that really tiny stuff you have to work on. The focal length is far
shorter than comfortable reading distance but it really helps if you
are doing work on tiny stuff.


I am a model maker so I have one of those hoods with multiple stacking
lenses. 3 different diopters. I wear it with my reading glasses on.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/540695


--
Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeros after @

On Fri, 08 Nov 2013 09:05:41 -0500, Frank wrote:

I've got astigmatism and need bifocals. When I wore my Zenni glasses to
an optical exam, I was 20/20 just like with local glasses.

As far as ordering from China, as some object, I've gotten one order in
less than a week. I've also had a week's wait at the local opticians.
Who knows where they are going to get the work done. Also pointed out
the "Made in China" label on the local glasses. Even if the local guy
did the lenses, he was using Chinese parts.

People buy American cars made in Canada and Mexico. Why not glasses?

I'll second that about Zenni Optical. Very cheap but great quality
prescription glasses. You do need a recent (less than two years old)
prescription from an eye exam. But you should be getting those anyway to
detect vision hazards like glaucoma and macular degeneration.

In most states the doctor must release a copy of your prescription to you
upon request. If he won't, Zenni will contact their office to verify the
Rx.

In my case, I like to be upfront. When I make the appointment I tell the
doctor's office that I want an exam for glasses, but I also tell them I
won't be buying the glasses at their office.

--
Tony Sivori

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 15:31:38 -0500, willshak wrote:

Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75,
etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.

The bad thing about dollar store glasses is that you want poly carb
lenses for safety and dollar store glasses fail that safety test.

I like Zenni Optical. Great quality and dirt cheap.

You should be getting an eye exam every couple of years anyway, so why
not get prescription poly carb safety lenses?

--
Tony Sivori

On Thursday, November 7, 2013 12:37:31 PM UTC-8, Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
On 11/07/13 03:31 pm, willshak wrote:

Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no

OT in the subject line).

My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken

and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.



Even with anti-glare coating, our glasses cost not much more than $100

at Costco. I think their vision tests are well south of $100 too.

Roger that about Costco. If you're going to be doing a lot of DIY work, might be worth the (relatively) small investment for safety. You do NOT want any inaccurate vision when working w/tools!!

If you decide to go the Costco(or similar) way, get SMALL frames. That way, you can put safety goggles over them. Prescription glasses don't protect your eyes from bad stuff entering through side, top or bottom.

I don't get anti-glare coatings because they scratch easily. But you wouldn't need them for close work anyway; they're more for outdoor.

HB



I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading

glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.

Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one

diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being

at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?

Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?

Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.

On 11/8/2013 11:38 AM, Tony Sivori wrote:
On Fri, 08 Nov 2013 09:05:41 -0500, Frank wrote:

I've got astigmatism and need bifocals. When I wore my Zenni glasses to
an optical exam, I was 20/20 just like with local glasses.

As far as ordering from China, as some object, I've gotten one order in
less than a week. I've also had a week's wait at the local opticians.
Who knows where they are going to get the work done. Also pointed out
the "Made in China" label on the local glasses. Even if the local guy
did the lenses, he was using Chinese parts.

People buy American cars made in Canada and Mexico. Why not glasses?

I'll second that about Zenni Optical. Very cheap but great quality
prescription glasses. You do need a recent (less than two years old)
prescription from an eye exam. But you should be getting those anyway to
detect vision hazards like glaucoma and macular degeneration.

In most states the doctor must release a copy of your prescription to you
upon request. If he won't, Zenni will contact their office to verify the
Rx.

In my case, I like to be upfront. When I make the appointment I tell the
doctor's office that I want an exam for glasses, but I also tell them I
won't be buying the glasses at their office.


I always get the prescription. A prescription for glasses is not like
one for drugs where you need a doctors signature. Xerox copies or just
giving the optician the numbers will get you glasses.

I see my ophthalmologist twice a year as my old eyes show signs of
cataracts and macular degeneration. He also does the pressure tests.
They will give me a new prescription when my reading of the eye chart
changes. I have to pay for eye glass prescription but exams are covered
by medicare.

On Fri, 08 Nov 2013 06:02:50 -0700, RobertMacy
wrote:

Have to admit that having poor vision is a bummer! Like
being in a prison.

Yes. Can you imagine how happy people were in the 1300's and after
that when they first found out about glasses and got some.

Now I have relative whose optic nerves were attacked by
those high powered antibiotics necessary to stomp on those high powered
infections! Her vision was almost destroyed. She can now read ONE LETTER
at a time! But it has to be about the size of your computer monitor.
However, good news, her vision has now improved to where she can read a
whole word at a time.

I hope she continues to improve.

"DerbyDad03" wrote in message

micky wrote:
On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 17:14:45 -0500, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 11/7/2013 3:31 PM, willshak wrote:
Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home
repair (thus why no OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have
all the tests taken and then get glasses costing
hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get
cheap reading glasses, but they are only sold in
single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc. Why can't I
find these cheap reading glasses that come in more
than one diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00
in the same lenses, 3.00 being at the bottom of the
lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of
these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.



Why can YOU get reading glasses, but I can't get
distance glasses?

Good question. No one sells really cheap distance
glasses. I didnt' think to ask my ophthamologist, but
someone told me it's because they are made in so many
prescriptions. It may be true that there are more than
for reading glasses, but I don't think it answers the
question. They selll Duplicolor paint in more than 100
colors, 100's over the years. I don't see why they
couldn't make distance glasses in all the prescriptions
there are.

Do they need better fitting? Do they have to be
centered in front of the eyes more than reading
glasses. I don't see why.

Astigmatism. I've never understood how glasses correct
for that, so nothing I say relates to that.

Cheap reading glasses always have the same strength in
each eye.

...snip...

I've heard of people that buy contacts but only use them
in one eye. They say they can learn to read with the
contact eye and use the other eye for everything else.
They say "You get used to it."

You do. Took me about 3 days. In reality, you are still using both eyes at
any distance, just that one of them focuses sharply the other less so
depending upon how bad your eyes are (mine were about 20/200). The fact that
you are still using both eyes means you still see in stereo.

I've also done the same thing with glasses. I also did it with bifocal
glasses. When I got so I needed trifocals I went to progressive lenses.


--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

On 8 Nov 2013 16:39:57 GMT, Tony Sivori wrote:

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 15:31:38 -0500, willshak wrote:

Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75,
etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.

The bad thing about dollar store glasses is that you want poly carb
lenses for safety and dollar store glasses fail that safety test.

What do they have?

I like Zenni Optical. Great quality and dirt cheap.

You should be getting an eye exam every couple of years anyway, so why
not get prescription poly carb safety lenses?

On 11/08/13 07:12 am, DerbyDad03 wrote:

Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.

Why can YOU get reading glasses, but I can't get distance glasses?

Because, I think, inappropriate distance lenses can do more harm than
inappropriate reading lenses.

Good question. No one sells really cheap distance glasses. I didnt'
think to ask my ophthamologist, but someone told me it's because they
are made in so many prescriptions. It may be true that there are more
than for reading glasses, but I don't think it answers the question.
They selll Duplicolor paint in more than 100 colors, 100's over the
years. I don't see why they couldn't make distance glasses in all the
prescriptions there are.

Do they need better fitting? Do they have to be centered in front of
the eyes more than reading glasses. I don't see why.

Astigmatism. I've never understood how glasses correct for that, so
nothing I say relates to that.

Cheap reading glasses always have the same strength in each eye.

...snip...

I've heard of people that buy contacts but only use them in one eye. They
say they can learn to read with the contact eye and use the other eye for
everything else. They say "You get used to it."

I asked my eye doctor about it and he said, "Yes, that technique can work.
However, if you want to do it that way, find another eye doctor. I don't
support the practice."

While I was still wearing contacts most of the time,* I had eyeglasses
to wear at other times that the ophthalmologist called "monovision": one
eye for distance and the other for reading. If that's ok for eyeglasses,
I don't know why it wouldn't be OK for contacts.

*I had to have the contacts out for quite a while before my cataract
surgery and have never gone back to contacts. IAC, one eye now needs
only plain glass (except for the reading portion) and the other has a
problem that the cataract surgery could not fix.

Perce

On Fri, 08 Nov 2013 09:05:41 -0500, Frank
wrote:

On 11/7/2013 7:53 PM, wrote:
On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 18:53:39 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Thu, 07 Nov 2013 17:14:45 -0500, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 11/7/2013 3:31 PM, willshak wrote:
Some of us need to wear reading glasses to do home repair (thus why no
OT in the subject line).
My question. I can go to the optometrist and have all the tests taken
and then get glasses costing hundreds of dollars.
I can go to the drugstore and other places and get cheap reading
glasses, but they are only sold in single diopters. i.e. 1.00, 1.75, etc.
Why can't I find these cheap reading glasses that come in more than one
diopter, like gradients from 1.00 to 3.00 in the same lenses, 3.00 being
at the bottom of the lens and 1.00 at the top?
Is there some sort of restriction on the sale of these glasses?
Just curious, but maybe someone here knows.



Why can YOU get reading glasses, but I can't get distance glasses?

Good question. No one sells really cheap distance glasses. I didnt'
think to ask my ophthamologist, but someone told me it's because they
are made in so many prescriptions. It may be true that there are more
than for reading glasses, but I don't think it answers the question.
They selll Duplicolor paint in more than 100 colors, 100's over the
years. I don't see why they couldn't make distance glasses in all the
prescriptions there are.

Reading glasses are popular because of Presbyopia. Everyone will get
it. It's worthwhile selling the glasses. The market is there. Not
so for distance glasses.

Do they need better fitting? Do they have to be centered in front of
the eyes more than reading glasses. I don't see why.

I don't either.

Astigmatism. I've never understood how glasses correct for that, so
nothing I say relates to that.

Astigmatism is just an elongation of the lens, and is corrected with a
similar elongation at a right angle to it. The glasses have to be
custom ground for each angle (at 10deg increments, that would be 18
times the number of prescriptions - at 1deg that's 180 different
ones), making off-the-shelf glasses impractical.

Cheap reading glasses always have the same strength in each eye. There
are enough frame shapes that it would be hard to buy two pair and
trade one lens. But even though one of my eyes is better than the
other, this never bothers me Would it be a problem for distance
glasses? You wear them. Do you know?

Shouldn't be. It's a matter of marketing. No market, no product.

At any rate, I would think they could come up with a method to sell
each lens separately and frames too. There is a lot of leeway
between 100 dollars at a good store and 10 dollars at the drugstore.

Marketing. Fashion. Too many different combinations.

This must be what I've been waiting for, a way to get rich. We just
have to hire a company in the US or China to sell us frames and lenses
for distance that fit the frames and we can sell them for 25 dollars.
The extra 15 will include 5 more to buy them and 10 more dollars
profit for us. We'll be like the first baker to sell sliced bread.

Already been done. Zenni sells prescription glasses for as little as
$7. It takes a couple of weeks from China, but their work is good
(the Optometrist I went to last time couldn't believe they were bought
over the Internet). You'll need your prescription, though.


I've got astigmatism and need bifocals. When I wore my Zenni glasses
to an optical exam, I was 20/20 just like with local glasses.

Sure, I also have developed an astigmatism over the past few years.
Zenni glasses have been great, though their frames are a little
"cheap". I can't find lenses as large as I'd like, either, but
they're not available anymore locally, either. I like large glasses
for computer use, so I don't have to move my head to see the screens.

As far as ordering from China, as some object, I've gotten one order in
less than a week. I've also had a week's wait at the local opticians.
Who knows where they are going to get the work done. Also pointed out
the "Made in China" label on the local glasses. Even if the local guy
did the lenses, he was using Chinese parts.

It's always taken the full two weeks, perhaps into the third. The
local guys I go to grind their own, though my insurance won't pay for
it so they order them from an optical lab. I'm sure the frames are
Chinese, even though they're "designer".

People buy American cars made in Canada and Mexico. Why not glasses?

People want to bitch.

On 8 Nov 2013 16:38:25 GMT, Tony Sivori wrote:

On Fri, 08 Nov 2013 09:05:41 -0500, Frank wrote:

I've got astigmatism and need bifocals. When I wore my Zenni glasses to
an optical exam, I was 20/20 just like with local glasses.

As far as ordering from China, as some object, I've gotten one order in
less than a week. I've also had a week's wait at the local opticians.
Who knows where they are going to get the work done. Also pointed out
the "Made in China" label on the local glasses. Even if the local guy
did the lenses, he was using Chinese parts.

People buy American cars made in Canada and Mexico. Why not glasses?

I'll second that about Zenni Optical. Very cheap but great quality
prescription glasses. You do need a recent (less than two years old)
prescription from an eye exam. But you should be getting those anyway to
detect vision hazards like glaucoma and macular degeneration.

They ask for a date of your last exam but there is no way they can
check it.

In most states the doctor must release a copy of your prescription to you
upon request. If he won't, Zenni will contact their office to verify the
Rx.

In my case, I like to be upfront. When I make the appointment I tell the
doctor's office that I want an exam for glasses, but I also tell them I
won't be buying the glasses at their office.

I have a pair from the optometrist (lenses every year and frames every
other) but all of my spares and special purpose glasses come from
Zenni.