Look for ways to save
Buying new eyeglasses doesn't always mean you have to blow through your paycheck. There are good bargains out there for thrifty shoppers who want to see in style.
SHOP ONLINE There are some online eyeglass sites that offer cut-rate prices on frames and lenses. Quality, of course, can vary. Check out www.zennioptical.com, which sells generic frames, including lenses with an antiscratch coating and UV protection, for as little as $8. That would mean huge savings as the average frame price is around $126 and the average pair of lenses is $129, according to a June 2009 report by Jobson/Vision Council.
FINANCIAL AID Some merchants are offering their own programs to help consumers pay for glasses they may not be able to afford right now. Sears, for example, is promoting no interest and no payments for 12 months on any eyewear purchase over $249 when you use a qualifying Sears card. The Vision USA program also provides basic eye health and vision care services free of charge to low-income families who don’t qualify for government aid or private health insurance. Check out www.aoa.org/visionusa.xml for details.
MEMBERS ONLY Many eyeglass shops offer discounts for members of different programs, such as AAA or AARP. LensCrafters, for instance, offer 30 percent off a complete pair of eyeglasses or prescription sunglasses. These memberships also get you other discounts at LensCrafters. AAA offers 30 percent off eye exams and accessories, as well as 10 percent off conventional and disposable contact lenses.
BARGAIN BUSTERS Today through Dec. 12, LensCrafters is launching its first-ever clearance event, where you can get up to 50 percent off clearance frames and lenses when you buy a complete pair of eyeglasses. Even places like See Eyewear, which say they never give discounts or hold sales, have a place on their website for consumers to sign up for “bribes and secret offers.’’
KEEP YOUR OLD FRAMES Not every new prescription means you need an entirely new pair of glasses. Most major retail locations will put new lenses in old frames. Keeping your old frames may not make you the leading fashionista, but it could end up saving you a serious chunk of change.
CHECK YOUR EYES Make sure you actually need prescription eyeglasses. Some consumers are switching to over-the-counter reading glasses as a way to save money and meet their vision needs. But first check with your doctor. Magnivision, a Rhode Island maker of over-the-counter reading glasses, says sales are up 6 percent over the past few months for their products, which include new eco-friendly and luxury fashion lines that cost between $14.99 and $24.99 and are available at retailers like Walgreens, CVS, and Wal-Mart. Rick Kornhauser, chief marketing officer of FGX International, which owns Magnivision, says these reading glasses are “an excellent solution for consumers seeking stylish, prescription-quality performance without the cost associated with prescription eyewear.’’
Jenn Abelson can be reached at abelson@globe.com. 
