Eye Care

The only lenses I've had since needing multifocal lenses have been Hoya - the HOYALUX iD MyStyle to be specific. I get them at the optician shop associated with my eye doctor and get superior service. But money is entering the picture, and all the reviews of Costco, Sams Club, Walmart, are luring me in.

I recently had to get new glasses, and two pair at that (needed a backup, old pair breaking). I wanted fashionable frames and shopped everywhere. In the end, I plunked down a LOT of money at the usual optician because I could only find qualitative comparisons of lenses, and a significant portion of folks talking about Costco's (and Sam's Club's and Walmart's...) progressive lenses being of lower quality. The statement that resonated with me was "if you drove a Lamborghini, then bought a minivan, you wouldn't enjoy the minivan. But, you COULD do the reverse and be happy."

Here I am wanting RX sunglasses instead of cocoons or whatever. I'm loving the thought of buying stylish frames and taking them to a cheap place to get HD progressive tinted lenses. Maybe even the auto-darkening "Transitions" type. Will I be content with Costco or Sam's Club lenses (noname at Costco, entry level Nikon or Zeiss at Sam's)? Has anyone gone from the "Lamborghini" (hi-end lenses) to bargain store lenses and been satisfied?

Do tell!

Thanks
WalkerWear

Walkerwear,

I'm not sure you are going to get an answer on that one, and if you do, a single person's experience is not something that can be easily generalized to everyone. Of course, if we could get 10 or more people responding, that would show us a definite trend of what is good and what is better.

Also, be aware that you may not be able to take frames you bought elsewhere and get the lenses at Costco. They used to do that everywhere, but I've heard reports that some locations are not. Usually, there is around an $18 charge to use frames that were not bought at Costco, supposedly to cover the cost of making a new template for the lenses.

There is a detailed thread about the Costco multifocal lenses, but even there I don't see much, if any, feedback from someone going from an expensive pair of progressive lenses to the Costco lenses. Also, single person reports are not all that useful in my mind. Everyone is different, especially when it comes to progressives it seems.

If you do wind up getting progressives from either Costco, Walmart, or Sam's, please share your experience with us all here!